Looking for a simple portable typing device

December 14, 2024 7:47 AM

I'm looking for a device for my son to use to communicate. He has (mostly) non-verbal autism but can and will type full words to communicate with a large vocabulary. If we're out and about I can give him my phone with a notes app to write what he wants but that isn't always convenient so I'm looking for an alternate solution.

Before he was able to communicate this way I was talking with another parent in a similar situation and they had a small device about the size of a cell phone. It had a keyboard and small display and all you could do was type and clear. No other bells or whistles. Had I been thinking I'd have asked where they got it from but I didn't. So I'm looking for something similar.

I know there are tons of AAC devices out there. Those are not what I want -- I don't need icons or AI or chaining words together, we've gone down those roads and straight up QWERTY is his preferred method.

Small, portable, keyboard and display that's it. Or, if anyone is aware of software that will do similar to an old Android phone (locked into one app only) that'd work just as well. He's fine with a physical or virtual keyboard.

Thanks -- any help is appreciated.

posted by splen to Technology (10 answers total)

I'm in favor of utilizing the old phone for so many reasons - you already have it, easy charging/chargers, it's free, it avoids landfill, it is easy to slip in a pocket, unobtrusive visually, etc.

I haven't been on Android for a long time, and I know some settings vary by phone / software version, but I would utilize a combination of the following tools:

- totally factory reset it
- enable parental control / "Kiosk Mode" if your phone allows / focus modes - any of which would address using the phone for non-typing-device purposes, allow you to limit certain apps, potentially even disable wifi (? not sure about that)
- pin a super simple text app (Google Keep?) to home screen
- and/or install a launcher that automatically opens the text app upon bootup
- customize the accessibility / viewing settings on both the app and phone as needed until the text size is mutually agreeable to both your son and you / whoever will be reading the screen
posted by seemoorglass at 8:36 AM on December 14, 2024 [2 favorites]

I have an Android. Just now, I downloaded the "Typewriter" app from Play Store, and gave it a test drive. It was easy to use, and seems like something that would suit your needs. The default font is tiny, but is easily enlarged.

If I am getting the right impression, you already know how to lock into one app only. But just in case, here is Google's (annoying AI) info related to that:
To lock your Android to only one app, you can use the built-in "Screen Pinning" feature, which allows you to pin a single app to the screen, preventing access to other apps until you unpin it; access this feature by going to your device settings, searching for "pinning" and turning on the "App pinning" option.
Key steps:
Go to Settings: Open your device settings.
Find Security options: Navigate to "Biometrics and Security" or similar depending on your device.
Enable Pin Windows: Look for "Pin Windows" or "App Pinning" and toggle it on.
Open the desired app: Launch the app you want to lock your screen to.
Pin the app: Access the recent apps menu (usually by tapping the square button) and select "Pin this app" on the app you want to lock to.
Important points to remember:
Unpinning: To exit the pinned app, you typically need to press the back button and recent apps button simultaneously.
Password protection: You can set a password or pattern to be required before unpinning the app for added security.
Device compatibility: Screen Pinning is available on most modern Android devices.
posted by SageTrail at 8:48 AM on December 14, 2024 [2 favorites]

The "qwerty phone" category might be an option (here's an example from Nokia).

I was talking with another parent in a similar situation and they had a small device about the size of a cell phone. It had a keyboard and small display and all you could do was type and clear.

That sounds a little like these, though they're not that small. (Also they have eink screens, which I'd worry would be fragile.)
posted by trig at 9:05 AM on December 14, 2024

I think I'd lean toward an older Android phone with an app as well; one thing about larger QWERTY devices where you're meant to touch-type on them... where do you set it down so that you can type? That seems like it's adding a layer of complexity and frustration that is not needed. "Texting" on a phone is probably already familiar, and is likely a lot easier to manage.
posted by xedrik at 9:43 AM on December 14, 2024

How about an old phone with a slide out qwerty keyboard for $20? Or a Blackberry for $50?

Or skim around ebay or FB marketplace craigslist etc for "qwerty keyboard phone" and see what pops up near you. These ultra-small qwerty devices can easily be set on your lap or typed with thumbs while holding. I personally suspect physical buttons would be better here but idk your son. The nice thing about the right kind of older phone is it didn't do much anyway so you probably won't really need to lock it down- just don't put a sim in it and delete whatever cruft you can.
posted by SaltySalticid at 9:49 AM on December 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

"Distraction free writing" is one thing to search, as this set-up describes what a lot of writers want in a portable writing setup without the distractions of a phone. Here is an article describing some options.

As an autistic teenager who sometimes lost speech, I used an iPod touch for this. Not sure how easy those are to find these days.
posted by brook horse at 10:50 AM on December 14, 2024 [4 favorites]

Perhaps look for a Alphasmart Neo or something similar on eBay? It's about the size of a notebook computer but much, much lighter (not a clamshell device), has an excellent full-sized keyboard, an LCD screen, and the batteries last hundreds of hours. It may be bigger than you want, but the comfortable typing and toughness (it was built with students in mind) might be beneficial.
posted by lhauser at 12:08 PM on December 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

Given that a used Chromebook can be had for less than a hundred (Woot.com has them for at low as $60) that *may* an option.
posted by kschang at 12:32 PM on December 14, 2024

Would something like the Freewrite Alpha or one of their other models fit the bill? The article to which brook horse linked mentions an earlier version, but it seems like some of the newer ones are smaller and cheaper.
posted by brianogilvie at 7:34 AM on December 15, 2024

I've seen the sComm UbiDuo advertised for deaf/hard of hearing people, and it seems to do exactly what you want, but bigger.

If nothing else, searching for communication devices for deaf people instead of autistic people may yield better results. Some Deaf people intentionally avoid using speech since it triggers hearing people's worst communication attempts with them.
posted by squelch at 9:19 PM on December 15, 2024