For Your Sinclair

When the Timex Computer Corporation here in the States closed their doors for good, a rumor was going around that thousands of TS2068’s had been “dumped” upon the South American consumer electronics market. But the rumor couldn’t be substantiated and was soon forgotten. Later on, an “unauthorized” Spectrum clone was discovered in Brazil, along with a dubious software supply. The manufacturer of the Brazilian Spectrum had even improved some of the bugs in the original Sinclair ROM. Versions of this improved ROM found it’s way here in the U.S., and some Spectrum Emulator boards for the TS2068 featured the chip.

TDM contributor, J. Kevin Paulsen, brought this to our attention: In the March 16th issue of INSIGHT Magazine (published by The Washington Times) an article on the Soviet Union’s attempt at catching up with the microcomputer technology race was featured. The interesting article pointed out how the Soviet’s have surpassed the West in many areas except for the development of inexpensive personal computers for the masses. The author reports that, “It is a system in which access even to typewriters and copying machines is carefully guarded, out of fear of dissident and other unofficial communications. Printers are not available on the open market, and computer components are prohibitively priced”.

TDM correspondent, Bob Lussier, supplied us with information on the new SPECTRUM PLUS 3 computer which will replace the current 128K+2 model shortly. The computer makes history as the first Sinclair with a disk drive unit, and it is also a return to the old black styling we had grown accustomed to, plus several other new features makes this the ideal personal computer. It’s sad though to think that Sir Clive had no hand in this latest version of the time-tested ZX Spectrum. Instead, the forward marketing strategies of Amstrad are the driving forces behind this new micro.

Plans abound for regional and national TS computer fests. It has been said that the future of our Timex Sinclair community depends on gatherings such as these. Now more users will be able to attend this next year due to a variety of locations currently being proposed.