Tom Hanks celebrates latest blockbuster – a typewriting app
Tom Hanks has proven his knack for striking the chord with the public after ditching Hollywwod for Silicon Valley in his latest venture, a typewriting app for the iPad.
Hanx Writer has risen to the top of the charts in Apple’s US App Store (it’s second in the UK) within days of release by the Oscar winning actor, with users driven to the apps accurate recreation of a traditional typewriter – complete with clacking and ‘ping’ alert at the end of each line.
Explaining the genesis of his project to Apple Hanks said: “I wanted to have the sensation of an old manual typewriter - I wanted the sound of typing if nothing else," he said. "cause I find it's like music that spurs along the creative urge. Bang bang clack-clack-clack puckapuckapuckapucka..."
The authentic experience currently recreates the feel of three typewriter models, chosen for their representation of the full range of typewriting pedigree; from the bog-standard Prime Select, to the fancier 707 and the crème-de-la –crème of the medium, the Golden Touch.
Fortunately the app doesn’t feel the need to go so far as to recreate paper jams and tip-ex error correction.
Hanks is noted for his extensive collection of typewriters and remains a devout user of the outdated technology for letter and memo writing and drafting stories.