Dieselpunk USB Typewriter

I'm going to a "hacker" open house in Philly tonite run by Hive76.

One of the products they've just released to the public is a USB typewriter that looks and acts like an old-fashioned device, but is completely digital for use with today's gadgets. Check out the video below which shows the typewriter being used as an input device for an Apple iPad. If I see one in person, I'll write a review. At this point though, I'm skeptical.



From their website:

The USBTypewriter™ is a new and groundbreaking innovation in the field of obsolescence. Lovers of the look, feel, and quality of old fashioned manual typewriters can now use them as keyboards for any USB-capable computer, such as a PC, Mac, or even iPad! The modification is easy to install, it involves no messy wiring, and does not change the outward appearance of the typewriter (except for the usb adapter itself, which is mounted in the rear of the machine). So the end result is a retro-style USB keyboard that not only looks great, but feels great to use.

At this website, you can buy buy a USB Typewriter of your very own, or you can buy a kit to make one yourself. You can also send me your typewriter to customize.

The USB Typewriter™ and Typewriter Dock™ are trademarks held by Jack Zylkin. The project was developed at Hive76 in Philadelphia. No product bearing this name or description can be marketed without his consent. The design is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License, and all design documents used in making USB Typewriter hardware and software can be found on this website. The software design is based on the open source Arduino microcontroller platform, and can be modified using the Arduino IDE. It also makes use of the ArduinoUSB Project developed by RancidBacon.com. Any copies, improvements, or derivations of this design must attribute their creation back to this website.