RCR Episode 280: Cheap home computers

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston Topic: 1980 In 1980, Commodore introduced the VIC-20, Sinclair introduced the ZX80, Tandy introduced the Color Computer, and HP tried to breed a computer out of calculators. Also other things happened. Which we discuss! Topic/Feedback links: VIC-20 Sinclair ZX80 See also: MicroAce (timexsinclair.com) HP-85 See also: Tandy PC-4 Tandy Color Computer Intel 8087 Pac-Man Epson MX-80 Retro Computing News: ​​Apple’s best keyboard reimagined (YouTube) Update on the Business IIGS (original auction gone, but: Incider Jan 1989 cover) Daily news from a dot matrix printer APFram. APFram Atari Portfolio It was all Boris Vallejo Vintage Computer(-related) commercials: Pac-Man Cereal VIC-20 Timex/Sinclair 1000 Retro Computing Gift Idea: Inflatable Pac-Man costume Auction Picks: Carrington: The Usurper, one of the last text adventures The Odyssey, one of the worst named adventure games Paul: Apple-Cat II with expansion box Starring the Computer: Vacation (1983) Apple IIGS upgrade (finished at $720, 11 bids) Blank floppies (finished at $111.50, 9 bids) Because we all want to be able to say “And over here, this is my Grundy NewBrain” (bought now at $850) See also: Grundy NewBrain Timex/Sinclair 1000 with box (finished at $15, 1 bid) Because we all want to be able to say “And over here, this is my Jupiter Ace” See also: Jupiter Ace A moment of silence for the keyboards that have been parted out OCC-2 (bought now at $499) See also: OCC-2 16K RAM chips sans RAM A2Stream file: a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr280.a2stream Feedback/Discussion: feedback@rcrpodcast.com rcrpodcast@podcast.social on Mastodon rcrpodcast.com on bluesky Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X Listen/Download: