Posted in: Game Hardware, Games, Review, Video Games | Tagged: Keyboard, Knewkey, Review, typewriter

Review: KnewKey Retro-Style USB Keyboard Offers Best Of Both Eras

Is there anything more satisfying than typing on an old typewriter and hearing the clack of the keys? Perhaps typing on a typewriter and then being able to immediately go back and edit on the computer. Wishful thinking? Not with the KnewKey retro keyboard! It's a Bluetooth keyboard with the look and feel of a vintage typewriter (albeit nowhere nearly as heavy).

Right out of the box, assembly and set up is super easy – I have an unboxing video on YouTube that shows the setup. The only thing to really assemble is the stand for smartphones and tablets, which is a nice touch, especially if I'm writing in a coffee shop or library and don't want to bring my computer along, or for those who only have a desktop and mobile device, no laptop.

True, it is a little clunky for bringing along compared to other mobile keyboard options, like a tablet keyboard or Apple slim keyboards, though if it's in place of a computer, it's not that large. It easily fits in a larger purse or backpack and offers the most aesthetic version of a keyboard one could possibly type on.

Which leads me to my biggest draw of this product – the typewriter look and feel. Now, being the writer hipster trash I am, I do own several typewriters – a classic early 20th-century model, a late 1960s manual model, and an electric typewriter. I use the late 60s model the most because it's lighter weight, but the keys still feel weighty with how every letter must be pressed with purpose causing the writer to think about exactly what it is they want to say. That and of course, the look of it.

The KnewKey is one beautiful keyboard. It's all the things I love about writing on a typewriter with the modern conveniences of a computer, like a backspace, digital conversion, wireless connectivity, and it lights up. As much as I love my vintage typewriters, this is worth its weight in gold already just for the sheer fact that I don't have to deal with correction tape or replacing typewriter ribbons.

The battery lasts for a long time – it has an "auto-off" feature, so if I'm watching a movie, video, or something and not using my keyboard, it will hibernate to conserve the battery. It's not that big of a deal when it does need charging though – it plugs right into the USB port on the computer to charge.

All in all, I can't think of a single drawback to this keyboard; perhaps if I weren't used to typing on typewriters already, there would be a learning curve, but if you're into the retro style but crave modern convenience, I cannot recommend the KnewKey Rymek keyboard enough.

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