Tom Hanks releases an iPad typewriter app, acts Tom Hanks-ily charming about it

Solidifying his role as America’s genial, puttering old dad, Tom Hanks has released an iPad word processing app that’s designed to mimic the look and feel of a manual typewriter. Named Hanx Writes, the app offers three models for lovers of what Hanks onomatopoeiacally refers to as the “SHOOK-SHOOK or FITT-FITT” of an active typewriter: the Hanx Prime Select, the Hanx 707, and the Hanx Golden Touch. The first is free, while the other two require in-app purchases of $2.99 each to unlock.

Hanks, an avid lover of typewriters with a collection of more than 200 machines, released a brief statement explaining the app’s existence:

“In the late ’70s, I bought a typewriter — portable enough for world travel and sturdy enough to survive decades of ten-fingered beatings. I’ve since acquired many more — each different in design, action, and sound.

Each one stamps into paper a permanent trail of imagination through keys, hammers, cloth and dye — a softer version of chiselling words into stone.

I write without caring about typeovers, XXXX’d out words, goofy syntax, & bad spelling because the feel & sound of a typewriter is satisfying in ways that couldn’t be matched. —- Until now!”

Can’t you just imagine Hanks’ big friendly grin as he says all that? The fun-loving twinkle in his eye? Maybe after you download his app, you two could have a game of catch. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? A game of catch with your old movie dad?

Hanx Writes is available through iTunes.

 
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