A Weekend Project for Writers: The $40 Digital Typewriter

The typewriter has all but disappeared because even the most basic PC can do everything a typewriter can do, only better. However, that is not all that a PC does — when you sit down at your machine you are also going to get a barrage of notifications and emails that demand your attention. And, of course, there is also the temptation to fall into the trap of scrolling through social media, wasting hours each day.

Maybe replacing the typewriter wasn’t such a good idea after all? That thought has occurred to many people, and has resulted in the increasing popularity of dedicated, distraction-free digital writing devices. These offer many of the conveniences of traditional word processing software that we have grown accustomed to, but without all of the annoying distractions.

A hardware hacker that goes by the handle Quackieduckie has just built a new device of this sort. Called the etyper, this DIY device manages to provide a pleasant typing experience with an E Ink display for just $40 — far less than the couple hundred dollars similar devices typically cost.

The etyper is explicitly designed to be a weekend project. The entire unit can be assembled in just two to three hours with minimal soldering, and most of the mechanical structure is 3D-printed in place, including a folding hinge mechanism. When closed, the device becomes small enough to slip into a pocket, while an adjustable stand allows the screen to sit comfortably on a desk when opened.

The device is built around an Orange Pi Zero 2W single-board computer running Armbian Linux, paired with an inexpensive 4.2-inch WeActStudio E Ink display. Together those parts account for nearly all of the cost: roughly $23 for the computer and about $15 for the display, plus a couple of dollars in filament for the printed enclosure. The design uses eight small M2 screws for assembly and intentionally avoids supports to keep printing simple.

Unlike many portable writing gadgets, the etyper does not include a battery. Instead, it is powered by any 5-volt USB-C source such as a 20-watt charger or a power bank. The device also follows a “bring your own keyboard” philosophy and currently supports wired USB-C keyboards.

The software is focused on simplicity. At boot, users can create and manage documents using keyboard shortcuts: saving files, creating new drafts, switching between documents, and forcing a full E Ink refresh to eliminate ghosting. A sleep toggle conserves power when the writer steps away.

To easily move documents between devices, Quackieduckie has developed a wireless transfer system. Pressing a key combination activates a temporary Bluetooth personal area network. The etyper then hosts a small file server accessible through a web browser at a local address, allowing writers to download documents individually or as a ZIP archive. Bluetooth automatically shuts off after five minutes to conserve power.

The source code is freely available to anyone who would like to build their own etyper.