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Freewrite’s latest keyboard has a mechanical word-counter to track your writing https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/9/24339811/astrohaus-freewrite-wordrunner-mechanical-keyboard Astrohaus has announced a new addition to its distraction-reducing Freewrite line of writing tools at CES. Unlike its previous all-in-one devices that pair a keyboard with basic monochromatic screens, its new Freewrite Wordrunner is a standalone mechanical keyboard customized with keys and tools designed to help writers stay focused and work more efficiently.
The company hasn’t announced pricing for the new Freewrite Wordrunner yet, but it’s expected to be available for preorder sometime in February 2025 through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The company’s all-in-one writing devices range in price from $349 to $999, but without a screen, storage, and other electronics, its keyboard will potentially be much cheaper. Discounts will be available to early backers, but Astrohaus is also currently selling $1 refundable reservations that promise “priority access” and “exclusive early-bird pricing.”


Image: Astrohaus
The Wordrunner’s Wordometer is an eight-digit electromechanical counter keeping tabs on your writing progress.

The Freewrite Wordrunner features a compact tenkeyless design, a body made from durable die-cast aluminum, backlit “high-quality tactile switches,” and several layers of sound deadening so it can be used in shared spaces without becoming a distraction to others.
What sets the Wordrunner apart from other mechanical keyboards is the addition of two electromechanical counters with rotating numbers on its top edge. One, called the Wordometer, will continually track word count until you press a reset button, while the other, upgraded with “subtle LED indicators,” serves as a timer for quick writing sprints or tracking your productivity.


Image: Astrohaus
A rotating red joystick in the upper-left corner of the keyboard controls media playback and volume.

The keyboard’s other big differentiator is a redesigned function row with keys customized for quickly navigating and editing a document. These include dedicated keys for undo and redo, jumping between paragraphs, and quickly skipping to the top or bottom of a page. There are also three dedicated macro keys — labeled zap, pow, and bam — that writers can customize to their specific needs.
This means the Wordrunner loses keys dedicated to controlling media playback, but that’s all handled through a rotating red joystick in the upper-left corner of the keyboard that can be pressed or moved in four directions for skipping tracks or making volume adjustments.
Other features include an extended wrist rest and the ability to connect to and switch between up to four devices through dedicated hotkeys. The Freewrite Wordrunner can connect to three devices over Bluetooth, including computers and mobile devices, and a fourth with a USB-C cable.

Freewrite’s latest keyboard has a mechanical word-counter to track your writing It’s time to write that great American novel.

Bluetti has two new flagship energy storage kits for the home and beyond https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/8/24334029/bluetti-apex-portable-energypro-home-backup-specs Bluetti just took the wraps off its EnergyPro 6K and Apex 300 energy storage systems. The EnergyPro 6K is a fixed whole-home backup solution, while the modular Apex 300 is designed to provide portable power when at home, at an off-grid cabin, at a job site, or during an RV trip. Both systems can scale in capacity and power to support your individual needs.
The launch is all part of Bluetti’s rebranding around three series of power solutions: EnergyPro products that require professional installation, Apex systems for advanced energy demands, and the smaller Elite lineup of portable power stations and solar generators for more casual use.
The Apex 300 features 3840W of max AC output and 3072Wh of LFP battery storage. It can be combined with the company’s B300K, B300, and B300S batteries, including future expansion batteries yet to be announced. The Apex 300 has an idle power draw of 20W, according to Bluetti, which is pretty efficient for such a large inverter that can simultaneously support both 120V and 240V loads.


Image: Bluetti
The Bluetti Apex 300.

Multiple Apex 300 units can be linked in parallel to increase the maximum output to 11.52kW — enough to power just about any home device or EV. Storage capacity can be expanded to 58kWh with three units and 18 battery packs to keep an entire home running for a few days in the event of a blackout, or much longer if you’re only powering critical devices like the fridge, HVAC systems, and water pumps. It supports up to 30,720W of solar input and is expected to be available in April in the US.


Image: Bluetti
Two worry-free owners of a pair of EnergyPro 6K units connected to an AT1 Smart Distribution Box.

Bluetti bills the EnergyPro 6K as “a reliable, affordable and cost-effective home energy solution ideal for small to medium-sized homes.” It can be configured with 5.8kW to 29kW of power output and between 7.68kWh and 38.4kWh of LFP battery storage. It’s designed to integrate seamlessly into existing rooftop solar systems. It can be paired with a Bluetti AT1 Smart Distribution Box to provide whole-home backup to critical circuits and automatic cutover to a standby generator when needed. Bluetti is also teasing an EnergyPro 13K system, offering 13.2kW to 39.6kW of output and between 9.6kWh and 57.6kWh of storage capacity. The company says that the EnergyPro 6K is expected to be released in Q2 of 2025.
No prices were given as part of today’s announcement, but you can expect both systems to start in the low thousands, or even tens of thousands if you’re looking at a fully specced installation.