The Mattel Aquarius is classed as one of the shortest lived computers to go to market. According to Wikipedia the computer was released in June 1983 and discontinued in October 1983. Our unit is dated 1982, is labelled as “Workshop Test” and has serial number 130078 (no. 78), I suspect Read more…
The Tektronix 4051 is an interesting machine. For a start it uses a Direct-View Storage Cathode Ray Tube. This means the image is drawn onto the CRT and is stored without a refresh. This illiminates the need for Video RAM, and allows the computer to run at 1024 x 780 Read more…
The Acorn Atom computer was built between 1980 and 1983. It was sold as a cost-effective home computer and included Acorns version of BASIC. The MC6847 graphics chip allowed both characters and graphics to be displayed. The Atom was the predecessor of the BBC Micro. Year 1980-1983 Make & Model Read more…
The Jupiter ACE is a cheap home computer, designed to rival the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, and cost even less. In 1982 it cost £89.95, which is £340 in 2019 ($450). It is believes around 5,000 ACE computers were sold until Jupiter Cantab ceased trading. The ACE did not use BASIC Read more…
Grundy Business Systems built the NewBrain as a cheap and compact home computer.
The Ohio Scientific Challenger 1P computer brought some new ideas to the home computer. For a start it is the first single-board computer produced, having the PSU, CPU, RAM, ROM, IO ports and keyboard all on one board. The Ohio Scientific also used custom-made IC’s to utilise the job of Read more…
The Video Genie EG3003 I version 1 was considered a clone of the Tandy TRS-80 Model I, though some hardware and software differences existed. They were built in Hong Kong by EACA. Most noticeably the Genie version 1 lacked a Clear and Tab key. These were later added in Genie Read more…
The Sinclair ZX81 was launched in March 1981. It had a Zilog 80 CPU running at 3.5MHz and a rather tiny 1k RAM with 901 Bytes available. This could be expanded up to 64k. The keyboard was touch-sensitive and was considered to be a big failing on userbility. Its one Read more…
The ZX Spectrum was prehaps the UK’s most successful 8-bit Microcomputers and was launched in April 1982. Much like the Commodore 64, it was small (very small), easy to use, your friends had one too, but most of all, it was the first home computer to cost under £100 (£99 Read more…
The Commodore 64 came out in January 1982. It was an instant success, not just because of its $595 price tag, $1,550 (£1,200) in 2019, and certainly not because of its looks, but largely because there was an endless supply of games you could play on it. The CPU was Read more…