If this man is nostalgic let him scribble away. Many, including myself, still write letters. But it's a bit absurd to bemoan the faster and easier in favor of what he sees as romantic. People still know how to do arithmetic and write the letters of the alphabet. To spend 30 minutes doing what can be done in half the time with a small machine is ridiculous.
I don't think you've grasped his argument. Which is the more we let machines do for us, the less we are able to do for ourselves. He is not arguing against all machines. In fact he lists a number of them that he loves. But I agree with his basic premise that if a person depends on machines to do everything, what happens when the machines break down? He, like me, believes that too many people are allowing machines to run their lives. Spectators instead of participants.
Along with the wonderful inventions, we should try to maintain our own intellectual strengths. Physical pursuits as well. I can buy fire wood at the store, but personally chopping wood will reap extra benefits not acquired by merely purchasing the already choppped and bundled wood. (oh, my aching back!) Incidentally thanks to a youthful interest in baseball statistics, I can add up a column of numbers in my head faster than I can with a calculator.
If G-d meant us to fly and travel down the road at 60 MPH and eat hot pop-tarts, He'd have given us anti-grav and laser-beam eyes.