Long for the old days? Try a USB typewriter

Teclado USB 2.0 - Thokrates

Those of us who finished high school before 1990 remember using a device called a typewriter. When you pressed a key and an arm came up inside the device, hit an inked ribbon, and left an impression on a piece of paper. If you long to return to those days – or if you are younger and wish to experience the thrill, there is a way to connect a typewriter to a computer for use as a keyboard. In the words of Dave Barry, “I’m not making this up!”

See the USB Typewriter website for details. Adventurous folks will buy the do-it-yourself kit ($75), but you can choose “upcycled” Smith-Corona ($300) or.get your own typewriter modified ($200). When I first read this I thought it was a joke, but it appears to be for real. The video below shows a typewriter being used with an iPad.