IBM Rapid Access II - keyboard

Author's product rating:   

Responsiveness
Reliability
Ease of Use
Quality
Value for Money

Advantages:	Good extra features .  Can play CD's from keyboard
Disadvantages:	Price?

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Now here’s an opinion that nearly didn’t get written, mainly because I’m too busy using the damned thing to write about it. I’m talking about my IBM Rapid Access Keyboard.

I have been using this for about 18 months now, and if I remember correctly it cost me about £30 from PCW, the shop whose name I can’t bring myself to say in full!

Since keyboards can be had for a fiver upwards, what’s so special about it? Well, nothing from the “Immense Bowel Movement”* is ever going to be cheap, but it does carry some extra features, which set it part from the “fiver jobs”.

*Some “IBMers” have their own pet theories. “I Bin Moved” is one heartfelt cry, whilst German employees have been known to call it “Ich Bin Müde” – I am tired.

Firstly let’s get the ergonomic bit out of the way. The left hand ⅞ of the keyboard are bog standard in appearance, except for the discrete corporate blue logo in top left.

You get a clip-on front apron for extra wrist support, making it at least look like an ergonomic keyboard. I haven’t use mine because the sliding drawer beneath my bench needs a rectangular board to fit properly.

Underneath are two extendable props to allow for different angles of tilt.

As per normal, you get a PS/2 and DIN adapter for the back of your PC.

Keys click with the usual sound and pressure of most quality keyboards.

So, not a lot for your £30 there then?

Hold on, the other ⅛ of the board holds the secret.

Across the top, you’ve got a button with an illuminated moon in it – ah, isn’t that sweet. This is to put your PC to “sleep” if it’s so configured. Also on top, there’s a blue “Help” button, which apes the F1 function, which must lie at least a foot away on the left!

Down the right-hand side is a row of 4 short-cut buttons, which can be pre-programmed to load software of your choice. IBM have printed an insert for you, on the assumption that word-processor, spreadsheet and internet access are going to be the big three, within one other blank, which I have taken to be my Quicken banking software. Notwithstanding IBM’s printed label, there is nothing to stop you programming all four yourself.

The software to configure your board comes on CD-ROM and is easy to install. It adds another icon within Control Panel, which I feel is the best place for it.

Now comes the “pièce de résistance” – the CD playing keys. Yes, this board will take control of the standard CD player built into the Windows 9x series, but not CD Player Deluxe in the “Extra” software.

This enables you to start, stop and pause an audio CD. You can skip tracks, alter the volume and there is even a Mute button, for those annoying times when my wife is talking at me.

So, there you have it, the IBM Rapid Access Keyboard. Not the cheapest one I ever had, but definitely the most useful. Think of the earnings from this opinion – those alone would probably get that price down to, oh, £29.75. Now THAT’S a bargain!