USB Typewriter for iPad: The past and present of writing collide with an audible ding

June 14, 2010 - By Justin E. Gehrke

As geeks, we are no stranger to kitsch. Since the introduction of the USB port, we have seen the proliferance of USB external storage, printers, smart card readers, and the like. As with many a popular idea, though, we’ve also seen an endless stream of USB gadgetry that provide us with some form of convenience, amusement, or, at times, plain old strangeness. What are a few cases in point? There is the Humping USB Dog, the USB Lightsaber Lamp, and even the USB Turntable.

At first glance, Jack Zylkin’s USB Typewriter looks like just another example of USB kitsch. After watching the short demo video, though, and actually thinking about the concept, there actually does seem to be some redeeming value in it. What benefit could one possibly derive from it? Open your mind for a few seconds, and I’ll tell you.

First, though, let’s go over how it works. This odd peripheral device consists of two components, the Sensor Board and a USB Interface Board. The Sensor Board is made up of metal contacts which are retrofitted to fit under the typewriter’s keys. The USB Interface Board contains an Atmega168P microcontroller chip and a USB Type B socket. This piece handles the sensory input and translates keystrokes to data, for display on the device to which the USB Typewriter is connected. It’s obviously more complicated than this, but it should give you the general idea. The device is compatible, not just with the iPad (as shown below), but with PC and Mac, as well.

Okay, you understand the basic technology behind it, but what is the potential redeeming value? For this, we’ll take you back to 10th grade. That was the year I took Typing I. From the beginning, I was naturally adept at typing. Within several months I was typing 100+ words per minute. Not long after that, I purchased a typewriter and began typing any assignment that allowed the use of it. The next year, I took my first Word Perfect class. Because of my previous year’s experience in Typing I, I was able to mimic my success on the computer’s keyboard. For me, it was a win/win situation. No longer was I relegated to making notes to ensure I didn’t forget an important thought. I was able to use my basic typing skills to create documents almost as fast as I could think.

I was by no means an author who had penned countless novels on an old typewriter. Nor was I a seasoned administrative assistance who drafted an endless stack of memorandums for my supervisor’s signature. No, I was a sophmore in high school who quickly grew accustomed to the clack of the typewriter’s keys and the resounding ding that let me know it was time to move onto the next line. I was a typing monster. Even with only a year under my belt, I noticed the difference between the typewriter and the keyboard. The final document may have contained the same words and paragraphs, but the process wasn’t nearly as audibly pleasing.

Throughout the years I’ve heard journalists like CBS’ Andy Rooney, who say that they transitioned from the typewriter to the computer as a matter of practicality. Computers obviously make it easier to save, duplicate, and back up our work. They afford us the convenience of spell checking documents, instead of having to white out mistakes and perfectly realign the document in the typewriter, in hopes of being able to correct it, in such a way that the changes aren’t easily detectable. Finally, we can easily send documents, whether they be short messages or long manuscripts, via email.

Yes, the computer and it’s wonderous data input device afford us many conveniences. One thing they cannot do, though, is stimulate our creativity. It comes from within, but, sometimes, the way we let it flow out can enhance the overall experience and enjoyment. For those who grew up strictly with computers and never had the window of opportunity (albeit a short one in my case) to befriend the typewriter, this won’t make much sense. The fact is, though, that there are many senior writers, authors, etc. who still yearn for a return to the days, where creative output was accompanied by a furious clacking, a ding, and the other indescribable noise that was created when you hit the return key.

For some it may represent kitsch. For the types mentioned above, though, the USB Typewriter represents a real opportunity for the marriage of present and past technology, for the purpose of creative output. So, before you laugh at the concept or write it off as ridiculous, think back to your favorite author, columnist or poet. Would he or she have been as successful without the typewriter? Could Hemingway, Kerouac, or Salinger have written the same quality of work on a computer? We’ll never know for sure, but I, for one, wouldn’t like to find out.

Believe it or not, you probably feel the same sense of longing that typewriter lovers do. In the past several years, we’ve gone from clunky, plastic keyboards with keys that make enough noise of their own, to ultra-thin ones that barely register a sound as you type. We’ve also seen the advent and spread of the virtual or soft keyboard on devices such as the iPhone and Android. These may be configured to make clicking sounds by default, but it just isn’t the same. Perhaps now, with your own perspective of the previous generation’s pain, you can better understand the potential benefit to the USB Typewriter.

With your newfound appreciation of the past in mind, if you know someone who longs for the good old days when the typewriter reigned supreme, pass on the link to Zylkin’s site. Whether they want to retrofit an old typewriter stowed away in the attic, purchase one of Zylkin’s retro-modded models, or give DIY conversion a shot, they deserve the chance to stay in the present but feel like their in the past. If you’re not there now, you will be one day. When that day comes, just hope there is someone like Zylkin, who will help bridge your present and past with a little technological innovation and a lot of imagination.

For a complete description of the USB Typewriter and information on ordering a retro-modded typewriter, sending in one for customization, or DIY conversion kit, visit the official USB Typewriter site.