WikiVisually
The entire wiki reimagined as a visual magazine with video discovery · Watch your interests come alive
WikiVisually
The entire wiki reimagined as a visual magazine with video discovery · Watch your interests come alive
Nature The World Movies USA Top Art Fine & Rare History Ivy & Inquiry
Typewriter
Videos
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper
Mechanical typewriters, such as this 1930s Underwood, were long-time standards in government agencies, newsrooms, and offices.
Mechanical typewriters, such as this 1930s Underwood, were long-time standards in government agencies, newsrooms, and offices.
Peter Mitterhofer's typewriter prototype (1864)
Peter Mitterhofer's typewriter prototype (1864)
Hansen Writing Ball was the first typewriter manufactured commercially (1870).
Hansen Writing Ball was the first typewriter manufactured commercially (1870).
Prototype of the first commercially successful typewriter, the Sholes and Glidden (1873) – with the first QWERTY keyboard
Prototype of the first commercially successful typewriter, the Sholes and Glidden (1873) – with the first QWERTY keyboard
IBM Selectric
Videos
The IBM Selectric was a highly successful line of electric typewriters introduced by IBM on 31 July 1961.
Typewriter
…that was further enhanced by including the 1937 innovation of carbon-film ribbons that produced clearer, sharper words on the page. IBM introduced the IBM Selectric typewriter in 1961, which replaced the typebars with a spherical element (or typeball) slightly smaller than a golf ball, with reverse-image letters…
IBM Selectric I
IBM Selectric I
A Selectric typing element
A Selectric typing element
IBM Selectric I
IBM Selectric I
IBM Selectric II (with dual Latin/Hebrew element and keyboard). The switch to the right of the backspace key shifts the machine to right-to-left typin
IBM Selectric II (with dual Latin/Hebrew element and keyboard). The switch to the right of the backspace key shifts the machine to right-to-left typing, as is required for Hebrew. Note also the two typing position scales, one numbered left to right, the other right to left.