Here We Go Again
With this issue of TIME DESIGNS, we have come to a number of crossroads. Most predominately on my mind, is that we have just wrapped up three years of publishing and about to start our fourth year. Therefore, consider this an “Anniversary Issue”.
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has continued to help out with this magazine. This includes our staff, all of our contributors, our faithful advertisers…and then there is you our readers. If you didn’t bother to renew or write notes and letters, we would have certainly “hung up the hat” a long time ago. I may be a bit biased, but I feel this has been a worthwhile project.
Then too, this is the “Holiday Season”, so this could also be considered our special Christmas issue. Wherever you celebrate this time of year, may it be a joyous occaison to spend with both family and friends.
This issue is also devoted to TELECOMMUNICATIONS as promised in the previous issue. There are several other items of interest in case this subject isn’t your cup of tea. But we will be continuing with our “themed” issues this year, and judging from all of the correspondence I have received, most everyone is in favor of this plan. More on “themed” issues in a moment.
We have also reached another crossroad. Allow me to explain a bit. Back in November of 1984, as we were in the process of putting together the first issue of TIME DESIGNS (a very crude effort), all of us Timex Sinclair users were awaiting the arrival of the Sinclair Quantum Leap computer here in the States. Sinclair Research had already set up their office in Boston, but as you may remember, it was several more months until the computer actually made it here.
But the idea of Sinclair Research actually offering us a brand new Sinclair computer, sort of took away the bad taste that Timex left in our mouth when they decided to quit selling computers.
The rest is history. Sinclair struggled here for a while, suffering from a poor (if not non-existant) marketing strategy, until they packed up and left. Then even Sir Clive sold the major portion of his business to a competitor. That move gave folks even more of an abandoned feeling. Yet because of some enterprising individuals, dealers and user groups, our Timex Sinclair community here in the U.S. has continued on, and still is a fairly strong group compared to other “orphaned” computer lines.
Now the time is November 1987. And just a few weeks ago, the story of stories came accross my desk: SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR IS RETURNING TO THE U.S. to market his new Z88 battery-powered laptop computer. It’s true, but one can only speculate how long the “traditional” delay may be before these new machines reach our shores.
The first week of November, Sir Clive himself was here in Las Vegas to attend the FALL COMDEX electronics exposition to show off his new invention to the press and other attendees. “It was the smallest portable at the COMDEX”, was the general comment heard, and most of the large U.S. magazines are gearing up to do full write ups in upcoming issues.
CAMBRIDGE COMPUTER LTD is Sir Clive’s new company that is responsible for producing the Z88. As you know, about a year ago, after facing tremendous financial problems, Sir Clive sold off the existing Sinclair technology to Amstrad. This included both the Spectrum and the rights to the QL. Currently, Amstrad is marketing a 128K version of the Spectrum, which includes a built-in three inch floppy drive system.
Cambridge Computer has been selling the Z88 for several months now, at first by mail-order, and now in European department stores. But plans for a larger, world-wide market didn’t start to materialize until Sir Clive joined forces with the international manufacturer SCI. SCI assembles the Z88 computer in a large factory in Scotland. Since SCI is also based in the U.S., and is a financial backer, the next logical progression was to bring the machine to the U.S. Cambridge Computer has already opened an office in New York.
Many Sinclair fans here in the U.S. all remember the bad business decisions that have followed Sir Clive in recent years. It appeared that the beloved entrepreneur was better in the “brains” department, rather than trying to direct the accounting department. Such ideas as the C5 and the pocket tv have come and gone. Apparently now, the cards are stacked in the right places. Sir Clive has taken a back seat to marketing, letting more aggressive associates handle that end, while he is free to conduct the creation of a variety of new revolutionary products.
Anamartic, another Sinclair Research development company, is at work on a new type of semi-conductor technology called “wafer-scale integration”. When fully developed, it will virtually change the electronics field as we know it today. Computers will run faster, more efficient, and will be much more compact in size. The wafer-scale concept has been the dream of the chip industry for years.
Yet another company, Shaye Communications, is at work on another Sinclair concept, a new type of telephone, that will be part light-weight and cordless in the home, and when carried everywhere else, it will utilize cellular phone technology. Current cellular devices are priced at around $1000…this one will reportedly be in the $200 – $300 price range.
In another press interview, Sir Clive announced he is developing a 3D computer display, but wouldn’t share any further details on the project.
Hopes are high here for the success of the Z88. It should be well accepted by our Timex Sinclair community, as it retains some of the original Sinclair character and it is a Z80 CPU-based design. Whether it will be a tremendous success, is yet to be seen. The original Sinclair ZX81 sold nearly a million units word-wide, partly due to its low-cost and its surprisingly powerful operating system. If Sir Clive can keep the price down below competition, get the word out, (it already has a powerful operating system…see our first report elsewhere in this issue), then we may see a re-birth of our favorite computer brand.
I would like to thank Bob Howard of W. Covina, CA who using his ham radio talents, was able to procure information about Sir Clive’s re-entry into the American computer market, from a friend (a Swedish diplomat) who was recently in London. And also thanks go to Larry Chavarie of Ontario, Canada, who continues to monitor the U.K. press for us.
Seattle Show A Success
On September 26th, well over 100 dedicated Timex Sinclair users got together for the Second Annual North-West TS Mini-Fair, which was held at the Masonic Temple in beautiful Seattle, Washington. The Mini-Fair was cosponsored by RMG ENTERPRISES and TIME DESIGNS, who were both in attendance as dealers. WEYMIL CORPORATION, another dealer also was in attendance. The members of the Seattle Timex User’s Group (SEATUG) were hosts of the one-day event, and did an exceptional job. Three other northwest groups were represented, including VSUG (Vancouver, B.C., Canada), VISTA (Vashon Island, WA), and CCAT/S (Oregon). Some guests attended because of an article in the local paper, “The Seattle Times”, and were were genuinely surprised to find out that the Timex Sinclair line was still supported.
The most popular portion of the show were the seven “mini-seminars” given by special guest speakers. Topics and speakers included Vince Lyon (author of “Archive Master“) on QL Archive, Syd Wyncoop (TDM columnist) on Z80 Machine Code, Harvey Taylor (program author of Q_LINK) on telecommunications, Michael Carver (a programmer and TDM columnist) on 68000 chip architecture, Wilf Rigter (programmer of ZX81 high-res routines made popular by Fred Nachbaur…also designer of the “Delta Device“) on getting maximum use from your ZX81/TS1000, John Scearce (of SEATUG) on TS2068 disk drive systems, and Dick Wagner (CCAT/S N/L editor) on 80 column dotmatrix printers. (Note: RMG Enterprises is offering a video tape of all seven mini-seminars for $15.95. Write to RMG for further info. 1419 1/2 7th Street, Oregon City, OR 97045.)
Next year’s Mini-Fair is scheduled to be in the Portland, Oregon area some time near the end of August. Plans include to expand the show to the entire westcoast and surrounding states. Watch TDM for further details.
TS Winterfest
The San Francisco Sinclair show has been cancelled, but the SUNSTATE TIMEX SINCLAIR WINTERFEST is a go! It will be held on March 7-9, in Orlando, Florida at the Orlando Marriott (8001 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819). The three day show is being sponsored by four user groups from Florida, and is open to all interested Timex Sinclair users. The following TS dealers and companies will be in attendance: Variety Sales, Curry Computer, Quantum Computing, AFR Software, TS2068 Update Newsletter, Aerco, Markel Enterprises, Grey and Clifford Computer Products, Foote Software, Zebra Systems, and Time Designs Magazine. Some international companies have been invited (including Sir Clive!), and two surplus electronic stores from the local area will be there.
Accomodations can be obtained at the convention site hotel, or from one of the surrounding area hotels. The surrounding attractions in the area will be great to take in after the show, including Walt Disney World (just five minutes away). Plan your family vacation now!
Advance tickets can be obtained for $5 single, $9 family (make checks payable to: Northeast Florida T/S Users Group). For complete information, you can write the director: Mary-Lynn Johnson, [address omitted], Orange City, FL; or give the “official” BBS a call at (904) 775-0093. Settings are 8/1/N.
Business
The next issue of TIME DESIGNS will be devoted to the theme of “business”. That is, the use of Sinclair’s in conducting both personal and professional business. This theme comes as a response to a letter we published in the September/October ’87 issue of TDM, in which a reader suggested hearing from others who use their computers for this particular application. This past month, our mailbox has been flooded with letters and cards from those who addressed this issue.
You will want to make sure that your subscription is still current, as you just can’t miss this next one! We will have six to eight interviews with individuals, ranging from shop owners, executives, to investment brokers who have passed up the PC “temptation”, and instead have utilized their Sinclair hardware and software to conduct their affairs.
In the next issue, Herb Bowers, a retired federal auditor, will return with the all new 1987 FEDERAL INCOME TAX CALCULATOR program and article. He has just received the most updated information, and has completely debugged and extensively checked his program out against the official IRS tables and instructions. Amaze your friends when you actually appear to understand the new tax code!
Bill Ferrebee will show us a simple modification to the old Timex program QUADRA CHART, to make it truly useful. And several other programs/articles will be featured.
The March/April ’88 issue is slated for the theme of COMPUTER GRAPHICS. After that, we are wide-open for any suggestions for a theme you would like to see.
Dealers
Quite a number of advertisers in this “pre-Xmas” issue. We hope that you would take the time to read them and even write to these companies (or better yet, order their products!) for catalogs and brochures. They are part of the reason why TIME DESIGNS is still around, and why there is still stuff for your computer.