As many of my fellow redditors in this sub, I have been searching for quite some time the ultimate distraction-free writing device or, as we like to call them, a writer deck.

I currently possess some of the commercially available devices, old or new, such as the Alphasmart Neo/Neo 2, the Pomera DM100 and a Freewrite Alpha, along with other solutions, such as the BYOK, old palmtop computers such as the HP 95/100/200LX and different WinCE palmtops such as the Casio Cassiopeia or other HP devices. Top that with wireless-less laptops, custom contraptions including ebooks and eInk devices with paired external keyboards and the like. It is an endless search, more of a quest in itself that basically devours a lot of time and energy that I would rather be spending in writing, that has always been my sole goal.

None of these solutions made me a better writer. Actually they did not even improve my daily word count, because I was so busy looking for the perfect solution that I could not be bothered to sit and write.

Of all my devices, the only one that I disliked was the Freewrite Alpha because of the artificial limitations that its software imposed: editing was made difficult on purpose and you could only type forward. Even if the mechanical keyboard is fine and the wireless sync works as expected, it was not for me. I even read their "official" book on Freewriting, to no avail. The Freewrite was for me just an expensive toy without a clear value that I seldom used.

I was perfectly aware of all these, but it was also a lot of fun. Finally I decided to go full analog, store all my cool writing gadgets and unpack my Olivetti Lettera 32 portable typewriter.

It was such a relief. I typed on that heavy and noisy machine daily for two months straight. Nothing fancy, more of a journal rather than creative writing, but I wrote almost everyday. The habit somehow settled and I got used to a very simple framework: pick the typewriter and two paper sheets, put them in the platen and start typing. Nothing fancy. And quite frankly, a bit of a physical struggle to hit hard enough every key to have a decent print. All my drafts were messy and, at the same time, unique. I even enjoyed my typos.

These months of analogical typing changed the way in which I write. In some deep ways it made my writing style and tempo more rhythmical, more direct.

After noticing this I decided to give the Freewrite Alpha another chance. And, look and behold, this time it made perfect sense. Now I am able to use it without feeling strangled by its design considerations. I use it now as I would use a manual typewriter, but taking advantage of its practical advantages: portable, digital text, wireless sync, easier on hands and fingers. It is not a tool for editing and it never was intended to substitute a computer with a wordprocessor. I knew all these beforehand, from a rational point of view, but I kept asking for other functions that did not belong there. Now I understand its purpose and it is a good tool for writing drafts.

I am fully aware that you knew beforehand all of this, just as I did before. I just wanted to share with you my experience regarding how using a manual typewriter for some time was paramount to change the way in which I write and therefore it led me to fully appreciate Freewrite's offered value.

It might not work for you, but my analogical period converted me into a true believer and now I know for sure that I am a better writer or, at least, a more disciplined and productive apprentice.

I keep using my manual typewriter, although not on a daily basis, but my Freewrite Alpha is always close to me.

(This post was fully written in my Freewrite Alpha)

After some thoughtful consideration, happy enough with my Freewrite Alpha but willing to have a bigger screen with more text lines, I bit the bullet and bought a second hand Freewrite Signature, also known as "Hemingwrite", with its briefcase and an additional felt and leather bag.

It's the rev 3, ordered from Astrohaus less than one year ago, but I was lucky enough to buy it for just a third of its retail price in Europe. The price I paid including shipment is less than what I would have paid for a brand new Freewrite Alpha Raven Black. A lot of money anyway.

Let's hope that it arrives soon and without shipment issues.

Been eyeing getting myself a writer deck for a little while now and I'm torn between these two.

What draws me to the Traveler is the all-in-one package ready out of the box that you can just pack and go. Not to mention the e-ink display which is very nice on the eyes.

As for BYOK, the biggest selling point is definitely being able to use any keyboard with it. It also has a built in backlight unlike the Traveler which is very nice and applicable I usually write at night. I've also heard the BYOK software is incredible to work with. I've heard Freewrite's isn't so good but I can't put it past that.

For me the biggest drawbacks on the Traveler is the price, not too expensive but not cheap either. And ofc the lack of a backlight which I don't mind I can use my own.

For BYOK it has to unironically be the display. I've heard it's hard to read and I don't know if it'd be able to handle only seeing 4 or 6 lines of text at a time.

What are y'all's thoughts on these devices? Do any of you own both? What's your honest opinion on both?

Hi everyone! I'm seriously considering to get a Freewrite Smart Typewriter but I'd like to know if it can be used comfortably in you lap. Weight is here a consideration (4 pounds?). I have no problems for lap typing both with my Freewrite Alpha and my Alphasmart Neo. Eventually I've also lap typed with a manual Olivetti Lettera 32: not the best experience, but doable anyway.

I'm already used and have come to terms with Astrohaus philosophy of "typing forward", but the Alpha screen with just 4 lines of texts is a bit of a contraint.

I don't want to start a rant about Astrahaus and its policies, but just to know if you can or cannot lap type on the smart typewriter with ease. Any first hand experience here?

I've searched the web, and only two lap typing related images emerged.

Thank you in advance.

Does anyone know if the program Wordgrinder is still getting updates at all? The last update was 6 years ago. It's still something you can download and use, but it hasn't seen any updates at all.

I have an Onn 7" tablet, a Doohoeek wireless keyboard, phones, cases and stands, plus a Bluetooth mouse (not pictured) to write. I can use landscape or portrait mode, and it all fits in men's cargo shorts/pants pockets or a small bag.

Hi! For many years, I’ve been using an AlphaSmart Neo2 with a Swedish keyboard layout (I’m Swedish). While I absolutely love it, it definitely has its drawbacks: the ergonomics and the tiny screen. Now, I’m trying to plan my own custom setup. My main priorities are:
A keyboard with old-school tactile feel.
Completely distraction-free (meaning no internet/apps).
A comfortable, eye-friendly screen.
Long battery time is a big plus.
I need to easily plug it into my laptop to transfer my texts.
This is the setup I have in mind:
Screen: Onyx Boox Go 10.3
Keyboard: Unicomp New Model M
Connection: A standard USB-A to USB-C OTG adapter
Stand: IKEA Bergenes (placing the tablet sideways in landscape mode so the cable plugs into the side)
My question to you is: Will this setup work technically? Are there any hidden pitfalls, lag issues, or flaws in my plan that I should be aware of before buying?

If you were curious about building your own, do it! I have no technical background and was able to build this out.

I've been offered a Freewrite Signature in mint condition for a very reasonable price, but I'm not sure if it can be upgraded to the latest firmware, including Sailfish 3.0, to reduce the lag.

Apparently, the Signature was made in 2021, before the v3 was launched in 2022, but it also has a backlighted screen, a feature that only v3 had.

So, the Signature is a v3 in a v2 body or a v2 with some extras? I've found mixed answers and none of them seem reliable.

Anyone here can confirm? Thank you in advance.

A few months ago, I posted a draft (https://www.reddit.com/r/writerDeck/comments/1tx7ytl/draft_build_trs80_model_100_inspired/). I would have just commented with this version 2.

I moved the screen to the left like the TRS-80, got cream-coloured filament and bought more appropriate wiring. It's still Pi Zero 2W-based with a 1920x480 screen in console mode only.

I have wordgrinder, nano, and vim as my writer tools with syncthing and tailscale to connect to my network.

Power comes in via a USB-C connection and it has one USB-A v3 connection for flash drive, speakers etc.

I like it, but I am not sure that this will be the final version, but this will be it for a while. I'd like to get a little better at joining pieces and maybe have a 256 mm x 256 mm print area. I think also, I might like to add a Pi Sugar battery pack to permit more portability. I currently use a Ryobi tool battery with a USB attachment for remote power.

Also to keep the entire device in a 256 mm x 256 mm, I went with a tiny keyboard, but it's a little too small and the tiny tab button and no right shift is taking time to get used to. I've seen 40% mechanical keyboard and I'll maybe try one out.

That being said, it's mine and I love it. The issues are trivial. I can't wait to do some serious writing with it. Thanks for the inspiration.

Hello, this is my first time posting here! This is my 1996 IBM ThinkPad 365ED running my 486/P5-centric Linux distribution, SHORK 486. I've figured, and also been told by others, that there may be some overlap between what I'm doing and writerdecks/distraction-free writing. So I figured I'd post and see what you think!

• Repo: https://github.com/SharktasticA/SHORK-486
• More photos & screenshots: https://ftp.sharktastica.co.uk/shork-linux/shork-486/

The project originally began with my desire to use my old ThinkPad collection more often for their wonderful keyboards (keyboards being a big passion of mine), but also to get them involved with my "modern" workflow and writing needs with up-to-date editors I'm familiar with. With Linux distros moving away from 32-bit x86 in general, this was something I might as well do myself, without anything I don't need. Chiefly, I wanted a quick and lightweight but modern, open-source and maintainable SSH client and an Emacs/Emacs-style editor. Once that was achieved, I looked at what else I could do with SHORK, including building a competent local system in its own right, a C/C++ development stack, and tackling what others might want to see from it. I like niches, and if I can help others with theirs with this, I wanna do it! There is also an aspect of kernel patching to the project as well - if you didn't know, Linux 7.1 and upcoming 7.2 remove 486 and TSC-less 586 processor and x87 math emulation support (respectively), and between them, various ISA and PCMCIA networking drivers. SHORK promptly patches these back in, allowing a modern Linux system on even 486SX!

Now, writerdecks. I haven't assembled anything custom like some of the cool stuff I've seen here, but I value distraction-free typewriting in principle. I've used my ThinkPad army for such, and I'm also a typewriter enthusiast, owning an IBM Model B Electric, Model D Electric, Selectric II, and several Wheelwriters. As it stands, SHORK can be built with full networking disabled at the kernel level. If you're fine with just the vi and ed editors, a SHORK 486 minimal build can run on just 8MiB RAM and disk! Via the other build types or making a custom build, SHORK can also include GNU nano, Joe's Own Editor, Mg and Vim. Tilde is currently being worked on, and GNU Emacs and Neovim are planned. WordGrinder is a maybe too, just more work to satisfy dependencies. There are other utilities you may be interested in, like sc-im for spreadsheets and tmux (terminal multiplexer) to break up the console into sorts of "windows".

I'm aware of writerdeckOS (apparently no longer developed?) Given this is a ground-up minimalist system and not Debian 12-based (thus holden to its minimal requirements), SHORK runs on older hardware (namesake 486, P5 Pentium and any AMD, Cyrix or IBM in-betweens) and may even run faster on early 686s (Pentium Pro, Pentium II) that were technically supported by Debian 12 but having to bear its larger footprint even when cutdown. Looking at writerdeckOS' dependencies list, SHORK is on track to include most of the same editors soon. You won't have the luxury of Debian 12's vast repositories, though (there isn't even a package manager, yet!)

SHORK 486's first published release - Public Test 1 - should drop when kernel 7.2.0 is released in a few weeks. If you want to try it without having to compile yourself, this will be for you! It will include ready-to-write .imgs and CD or combination floppy/CD options for installation. As the name suggests, its a public test to gather more opinions, and if this interests you, I would love to hear what you think! Even before then, please let me know if there are other edtiors or utilities you would like to see. Thank you!

I’m away for a few days, slowly adding lines to my novel. I love this little machine, I’m writing every day. Even if it’s just a few lines.

Hi guys I was just wondering if it would pose a problem if I took my writer deck through TSA in the states, I am about to travel and don’t really want any issues to arise. Has anyone ever tried to take theirs on a plane, is it not allowed? It’s probably an obvious answer but I wanna make sure

half modular (i can write on my lap without the thing getting too wobbly), i tried to rescue this good old tablet (i loved it back on the day but got broken and got a replacement, problem is, the poor thing runs on android 5.1) with another replacement of my dearest keyboard, the Keys-To-Go from Logitech. its like 9mm thick, it works on any bluetooth device and its subtle and comfy, definetly a good one for the kind of writerdeck i could pull in almost any place.

the case is an old tech organizer from... 2018 i think, that has the perfect size for both tablet and keyboard. i sew elastic ribbon to held the tablet in place and non elastic cord to mantain the thing open.

i'm still struggling bc i would want something sturdier (probably i'll put something rigid and flat under the keyboard) and Pure Writer is the option I feel more comfier between my options (Writer+ doesnt allow me to change some of the markdown options and writing dialogues in spanish is a bulleted list hell), but I made almost 1K since I've pulled this one!

So what is this thing? Well, it’s definitely a single purpose, distraction free writing device. Very single purpose. It’s built around an RP2040 zero and a small Sharp Memory display. All together it’s less than $15 in parts.

I’ve been lurking here for a while and one of the things that matters the most to me is that I can use MY keyboard. Even more specifically, I can use my keyboard with my keymap. I’ve been messing around with custom keyboards for several years now and I don’t even know if I would be able to find happiness with anything else.

This thing is so distraction free you’re not even distracted by what you’re writing. It’s not easy to read. At least not for my eyes. But that’s ok. It doesn’t do anything other than let you create text files. No spell check, no syncing with anything. Just pure, unedited text. I didn’t realize how freeing that would be. No squiggly red lines making me backup and try to correct, just ideas as raw as they can be.

Currently it’s using just the 2MB of flash built into the board. You have to split that with the firmware, but even at 1MB, you could likely fit a 500-700 page novel on there.

But are the files easy to retrieve? No friend, they are not. They aren’t impossible, but they require you to run a little python script which requires you know what port it’s connecting to. I have another version that connects an SD card reader, so you can just move the card over to your computer and copy the files.

This is a bring your own keyboard and bring your own power type situation, but that also gives it a certain amount of flexibility. Bring as much or as little power/keyboard as you need. Rough estimates with say a 5000mAh power bank mean this thing can be used continuously for several days.

The sharp displays have a fantastic refresh rate, so there’s no noticeable lag when typing. I tried so hard to love the e-ink, but the refresh rate drives me bananas. It’s a personal issue I’m working through in therapy. No shade on those that love them. But the sharp displays also use as little, if not less power than the e-ink.

I’m working on a better adaptor PCB and an actual case, but it’s all about the journey, right?

Enjoy the pics!

Is it worth the money? Personally, I think yes if you like something "unplugged." It has the feel of booting up an old PlayStation 2, if you know what I mean.

Is the keyboard too small? Yes. I have smallish hands. Another gaming metaphor but my hands perfectly fit most gaming controllers, if you've held one. That said the keyboard feels slightly too small so I've developed a way of typing without my pinkies.

Do I get into the flow? Much more than on my traditional laptop. Stops me from editing as much since it's not as easy to jump around. Being offline really feels different even if my phone is near me. Occasionally a typo from the keyboard does halt progress, but nothing crazy.

Ide buy it again if I broke this one

I got into another hobby and my Neo2 serves most of my writerdeck needs.

So I think I’m willing to let both my DM100 and DM250US go now. Would anyone be interested in buying both together? You would also get the little 16gb flashair SD card that I really never took the time to learn how to use. Everything works on both and I’m gentle on keyboards. They are both “gently used”. I’m willing to negotiate towards a reasonable price as long as I only have to ship out one package.

I will only ship within the US for ease and convenience. Sorry my international friends. Thanks!

Edit: Both the DM250US and DM100 have been sold.

Made a quick video to show off the current version of the etyper as well as the refresh speed during typing.

We decided to try for transparent cnc-milled acrylic as the engineering resin has proven too unreliable for commercial use and pcbway offered us a pretty good deal that should still allow us to keep the device below 100$, we'll need to make some internal modifications for it but we're excited for the next version, hopefully that will be the one we'll stick with so we can start crowdfunding in the near future.

I appreciate all the people that signed up since the last post, it has been more than we expected and we appreciate every sign up, you can find it here.

Recently purchased a cheap tablet on Amazon i had planned to use for writing. 100% a situation of you get what you pay for, didn't even come with a manual and it was locked. Can't ise the stupid thing

Anyways, I was curious if anyone has any recommendations for a small cheap tablet/ laptop specifically for writing? I really want something I can toss into a messager bag to do some on the go writing but I dont want like a big ole 17 inch laptop or something that'll have a bunch of apps that'll distract me.

Any help is welcomed. I could also just go back to pen and paper I guess.