This Japanese foldable E Ink typewriter is coming to the US

Pomera is a line of minimalist writing computers from Japanese company King Jim. There have been various models in the past ten years or so, but generally the idea is that they're super-portable devices with proper keyboards, monochrome screens, and long-lasting battery life so you can carry one around and get it out to write whenever you need. You can then transfer text to your phone or computer via QR code or microSD card.

Now King Jim is bringing Pomera to the US for the first time via a Kickstarter campaign. The specific model is the DM30, which is set to release in Japan next month and has a neat folding keyboard design like the rest of the DM line. The screen is a 6-inch E Ink panel, and the battery should last for 20 hours off two AA cells. One caveat: the keyboard uses the Japanese layout, which I happen to think is a great layout but will require some getting used to.

King Jim is just calling the US version of the DM30 the Pomera, and it's set to ship by November this year. Retail price will be 55,000 yen (~$499), with early-bird pricing of 38,500 yen ($349) available now. All of this is contingent on King Jim reaching its Kickstarter funding goal of 10 million yen ($90,000), though Pomera is a long-running line from an established company that can probably find another way to sell in the US if it really wants to.