As I type this article, I’m within a flick of the wrist to a web browser with tabs open to YouTube and Twitter, a OneNote window with some vague scribblings related to work and countless other projects, and easy shortcuts to a number of small amusements on the desktop behind this Word document. It’s a wonder how I get anything done with all these distractions.
The computer is an excellent tool for writing, but it’s also an excellent tool for everything else. Some writers have to force themselves into isolation, using “distraction-free” word processing software, such as WriteRoom, that blacks out your entire computer monitor, only giving clearance to the words you’re typing.
Famous author George R.R. Martin insists on writing his novels on an ancient DOS computer disconnected from the Internet. Even if it’s just you and your fancy word processor, the temptation to edit as you write is often far too great, and you get hung up on formatting text and keeping your spellcheck at bay instead of actually putting fresh words down.
The folks from Astrohaus know these problems well, and they’ve created a most extravagant solution with a device called “Freewrite,” a single function writing tool, aka, a typewriter. Do you remember those? Billed as the “world’s first smart typewriter,” the Freewrite modernizes the typewriter with an E-Ink display and Wi-Fi capabilities to sync your documents to the cloud.
“We believe that writers deserve their own professional tools to maximize their success,” said Astrohaus cofounder Adam Leeb. “For the first time ever, writers are able to have a pure, distraction-free environment while retaining all the benefits of digital documents.”
The Freewrite was previously known as ”Hemingwrite,” a Kickstarter project started in December 2014. The campaign successfully raised $345,471 of its $250,000 goal, and the product will finally be shipping out to consumers this March.
The device features a full-size mechanical keyboard, a special type of keyboard that is preferred by avid typists, such as programmers and writers. If you’ve ever typed on one of those old IBM computers, you’ve probably used a mechanical keyboard before. It’s a very tactile typing experience when compared to the mushiness of the common membrane keyboards that most computers come with these days.
On a mechanical keyboard, each key has its own individual switch underneath it that produces a very noticeable click when pressed, letting you know exactly what key you’re hitting and when, reducing typos and double-typing. They’re also louder than your typical membrane keyboard. When you get down to business, you and everyone else around you will know about it. You feel like one of those Hollywood hacker types when typing on a mechanical keyboard, and it feels great.
The Freewrite uses Cherry MX Brown mechanical switches in particular, a type of switch that registers a click about halfway down, making for faster, smoother typing. (There’s a whole rabbit hole to go down when it comes to the different “colors” of mechanical keyboard switches. Mechanical keyboards users have their own subculture at this point!)
The E-Ink display measures in at 5.5 inches diagonally. It’s also frontlit, in case the lighting conditions are not optimal for viewing the screen.
The Freewrite is also extremely portable. It weighs in at about 4 pounds and has a handle for easy carrying. It’s a wireless device, with a battery life described as lasting 3 to 4 weeks of “normal usage,” which is defined as “30 minutes of writing per day with Wi-Fi turned off.” A USB Type-C port is used for charging the device.
You can store over a million pages on the device’s onboard storage, as files are saved as plain text documents, but Astrohaus counts on you using the built-in Wi-Fi to sync your documents to the cloud. They have their own cloud service called “Postbox,” and the Freewrite automatically syncs your content in real time to your Postbox account. Once on Postbox, you can print documents, email them, or edit them. There’s also support for Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, and more services to come.
Despite the name, the Freewrite comes at a premium price. You can order now, and they will begin shipping in March. The price tag sits at $499 until the end of March, which is when the price will go up to $549. It’s an expensive price for a single use device, but if you really value the writing experience over anything else, it may be a worthy investment, if not at least a novel device for the nostalgia of the typewriter. Now if only it came with a soundproof chamber to keep your phone in to achieve a truly “distraction-free” writing environment.
By Alfredo Dizon, eParisExtra