Here’s something you don’t hear every day. Actor Tom Hanks participated in an App Store interview this afternoon, in an effort to promote his new iPad app ‘Hanx Writer.’ The conversation happened via Twitter, with Mr. Hanks answering questions asked by the official App Store account.
Hanx Writer aims to recreate the experience of a manual typewriter on the iPad, with authentic sounds and graphics. And while there are already a host of similar apps on the App Store, early reviews say that none of them come close to Hanx in terms of polish and attention to detail…
Here’s a description of the app:
Behold, Hanx Writer, created by Tom Hanks. Hanx Writer recreates the experience of a manual typewriter, but with the ease and speed of an iPad.“With Hanx Writer, you’ll hear the rhythm of your work with SHOOK SHOOK or FITT-FITT.” – Tom Hanks
No longer must you surrender modern luxuries, like the DELETE key, to enjoy the look, feel, and sound of good, old-fashioned word-processing. Each document crafted in Hanx Writer can be emailed, printed, and shared and has its own unique statement-making personality.
Explore the Hanx Writer typewriter collection. The Hanx Prime Select is the writer’s best friend and it’s FREE; the Hanx 707 is bold enough for any journey; and the Hanx Golden Touch is sleek and elegant. Discover the unique features each typewriter has to offer. You already know how to work them – now get writing!
And one more screenshot:
When asked what inspired him to create Hanx Writer, Mr. Hanks answered because he missed the sensation of manual typewriters—particularly the sound. “Cause I find it’s like music that spurs along the creative urge. Bang bang clack-clack-clack puckapuckapuckapucka,” he said.
Between the typewriting textures, and the small feature set, this app is clearly meant for a niche audience. And for those of you who think you fall into that niche, you can find Hanx Writer in the App Store for free. Note: there are a handful of IAPs for themes and other customizations.
To read the full Tom Hanks interview, click here.