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" Tom Hanks launched a free typewriter app for iPad last week, and, like everything else that man touches, it&amp;#039;s proving to be entertaining, loved, and successful. Just four days after its release, Hanx Writer soared to the top of its respective chart in the iTunes App Store, and it&amp;#039;s not simply because our favorite mermaid seducer made it.  The new typewriter app does precisely what one would expect of something referenced as a &amp;quot;typewriter app.&amp;quot; Keys appear on the screen, and typewriter functions ensue when you press them. Aside from replicating the famous font, the app sounds off to the pings, clacks, and pangs of an old-school Underwood. The best things in life are simple.  &amp;quot;I suppose some people who get the app may just be looking for a different sound, but really, it&amp;#039;s for people searching for a more personalized experience when writing on an iPad,&amp;quot; Hanks told USA Today. &amp;quot;There&amp;#039;s also the opportunity here to take your iPad to a coffee house and be really obnoxious with all the clickety-clacking.&amp;quot;  Despite his master recipes for humor, the actor approached his app with serious practicality. The Hanx Writer has much of the pizazz of a typical typewriter without any of the hassles. There is a delete key, auto correct, and the ability to email or share messages on social media.  Hanks recently wrote a piece in The New York Times about his love of typewriters and why he owns hundreds. His article romanticizes the glory that his app now replicates: &amp;quot;Everything you type on a typewriter sounds grand, the words forming in mini-explosions of SHOOK SHOOK SHOOK\u2026 You can choose the typewriter to match your sound signature. Remingtons from the 1930s go THICK THICK. Midcentury Royals sound like a voice repeating the word CHALK. CHALK. CHALK CHALK. Even the typewriters made for the dawning jet age (small enough to fit on the fold-down trays of the first 707s), like the Smith Corona Skyriter and the design masterpieces by Olivetti, go FITT FITT FITT like bullets from James Bond&amp;#039;s silenced Walther PPK.&amp;quot; Although the Times piece was, in retrospect, clearly marketing for his upcoming app, few would argue with Hanks&amp;#039; glamorization of the old machines. The modern world could be a better place if writing were given the reverence a typewriter demands. The original tool still finds a function in many homes to add a personal touch to snail mail without the inconvenience of handwriting. There is something intimate about the audiovisual experience of pounding away on a typewriter. Now we can all join the ranks of the artistry inclined with the sounds that soothe. The Hanx Writer comes with three different sounding versions included. Whether you prefer your keys to THICK, CHALK, or FITT, there&amp;#039;s an app for that. TELL US: Are you going to download Hanks&amp;#039; app? NEXT: The 10 Best Rom-Coms to Watch With Your Man \u00BB This story originally appeared on Esquire.com More from Esquire: \u2022 Video: See Tom Hanks Get the Party Started \u2022 7 Forgotten Bruce Willis Movies You Should Watch \u2022 22 Incredible Lessons Robin Williams Taught Us "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/inspirational-stories/interviews/a25579/tom-hanks-typewriter-app/>