I first came across this retro technology at least 7 years ago if not longer and I was startled by the strength of my desire to own one of my very own. I still don’t own one because I am a bit like that Billy T James Joke… “I am half Maori and half Irish. Half of me wants to get drunk and the other half doesn’t want to pay for it.”
Well, the creative, impractical novel writer in me longs to own one of these delightful modern-old school hybrids. They suggest a perfect synchronisation between nostalgia and practicality. For those of us who learned to type not on laptops or computer keyboard but on typewriters, they evoke a simpler time and the lovely memories of the sound of typing and the satisfying “ding” as you moved down a line.
What is so cool about these typewriters is that each one is completely unique as each one has been retrofitted in order to work with modern technology. The blue typewriter above is a Smith Corona Sterling typewriter that has been restored and modified so that it can work as a USB Keyboard for PC, Mac or iPad. It works as a fully functional computer keyboard. This example also features Bluetooth capability, so you can connect to almost any tablet, smartphone, or mobile device. It also features a SD-card slot, so you can save your work even when you are not connected to a screen.
For those who don’t want to pay top dollar for an already converted typewriter, it is possible to convert your own typewriter by purchasing a DIY Conversion Kit.
My dream is to own a converted pink vintage typewriter but while half of me says do it, the other half doesn’t want to pay for it.
