The ZeroWriter Fold is an anti-AI laptop computer with one job: writing

An enormous, triple-screen desktop with cutting-edge efficiency is nice for masking tech information. However it’s additionally detrimental to focus — two home windows of textual content, one in every of workplace chat, one in every of movies, and a devoted pill for notifications is a bit of data overload. That’s why I’ve been wanting into writerdecks. 

These are offshoots of the quasi-fictional “cyberdeck,” with a little bit of DNA from old-school phrase processor units or digital typewriters. They’re single-purpose writing machines, in the identical method {that a} Kindle e-reader is only for studying. 

I’ve tried out the KingJim Pomera and the Astrohaus Freewrite Traveler, and located issues to like and detest about each of them. I like the mini laptop computer type components, and the keyboard from the Traveler, however hate its restricted, locked-down software program. The Pomera is way more succesful (and isn’t asking for a subscription), however its tiny keyboard is a ache, particularly for somebody so targeted on typing. 

A brand new gadget from an indie designer appears tailored for me and my particular gripes. The ZeroWriter Fold is an evolution of the unique ZeroWriter Ink design, which took inspiration from units just like the Alphasmart and the Freewrite with its e-ink display screen, however makes use of a full mechanical keyboard and software program constructed from the bottom up for the trendy day. The Fold is, basically, the identical gadget, with a laptop-style type issue. 

Adam Wilk, the Canadian designer behind the ZeroWriter Fold, kindly answered just a few of my questions forward of the Kickstarter launch.

Adam, you’ve had one very profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign for a author gadget design, with over $100,000 raised to supply and ship it out to your backers. And also you’re closing in in your second. What obtained you into the cyberdeck/writerdeck area? 

I assume it goes method again. I began a enterprise in my 20s the place I made handmade leather-based journals. That was sort of my first style of entrepreneurship. I did that for about two and a half years. So I’ve at all times been actually into writing as a interest, and I believed I used to be going to do it professionally for a very long time. 

It was simply sort of a enjoyable method I may discover that whereas additionally determining the right way to be an entrepreneur, and pay the payments and stuff. That work led me into e-commerce, which I’d been doing on and off. When COVID got here round, I abruptly had much more time on my arms.

As did lots of us, I assume! I used to be sort of in a spot the place I may discover my hobbies extra, so one of many issues that was at all times at the back of my head is, yeah, there’s this neighborhood of people that use writing instruments. And all the pieces I learn on-line was “Why doesn’t one thing exist that’s lower than $700 or no matter loopy value?”

And there are area of interest choices just like the Alphasmart Neo, I obtained one for myself off eBay. And I beloved the factor, it was superior, besides someday the inner battery died on me. I misplaced hundreds of phrases, I used to be livid about it. 

Even on the time I believed paying sixty bucks for this factor was loopy. (And now they’re triple that, it’s wild!)

And I’m not a programmer or developer by commerce. However when COVID got here round, I began a undertaking, quite simple and beginner-friendly, and I put it up on YouTube. I took an e-ink show from China and a Raspberry Pi keyboard, put all of it collectively, and added a pleasant case to it.

I made that undertaking and it obtained actually common. I put it up on Reddit, and a bunch of stories aggregators picked it up. I used to be getting messages from folks asking me if they may purchase one. On the time I used to be like, you realize, it’s not one thing I might promote, as a result of it’s simply one thing I hobbled collectively. However I knew there was an urge for food there to do one thing extra industrial, so I began wanting into that. 

And that’s what led me to my first actual prototype and undertaking with Crowd Provide, which is what you noticed there, and that was a giant stage up. Principally what I needed was one thing to exchange that Alphasmart Neo again in 2015, if it was made immediately. 

How did you get began with 3D CAD and gadget design? And do you’ve any formal background in engineering or software program? 

I’ve at all times thought-about myself a little bit of a jack-of-all-trades, Renaissance kind. And truthfully, I’m not likely a designer by commerce in any respect.

I do know Tinkercad fairly nicely, so I sort of simply dove into that as a result of it was the simplest factor to get began with. And, fairly actually, anyone may use Tinkercad should you mess around with it sufficient. There are tons of nice tutorials on-line. 

So really, I took any individual’s mannequin for a design, the Penkesu Laptop, modified their STL file to suit what I used to be constructing with the show I used to be utilizing, simply by trial and error and lots of measuring by hand. That was ok for me to get to the prototype part, and be taught lots alongside the best way. 

That’s once I known as in reinforcements and actual designers, to assist me flip it into one thing that appears a bit of extra collectively and clear {and professional}. 

You stated you began with the Alphasmart. Have you ever tried any of the extra trendy industrial designs, just like the Freewrite Traveler? 

I really haven’t tried any of the Astrohaus stuff. I’m clearly tremendous aware of it, as a result of they’ve principally created this complete class for us.

However I’ve used the Pomera, so I’ve a DM30 and it’s one in every of my favourite units. The DM30 is the entire purpose I made a decision I used to be going to enter e-ink, which I’m actually glad I did.

Michael Crider/Foundry

I obtained that factor and I used to be simply mystified by how they did it, as a result of it was comparatively clear and carried out very well! And on the time e-ink was in no way like that, it was tremendous gradual. So it was this problem that was attention-grabbing to sort out. I’m aware of most of them, however I’ve really by no means used an Astrohaus product, which is possibly embarrassing to confess.

In no way! There’s lots of causes to keep away from them, that I feel I outlined in my assessment. For all of the positives that the design has bodily, there’s lots of causes to not just like the software program and the corporate, and simply the vibe, not less than for me. 

I’ve discovered the people who find themselves a part of the writerdeck neighborhood… they’re extraordinarily passionate. Which is superior! They love this area of interest of units as a result of it speaks to their interest they usually simply need truthful and dependable stuff. 

Un Kyu Lee

So I do hear lots of experiences and you realize, that’s possibly not the not the best way I might run a enterprise. 

Talking concerning the Fold: What are your targets with this explicit design? Particularly maintaining in thoughts what you’ve modified from the unique ZeroWriter Ink. 

So this design [the ZeroWriter Ink], the thought was I needed to show the market a bit. And be sure that folks needed any individual to stay on this area. So my strategy was, hey, I’m going to take a design and I wish to make one thing good, however I wish to make it easy. So the precise insides of it are easy: keyboard, battery, show, in a skinny enclosure.

So, and I did that and other people prefer it, it’s nice we’re 75 p.c by achievement now… The entire concept with [the ZeroWriter] is yeah, I wish to get this out, folks may use it. I may acquire suggestions, I may be taught extra about what folks need, be taught extra about turning this right into a enterprise as an alternative of a undertaking. 

The clamshell design with the Fold is the extra totally realized concept. I assume that’s how I’d put it. The [ZeroWriter] Ink was a extra grassroots sort of partnership with the indie {hardware} firm in Croatia, and thru an indie distributor, Crowd Provide. Undertones of hacky and DIY, and people issues are all superior and vital to me. However at the back of my head, I don’t need this to be seen because the hacker’s gadget, you realize? I’m making one thing for writers.

Soldered

To me, the Fold is extra of that, however realized. You’ll be able to have a look at it, you may inform immediately what it’s. It appears to be like like a laptop computer that acts like a laptop computer. It’s purpose-built for writing. It appears to be like a bit of bit extra skilled, it has options folks have been asking for that I wasn’t in a position to ship with the primary one. Stuff just like the built-in entrance gentle, correct USB help, like what you’d count on. Plug it into a pc, drag your information over and that sort of stuff, which I wasn’t in a position to pull off the primary time. 

ZeroWriter

Actually, it’s not a giant secret. However should you actually take this gadget [the Ink], and fold it in half, you get fairly near what I’ve. 

And I imply, that makes lots of sense. For what not less than 25, generally 30 to 35 years, folks have been very used to writing particularly on a laptop computer type issue. Even for people who find themselves used to love sitting at a desktop like I’m proper now. The laptop computer feels extraordinarily pure for writing and is so versatile. 

Yeah! And I work in advertising and marketing. However one of many issues I’ve seen with the Ink is that I take it with me all over the place. I take advantage of it in public on a regular basis, espresso retailers, journey. The primary one I constructed particularly for trip… and it was really fairly humorous. I used to be taking it by worldwide airports and guys had been it bizarre as they put it by the scanners.

The distinction between the 2 is, possibly a handful of occasions, folks would touch upon it, ask about it, strike up a dialog. With the Fold, it’s like each single time I take it someplace, it catches their eye. They know what it’s immediately. And as a marketer, from a enterprise angle, [I think] yeah, okay, that is what folks need. If everybody sort of understands that simply by a look over the shoulder. Then, yeah, I’m doing one thing proper. 

It appears very very similar to you’re approaching each of those units as one thing that in the beginning you need for your self. So particularly, what’s it that you simply’ve constructed into these units for your self that you simply couldn’t discover elsewhere? 

The value is unquestionably a giant a part of it. However the largest factor to me is I needed one thing dependable. One thing that’s immediately out there, that’s one in every of my favourite elements of the Pomera DM30 or the Alphasmart Neo, these single function units that you simply simply press a button and also you’re not ready for something to begin up, simply prompt on and also you’re going. 

That sort of expertise was crucial to me — the main drawback I had with Raspberry Pi and doing it that method is it’s an entire pc. It has additional junk you don’t want [for writing], Linux, a browser, all that. 

I needed prompt on, I needed e-ink, mechanical keyboard was an enormous a part of it, I’m not a fan of chiclet keyboards or scrunched-up keyboards. The entire purpose I couldn’t get used to the DM30, despite the fact that I like it, is the keyboard is a ache within the ass to make use of. 

I had the very same response to it [Pomera DM250]. I like virtually all the pieces about it, apart from the scale of the keyboard. 

Yeah, some folks could make that compromise, I can’t. So I began with a customized keyboard PCB, a 60 p.c, I discovered what I feel are the perfect low-profile keycaps to maintain it clear and small. After which it was vital to me that it was hot-swappable, so should you needed to modify your switches out, go loopy and construct your individual. I needed to verify folks may try this as a result of it’s enjoyable, and it makes a giant distinction for typing as nicely. 

So these had been the large issues, there was nothing that hit all these test packing containers, that was in any affordable ballpark value. And on high of that, there’s a much bigger alternative right here, long-term to vary how folks do {hardware} corporations. I don’t wish to completely veer into that dialog, however I really feel like you may construct a {hardware} firm now, by being way more open, you will be constructing along with your neighborhood. 

I’ve lots of of individuals I discuss to, everybody from programmers, builders, e-ink specialists, PCB folks, individuals who write erotica, it’s a loopy world that collides. That could be a very totally different method to construct a enterprise! And I see it, it’s so shut, I can simply do that full-time and commit, and construct this. 

That is my complete thesis, you may make a {hardware} firm, you don’t must get 10,000 patents and attempt to sue your opponents into oblivion. And on the finish of the day, I’ve a fairly large benefit by working this manner and by maintaining my crew small and agile, and making an attempt to do as a lot as I can in-house and with good companions, and passing alongside the financial savings. 

The opposite factor is admittedly vital: There’s this massive transfer in direction of linked units so and that’s all the pieces from like subscription merchandise to AI integrations to no matter comes subsequent. So to me it’s vital, particularly for any gadget you employ for a interest, you really want to have belief in it once more, an especially excessive quantity of belief. 

I hope in 5 years, ten years, 20 years, that turns into commonplace, for {hardware} corporations is simply being a bit of bit extra open with how you’re utilizing folks’s information, what you’re doing behind the scenes. I’m not desirous about storing or grabbing anyone’s phrases.

Are you able to describe the way you’re assembling and fulfilling each the unique units and your plan for the Fold? Any challenges that you simply didn’t anticipate? 

So we did the [ZeroWriter Ink] Crowdfunding in winter 2024, and it’s now 2026, nonetheless fulfilling. It took a couple of yr longer to complete than I had anticipated. Which at all times sucks. There’s not likely any good method to put it, I feel I do have some good excuses contemplating the state of the world, and, ah, worldwide commerce. 

However I’m blissful that we’ve sort of seen by it, and made nice relationships and companions. I’ve labored with Soldered in Croatia primarily for this, they made the e-ink panel for the ZeroWriter Ink, getting actually good. 

Proper now it’s an assembled in Croatia product, they do virtually all the pieces. I ship them bits and items they usually put it collectively, ship it all the way down to Texas the place it will get distributed internationally. And it’s been good, particularly for what I had in thoughts for this product, with a less complicated design, get suggestions, construct a neighborhood, all that good things. 

With the Fold, I’m trying to change it up a bit. I’ve discovered lots within the final yr or two, I really feel like a part of what I wish to do with {hardware} and constructing a {hardware} firm in another way is that I wish to have a bit of extra management with meeting. Some folks may roll their eyes, however, it’s laborious to do that stuff and have a contractor be the one to place it in a field and ship it out along with your title on it. 

I personally wish to see it, I wish to write a message on each one that goes out. I wish to be sure that the keyboard works, I wish to be sure that each change is put in appropriately. I wish to know to a excessive diploma that this factor’s going to be okay if you open it up. And my companions are nice and everybody’s accomplished an excellent job, however I can do a greater job, and I’ll do a greater job.

So my strategy is to go that method, which implies constructing extra in Canada, constructing extra domestically and offering jobs for folks in Ottawa. In all probability nothing too loopy, however I do hope that I can revitalize this sector within the metropolis a bit of bit. As a result of we was once a {hardware} city again within the day. 

I wish to be sure that folks get the expertise that I’ve in my head, and the easiest way to try this is doing a bit of bit extra beneath my very own roof. Not actually my very own roof, my companion would kill me! 

So you’re assembling the Fold in Canada? 

Sure, I’ll, final leg meeting in Canada. It’s going to nonetheless very a lot be a world undertaking. In order you may think about and there are PCBs that come from throughout, lots of elements come from China, the keyboard comes from Singapore. I’ve contractors who assist with software program and improvement from in all places. Europe particularly, New York.  

And the Canadian manufacturing helps with the enclosures, after which yeah, I feel what we’ll do is have a great previous meeting warehouse, and do the final leg, put all the pieces collectively, do all of the testing. Do very thorough testing. 

It sounds such as you’re going to have the ability to do just about the entire high quality assurance your self, is that the plan? 

Both myself or my residence supervisor, who I belief to carry it as much as the usual that I’ve.

Everybody says you solely get 1 1st impression, I really feel like I sort of get two first impressions. As a result of the Ink was nice, and the primary impression has been superb. However that is my first shopper launch that I feel goes to get me over that hurdle, the place I’ll have hundreds of models in distribution. So yeah, my second first impression is now, to be pretty much as good as doable. 

Inform me concerning the software program scenario, the way you deliberate it and developed it. Any adjustments with the brand new mannequin? 

Software program-wise, I constructed it from the bottom up. And in layman’s phrases, it’s not fairly from scratch, but it surely’s as near scratch as you will get. And the entire concept was, I simply needed one thing that simply did writing, simply did extra processing. 

The unique concept was one thing nearer to what Astrohaus does, actually simply should you kind phrases come on the display screen, you may delete some phrases, however you may’t do a lot for enhancing. You’ll be able to’t do a lot for managing paperwork. You might have lots of limits. Which was wonderful.

One of many causes that it took longer than I deliberate is that I made a decision after how profitable the marketing campaign was, I didn’t wish to simply put out what I believed was ok. I believed, hey, you realize, beneath $150,000, and 600 persons are anticipating one thing higher than this. I took the time to construct it out. 

I began with that sort of primary setup, and I began including issues that might assist writers. All the pieces is filtered by writing, and I’ll simply add stuff for enjoyable. Issues like with the ability to customise your keyboard layouts, with the ability to change your fonts. You’ll be able to add any fonts that you simply like, altering the pace of the show. Some persons are actually snug working with a slower e-ink show that appears cleaner. Some folks need extra pace. It’s completely as much as you. 

Author’s instruments, so issues like measuring your phrases per minute, session targets like “I wish to write 500 phrases immediately,” all that stuff obtained added over about six months after funding. And the online result’s now that the entire improvement work is finished, I simply sort of put it within the new shell. 

It’s obtained, in my view anyway, something that you’d actually need out of a writing gadget… it’s much more of a laptop computer alternative now than it was a yr and a half in the past, that’s for certain. 

Are you able to give an instance of one thing that any individual requested you for, and on the finish you both simply couldn’t try this with this {hardware} or ‘no, that’s not what this gadget is’?

The obvious one which involves thoughts is spell checks, grammar checks, auto-complete. These kinds of issues are doable for certain. However to me, it’s simply not a part of this. That is for drafting, for primary edits and revisions, if you’re on the prepare for that kind of factor. 

It’s not supposed to exchange Microsoft Phrase… and the largest benefit in my thoughts is you can hold the fee low and hold issues reasonably priced. So folks can use them by being actually sensible with the brains of it, and it’s very quick. It’s very responsive, you simply must work with these limitations as an alternative of towards it.

Do you’ve plans for future {hardware} past the ZeroWriter Fold? 

One factor that I might love to have the ability to do is an especially low-cost model. Perhaps it’s a bit extra just like the ZeroWriter Ink. One thing that’s designed for college students, for colleges, for locations with no excessive finances, and even anybody who needs a extra finances gadget. 

One thing that’s fairly actually a alternative for the worth level that the Alphasmart Neo was at. Not like, making loopy $1,000 terminals. It’d be nice to be any individual who may make good, dependable units that assist folks, which can be reasonably priced. That might be superb. 

I get emails from colleges that need to buy units. And it’s powerful, as a result of all the pieces for ZeroWriter Ink is finished by the distributor, I’m sort of hands-off, they’ve all of the stock… however loud and clear, these colleges have children that would actually use units that aren’t Chromebooks or iPads. They want one thing for writing, one thing that doesn’t have internet browsers in-built, with all of the AI stuff now. 

Individuals in skilled settings, who’re like therapists or medical doctors, or anyone who needs or wants that non-public gadget for his or her job. I feel there’s a giant alternative there, if I can get all of the items into an reasonably priced package deal, one thing like 60 or 70 bucks. 

As profitable as you’ve with this preliminary undertaking and going into the second, do you’ve any recommendation for others who wish to begin designing their very own customized {hardware}? 

Don’t do it! Haha, no, no, I might by no means say that. I feel now is a superb time to do it. There are such a lot of folks engaged on various things. There’s such a giant neighborhood of everybody from designers, programmers, builders. 

Discover a area of interest. That’s vital to you getting concerned. Don’t let anyone inform you no. You don’t should be an skilled in a subject, you don’t should be a developer, you don’t should be a designer. You’ll be able to determine what I did. 

The ZeroWriter Fold is now up for pre-order on Kickstarter, with an early hen value of $269 USD.