$372,523 raised out of $25,000
Overview
Platform
Indiegogo
Backers
1,275
Start date
Sep 27, 2022
Close date
Oct 28, 2022
Concept

Distraction-free, portable, flow-state writing. 100 hr battery life. No eye-strain. Cloud Synced.

Story

This is the Freewrite Alpha.

Your laptop is killing your word count. Free from distracting apps, notifications, and browsers, Alpha builds one habit: writing. Say hello to achieving more of your writing goals.

Just writing. Nothing else. One button to power on, and you’re off to the races. All your work syncs securely to the cloud. Draft now, edit later, with Alpha. 

Eliminate Distractions

Writing in flow state isn’t easy. It requires complete isolation from all distraction – a total elimination of ‘context switching.’ Context switching occurs when your brain switches its focus from one task to another.

According to a UC Irvine study, even a few seconds of distraction from an incoming text, a social media notification, or an email requires 23 minutes on average to fully refocus. Alpha eliminates these context switching distractions and give you a devoted place just for writing.  

Our writer’s consistently record and self-report 2-3x increased daily word counts when drafting on a Freewrite device vs. on their computer.

Even harder than building new habits is breaking old ones. That’s why many would-be writers have struggled to write their first short story, book of poetry, or epic novel. Most use a computer: a place where they’ve developed lots of different habits other than writing. 

On Alpha, you can only write. Alpha separates you from your old writing habits. Say goodbye to writer’s block. 

Write Anywhere Inspiration Hits

Alpha is always ready, and can go with you anywhere. Just pull it out, press the power button, and start typing. It really is that simple. Never miss a moment of inspiration ever again.

100 Hour Battery

Alpha’s USB-C rechargeable lithium battery and optimized hardware have helped us achieve our longest ever battery life. In a world full of charge anxiety, Alpha stands apart. Take Alpha far from the wall for more than a month at a time without stressing about charge.

Automatic Wifi Cloud-Sync

When you type on Alpha, all your work is automatically saved on your device AND in the cloud. Simply connect Alpha to wifi, and your work is in the cloud. Use our cloud service, or connect to your preferred 3rd-party: Google Drive, Dropbox, and Evernote. 

Light & Portable

Weighing in at less than 2lbs, and measuring 18mm thin, Alpha is lighter than most laptops and fits in your laptop sleeve. Alpha’s hi-strength plastic body is designed to be rigid and durable, without adding unnecessary heft. 

Maximize Your Writing Comfort

Alpha was designed for sustained comfort in writing sessions, in any environment or seating position. Use Alpha at a desk, out at the park, or laying back on your sofa at home.

Integrated Palm Rest

We designed Alpha to be as easy to use on your lap as it is on a desk. The integrated palm rest is convenient and comfortable in any position you may find yourself writing.

Blue-Light Free LCD Display

Alpha’s display is a custom LCD designed to our exact specifications and optimized for writing. It’s low power to extend battery life and is reflective i.e. it uses ambient light. No harsh blue light screen to be found here. Our adjustable font sizing makes for easy legibility, and our anti-glare screen coating makes Alpha’s screen readable in direct sunlight or under lamplight.

Satisfying Mechanical Keyboard

Alpha features low-profile mechanical key switches with satisfying tactility, and more travel than a typical keyboard means you won’t ‘bottom out’ while typing. Unlike the harsh dead-stop of laptop keys, Alpha’s mechanical keyboard brings the joy back to typing and keep you bounding forward. When the kickstand is in use, Alpha’s keyboard sits at an optimal 7 degrees.

Desktop Kickstand

We designed Alpha with a built-in kickstand for maximum versatility. The integrated kickstand is stored in a recess on the underside of Alpha, and sets up in seconds. When deployed, the screen viewing angle is 15 degrees (same as Smart Typewriter). When stored, Alpha is perfect for lap or couch use.

Back with Confidence

We have 8 years of experience developing and shipping complex consumer electronics to customers around the world. Our global partners are our trusted allies and we have done our best to mitigate any risks with Alpha. We are committed to delivering the best possible product as quickly as we can without compromising quality.

With two previous campaigns and over $1,000,000 in crowdfunding orders shipped, we know the drill. We’re excited for another batch of incredible backers like you, who continue to help make Freewrite a reality.

280 Million Words Written

At Freewrite, we have one goal: Nurture writers. Since our start in 2014 we’ve shipped thousands of distraction-free writing tools, which our writers have used to write over 280 million words. Best selling novelist have drafted books on our devices. With Alpha, you’ll join a vibrant and growing community of writers.

500+ Freewrite 5-Star Reviews

 

“We have long be taught the best path to creative writing is to save editing for last. That is hard to do, we want to correct errors as we see them, pausing the creative flow. Freewrite solves this with its limited editing function allowing for the real possibility to find your muse. On top of this is a dream of a keyboard, a true portability (let the juices flow absolutely anywhere), automatic shut off, and the secure saving of the written word in the cloud.”

– Pat, Freewrite Smart Typewriter Owner

“This device is worth more than I anticipated it to be. Writing moves distraction free. I had no idea how much a computer was messing up my flow.”

-Adam James, Freewrite Traveler Owner

“I could not wait to get my fingers on this genius machine. I was in love with the design and with the idea of being able to find a magic contraption that would trick my mind into the writing zone. I am not disappointed, quite the opposite! The Freewrite works. I had a “where have you been all my life?” moment and will enjoy many, many hours and even more pages of creation with my favorite new writing tool!”

– Bae Israel, Freewrite Smart Typewriter Owner

Technical Specifications

Alpha ships with an International English layout. If you plan on using Alpha for languages other than english, take a look at the International English image below to see if the diacritical marks you need are available. We hope to provide more language support in the future but cannot provide a timeline or any more specific information at this time.

Alpha’s UI/UX is the most streamlined of any of our devices. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the features you’ll find on your new Alpha via the [special] key.

Main Menu

Timer

Wifi Connect

Font Size Adjustment

Quickview Status Dashboard

 

Campaign Rewards

INTERNATIONAL BACKERS: Your pledge amount does not include any import duties or VAT. You will be required to pay these to receive your shipment.

Optional Add Ons:

Alpha Project Timeline

The Freewrite team is committed to keeping you informed. While delays can happen, the most important thing is that we actively communicate progress to you along the way. We’re committed to updates every month so you know what the status of production is.

Shipping

After the campaign closes, we’ll reach out to you to collect your most current shipping information. We’ll also give you a chance to update your shipping address when we ship, in case you’ve changed your address.
International backers: Please note, you will be required by your country to pay import duties. Import duties are not included in your pledge.

The Freewrite Team

Adam Leeb – Founder, CEO

Adam has spent his life creating and building. In 2014, he prototyped the original Freewrite concept and put it online, not knowing if anyone would care. Thanks to crowdfunding, Freewrite not only exists, but has flourished. Adam’s contrarian vision to remove features in order to improve productivity has cemented Freewrite as the market leader for dedicated writing tools and as a pioneer of thoughtful tech. Prior to Freewrite, Adam studied Mechanical Engineering and product design at MIT and worked in various fields but ultimately knew consumer products was where he would end up. Adam loves esoteric words, a great piece of toast, his wife, and his newborn baby girl.

Colin Butts – Head of Marketing

Colin has over 12 years of experience at the helm of beloved consumer brands in industries from food to footwear, and now personal electronics. Developing businesses with strong customer connections, deep brand values, and powerful creative expressions are hallmarks of Colin’s leadership. Colin joined the Freewrite team in July 2022 (woo!). Outside of the office, he’s an avid reader, yoga practitioner, adventure traveler, and self-described video game nerd.

Heidi Jensen – Head of Customer Success

Heidi has been on the frontlines of countless brands ensuring each customer walks away with a smile. Heidi’s goal is always the same – go above and beyond to solve an issue the customer might have. Heidi is also an incredible full time mom to 3 children.

Sean O’Rourke – Head of Product

Sean studied advertising research & strategy, then left school to pursue entrepreneurship. In February 2022, after 7 years running his own consumer electronics brand, Sean joined the team. Alpha is his first product lead role at Freewrite. Outside of work he loves reading, architecture, and hopes to finish writing his first book in 2023.

Risks & Challenges

In today’s supply chain and economic climate, it’s difficult to predict what challenges might arise to threaten our timeline. To account for this, we’ve built in ‘padding’ to our production schedule to attempt to account for the inevitable delays that will arise.

We’ll do our absolute best to ship your Alpha by the time promised, and will keep you informed of any specific challenges we face along the way. We’ll update you by email every 2 weeks until shipping so you’re never in the dark. 

Thank you for your support as we put all our energy into delivering you the best possible product, as quickly as possible. 

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