THE USB TYPEWRITER (http://www.usbtypewriter.com/)
just in case you're not yet convinced that this is utter crap and whoever buys it completely deserves wasting $500 on it (kudos to the inventor!) because real old typewriters are so cool and authentic and such--I thought that until I watched the first 30s of the video on that site.
Especially the music.
It's like that new hipster-tragicomedy on HBO, Bored to Death, I bet the main character would love to not write his book on an iPad with this device plugged in it.
Fuck, the inventor should try and get it product-placed in there, he'll make a FORTUNE!!
that is ridiculous
The point to me isn't the "feel" of the keys, it's the mechanical striking of the letters on the paper, the unique style each one has.
I do have an old manual typewriter, and I like using it every once in a while, if I need that look.
(actually, maybe I should get some vintage paper and type out a one-of a kind hand bound copy of the Chao te Ching. Could be fun.)
Anyway, the point being that if you don't get that awesome typewritten look, then the whole thing is useless.
I'm sure someone will create a font (which you can download as an app) and create a printer which will score the paper, so it can look like it was written on a Really Real Typewriter (for Realness).
Also, I have come to a conclusion. Hipsterdom is love of retro, only removing the inconvienience of the downsides that go with it. So, for example, you have a typewriter...where you can go back and delete stuff you wrote, because buying a real typewriter and having to dispose of letters due to minor mistakes is just too difficult.
I'm sure other examples can be found.
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on September 23, 2011, 02:07:19 PM
The point to me isn't the "feel" of the keys, it's the mechanical striking of the letters on the paper, the unique style each one has.
I do have an old manual typewriter, and I like using it every once in a while, if I need that look.
(actually, maybe I should get some vintage paper and type out a one-of a kind hand bound copy of the Chao te Ching. Could be fun.)
Anyway, the point being that if you don't get that awesome typewritten look, then the whole thing is useless.
Check the video, it actually does that ...
"turn of your monitor for the authentic experience"
AUTHENTIC!!!
you can really put a piece of paper in it, and what you type will actually be typewritered for real on the piece of paper, in the old fashioned typewritten oldskool stylee with hammers and ink and rusty nails, with the only addition that you have the USB thing in your iMacbookpad so that "you can read the hardcopy from paper and SHARE the digital copy!"
SHAAAAAAAAAAAARE!!! SHARE!! TWEEEEEEEEEEEET!! LIIIIIIIIIKE!
Quote from: Cain on September 23, 2011, 02:11:26 PMAlso, I have come to a conclusion. Hipsterdom is love of retro, only removing the inconvienience of the downsides that go with it. So, for example, you have a typewriter...where you can go back and delete stuff you wrote, because buying a real typewriter and having to dispose of letters due to minor mistakes is just too difficult.
I'm sure other examples can be found.
Black-rimmed glasses with flat glass and contacts.
the "Arafat scarf" without actually being Arafat.
Really obscure music without the inconvenience of actually having to make sure it's any good.
Skinny jeans without the inconvenience of .. um .. eh getting your jeans specially made at a retarded clothesmaker with a perverse idea of human propertions that back in the old days would have been required before anyone would create a monstrosity like the horror that are skinny jeans. Except on really hot girls, which I have found can wear any kind of ridiculous clothing and after a while you'll get used to it and they look good in it. Probably because you learn to imagine what's under them.
Authenticity. :lulz:
My grandmother had a fancy, schmancy electric typewriter where you could actually go back and "erase" mistakes. Basically, it was just a strip of white-out and you'd have to back up and hit the same exact, wrong, key to make it go away and then back up again and type over the mistake. It looked pretty crappy and the ink didn't quite stick the same.
I love inventions like this. They allow you to identify douchebags at a glance, which saves a lot of time.
Jesus!
Quote from: Nigel on September 23, 2011, 06:14:10 PM
Jesus!
No, Jesus would need the cunieform/tablet app.
My mom still has my great-grandfather's old beater of a keystroke typwriter. My sons like typing on it just for the experience. It's the kind of machine I learned on in the 80's, so I tend to beat the hell out of my keyboards out of habit.
I still have the last typwriter I was ever bought as a high schooler--a little electric jobbie that still works. Has a bit of a computer inside so it can "memorize" text and then print it out on paper when you hit this key. But that's a specialization feature, and mostly it just uses this little plastic wheel with the letters on it. It's ribbon spooled, even.
I used to be fascinated by the huge electric typwriter my grandmother used as church secretary that had one of those spinning steel balls for keys.
Quote from: Jenne on September 23, 2011, 06:34:34 PM
My mom still has my great-grandfather's old beater of a keystroke typwriter. My sons like typing on it just for the experience. It's the kind of machine I learned on in the 80's, so I tend to beat the hell out of my keyboards out of habit.
I still have the last typwriter I was ever bought as a high schooler--a little electric jobbie that still works. Has a bit of a computer inside so it can "memorize" text and then print it out on paper when you hit this key. But that's a specialization feature, and mostly it just uses this little plastic wheel with the letters on it. It's ribbon spooled, even.
I used to be fascinated by the huge electric typwriter my grandmother used as church secretary that had one of those spinning steel balls for keys.
I still have an old Underwood manual typewriter. My daughter had fun with it for a while, but it is now sitting in the storage racking in my garage.
At least until I can find a hipster that will pay $$$ for it.
Dude. You so should. :lol:
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 23, 2011, 06:36:06 PM
Quote from: Jenne on September 23, 2011, 06:34:34 PM
My mom still has my great-grandfather's old beater of a keystroke typwriter. My sons like typing on it just for the experience. It's the kind of machine I learned on in the 80's, so I tend to beat the hell out of my keyboards out of habit.
I still have the last typwriter I was ever bought as a high schooler--a little electric jobbie that still works. Has a bit of a computer inside so it can "memorize" text and then print it out on paper when you hit this key. But that's a specialization feature, and mostly it just uses this little plastic wheel with the letters on it. It's ribbon spooled, even.
I used to be fascinated by the huge electric typwriter my grandmother used as church secretary that had one of those spinning steel balls for keys.
I still have an old Underwood manual typewriter. My daughter had fun with it for a while, but it is now sitting in the storage racking in my garage.
At least until I can find a hipster that will pay $$$ for it.
I don't know if he qualifies as a "hipster" (he pretty much exists in the 20th century) but my friend Jake loves those. http://www.bluemooncamera.com/
I own a very decent typewriter, and the reason is that I would like to still be able to type after the Revolution.
Quote from: Nigel on September 23, 2011, 07:06:55 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 23, 2011, 06:36:06 PM
Quote from: Jenne on September 23, 2011, 06:34:34 PM
My mom still has my great-grandfather's old beater of a keystroke typwriter. My sons like typing on it just for the experience. It's the kind of machine I learned on in the 80's, so I tend to beat the hell out of my keyboards out of habit.
I still have the last typwriter I was ever bought as a high schooler--a little electric jobbie that still works. Has a bit of a computer inside so it can "memorize" text and then print it out on paper when you hit this key. But that's a specialization feature, and mostly it just uses this little plastic wheel with the letters on it. It's ribbon spooled, even.
I used to be fascinated by the huge electric typwriter my grandmother used as church secretary that had one of those spinning steel balls for keys.
I still have an old Underwood manual typewriter. My daughter had fun with it for a while, but it is now sitting in the storage racking in my garage.
At least until I can find a hipster that will pay $$$ for it.
I don't know if he qualifies as a "hipster" (he pretty much exists in the 20th century) but my friend Jake loves those. http://www.bluemooncamera.com/
I own a very decent typewriter, and the reason is that I would like to still be able to type after the Revolution collapse.
Fixed that for accuracy.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 23, 2011, 07:12:17 PM
Quote from: Nigel on September 23, 2011, 07:06:55 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 23, 2011, 06:36:06 PM
Quote from: Jenne on September 23, 2011, 06:34:34 PM
My mom still has my great-grandfather's old beater of a keystroke typwriter. My sons like typing on it just for the experience. It's the kind of machine I learned on in the 80's, so I tend to beat the hell out of my keyboards out of habit.
I still have the last typwriter I was ever bought as a high schooler--a little electric jobbie that still works. Has a bit of a computer inside so it can "memorize" text and then print it out on paper when you hit this key. But that's a specialization feature, and mostly it just uses this little plastic wheel with the letters on it. It's ribbon spooled, even.
I used to be fascinated by the huge electric typwriter my grandmother used as church secretary that had one of those spinning steel balls for keys.
I still have an old Underwood manual typewriter. My daughter had fun with it for a while, but it is now sitting in the storage racking in my garage.
At least until I can find a hipster that will pay $$$ for it.
I don't know if he qualifies as a "hipster" (he pretty much exists in the 20th century) but my friend Jake loves those. http://www.bluemooncamera.com/
I own a very decent typewriter, and the reason is that I would like to still be able to type after the Revolution collapse.
Fixed that for accuracy.
Same thing.
I used to have a manual typewriter. I kind of miss it. I loved the noise it made, and loved watching how everything moved with each press of a key. But I never wanted to compose on the fucking thing. My fingertips would've started bleeding before I got through even half a page.
I think, if you're going to use a typewriter, you might as well just use a typewriter.
And USE THE HELL OUT OF IT, of course. Nothing can be halfway.
As for why people enjoy typewriters, I think it goes to what LMNO said, and is the same reason people enjoy making things by hand. It's the physicality of it, we're tool users, and there's probably some physiological pleasure response to using tools and crafting by hand. But again, if you're going to use a typewriter, just use a typewriter.
I'm also thinking about how posession of retrograde and anachronistic objects is a status symbol, because only people who aren't preoccupied with survival have time to collect such things.
Whenever I see things like this, I feel the urge to say that authenticity is overrated. I don't believe that, but I feel that way.
It's becoming more of an industry codeword, like "gourmet".
Quote from: Jasper on September 23, 2011, 10:58:04 PM
Whenever I see things like this, I feel the urge to say that authenticity is overrated. I don't believe that, but I feel that way.
It's becoming more of an industry codeword, like "gourmet".
Authenticity is and has always been bullshit.
In marketing, yes. But good human-level authenticity pleases me no matter how unfashionable it gets.
Quote from: Jasper on September 23, 2011, 11:03:02 PM
In marketing, yes. But good human-level authenticity pleases me no matter how unfashionable it gets.
There's no such animal.
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 23, 2011, 11:10:08 PM
Quote from: Jasper on September 23, 2011, 11:03:02 PM
In marketing, yes. But good human-level authenticity pleases me no matter how unfashionable it gets.
There's no such animal.
How I know I'm still young: I still hope I'm never as cynical as that.
Quote from: Jasper on September 23, 2011, 11:14:09 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on September 23, 2011, 11:10:08 PM
Quote from: Jasper on September 23, 2011, 11:03:02 PM
In marketing, yes. But good human-level authenticity pleases me no matter how unfashionable it gets.
There's no such animal.
How I know I'm still young: I still hope I'm never as cynical as that.
Youth is wasted on you young bastards. :lulz:
That's what it's there for. To be inconsequentially frittered away along with our potential, our health, and our dreams.
Quote from: Cain on September 23, 2011, 02:11:26 PM
Hipsterdom is love of retro, only removing the inconvienience of the downsides that go with it.
Hipster polio: Some otherwise healthy guy who still goes to the club in an iron lung.