Selectric-256 Brings Encrypted Messaging to Vintage Computers
The IBM Selectric-251 is a fictional typewriter from the science fiction television series Fringe. In the show, two of these typewriters are connected through quantum entanglement, allowing messages typed on one to appear on the other, regardless of distance. Unfortunately, quantum entanglement doesn't actually work that way. But that didn't stop Legionlabs from building a real-world alternative called Selectric-256, a hardware device that provides end-to-end encrypted messaging for computers both old and new.
Selectric-256 is built around an ESP32 microcontroller and costs approximately $8 per device. It connects to a host computer over USB or a serial connection, allowing that computer to exchange encrypted messages without having its own Internet connection. This makes it possible to use modern encrypted messaging on everything from a high-end laptop to a vintage PDP-11.
A closer look at the hardware (📷: Legionlabs)
The device handles all network communication independently of the host computer....
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