I don't have a camera for pictures, but I-Rocks did such a great job with theirs that I will just link to them: http://www.i-rocksusa.com/products/RF-6520-BK.html. When I get my Palm Pre (by the end of the week, hopefully), I will do a couple of pics for size comparison.

Overview:
The I-Rocks RF-6520 is a small, light-weight, cordless (RF) keyboard built specifically for portability. It features scissor-switch keys and a space-saving layout. The overall size is not much larger than a standard laptop keyboard. It does; however, have a numpad, making the overall size about 3" larger than a standard laptop keyboard.

First Impressions:
The RF-6520 is a diminutive keyboard reminiscent of the Cherry ML-4100. It is a little larger than the Cherry by about 3" - 3.5" and it weighs about the same (less than a pound). It is very thin; no more than about an inch at its widest point. The size, weight, and, essentially, full layout make it ideal to pack with a laptop.

Today, I usually pack my Cherry ML-4100 with my laptop for a more quality typing experience when I will be working for long sessions, say, in an all-day meeting. The RF-6520, in my opinion, is a better fit for this role as it has a full layout and cordless capability. Its thin, light-weight design makes it perfect for a laptop keyboard supplement, although, the scissor key switches are not going to win any awards for typing bliss.

Review:
As I mentioned, the RF-6520 is aimed at the portable keyboarding market. It is small and light-weight, and as such, isn't going to be the M1 Abrams of keyboards like the Model M or Filco. That being said, it is perfect for road warriors or office vagabonds that work for extended periods of time away from their desk/main rig. The RF-6520 is full-featured enough; however, that if you wanted to use it as a permanent keyboard or as a long term substitute during a road trip, it would certainly fit the bill. Compared to my Cherry ML-4100, the full layout provided by the RF-6520 makes typing feel less cramped and more like a regular keyboard experience. To be fair, the ML-4100 is a point-of-sale keyboard, so it is not designed as an all-day typer, but for the role I use it in as a portable keyboard, the only slightly larger size, same weight, and cordless capabilities make it the perfect laptop companion.

All this portability does come at a price; however. To keep weight down, and, perhaps, size, the RF-6520 does have a "cheap" feel. The plastic used in the case is fairly thin, and the 'board does flex a little while typing, but the keyboard in my Dell D-620 laptop flexes as well, so the experience is very similar. Also, the RF transmitter feels fragile. The USB connector is not fully enclosed, thus the contacts are exposed, so there could potentially be some issues where they could be damaged. Fortunately, I-Rocks provides a compartment on the underside of the keyboard for protection while the transmitter is not in use. Which brings me to my next issue. The keyboard is RF and not Bluetooth which would mitigate the potential issues of the RF transmitter being damaged or a user losing the transmitter outright. Also, as any true GeekHacker would point out, the RF-6520 does feature scissor switches instead of a mechanical variety, but as this is a portable keyboard, there are not many options other than Cherry's ML switches for a suitable substitute. The keyboard feels very close to that in my Dell laptop, and as far as scissor switches go, they are not bad. Lastly, there are rubber feet on the bottom of the keyboard to prevent slippage; however, they are only on the front edge, so the 'board has a tendency to slip during use since there is no resistance in the back.

Another suggested use for the RF-6520 is HTPC duties. While I don't currently use an HTPC, I would have loved to have this 'board back when I did. I performed a test to see how far I could venture from the transmitter before the signal would drop, and I made it all the way across the office (about 40 feet, or so) without any transmission issues. If the RF-6520 had a built in pointer (trackpoint, preferrably), it would be ideal for an HTPC.

Conclusion:
The RF-6520 is a fantastic keyboard for the road warrior provding a full layout alternative in a compact package. This would certainly replace my Cherry ML-4100 as my travel 'board. While this would be killer with Cherry ML switches, the scissor switches aren't terrible and are pleasant enough to type on. This also keeps the cost of the 'board down as the MSRP is at a very reasonable $39.99. At that price, I would highly recommend the RF-6520 to anyone that needs something small and light-weight to pack with their laptop.

Created by itlnstln, 16 June 2009 at 17:47 Last edited by itlnstln, 16 June 2009 at 17:50 Last comment by Damir Poljak on 04 November 2009 at 04:42 21 Comments, 3,269 Views