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

By William Hughes | August 14, 2014 | 9:43pm

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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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