It is no surprise that Cambridge NA has gone belly-up and is no longer involved in Z88 distribution and support. Their lack of support of the Z88 users was reported several times in Update Magazine. Never the less, the Z88 is a nice portable computer and is liked by all who own one. The Z88 advertised price is a bit high, but if one bargains with a dealer the price either comes down or extras are thrown in. Such reliable dealers as Sharps and Domino Cubes can be depended upon for needed service and supplies. Update Magazine has attempted to learn more about “The Cambridge Group” but less information is on hand than is needed to endorse the group as reliable to deal with. “Z88 FAX NEWS”: This new publication has published six issues. Its size is four to six pages and is sent either via direct mail or via FAX to those who have FAX Machines. My copies are sent to me via direct mail. The cost is small ($8.00 per year), and is certainly worth the price to anyone who owns a Z88. The only other Z88 Publication is “EPROM”, a small British publication that is quite costly for its size. “EPROM” can be subscribed to via SHARPS INC, who receives the issues from England and re-mails them to subscribers. Last year Update Magazine ask Sharps for their mailing list of Z88 users in North America for the intention of soliciting Z88 subscribers and building Z88 support in the pages of the magazine. Inexplicably Sharps declined the request.
Sinclair Research Ltd devotes little or no effort to support the users of the Z88 either in Britain or North America and there is no viable organization to fill the void. In spite of such limited information sources and lack of cohesive cooperation amongst the dealers and the media, Z88 owners are enthusiastic about their portable computer which speaks well of its versatility and ease of operation.
The following page of “Z88 FAX News” is reduced 25% and inserted as a sample of its coverage. The pages are on thermal paper which accounts for a few gaps in reproduction. JIM HUNKINS, by the way, is a long time subscriber to Update Magazine and has contributed excellent articles for publication. Update recommends that all who have the Z88 and all who are interested in the Z88 subscribe to Z88 FAX News. Curtis Claar deserves our support for his efforts to support us. Good Luck Curtis!
Elsewhere on the Z88 front, Mike Fink (Domino Cubes), has developed an extension of the Z88 Users Manual that everyone should have. I have Mike’s manual and it helps me tremendously to go about doing things that the Z88 manual forgot to include. Mike gives a very good demonstration of the power of the Z88 Pipe Dream to set up page macros, in this issue.
Me? Well, the Wife and I intend to do some travelling soon and I’ll take my Z88 along (padded between sox and underware) to do some computing on the road. I’ll need something to do while She is busy inventorying gift shops. Does your Wife spend hours in a gift shop? Also, She likes to spend lots of time in swimming pools and I’d rather sit at an umbrella table with my Z88 (Occasionally looking up to see interesting sights). The 128K Ram Cartridge will hold several weeks of computing data to be processed through the printer when we return home. Might even develop a program or two (outside of a big gift shop). But the last time I tried to use the Z88 in public there were constant interruptions by the curious wanting to ask questions. Guess I’ll have to do my computing in the car to keep from being distracted. BJ.