Keyboards are now available in many shapes and sizes for the Spectrum, each having their own advantages and disadvantages, this one has an impressive range of additional keys and a very elegant style.

It is somewhat confusing at first as some keys are not where they used to be! The rop row of keys are offset one position to the right, there are two keys added between the CAPS SHIFT and the Z key on the bottom row, a dot key between M and SYMBOL SHIFT, and extra ENTER where the SPACE key was and, most importantly, a full-sized space bar underneath the normal keys. Dotted around at strategic points are extra SYMBOL SHIFT keys, these are to make using the additional specific function keys more convenient.

The extra keys have not just been added at random in order to make the keyboard look good, but have been carefully to make using the computer easier, and I must admit that after my initial trepidation at not finding keys where I expected them, and a little time using this keyboard, it really does make it easier to use!

For example, DELETE can now be also accessed by two keys next to each other at the lower left of the keyboard, instead of stretching (or using two hands) the full length of the normal board.

The keys themselves are positive and respond nicely, the legends are supplied so I presume they expect them to wear out at some time, but a quick tip here is to carefully paint each one with varnish using a fine brush. This will extend their life greatly.

The keys are slightly stepped as the board is tilted forwards but seem a little cramped. The space bar is excellent and has been balanced so that catching it on the end does not cause it to tip, miss or stick as has been known to happen on some!

Fitting the keyboard to your unit may cause some slight problems as the instructions are not as idiot proof as they could be. The top of the Spectrum's case is removed and it is fitted complete with base to the bottom half of the keyboard case. It is then bolted in place, on my instructions the act of bolting was not mentioned and I was uncertain if this was correct for qute a while. Also you have to tighten the bolts just right as my over-tightening resulted in the base ending up shaped like a banana! If some plastic spacing tubes to fit over the length of the bolts had been supplied then this problem would have been cheaply and effectively eliminated.

A brief comment to the effect that early models (mine is!) may require "slight modification" to the keyboard housing translates to "use a saw to cut off a couple of bits". No real problem, it took me three minutes.

The diagrams, photocopied photographs, are not good enough and need to be commercially reproduced or presented as drawings, especially as you need to use them to position the key legends. The keyboard ribbons, the one sent already had the interface attached, but the instructions tell you to attach it, are plugged in and the top fitted and screwed in place.

The unit actually stands on the original Spectrum's base and is about 0.75" off the ground, overlapping at the front and sides. I thought that this overhang may cause problems but in practice none were encountered, only the most heavy-handed would cause it to tip.

As it uses the original base the Sinclair Interface I will fit without any problem. The microdrive lead is just long enough to allow it to sit by the side of the keyboard and it all seems to function properly. The only reservation I have is that the keyboard may then be tilted too far forward for some people.

A numeric keypad is not included on this keyboard, and if you enter a lot of data it may be worth bearing this in mind.

Although the key functions are not as well designed as on the new Spectrum+ the quality of the keys is better and, as Sinclair Research are not making the keyboard available separately, this is an attractive buy for the "normal" Spectrum owners.

Overall, a beautiful and well produced piece of equipment which will enhance not only your computing but the look of the machine as well.