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Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Electratype app

Last year I reviewed three "typewriter" apps for the iPhone. Now I've heard from a reader, Antonios B., who has told me about an app for the iPad that is pretty impressive:

It's called Electratype and it is a fancy-note writing simulation of Selectric typewriters of the late '60s and early '70s. It makes sounds, it includes a significant range of fonts and simulated stationary and it exports png images. Characters can be superimposed. Line length and position on the page can be adjusted at will. It even simulates a function which Wikipedia informs me was an actual function of the Selectrics, to correct by applying a white ink on the page...I send you three image samples of the products of Electratype.


The Correcting Selectric's method of correction was actually more sophisticated: a sticky tape actually lifted the ink off the page. Of course, you could also use correction tabs that worked the way the app does. Anyway, the results of the app are very good:





You can learn more about the app here.
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 30, 2016 at 12:22 AM

    Looks very realistic.

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  2. Bill MMarch 30, 2016 at 5:22 AM

    Tempting to get an iPhone.

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  3. Joe VMarch 30, 2016 at 9:23 AM

    So here's a crazy question: anybody know a truly portable, battery-powered printer that's compatible with the iPad or iPhone? Because this combination would make for a modern remake of the electric daisywheel typer, in a smaller, lighter package (depending on the size of the printer, of course).

    I do find it an interesting phenomenon, this interest in developing apps that simulate typewriters. I believe somehow typewriters have been embedded in our common cultural memory.

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  4. Antonis BMarch 30, 2016 at 10:08 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. typewriter poetryMarch 30, 2016 at 11:06 PM

    Normally I'm put off by apps trying to mimic typewriters. But I have to admit, this one seems kinda fun. Thanks for sharing, Richard. Now if only I had an iPad to try it out on...

    ReplyDelete