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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ch_123 on Fri, 19 June 2009, 11:37:45

Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: ch_123 on Fri, 19 June 2009, 11:37:45: Got one for myself, still one leftover. Seems to be a good deal.

Link (http://cgi.ebay.ie/IBM-M4-1-TRACKPOINT-PS-2-84-KEY-KEYBOARD-P-N-84G2525_W0QQitemZ140325909491QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ac1373f3&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177&_trkparms=240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50)

(http://i.ebayimg.com/09/!BQRdDfw!2k~$(KGrHgoOKjoEjlLm(,tvBJ39uN1H1w~~_1.JPG)
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: chimera15 on Fri, 19 June 2009, 13:56:05: I like how the shipping costs almost as much as the auction price.... geesh.

Oh that's cause the link is for ireland... heh
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: bigpook on Fri, 19 June 2009, 14:29:31: Quote from: ch_123;97624
Got one for myself, still one leftover. Seems to be a good deal.

Link (http://cgi.ebay.ie/IBM-M4-1-TRACKPOINT-PS-2-84-KEY-KEYBOARD-P-N-84G2525_W0QQitemZ140325909491QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20ac1373f3&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177&_trkparms=240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50)

Show Image
(http://i.ebayimg.com/09/!BQRdDfw!2k~$(KGrHgoOKjoEjlLm(,tvBJ39uN1H1w~~_1.JPG)

I got one of these too, I think from the same seller? brian_oneill IIRC.
Its not a bad keyboard and it fits in my laptopbag. The keys seem to have a short throw and the trackpoint is pretty neat too.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: bigpook on Fri, 19 June 2009, 14:44:44: The trackpoint is not a bad thing to have. I find its good enough for work.

Whats wrong with the Unicomp M-4's? Aside from being somewhat pricey.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: IBI on Fri, 19 June 2009, 15:09:10: Quote from: ripster;97689
It must be because their parcel trucks can't go through these roads.

Show Image
(http://www.dawelch.com/ireland8_2007-TwoCars262.jpg)

I can't speak for Ireland specifically, but I'd consider that fairly wide road in general.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: ch_123 on Fri, 19 June 2009, 15:14:55: Quote from: bigpook;97694
The trackpoint is not a bad thing to have. I find its good enough for work.

Whats wrong with the Unicomp M-4's? Aside from being somewhat pricey.

Not up to the same standard. Apparently the keys are really loose or something on them. The IBM (well Lexmark) ones are quite snappy.

@Shipping to Ireland: The funny thing is - it's often cheaper to buy things from the US and have them shipped over than it is to get them over here... We have one of the highest costs of living in Europe.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: microsoft windows on Fri, 19 June 2009, 19:26:22: I have actually used the M-4's and they achieve perfectly reasonable performance. Their keys, even though they use ruber-dome-style keyswitches, their keys still have a clicky sound to them, but they do ack the springy feel the good ol' Model M's like mine have.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: bigpook on Fri, 19 June 2009, 20:09:10: I use mine at work when I am in my cube. they aren't exactly quiet. I think the noise they do make comes from me bottoming out the keys.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 20 June 2009, 03:59:38: I'd describe them more as "thocky" than clicky. And they're not really rubber domes - if you remove the sleeve out of them, the keys don't pop up after you press them.

EDIT: Looks like someone got it. Judging by the purchaser's history of buying keyboards and trackballs, I assume its someone from here...
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: nerp on Sat, 20 June 2009, 16:55:10: They're probably similar in feel to a decent Thinkpad, which provide the best laptop keyboarding experience, IMHO. I enjoy typing on my thinkpad very much.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 20 June 2009, 17:20:04: Depends on which Thinkpad you mean. The feel is supposed to be identical to an original Thinkpad (which I've never had the pleasure of using). I have a Thinkpad T61. Hard to say which I like better - M4 is more tactile, but the T61's keyboard is more quiet and soft. Both are good IMO
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: Mercen_505 on Sat, 20 June 2009, 19:22:00: Quote
I read Unicomps M-4 is not up to snuff, especially for a $100 Unicomp.

Yeah, I have a Unicomp as well as a Lexmark M4, and the difference in build quality is blatantly obvious, even before your hands hit the keys. The Lexmark M4 I have is rock solid :)
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: bigpook on Sat, 20 June 2009, 19:43:09: I don't have a Unicomp to compare it to but the M4-1 I have is made by Lexmark. Its fairly solid feeling but there is a bit of flex at the top of the keyboard. Granted I have to twist it with both hands to do this but it does not have the tank like build the M's have.
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: Qwertyuiop on Sat, 20 June 2009, 21:42:27: The M4-1 is similar or probably identical to the keyboard in the IBM PS/2 L40sx laptop, which was before they coined the Thinkpad name. I can't find much on this machine online but here's one page:
http://www.nothingtodo.org/classiccmp/l40sx.htm

I didn't own this machine but I used one. It was years later when I got an unfortunately malfunctioning M4-1 so I couldn't directly compare them but as far as I could remember the feel and sound was the same.

I was gonna buy a Unicomp M4 but I guess I won't now. Which means I'm likely out of luck since I don't buy from ebay and I won't buy used keyboards anyway. :rant:
Title: Black IBM M4-1
Post by: Qwertyuiop on Sun, 21 June 2009, 23:04:07: It'd be nice to know what exactly you're referring to as "another repost"...

If I said something about the L40sx before, I'm sorry, but the post certainly contained more information than that comment.