The KoalaPad was a resistive touch pad made for home computers like the Apple II, Atari and Commodre 64, first released in 1983. A few years later, Zebra adapted it for use with the TS 2068. Ironically, the KoalaPad’s ancestor, the PrestoDigitizer, began as a product for the Sinclair ZX-80 and other microcomputers.
Innovision PrestoDigitizer
The Innovision PrestoDigitizer was mentioned in the first issue of Syntax ZX80 magazine, in November 1980. David Thornburg, inventor and company president, described the device as a supplement to the keyboard, allowing users to write and have the characters appear on the screen. Users could also it to draw on the screen. He felt that handicapped users and children would find it especially useful.
Thornburg had worked at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center as a research scientist, on a variety of projects, including the development of user interface devices for the Xerox Alto. His inventions included touch screen technology used in early PDAs and whiteboards.
With the birth of his son, he developed an interest in K-12 education and the role of technology in education. That led to, among other things, the PrestoDigitizer.
Thornburg’s first encounter with the ZX-80 was at the June 1980 Consumer Electronics Show. Just a few months later, the PrestoDigitizer was promised as an accessory in Syntax ZX80 and Sync magazines, along with an interface to convert the analog output of the device to digital signals for the ZX80.
A few months later, in the January 1981 issue of Syntax ZX80, Innovision confirmed that the PrestoDigitzer required Sinclair’s new 8K BASIC ROM.
A bit later that year, Thornburg became one of the associate editors of Compute! magazine. To say he was busy appears to be an understatement.
It’s not clear that the PrestoDigitizer was ever released for any Sinclair computer. There’s no mention of it after early 1981. Based on a flyer posted by Kay Savetz to archive.org, the PrestoDigitizer was sold for the Atari 400/800 computers, which had the necessary ports built-in.
KoalaPad
In 1983, Koala Technologies, a company co-founded by Thornburg, released the KoalaPad. It was a big leap forward, in size, usability and design. It came with drawing software and other tools that made it immediately usable. Apple II, TRS-80 Color Computer, Atari, Commodore and IBM PC versions were available.
Ironically, the control buttons were a usability issue. Some users adapted the pen from the similar Atari Touch Tablet, a hack that recalled the tethered pen of the original PrestoDigitizer.
Zebra Systems
In 1985, Zebra developed a small interface, with two 6-pin DIN plugs, to work with the similarly configured KoalaPad (likely the version for the TRS-80 Color Computer, which used the same connector). Zebra sold the interface, KoalaPad and their own ZebraPainter as a bundle.
Thanks to Kay Savetz for their massive historical document archiving efforts, without which I’d not known about the Atari connection.
