The Freewrite Alpha is the follow-up to 2020’s $649 original Freewrite and the $499 portable Freewrite Traveler. Like its predecessor, this Wi-Fi-enabled typewriter helps you focus on writing without the distractions of web browsers and email. Once complete, the gadget wirelessly synchronizes documents with software services such as Google Drive and Dropbox so you can edit and share them.
However, Alpha ditched the e-ink display in favor of a reflective monochrome LCD screen, thus cutting costs. It now has one screen instead of two and weighs about half as much, making it heavier than the Traveler.
But on the other hand, Astrohaus promises that the Alpha’s battery life should be longer, up to 100 hours, while continuing to support USB-C. Alpha also brings back the mechanical switches missing from the Traveler, offering Kailh Choc V2 low-profile switches that are slimmer than the Kailh Box Brown switches found in the original model. The new typewriter also allows you to move the cursor around the document like a Traveler, a feature the original model lacked.
News of the Alpha’s shipping date comes after Astrohaus raised $446,742 through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign launched in 2022. The company started fulfilling orders earlier this year and is offering an $80 discount to early backers.
