IBM Space Saver 84-Key Keyboard

English/Numbers / Kana Keys	2nd Generation: English and Math / Kana Keys	Along with other devices

　If I were asked to name the gadget—or rather, the device that connects to my PC—that I’m most attached to right now, it would definitely be this one. The most-read review of this keyboard, and the one that best captures its essence, is probably this one by Mr. Saito of Stapa. Looking at the timestamp, it says 2001/3/21. Since I’m writing this on 2026, that makes it a 25-year-old article as of now. I, an old-timer, got my hands on it in 1993—that’s the year I got it. I got married that very same year (it was a cool summer with a nationwide rice shortage, and the import of Thai rice and other varieties had become a social issue), so it holds very fond memories for me…

　As a keyboard, it has a solid build that completely disregards VA/VE principles—and it’s actually quite heavy. Even after 30 years, not only does it retain its original keystroke feel, but it also shows absolutely no signs of the “yellowing” commonly found in ordinary plastic. In fact, when I left Intel and had a bit of downtime, I dabbled in writing to make ends meet, and this keyboard was a huge help to me even then.

　I own two of these keyboards, and I think the first one I bought was the “101” model. That “101” was taken in by a geek friend of mine, and apparently it’s still in active use today, so I can’t help but admire the high standards of craftsmanship back then. Anyway, I digress—even though this keyboard isn’t a 101-key model, it takes up way too much space, so it’s currently gathering dust…