Vintage Inspired: USBtypewriters

So, I own many a typewriter and always lament that they don't seem terribly practical for much else than decor on a shelf, or writing the occasional love letter. Enter USBtyewriter. This dude converts vintage typewriters into keyboards for your computer. You can purchase one all ready to go for $500, or buy the kit and do it yourself for around $50. Either way ... holy awesome.

Vintage Typewriter: Olivetti Valentine

Since V-day is this weekend, I just had to highlight MY favorite valentine - the Olivetti Valentine, aka the prettiest typewriter a girl could have.

Designed in 1969 by Ettore Sottsass, and a coveted collectible ever since! The design is sleek, the color is perfect, and the lightweight compact plastic carrying case makes it pretty portable.

They always go for a few hundred bucks on eBay, but the price might be worth it. Imagine the love letters that could be typed on this pretty little number!


(photos from poetichome)

I was interested to see that I am not the only one weak in the knees for a Valentine. Looks like a group of designers set out to recapture a little of that Olivetti design magic in a laptop…and made themselves a "Valentine Notebook." The design shares the Olivetti Valentine's red case, pullout keyboard form and functional beauty. I'm still partial to the original, but the idea is pretty great (and admittedly, maybe more useful for this day and age).



Happy VALENTINE day!