---
title: "Kradle"
id: 13059
type: "product"
slug: "kradle"
url: "http://localhost/product/kradle/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/product/kradle.md"
published_at: "2019-11-30T01:33:53+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-03-22T13:13:57+00:00"
author: "David Anderson"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/K2-Kradle-bw.jpg"
excerpt: "The Kradle was a keyboard and enclosure upgrade for the ZX-81 and TS 1000. It had 50 calculator-style keys (including a full-size space bar and two shift keys), 64K of RAM and circuitry to improve tape load/save. The Kradle allowed users to copy the ROM to RAM and then turn the ROM off. Unlike some…"
category:
  - name: "Keyboard"
    slug: "keyboard"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/hardware/keyboard/"
post_tag:
  - name: "K-2 Electronics"
    slug: "k-2-electronics"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/k-2-electronics/"
  - name: "TS 1000"
    slug: "ts1000"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/ts1000/"
model:
  - name: "Timex/Sinclair 1000"
    slug: "ts-1000"
    taxonomy: "model"
    url: "http://localhost/model/ts-1000/"
genre:
  - name: "Hardware"
    slug: "hardware"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/hardware/"
  - name: "Keyboard"
    slug: "keyboard"
    taxonomy: "genre"
    url: "http://localhost/type/keyboard/"
company:
  id: 11004
  title: "K-2 Electronics"
  type: "company"
  url: "http://localhost/company/k-2-electronics/"
price: 195
date: 1983
rarity: "Uncommon"
related_content:
  - id: 59490
    title: "Kradle User Manual"
    type: "document"
    url: "http://localhost/document/kradle-user-manual/"
articles:
  - article:
      id: 24415
      title: "Extending Your Computer"
      type: "article"
      url: "http://localhost/article/extending-your-computer/"
adverts:
  - publication:
      - id: 26653
        title: "SYNC v4 n1"
        type: "issue"
        url: "http://localhost/issue/sync-v4-n1/"
    advert_page: "10"
image_gallery:
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/K2-Kradle-bw.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-Kradle.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-kradle-top-scaled.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-Kradle-b.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-kradle-3-scaled.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/kradle-1065.webp"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-Kradle-c.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-kradle-pcb-scaled.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-kradle-inside-scaled.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-Kradle-e.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-Kradle-f.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/K-2-Kradle-d.jpg"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/kradle-manual-toc.webp"
  - url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/kradle-manual-cover.webp"
companies_products:
  - id: 11004
    title: "K-2 Electronics"
    type: "company"
    url: "http://localhost/company/k-2-electronics/"
---

# Kradle

The Kradle was a keyboard and enclosure upgrade for the ZX-81 and TS 1000. It had 50 calculator-style keys (including a full-size space bar and two shift keys), 64K of RAM and circuitry to improve tape load/save.

The Kradle allowed users to copy the ROM to RAM and then turn the ROM off.

Unlike some other keyboard upgrades, the ZX-81/TS 1000 fit inside the Kradle, in its case, and connected to the expansion card via bus extension that provided the expansion on the back of the unit. The Kradle’s keyboard connected through the expansion card instead of the keyboard connectors on the computer.

Nine extra keys provided automatic shifted versions of Function, Graphic, Edit, Delete, List and the cursor arrows.

It accepted Atari 2600 style joysticks and mapped them to the graphic and arrow keys.

Two add-ons offered [RS-232](http://localhost/product/kradle-communicator/) and [parallel input/output](http://localhost/product/kradle-manipulator/) expansion.

There appear to be two variants of the Kradle, one with a solid KRADLE, the other with an outline KRADLE name.

### Serial Numbers

- K1022
- K1035
- K1065
- K1066