ITEM: Hardware and software from an unusual source! The Electronic Supermarket of Lynnfield, Mass. sells a wide assortment of items from speaker components to telephones and about anything you can think of, mostly surplus and closeout items. The most recent quarterly catalog advertised two offers of special interest to TS-1000 users.
- “[A] large quantity of dependable computer keyboards with cases that can be hard-wired to…your Times-Sinclair ZX81.” Said to be “from a $5,000 computer, with micro-switches of gold plated cross point types.” They say the ZX81 can be mounted inside the case. Construction data included. $27.77 plus postage and handling. Catalog No. D3N0278
- Sinclair software package for $10.00. Cassette #1, a 1K games pack. Cassette #2, Junior Education, 16K, math and spelling. Cassette #5, Junior Education, 1K, math. Cassette #6, Family Quiz, 16K. $2.88 each or $10 for four plus postage and handling. Specify Cassette # when ordering. Catalog No. 3M0214
- Electronic Supermarket, P.O.Box 988, Lynnfield, MA 01940, (617)532-2323. Accept Visa, MC, American Express.
ITEM: Since E. Arthur Brown Company published its “Timex-Sinclair 1983 Directory, early this year, at least two other companies have come out with something similar.
- “The Timex/Sinclair Source Book” is put out by Micro Design Concepts, P.O.Box 280, Carrollton, TX 75006. With over 600 listings, using the book is said to be “almost like shopping in a department store devoted exclusively to the TIMEX/SINCLAIR computer.” $6.95 plus $1.25 postage and handling.
- “Timex Computer Family Sourcebook.” Over 1000 programs and accessories for the TS 1000. From Atlantic Computer, Box 936, Norfolk, VA 23501. $8.95 plus $1.25 postage and handling.
- I wonder if either of the above books list E. Arthur Brown’s directory. Their address is 1702 Oak Knoll Drive, Alexandria, MN 56308. Their 1983 directory sold for $5.00.
ITEM: This may be the most important announcement in this column. If you are one of the thousands of TS1000 owners who are tired and frustrated with tape storage and long for a high quality dependable disk drive for your computer, DO NOT MISS THE DECEMBER ISSUE OF T-S HORIZONS! Tracy Norris, Technical Advisor to T-S Horizons, will be unveiling a new 8-inch disk drive especially designed for use with the TS-1000. The price? Let’s just say you will literally be amazed. Tentatively, under $200 for one (includes interface), Under $110 for the second. Don’t miss T-S Horizons special Christmas gift to you. In the December issue.
ITEM: Keyboards. At least two companies that had primarily been middlemen for larger companies that sold Timex-related products, have come out with their own keyboards in the last couple of months. They seem to be good, reasonably-priced items, with nice extra features.
- E. Arthur Brown’s product is the “MKIV Keyboard.” There are forty keys, all labelled like the Sinclair keyboard, plus a space bar. The keyboard has a port to add a numeric keypad which is not available at press time. $89.95. Address is 1702 Oak Knoll Drive, Alexandria, MN 56308.
- The Sinclair Place is featuring their “Compact Keyboard” with enlarged DELETE and FUNCTION keys, two SHIFT keys (also enlarged), a space bar, and a numeric keypad included. We don’t know if the keys feature the Sinclair legends or not. $88.80. Sinclair Place, P.O.Box 2288, Redmond, WA 98052.
ITEM: A reader in Pennsylvania would like to form a network of Sinclair Spectrum users. If you have a Spectrum and are interested in communicating with other Spectrum owners nationally, please drop us a line. (Send it, Attn: Spectrum User Group)
ITEM: Here are three magazines for Timex computer users that you may not know about.
- Sync Ware News, P.O.Box 5177, El Monte, CA 91734. Sync Ware concentrates on “Electronic and Other Technical Application of Timex Computers” A few clever program listings (not all that technical) and lots of in-house ads. Doesn’t seem to be worth the $15 per year (6 issues) subscription rate (but then I may be prejudiced).
- TS User, P.O.Box 155, Vicksburg, MI 49097. TS User (not to be confused with Timex Sinclair User) is eight pages per month, about half of which is a series of quick hardware, software, and book reviews. The remainder is composed of programs and program tips, hardware hints, editorials and “GOZZIP.” GOZZIP has “inside info” on developments at Sinclair, Timex, and other major marketers. Also they have no advertising so they aren’t afraid to alert buyers to “crooked, lazy and stupid” dealers or to praise reliable dealers. The writing style is choppy and not very “user friendly”, but I would recommend it if you plan to buy a lot of software or hardware. $16.95 for 12 monthly issues.
- Busyness, P.O.Box 421773, San Francisco, CA 94101. “Business/Professional Applications for Timex/Sinclair users.” Haven’t seen a copy yet, but it might be just what some users are looking for, if the quality is good. $12 for 6 bimonthly issues.
(By the way, in case you didn’t know by now, Syntax Quarterly has bitten the dust. Small wonder! $5.00 per issue is just too much. However, Syntax Newsletter seems to still be alive and kicking.)
ITEM: InterComputer has come out with a neat gadget called the Intercontroller. It is a computer-controlled HV bus. Plug the power cord in the wall and the interface into the ZX/TS, enter a few lines of BASIC, and up to four appliances can be plugged in, all under computer-control. Home, office, lab, and scientific applications. InterComputer, Inc., P.O.Box 90, Prudential Center, Boston, MA 02199.
ITEM: As mentioned in the box below the computer language FORTH is now available for the TS-1000 from at least three sources. Gary Smith, of Hawg Wild Software, has created a special forum for XFORTH users, called the XFORTH XCHANGE. Gary seems to be an all out FORTH fan. He is a member of the well-known FORTH Interest Group (F.I.G.) and promotes national FORTH conventions. XFORTH XCHANGE is a newsletter published irregularly that prints comments and suggestions from XFORTH users and alerts users to new articles and books on FORTH-related tcpics. The price is right. (Free) Write to: XFORTH XCHANGE, c/o HAWG WILD, P.O.Box 7688, Little Rock, AR 72217.