The Typewriter Is a Wooden Distraction-Free "WriterDeck" Powered by a Raspberry Pi 3
Designed to be at home on the desk or on the move, this wooden electronic typewriter includes a neat book holder.
Pseudonymous maker "bilbonbigos" has become the latest to put together a distraction-free "WriterDeck," powered by a Raspberry Pi single-board computer and designed to maximize the user's focus on the task at hand — and the wooden-cased device is named for its direct inspiration: The Typewriter.
"It's a retro looking digital typewriter based on [a] Raspberry Pi 3 [Model] B+ and FocusWriter as a main writing software," bilbonbigos writes of the device. "The case is wooden and I really like the messy suitcase look of it (it was my first wooden project ever). I didn't use any screws or nails in this project — it's all glued. The fact that I managed to finish it when fighting depression and burnout (successfully thanks to doctors in the hospital where I was for a few weeks in the middle of making The Typewriter) and that it works is just wow, man. A fantastic feeling."
"WriterDecks" are a spin-off of the "CyberDeck" movement: devices, typically powered by low-cost single-board computers or microcontrollers, which include a display and a keyboard and boot to a distraction-free environment focused purely on the act of getting words written down. They rarely offer the ability to switch to other software, even if the hardware is capable of it — removing the temptation to take a break from writing to check emails, browse social media, or catch up on the news.
The Typewriter is, as the name suggests, inspired by an electric typewriter — and even includes an area at the top for paper, to serve as a hands-free reference while writing. An ultrawide 7.9" display and compact mechanical keyboard complete the wooden exterior, with a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ hiding inside along with a 10Ah battery pack. "It was important to me to make the device pretty small and light," bilbonbigos explains, "so I would grab it with me to a café (I'm going to add a leather strap to take it like a shoulder bag). The whole device is about the size of a stack of A4 paper."
The project is detailed in bilbonbigos' Reddit post.