You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?



21-1-2017 22:08:24  #11


Re: Brother Electronic Typewriters discontinued

Yes, I wouldn't mind owning something like that--provided I could afford it.  But, now, the design.  I am thinking you would probably have that Olympia SG-1 in mind.  Beautiful choice--smooth-as-silk carriage, spring-loaded keys, straight-as-an-arrow printing, easy-off carriage, et cetera. 

If you were to design a typewriter like this, would you design a manual machine?  Would you have an electric?  Portable?  Upright? 

My guess is that most people, being used to a computer keyboard, would find it hard, if not almost impossible to use a manual typewriter--at first.  With some, you'd probably have to eventually offer an electric--not electronic--a straight electric of the old school--with an electric motor assisting the functions of a manual.  If you don, DON'T design it like a Remington Electri-conomy.  You couldn't guarantee that thing past three months.  Oh, well-built they were, but their craftsmanship and usability rarely met.  Crooked print, skipped letters, and a carriage return that needed to be assisted by one's finger or hand were normal anomalies of these monsters.  The Olympia SGE upright electric would be a very good choice.  Their motor actually has the outside spinning instead of the inside--and they located it underneath the keyboard.  Check one out sometime--they're neat!!


Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
 

04-5-2017 23:26:51  #12


Re: Brother Electronic Typewriters discontinued

Sorry if this has been asked, and sorrier if this is off topic, but what could have saved the typewriter industry?  Do you guys think they should have dived into the computer market to a degree?  Perhaps competed in the keyboard market (I'd die if they came out with a Smith Corona style keyboard.  Those are so comfy).

 

25-10-2017 12:44:02  #13


Re: Brother Electronic Typewriters discontinued

Digital cameras killed film cameras ... almost.

The Impossible Project took over one of the last Polaroid plants still equipped.  They refurbished old Polaroid cameras and sell them at a hefty price.  They started making instant film to work in the old Polaroid cameras.  Now they have a new name - Polaroid Originals.

Fuji has the Instax instant camera line and instant film.

Another company has a line of instant cameras.

Kodak brought back one of the films (Ektachrome?).

Vinyl recordings are making a come back.

I suspect typewriters won't die but they've been pretty dormant for a while.

People are rejecting smart phones.  Have you heard of the Punkt phone?

I think it's more than just going retro.  I think people are becoming fed up with ultra-high tech garbage and are going back to what they really think is important.  Just my opinion.
 

 

09-2-2019 09:01:58  #14


Re: Brother Electronic Typewriters discontinued

Like film camera, or like vinyl records, it isn't inconceivable that a niche manufacturer of manual typewriters couldn't happen. We're certainly not going to see the mass-production from factories of the past, however, like vinyl, could there be limited runs of machines produced?  Possibly, but the question will be design and parts manufacturing. In the glory days of typewriters, there was an infrastructure to support this - today that has long since vanished.  If any of the old machining is still around and can be made to work again...
I suspect the labour required, and the required return on investment, plus the limited demand would make these machines several thousands of dollars to buy! 

 

09-2-2019 14:21:00  #15


Re: Brother Electronic Typewriters discontinued

And the machine costing several thousand Dollars is what would put everyone off from actually buying.  A lot of people say that they would like a new, quality, typewriter but when faced with the reality of the price they would suddenly go cold.  I sometimes get e-mails asking me if I have any cheap refurbished typewriters.  When I enquire what they are expecting to pay, I get replies ranging from £20 to £40 (about $25 to $47).  Naturally when I give then a real-world price, they do not want to know any more.

 

11-3-2019 23:02:54  #16


Re: Brother Electronic Typewriters discontinued

thetypewriterman wrote:

And the machine costing several thousand Dollars is what would put everyone off from actually buying.  A lot of people say that they would like a new, quality, typewriter but when faced with the reality of the price they would suddenly go cold.  I sometimes get e-mails asking me if I have any cheap refurbished typewriters.  When I enquire what they are expecting to pay, I get replies ranging from £20 to £40 (about $25 to $47).  Naturally when I give then a real-world price, they do not want to know any more.

I have a mixed response to this. When you consider that classic German camera manufacturer Leica still offers new film BODIES (NO lens included) for $4.6k USD, I would think that there must be a market out there. It almost seems like it is just whether or not someone is willing to make it. The tooling and machinery to cast all of the parts for any given machine must be long scrapped by now

     Thread Starter
 

Board footera

 

Powered by Boardhost. Create a Free Forum