A handmade thermal printer for news, weather, puzzles, and more. Turn the dial, press the button, read the paper. No screen. No subscriptions. Built from walnut and brass.
Press the button when you need it, or schedule prints to show up throughout your day. Read the full PC-1 instructions.
20+ modules. Assign any combination to your 8 channels.
Local modules work offline. Connected modules use your network or an online service.
Current conditions, hourly and 5-day forecasts
Headlines and QR links from NewsAPI. Requires your API key.
Articles from your favorite RSS feeds, with QR links
Unread messages from your IMAP inbox. Requires email setup.
Sun path, sunrise and sunset, and moon phase
Day, week, or month views from your iCal calendars
Historical events from today's date
A random quote from a library of thousands
A writing prompt from a built-in library
A daily word and definition from Merriam-Webster
Generated puzzles in three difficulty levels
Generated mazes in three difficulty levels
Generated crosswords with clues and answers below
A puzzle grid with a list of hidden words
Choose your next move with the dial and button
Upload and print photos or illustrations
Custom notes, lists, and formatted text
URLs, WiFi details, contacts, and more
Print messages, links, and images sent to your Slack bot. Requires Slack setup.
Receive text and images from your scripts and automations over the network
Fetch and print text, images, or data from a URL or API
Device network, storage, memory, uptime, and CPU status
Push on the bottom of the faceplate to remove it.
Open printer cover, insert new roll.
Eight positions on the rotary dial, each loaded with the modules you choose.
Your channel prints on 58mm thermal paper.
Your paper, your routine
Open Paper Console’s settings from a browser on your phone or computer, on the same WiFi network. Combine modules, arrange their print order, and schedule your channels.
No app to install or Paper Console account required.
Settings preview · Sample configuration
Walnut enclosure, brass faceplate. Hand-built.
Standard 58mm x 30mm thermal paper rolls, the same kind used in receipt printers. A roll lasts weeks of normal use and replacements cost a few dollars.
Some modules do (weather, news, email, RSS, calendar) but many work completely offline: sudoku, maze, quotes, journal prompts, on this day, text notes, and the adventure game all run locally.
Paper Console has no subscription. You provide your own API keys for services that need them, such as NewsAPI. Optional third-party services may have their own pricing or usage limits.
Yes. There are 8 channels, each configurable with any combination of the 20+ module types. Stack weather + sudoku + quotes on one channel, news + email on another. You configure everything through a web interface on your phone or computer.
Settings run locally on your network and are password-protected. Connected modules contact the services they use, including for scheduled prints and background checks.
You can check for software updates and export or restore your configuration from the settings page. See the settings instructions for the available controls.
Yes. The entire software stack (Python backend, React settings UI) is open source on GitHub at github.com/travmiller/paper-console. Modify, extend, or build your own modules.
Plug it in. It prints setup instructions with a WiFi network name and password. Connect to that network from your phone, open the setup page, enter your home WiFi credentials, and you're done. Takes about two minutes. See the full PC-1 instructions for setup, Quick Actions, WiFi reset, and troubleshooting.
Currently sold out.