MISTAKES IN THE 11/82 ISSUE
Once again we have to apologize. On page 20 in the HAPPY HOLIDAYS program, line 1020 should read:
1020 UNPLOT RND*62, RND*43In the DATES program line 260 should read:
260 LET Z=Z4+Z3-Z2+Z1+D-1SINCLAIR POCKET TV
As of this writing, it is rumored that Sony is already marketing their flat screen pocket TV, the Sony Watchman, in the U.S. Although I haven’t spoke to anyone that has actually seen one other than at the C.E.S. shows, a marketing representative informed me that they have been released for sale. The retail price of the Watchman is supposed to be around $300. It has already been selling in Japan for the equivalent of 240 American dollars.
A major marketing company is gearing up to stick a pin in Sony’s balloon by marketing the Sinclair pocket TV for the projected price of 99.95. After talking to a reliable source, we were told to expect a major mail order marketing campaign to start sometime during the first month of 83.
Many financial analysts believe there is no market for pocket TVs in the U.S and at a retail price of $240, I tend to agree with them. The same analysts probably couldn’t foresee the impact the ZX-81s and T/S-1000 made.
Although the tube of the Sinclair TV is tiny, only 2 by 4 inches and 3/4 inch thick, it is 3 times brighter than a conventional 3 inch CRT.
The potential for use as a computer screen display opens an entirely new frontier. Unlike the Osborne and Kaypro models of portable computers, a pocket TV with the small ZX-81 or T/S-1000 microcomputers could fit in a small briefcase and even include a mini-cassette recorder or micro-disk drive, RS-232 interface, telephone modem and a micro-printer and still be entirely battery operated.
The idea is mind-boggling. New horizons would exist for almost any type of business that would have representatives away from the parent company, and, most important, rather than paying the 1700 to 1800 dollars for the so-called portable units that exist today, the price of the micro-package shouldn’t be much more than $600. The potential should be even further increased when the Spectrum with its Micro-Drives is introduced. Think of it, 48K RAM with all of those peripherals and up to 800K disk storage.
U.S. SPECTRUM SALES
Sorry we haven’t been able to bring any definite date when the Spectrum color computer will arrive in the U.S. or who will be marketing it.
The latest information is that the target date is sometime during the first quarter of 1983. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Spectrum, it is already being sold in Europe and the projected price for a 16K machine in the U.S. is 199.95. A 48K machine will sell for around $300. It has upper/lower case with the same screen display as the T/S-1000 and ZX-81. There is no FAST/SLOW mode as the screen acts as the TS/ZX computers do in the SLOW mode but with the speed of the FAST mode.
Micro-Drives with the capacity of 100K of data per disk are projected to sell for 89.95 each with the Spectrum being able to accommodate up to 8 of these drives. The machine will also hook up to a normal cassette recorder that will save or load programs at 6 times the speed of the TS/ZX computers.
PRINTER NEWS
Rick Barnett of the WDGB T/S Users’ group called to inform me that he is starting a Discount Printer Company for the TS/ZX computers. A plain paper printer will be available for as little as 117.50. A printer interface will be available that will allow hook-up to almost any parallel printer. A full line of printers will be available at reduced prices. Brand names carried will be Epson, CITOH, Okidata, Axion, Seikosha, and Star Micronics.
They will also sell memory units from Memotech, Byte-Back, Jigsaw and Gladstone. Software will be available from Gladstone, Data-Assette, Mindware and Soft Sync. Software will include subjects such as education and language (Spanish).
If you join the Users’ Group, you can receive the group literature and be eligible for the Discount Buying Service.
Contact:
SIMPLY SINCLAIR
PO BOX 480
WOODBRIDGE, VA, 22194
(703) 494-3659 * 491-7242
RAMPACK RIBBON CONNECTOR
Tired of programs bombing because of the inefficient way the RAMpack attaches to the computer? DK’tronics sells a ribbon connector that isolates the pack from the computer for $18.00. It is about 8 inches long. Order from:
DK’tronics
23 Sussex Rd.
Gorleston,
Great Yarmouth,
Norfolk, England
Visa, MC accepted.
FLOPPY DISK FOR THE TS/ZX
AERCO is offering a Floppy Disk Drive interface for the TS/ZX computers for $179. It will support from 1 to 4 drives in either single or double density and uses an IBM format with the Disk Operating System in ROM and on board the interface board. It uses ribbon connectors and is claimed to be 1000 times as fast as a cassette based system.
They also sell 5.25″ double density drives for $189 each and 2 drive cables for $69 and 4 drive cables for $79.
Besides the Disk Drive equipment they also offer the following:
STD BUS INTERFACE - $99.00
CENTRONICS PRINTER
INTERFACE complete with
cable & software in ROM - $119.00
DIRECT VIDEO MOD kit - $15.00
installed - $25.00
WORD PROCESSOR
machine language - $15.00
For more information contact:
AERCO
BOX 18093
AUSTIN, TX, 78760/78093
(512) 385–7405
TRS-80 TO ZX/TS
Do you have a TRS-80 MOD 1 or MOD 3? Cook Laboratories sells a device that allows the user to write programs on the TRS-80 in Sinclair BASIC and then transfer the program to the TS/ZX computer. The TransCoder 1 shuttles RAM to RAM dialogue back and forth between computers at machine language speed. It comes complete with hardware, software and manual and sells for $500 and includes shipping. For more information contact:
Cook Laboratories, Inc.
P.O. BOX 529
Norwalk, CT, 06856
(203) 853-3641
SUPPORTING VENDORS SWAMPED
Don’t be suprised if your orders from any of the supporting companies takes over 30 days to fill. There is an industry-wide slowdown of order filling due to the tremendous demand for after-market TS/ZX products.
Timex themselves didn’t anticipate the tremendous reaction to the T/S-1000 and, as a result, many outlets have had their inventories exhausted. Every day we receive complaints from people who have ordered items over 30, 60 and even 90 days before, who have still not received shipments. We may be slow in getting our subscriptions out on time, but we firmly believe that in a few months you will be getting them a few weeks earlier.
There are over 2 million of these computers out there and this is just in the U.S.
SPEAK TO ME, TIMEX!
Want to hear your computer talk? Namal Associates introduces the Super Talker which includes a potential infinite programmable vocabulary with an on-board 560 common word dictionary. The device has a built in speaker and is simple to program. It costs just 99.95. For further info contact:
NAMAL ASSOCIATES
25 GWYDIR ST.
CAMBRIDGGE, CB1 2LG
ENGLAND
(0223) 355404/TELEX 817445
SCREAM AT ME, TIMEX!
Talking not enough for you? How about sound effects? Make your own music, explosions, gun shots, drums, lasars, organs, bells, chords, insect chirps, etc. through 8 octaves. The ZON X-81 sandwiches between the RAMpack and computer and sells for 49.95 (Visa/MC accepted). For furthur information, contact:
BI-PAK
PO BOX 6
Ware, Herts
England
phone 0920-3182
WORK FOR ME, TIMEX!
Want to have your computer control machines, monitor temperatures, run a model train or even operate electric devices that previously needed human supervision and do it with programs that you write in BASIC?
Then contact Thurnall Electronics. Send a S.A.S.E. for their free catalogue of interface devices, switching units and joysticks. There are too many items to list, but all of the ones I saw sold for under $30. For further information contact:
Thurnall Electronics Eng.
Dept Y, 95 Liverpool Rd.
Cadishead, Manchester
M30-58G England
TEL 061-775-4461 (24 hr)
Ed. note – A subscriber told me that he received a shipment from an English Company (I don’t remember which one) in 10 days. This might be something to keep in mind when ordering.