As soon as upon a time, the issues folks owned served particular functions and did these issues effectively. A fridge refrigerated, a dish washer washed dishes, and a digicam captured photographs. However because the digital age hit its stride, we more and more prioritized general-purpose units. Computer systems and smartphones are apparent examples, however this idea extends effectively past that to every part from online game consoles to watches. And it’s, frankly, exhausting to reside a life surrounded by issues that all the time demand your consideration and so extra persons are embracing digital minimalism. That’s why EposVox constructed this devoted author deck.
“Digital minimalism” is, broadly talking, a way of life philosophy that focuses on lowering the time spent on computer systems, smartphones, and different (often internet-connected) units that entice folks into placing their time and a focus to unfulfilling use. For some, which may imply ditching a smartphone in favor of a dumbphone. For others, it would imply putting in software program to dam time-sucking web sites.
However digital minimalists nonetheless have a necessity for contemporary know-how. So, an individual who offers up their smartphone may begin carrying round an outdated digicam to seize photographs. For these of us who spend a number of time writing, a “author deck” is an effective substitute for a pc. A author deck is a tool that permits typing in a digital doc and nothing else. It fosters productive writing by lowering distractions. EposVox’s most up-to-date video is all about his efforts to construct his personal customized author deck.
The {hardware} on this author deck is fairly typical and isn’t going to shock anybody. That {hardware} features a Raspberry Pi 3 Mannequin B single-board pc, an 11.9” ultrawide touchscreen LCD from Waveshare, a Keychron K4 V2 ultra-slim mechanical keyboard, and a MakerHawk UPS energy provide for a pair of 18650 lithium battery cells.
However whereas the {hardware} isn’t groundbreaking, EposVox’s progress is attention-grabbing to comply with. For instance, he wanted to design a customized 3D-printable enclosure for every part. He admits it was a poor alternative that he solely used as a result of he was acquainted with it, however EposVox did all of this modeling in TinkerCAD — software program that’s simple to leap into, however which turns into irritating when you should do something even a little bit complicated.
Nonetheless, regardless of some frustrations and an finish consequence that he wasn’t fully happy with, EposVox’s author deck is a purposeful machine. It’s one thing he constructed along with his personal two palms and it does its job, which makes it way more satisfying than some software program working on a general-purpose pc.