AlphaSmart NEO reverse-engineering notes and working tools.
The core validated result is direct USB access: the NEO can be switched from HID
keyboard mode 081e:bd04 to direct USB mode 081e:bd01, where AlphaWord files
and SmartApplet metadata can be read through bulk endpoints. The repo also
contains a validated Alpha USB SmartApplet path for Android backups without
root, proxy hardware, or typewriter fallback.
- Desktop USB detection, HID-to-direct switching, and direct endpoint probing.
- Read-only AlphaWord slot listing and file download.
- SmartApplet listing, dumping, installing, clearing, and stock restore tooling.
- NEO OS image flashing/recovery tooling used successfully on physical hardware.
- Desktop TUI backup app and desktop GUI backup app.
- Android GUI backup path using the
Alpha USBSmartApplet to enter direct USB. - Native Rust SmartApplet SDK/packer targeting
m68k-unknown-none-elf. - Betawise-derived C SmartApplet workflow for reliable NEO applets, including
Basic Writer,Forth Mini, andWriteOrDie. - Native Rust SmartApplet: validated
Alpha USB. - Desktop/headless SmartApplet emulator for stock firmware plus repo applets.
real-check/: live USB command tool for probing, switching to direct mode, listing/downloading AlphaWord files, SmartApplet operations, and recovery commands. Start with real-check/README.md.alpha-cli/: backup TUI and GUI for desktop and Android. Build/run details are in alpha-cli/README.md.aplha-rust-native/: native Rust SmartApplet SDK and packer targetingm68k-unknown-none-elf. See aplha-rust-native/README.md.smartapplets/: current validated Betawise-derived C applet workflow and reusable NEO applet SDK helpers. See smartapplets/README.md.alpha-emu/: desktop/headless SmartApplet emulator usingm68000plus emulated NEO OS services and applet validators. See alpha-emu/README.md.poc/neotools/: protocol parsers, packet builders, validators, and offline reverse-engineering helpers.docs/: protocol notes and device findings. The most important recovery note is docs/2026-04-18-neo-recovery-runbook.md.