Tom Hanks created a typewriter app and it’s now No.1 in Apple’s app store
As if starring in multi-million dollar movies and winning Oscars wasn’t enough, the multi-talented actor Tom Hanks has turned his hand to app creation and is enjoying just as much success.
Hanx Writer, an iPad app which mimics a typewriter, has topped Apple’s App Store charts in just four days since it was released.
It’s a surprising move, but Hanks has a deep love of the old-school machine apparently, owning 200 at one point, and he wanted to share this with others.
Through Hanx Writer he has brought to life distinct features such as the “clickity clack” noise of the keys and metal on paper as well as the satisfying "ding" of reaching the end of a line in digital form which he believes helps the creative writing process.
For those who can’t fully escape the modern world, or as Hanks says “No longer must you surrender modern luxuries, like the DELETE key," it combines the best of both worlds with the ability to delete, email and print documents, all for free. There are also paid for upgrades offering coloured ribbons and multiple document options.
He said the app is “my little gift to the future Luddite hipsters of the world,” telling USA Today:
"I suppose some people who get the app may just be looking for a different sound, but really, it's for people searching for a more personalized experience when writing on an iPad. There's also the opportunity here to take your iPad to a coffee house and be really obnoxious with all the clickety-clacking."
And that’s just what people are doing it seems. Hanx Writer has soared to the top of the app charts and gained four and a half star reviews.
Of course, with such a love of typewriters it’s hard to believe Hanks learned how to code, and indeed he didn’t, working with app developer Hitcents to create Hanx Writer.
The actor to tech entrepreneur career path might be an unusual one, but Hanks is not the first to pursue it. He follows in the footsteps of Ashton Kutcher who has made a tidy sum from investments in apps such as Secret, though he has yet to release his own.