The Recreated Sinclair ZX Spectrum

Requested a refund. My main reason for returning it is that it does not work as advertised. The only thing that does work is the web app, but it provides a very poor user experience and there's no way I'm paying this sort of money for a piece of hardware that is dependent on a so far non-existing Android app or a web site, both of which could and, likely will at this rate, be gone tomorrow.Also, when I purchased it, there was no indication anywhere that the keyboard was shipped in a locked state. Seriously? Who thought that was a good idea? Absolute idiocy and accomplishes nothing but adding insult to injury. It's a Bluetooth keyboard. Why would you lock it (especially when talking out of the other side of their mouths with claims of it being an open platform, etc.)? If this was made clear at purchase time, I never would have bought it in the first place. Even once unlocked, what assurance do I have that it will remain unlocked (e.g. factory reset, malfunction, etc.)? And if the website/app is no longer available or maintained, I'm left with a useless brick of plastic (although that's not far off from what I have now even in an unlocked state).I tried using it as wired USB keyboard in QWERTY mode with Linux Mint 17.2. Doesn't work at all. When I connect it, the red LED flashes 3 times but pressing keys doesn't do anything (and, yes, it's unlocked). I also tried connecting to the PC with Bluetooth, but it always returns an error message that the Bluetooth pairing failed after 20 or 30 seconds.As a potential saving grace, I tried using it with a couple of different ZX emulators on Android (Speccy and Marvin), but it didn't work in either mode ("Level" A or B). In Level A or game mode, it doesn't work at all (to be expected since this is proprietary). However, in Level B mode, what should provide standard QWERTY, I couldn't even get past the ZX Spectrum startup menu -- pressing Enter would select Tape Loader, but it was impossible to select a menu option other than the default (i.e. arrow keys didn't work at all). Even when I reverted to the built-in emulator keyboard to bypass the startup menu, the Caps Shift and Symbol Shift keys do not work correctly. Despite setting the Android symbol mappings (SYMBOL SHIFT + CAPS SHIFT + V), incorrect keys get sent to the emulator for virtually all Caps-Shifted and Symbol-Shifted keys (e.g. pressing Symbol Shift + P returns an apostrophe instead of double quotes whereas pressing Caps Shift + P still returns lowercase 'p'). However, these keys work correctly in non-emulator applications like email or word processor. So, I believe the problem originates with the emulators, not the device, but bottom line is that this device is useless for use with popular emulators.I would caution anyone about buying this product in its current state. At the time of this review, there was still no Android app (12 days after the supposed September 29 release date) and there are a lot of unhappy Android customers (see the reviews at Google Play). Also, despite claims of openness, the motives of the producer of this product seems to be to lock users into an eco-system that they control (e.g. keyboard needs unlocking, games must be purchased through Elite, etc.). This could be a great bluetooth keyboard if: 1) it wasn't hindered by the proprietary/locking nonsense; 2) it actually worked with existing emulators; and 3) was more reasonably-priced. Unfortunately, in it's current state, it's of absolutely no use to me and is therefore being shipped back to Amazon for a refund.

I bought this to use as a Bluetooth keyboard and after faffing around to get it unlocked (TIP: when you are prompted to enter the unlock code you MUST put in a space before the first number, otherwise it will not unlock) I found it paired easily to multiple devices. I love the whole retro thing of controlling a modern PC with it, but as it only has 40 keys you need to use key combos to get the F number keys etc and this is a little tiresome but that's not the fault of the Spectrum.The other mode is the 'gaming' mode, and this may interest you if you enjoy playing rubbish 8 bit games on a long dead platform ! The included free games in the app are all pretty poor. The half decent ones like Jet Set Willy must be purchased separately. The best titles from Ultimate & Melbourne House are nowhere to be seen.Physically, it's almost a dead ringer for the original machine but to my memory the keys don't feel as firm as the real deal. You're supposed to power it with rechargeables and recharge it with the supplied cable but I am just using ordinary AA's and it works fine.However, the included cable is too short to be useful and the instructions have spelling mistakes in them which make the product look amateurish.I got this on a lightning deal and feel I paid a little too much for it: you'd be insane to buy it at full price.

As a Spectrum lover (still owning 2) I was excited at the idea of a resurrection but I never quite understood why they didn't make a real Spectrum with all the modern pros (hdmi, usb, microsd, wireless) without the original cons (analog tapes, loading times, blurry video, wires).As a bluetooth keyboard first I could not even insert Duracell rechargable batteries purchased on purpose (that couldn't fit!) and was forced to use normal ones and once used with official app some games worked and some not. Using with emulators (UPS on Android and Spectaculator on Windows) I could use it almost as a real Spectrum but even here not everything worked. Keys seem to react worse than an original Speccy and as a normal bluetooth keyboard it is a real pain. I think I would purchase it again because of the uncanny similar look to the real thing and because it's what most resembles a 'modern' Spectrum (I guess that's what really sold this keyboard) but for retro nostalgia and due to the expensive price I think it's better a real spectrum that performs surely better or an emulator with fully responsive modern keyboard.Nobody would buy this as a normal bluetooth keyboard it was a nonsense making this also for this purpose, they had to make a REAL Spectrum instead, they had sold more with more satisfaction from Speccy lovers even with a more expensive tag price.This way it's not a real Spectrum, it's not a bluetooth keyboard, all in all it's more a missed opportunity.

I'm giving it 3 stars, as despite thinking the hardware is great the software is pretty well a poor affair.Firsty, WTF is this "unlocking" all about? There is nothing to say it needs doing, I was on the verge of asking for a refundfor a broken unit when I found out how to unlock "by accident"!!!!They conveniently forget to mention the many games have to be paid for when using the apps......The web app, which appears to be java - soon to be dead in the water - is complete garbage. Sound may or may not work, and badly when it does. Quality of graphics is OK I suppose, but the keyboard response in the app is jerky and sometimes just stops responding.For the cost I would have expected bundled software that doesn't depend on old web software or a web browser - i.e. would work OFFLINE and the games included in the cost.So to use the app on a laptop away from home, you'll need to be online..... 3/4G data bill anyone?For what I have in front of me and the complete lack of anything software wise (that has value) I would value the hardware around the £30-£40 mark at most.In summary, poor value for money for what you get (or don't get...)