2008 IBM branded Model M4-1 made by Unicomp?

[yifanzhang]

Hey guys, long time lurker here.  I recently got a new M4-1 made in '08 that says made by Unicomp for IBM with an IBM logo on it.  Does anyone have any information about the M4 or why Unicomp stopped making it?

Some pictures:
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[jkercado]

The M4 has become my office keyboard. I like how it feels, I dig its looks, and it's just a plain cool board.

Plus, we have some "ergonomic" cubicle desks with weird curved movable keyboard trays. The goons who designed these desks didn't take into account that you naturally shift your keyboard to your right when you're typing, because you want the main keys in front of you. With a regular-sized keyboard, that means you have to place your mouse/trackball off the keyboard tray and quite a few inches away from the keyboard. Bad, bad.

The M4 allows me to park my trackball nicely beside my keyboard, on the tray. Perfect.

[yifanzhang]

Yeah, it's a pretty nice sized board.  The keys are a bit small, but the rubber sleeve design's pretty good; I prefer it to a lot of scissor switches.  Also, I use a Spacepilot, which sits on the left, so desk space is at a premium.

Ripster, that makes sense, the Trackpoint seems to be a strain gauge, but Unicomp uses FSRs?  At least that's what I remember.  I'm assuming that Unicomp doesn't actually have the tooling to make these?  Do you know anywhere to buy the Y cable so I can use the Trackpoint as well?  $16 from Unicomp is more than I paid for the keyboard.

[ed_avis]

I just bought a black M4-1, UK layout, "Made by Unicomp for IBM".  Part 84G6294, FRU 84G6297, date 02/10/99.  The pointing device looks different to the pictures above: it has a bigger red eraserhead with raised dots for grip, and when I pop that off, underneath is a square hollow stick.  Does this mean that this unit has the Unicomp force sensing resistor instead of the IBM Trackpoint?

[ed_avis]

Sorry, I got confused.  The photos above show the bottom of the J key, not the bottom of the pointing stick.  Still, mine is different on top at least.