The Timex/Sinclair 1000, produced under license from Sinclair, was a modestly improved version of the Sinclair ZX81, with 2K RAM. The TS1000 was launched in July 1982 and sparked a massive surge of interest. In the five months following the TS1000’s launch, the company sold 550,000 machines.
Announced May 17, 1983, the 1500 was a redesigned 1000 with 16K RAM built in and the case and keyboard of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Timex also designed a cartridge accessory (the 1510) and produced a few cartridges to help the 1500 compete against video game systems and other computers with cartridge systems.
Timex Computer Corporation’s third and last home computer for the United States market was launched in November 1983. Timex attempted to improve on the ZX Spectrum with the TS 2068 by adding new features, including sound and high resolution graphics.
Sinclair Research was the most recognizable of a series of names for a company Clive Sinclair started to produce his many inventions. Sinclair Research designed, marketed and sold the MK-14, ZX80, ZX81, ZX Spectrum, QL and a variety of other products.
Sinclair ZX80
Launched in the United States in June 1980, the ZX80 was notable for its size, weight and price. At 7″ x 9″, under a pound and at $199.50, it was the smallest, lightest and least expensive home computer available.
The Sinclair ZX81, developed by Sinclair Research and manufactured by Timex Corporation in Dundee, Scotland, was the first home computer sold in the United States for under $150.
The Sinclair QL (for Quantum Leap) was launched by Sinclair Research in 1984, as an upper-end counterpart to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. The QL was aimed at the serious home user and professional and executive users markets from small to medium-sized businesses and higher educational establishments.
The Cambridge Computer Z88 is a small, lightweight, portable Z80-based computer with a built-in combined word processing/spreadsheet/database application called PipeDream along with several other applications and utilities.
We have a YouTube channel, active email list and more! We meet via Zoom on the first Monday and third Sunday of each month to chat about our favorite computers, projects and more. Each meeting is recorded and posted to YouTube. You can watch some of our most recent meetings below.
