We have seen several Micro Journal portable typewriting devices before, though this time, developer Un Kyu Lee has come up with one that features an e-paper display. The Micro Journal Rev.7, as the DIY portable typewriter is named, comes with a 4.76-inch LilyGo T5 e-paper display that is coupled to an ESP32-S3 drive board. As Liliputing reported, the monochrome e-paper display has a 960 x 540 pixel resolution and has minimal power requirements.
Nonetheless, it offers excellent readability even under bright light conditions. That said, since an e-paper display lacks an inherent light source of its own, it is entirely dependent on ambient light for its readability. With no front light built in, you will have to arrange for adequate ambient light to make out what is on the display.
Also, e-paper displays typically have low refresh rates compared to LCD or LED panels. As a workaround, developer Lee has opted for partial screen refresh technology so that characters appear on the display within 1 or 2 tenths of a second after a key press event. The little bit of screen ghosting affect present can be eliminated by opting for a full screen refresh, which will eliminate all residual elements of past displays.
The device otherwise comes with a very basic software setup, which includes a text editor that offers limited functionality. It boots almost instantly so that you can begin typing right away. For this, there is a staggered mechanical keyboard present, which is in contrast to the ortholinear keyboard that all past Micro Journal devices came with. All documents that you type get saved in a microSD card, with the other option being that you can sync them to Google Drive over Wi-Fi.
All the hardware design files and accompanying software are available at GitHub. You can refer to these to build your own version of the Micro Journal Rev.7 typewriter. That said, Lee will also be offering a few units of the typewriting devices for sale from Lee’s Tindie Shop on April 10th, 2025.
However, the units offered for sale will be devoid of a few key components. Those include an 18650 LIPO battery, which you will have to procure separately. Further, the unit for sale off the shelf comes with a Cherry MX profile keyboard PCB that lacks the mechanical key switches and keycaps. The Micro Journal Rev.7 keyboard device starts at $339.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.