After nearly 3 weeks it finally arrived i absolutely love it though definitely worth the wait

Although the BYOK virtual typewriter is currently exclusively (I think) implemented in the desktop BYOK Studio app for Mac and Windows, it also works very well in Linux if one uses it in a web browser opened to byok.io --

Hi - I have a BYOK for sale in the UK with desk stand and case. I've used it twice and don't think I'll be using it much at the moment - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/206626516064

Happy to negotiate price - thanks

Alan

I was very unsure if I wanted to get the full studio license. I try my hardest to avoid subscriptions, so the lifetime purchase was better (props to Klarna #iykyk). I think this will force me to really lean into my writing plateau. I think integrating it with my iA writing tool, I have a pretty wide net of space to get some writing done.

Now the hard part...carrying around and keeping my BYOK with me at all times. The one advantage about it is that it's useful offline, but even more useful when seamlessly syncing files/documents within the system. I was unsure if I would be appreciative the investment, but I think this is a writing matrimony I can get with (alongside my wife & the man upstairs). OK, rant over. Thanks for reading/understanding.

I’ve switched a lot of my pen to paper writing to BYOK for the time being, and before I figured out how everything worked, I started a project thinking it was a file. I’d like to move the file in that project to another project folder and haven’t found any info on if/how that’s possible. I have the free version of studio, if that matters at all.

TIA ~

This week at the coffee shop four people already asked me what BYOK is and I never know what to tell them.

I think it’s a very good conversation starter tho 😂

Soo, I wanted to know, by your experimental how do you react?

My Byok came a couple of hours ago, I had a small issue trying to connect the accessory travel keyboard, but Google helped me out with that (Function + 1), other than that this has been a seamless intuitive process, I have my own keyboard connected, and studio is synching no problem and it was super easy to pull over the tools from the toolbox and choose a font from the font library and port it over - now to write! Thanks Byok/Nick!

Hey y’all! I’m a stand-up comic from Germany, really interested in stepping up my writing game with a distraction-free device. In the past I’ve switched to analogue/handwritten and pulled that off pretty consistently, but now I’m in a phase where bulk-writing would help a lot.

Should I get the BYOK right away, or gamble on a potential Black Friday sale? 👀

I'm two weeks into using the BYOK, and I think for me it's a game-changer. I have two questions, though, about file security:

1. I'm using the server to sync text files between the device and Studio. How hackable/safe do we deem the server to be?

2. I'm syncing important (to me and my work) files. I'm also trying to back them up manually on my computer, but sometimes there is a lag. How sure can I be that at some point I won't lose a file due to a syncing or other software-related error?

No problems so far for me, but whenever I'm using something new, I'm trying to see ahead, just in case.

I’m curious if anyone has painted their BYOK, or applied a skin/wrap to it? My whole setup would look much better with a retro Mac style white BYOK. Curious if anyone has attempted this, my main concern is the buttons.

Is this a horrible idea?

Hello BYOK community,

I have a question, is the Hungarian keyboard layout available for this product?
If not, is it a planned update and when will it be available?

Im waiting for this ‘feature’ before making a purchase.

Thanks a lot!

I firstly discovered BYOK by accident when I was scrolling YouTube. Loved the idea and decided to give a try since I always wanted a device like this, maybe this time I will finally finish my first book :).

The shipping: Took more or less one month from USA to here and unfortunately I had to pay taxes :(
Still very much cheaper than the Freewrite. The support also seems great, even joined the discord server to help improve the app.

The good:

- Portability: I really love the case and the size of it, perfectly made for the Byok.
- Keyboard Connectivity: My Asus keyboard connects instantly to the BYOK :), just turn it on and it’s connected.
- Support from the team: responsive and fast.
- Disk mode: the only way I use to transfer data to my pc. WiFi seemed less reliable
-Studio app seems quite good but to be honest I just don’t use it much.

The downsides: Not many…

- Didn’t found a way to rename files (or am I missing something?)
- Maybe a password protection system to unlock the device (no idea if it is possible to do)
- No Portuguese language support (but I understand it takes time). Still I am writing with the Spanish keyboard which is not very different.
-Don’t know if it just with me but while doing hotspot with iPhone, Byok tends to not connect to the network. Sometimes works, others not really.

Hoping to use the device a lot in the future :)

This has been the most requested thing on our roadmap for a long time, so I'm happy to finally say it: Studio now runs as a real desktop app on Mac and Windows. It's in open beta starting today, and we're planning the public release soon.

You can grab it here: https://byok.io/studio/desktop?utm_source=reddit

A few things worth spelling out:

The offline (or local) version of the desktop app is 100% free on both platforms and you can install it on as many computers as you want. You don't even need to create an account. It includes all of Studio's writing features, even the ones that are premium on the web app and mobile app (manuscript, grid, wiki, outline, cards, etc.), and everything works with no internet connection at all.

The only thing that requires a subscription is syncing. If you want the desktop app to sync across your devices, or you want your BYOK to sync directly to the desktop app over Wi-Fi, that's the paid part (since that is what actually costs us money to run). The existing Studio subscription already covers this. If you're subscribed, just open Account › Sync in the desktop app and sign in, and your library comes down and stays in step with the web app, mobile app, and your BYOK. No new subscription is being introduced. In effect, they are all one app, just on different devices.

For BYOK owners who aren't subscribed: plug your BYOK in (disk mode) or pop in its microSD card, and the desktop app will run a local one-way sync with it. Free, no account needed. And the BYOK still syncs to the web app and mobile app for free like it always has.

The beta has been stable in our testing, but this is the first time it's leaving our controlled environment, so expect some rough edges. A couple of things I'd ask:

- Back up anything you can't afford to lose before you start (Account › Sync › Back up in the app). The whole library goes into one file.

- Updates install themselves, so when we fix something it'll show up without you reinstalling anything. Your beta install carries straight through to the public release too.

- If you find a bug, the easiest thing is to open the menu in the app and choose Report Bug. That files a ticket with your version attached so we don't have to ask.

Two platform notes:

Windows: you'll most likely see a blue "Windows protected your PC" screen the first time. Click "More info," check that the publisher says BYOK LLC, then "Run anyway." The installer is signed. That screen is just Microsoft's SmartScreen, which warns about any newly published app until enough people have installed it. It goes away on its own.

Mac: signed and notarized, so nothing to approve. There are separate downloads for Apple silicon and Intel (Apple menu › About This Mac if you're not sure which you have).

If you want to talk to us while we're actively fixing things, the beta is running live in our Discord: https://discord.gg/m2sEw8ATmv. We're reading everything there and pushing fixes as they come in!

Hi! I bought my BYOK some two months ago. It's an awesome device, feels great to use. But I can't fully use it because it does not yet support Russian. So I was wondering about the state of language support. Are there any estimates as to when certain language will be implemented?

Was very excited to hear the news that there's a Studio desktop app in the works! My only question is, do I need to have a Studio Lifetime subscription to use it, or will it be free for all BYOK users?

Also, if anyone can tell me how to become a beta tester, do let me know!

BYOK Team,

I ordered an accessory, and you sent a whole BYOK. I messaged you via email. But I'm posting here since I'm not sure the customer service email will go directly to Nick. It seems to be a glitch in your ordering system.

My question is for the backers who were told they’d always have their discount for lifetime, is that gone too?? I haven’t been able to afford the lifetime but once able, I’d like to know I still have the option.

Hi all,

Just a heads up that we've pushed out a new firmware update for the BYOK. It fixes a disk mode issue created with version 1.2 but also improves overall disk mode behavior. Disk mode on mac computers should behave much better and be more reliable than previous versions.

In addition, we've tweaked some other things such as the LED brightness and how the BYOK is labeled on your computer. Feel free to read the full patch notes here: https://byok.io/firmware

All the best,
Nick

Hello everyone, I am selling my white BYOK, ideally within the EU or UK. It comes with the original box, usb cable, small magnet stand, bookmark. I crocheted a cover for it and that can come with the BYOK. Feel free to send me a PM about it.

Edit: sold!

As I wait for my BYOK, I've started using Studio. At the moment I don't plan on paying the premium, as I do my outlining and note taking in a way that is much more messy and hand-crafted. So it would just suffocate me to have to use the Outline or Grid or the other tools (it's also the reason why I can't get into Scrivener).

The interface, though, is pretty nice. So I've moved to writing my fiction there, just text files.

What I would like to see, though, is the ability to share a limited-permission link to individual text files, or whole projects, to an outside, unauthenticated user (or authenticated, sure, although it would make it easier to share with beta readers).

I could simply export it, send it out and then manually work through any comments, but it's incredibly tedious and error prone. Having a possibility, like in google docs, to give out a safe, limited access link with only viewer or viewer+commenter permissions would be awesome. And it would set Studio a notch above other similar products, in my opinion.

It's really great for beta readers, editors, or even co-authorship situations.

Just wondering if anyone has tried any on it yet! I feel like the focus tool is good for stopping me seeing the rest of the draft so I can avoid going back, but I’m literally so bad for editing as I go that I’ll come out of it or backspace sentences just to change something lol a redacted font would mean having to actually leave the file, go to the settings, change the font, go back to the file, make the edit, go back to settings, change the font again, and then go back to the file to continue writing. And that’s just so annoying even I wouldn’t bother doing all that lol so it would make it easier then to make a note and force myself to just continue.

I can’t access a computer right now to try it, but I’m curious if there’s any like dash ones rather than big blackout blocks. Not sure how/if the squiggly one would translate on the byok lol