The Wonderful Rubber Keyboard is a heartfelt portrait of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

Today a new documentary titled The Rubber Keyed Wonder premieres, exploring the history of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, considered an icon in computing. This film, funded through crowdfunding, offers a nostalgic journey through the life and legacy of this famous computer, featuring prominent figures in the technology field.

This documentary highlights the figure of Sir Clive Sinclair, a British inventor who made a significant mark on the electronics industry. Among his innovations are very small transistor radios, as well as the creation of pocket calculators, digital watches, and televisions. One of his greatest achievements was the production of affordable personal computers, with the ZX Spectrum standing out for its accessibility.

Sinclair aimed to democratize technology in a financially struggling United Kingdom, offering products at prices that allowed anyone to acquire them. However, this pursuit of affordability also resulted in lower-quality, unreliable devices with technical limitations, which, ironically, fostered a creative boom in the video game industry. Many of the current leaders in game development in the UK started their careers by creating and selling games for the Spectrum. The repercussions of his work were felt even beyond his own company, with figures like Chris Curry, who would later found Acorn Computers and ARM.

Despite its impact, the documentary does not delve into several complex aspects of Sinclair's life, such as his business troubles and complicated working style. He often rushed the launches of incomplete products, which cost him his companies on two occasions, and his difficult personality was also a recurring theme among those who worked with him. However, the documentary’s focus is primarily on the Spectrum and its influence, omitting more intriguing details that surround its history.

The narrator of the film seems more interested in evoking nostalgia for fans than in providing a deep analysis of this significant period in computing. While acknowledging the limitations and failures of the Spectrum, the film tends to look back with a sense of admiration, often relegating more critical comments to the background.

Despite its shortcomings, The Rubber Keyed Wonder is not devoid of valuable content. It provides insights into the cultural and social context surrounding the Spectrum, including the business practices that emerged around it, the games that popularized it, and how a community formed around it. However, some prolonged gameplay sequences may detract from the pace of the documentary, diverting attention towards nostalgia rather than history.

Overall, The Rubber Keyed Wonder offers an interesting exploration, but leaves the viewer with a sense that some relevant questions remain unanswered, which can be frustrating for those seeking a more comprehensive analysis. This sentiment resonates with other works, such as Micro Men, a comedy that parodies the rivalry between Sinclair and Curry, which has also been subject to criticism for its lack of accuracy.