The Qwerkywriter Typewriter-inspired Mechanical Keyboard
Monday Review (15th April 2024)
Do you ever look back on something from childhood with rose-tinted spectacles well and truly fastened to your face? Some place or some thing that brings back all the nostalgic vibes?
Hey, SmithCorona!
One of those things for me was a SmithCorona Typewriter, an early and simple word processor. I think the model was the Wordsmith 200, but many years have passed so I could be mistaken. The keys and the colour had all the look of an Atari or Amiga computer (hands up if you owned one of those and recall what I’m talking about).
Above the keyboard section of the typewriter and beyond the 20-character ‘word processing’ window, you find not two rows of type bars ready to punch their type slugs onto your copy paper but instead a daisy wheel. This ‘wheel’ rotated very quickly when you typed, as each symbol was punched onto the page, and very much sounded like a typewriter of a bygone age. The fantastic thing about this daisy wheel was you could take it out and change it for another with a different font set. I believe I had at least 5 different daisy wheels. Thinking about the satisfying clicky keys and the clackety-clack as the daisy wheel slugs hit the paper takes me back at least 35 years.
A Vintage Modern Keyboard
However, I’m not nostalgia-reviewing a device from the ’80s in this article. Instead, I want to write about something I purchased a few months ago. It's a piece of tech, which, like the Smith-Corona, is a device also seemingly sitting between two time periods but, this time, purposely so. This device is the Qwerkywriter Typewriter-inspired Mechanical Keyboard (yes, that's the full title), which, although missing the type bars and somewhere to insert a sheet of A4, has the look and feel and sound of a bygone age entwined together with Bluetooth multi-connectedness and designed for the most modern of devices - the tablet. This keyboard truly embodies the term 'vintage modern.'
Retro Aesthetics
The Qwerkywriter is an absolute showstopper with its retro design aesthetics, meant to emulate a pre-electric typewriter. I have mine on full display in our home. I've seen visitors take a second look on more than one occasion and without exception, they’ve reached out to touch and type. The keyboard has a design that draws you in, and you can't resist having a go. It's not just something with nostalgic charm. It's also packed with modern features you'd expect from a wireless keyboard today. This intriguing blend of past and present makes it stand out.
Design and Construction
The Qwerkywriter is well-constructed, with a thick aluminium body that gives it a significant heft, preventing it from sliding around your desk. The keys and other hardware have bright, shiny chrome accents contrasting a matte black finish. It's a beautiful piece of hardware that's as sturdy as it is eye-catching. The company that makes this - Qwerkytoys - may have toy in their name, but not once have I considered this as such, only viewing it as a professional device that encourages me to do more writing.
Authentic Typewriter Experience
As well as its looks, the other major attraction that makes this keyboard addictive to use is the keys. Each key is made from hard black plastic, with symbols stencilled onto their tops. The mechanical keys have Cherry MX "clicky" switches that deliver tactile feedback and a strong click sound for that authentic typewriter experience. I work on my own most of the time, so I can smash these keys to my heart's content. I'm not sure I'd use it if I were to work in an office space with other people!
Multi-Device Bluetooth Connectivity
The keyboard is a multi-device Bluetooth keyboard which means it can be paired to three devices at once and easily swapped between them. The keyboard can also be connected to a tablet via USB-C for the best low-latent response. Personally, I haven't noticed or been bothered by any latency so tend not to connect it this way.
I own a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a protective shell and I've found my iPad fits onto the keyboard quite happily. This ramps up the typewriter-style experience and shows that if this size iPad with a case fits, then any size tablet will be okay slotting in here. Be aware that the stand that tablets sit in is metal and so has the potential to scratch.
A Programmable ‘Return’ Bar and Dual-Function Scroll Knobs
The Qwerkywriter differs from other modern keyboards by showing off one prominent feature - a large, chrome 'Return' bar. And this thing isn’t just for show. It's a programmable macro key that comes preprogrammed as the Enter function. But with a few simple taps, it can be changed to do pretty much whatever you want within reason. For example, I’ve programmed mine to take a screenshot with a quick flick of the bar! On the whole, this is a helpful ‘key’, but when typing, I have found it can get in the way a bit and on occasion, I do find my fingers bumping up against it.
There are also two dual-function scroll knobs on either side of the keyboard. Like with the 'Return' bar, these aren’t just to make it look more authentic. One knob controls volume, and the other mimics a mouse scroll on documents and webpages. It might have been nice to have made this programmable as well. Maybe to select a whole bunch of text or change to turning the screen brightness up and down - stuff like that, but it is what it is.
Consideration of Price and Shipping
I mentioned near the top of this article that the price doesn’t reflect something that is just a toy for show. I bought this at a reduced price of $249, down from $399 - which I would have baulked at (I'm in the UK, so there's also a conversion to do). The problem for folks outside the USA is that there's also a hefty shipping price as this is manufactured and delivered from the US. In my case, shipping to the UK was $59. So the price really isn’t something that will appeal to everyone’s pocket. But for the quality of the build, its unique design, its features, and even the fact that this thing screams for you to use it and write, it might be worth the investment for those seeking a distinct typing experience.
Overall, the Qwerkywriter is a beautifully designed, well-constructed keyboard. Sure, its price, the noise and the positioning of specific keys might be a problem, but it pretty much ticks all the boxes for me. If you want a desk with a touch of nostalgia, I think that the Qwerkywriter is a great addition.
The bottom line is this: is this keyboard worth the investment? I know that some modern-looking mechanical keyboards can approach the price of the Qwerkywriter. Does the nostalgia, the look and the feel push this into purchasing territory? I did try some vastly cheaper nostalgic typewriter-style keyboards, which I purchased from Amazon, but every one of these I sent back for various reasons, mainly because the build quality wasn’t there. On the other hand, the Qwerkywriter Typewriter-inspired Mechanical Keyboard from Qwerkytoys is staying in my home and ain’t going anywhere!
I made a video reviewing this keyboard too. Watch it at my YouTube channel and while you’re there why not subscribe?
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Really interesting article. On the subject of nostalgia and keyboards, it made me think of The Microwriter. A really novel 6 key entry device that I found fascinating. To enter text or numbers you pressed a selection of keys based on the pattern you were trying to enter (difficult to describe, but the Wiki article gives loads of info). I had one of these years ago and got really fast ‘typing’ with it. What also attracted me to it was that the system had been invented by a guy called Cy Enfield who was a leading film producer and a world class magician. (In a previous life, I had been a member of The Magic Circle for many years). I wonder if anyone else remembers The Microwriter or any of the spinoff devices that were produced ? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwriter