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WOOLWORTH has moved into microcomputers. The store, which already features video games, is stocking a selection of models at 160 branches.
The range includes the Atari 600XL, the Commodore Vic-20, the Commodore 64 and the 16K and 48K Spectrum. Proof of the Spectrum's popularity is that another 500 branches of Woolworth and Woolco will be selling that machine alone.
Backing the move into computers, a comprehensive range of software will be on sale at all the major Woolworth and Woolco shops. Tapes will be from the computer manufacturers as well as from software houses like Parker, Imagic and Activision.
Following the same trend towards high-street computer shops, HMV, the famous record and music chain, is opening a computer software department at its London Oxford Street store. The stock covers about 75 computer games for the Sinclair machines, the Vic-20, the Oric, BBC, Atari 400 and 800, and the Dragon 32, and HMV pledges that it will order specially any game a customer requires and is not in stock. The new department is intended to test the software market and if it is successful HMV may be opening more computer departments in other branches.
W H Smith has announced that it is opening three new computer shops at Cardiff, Exeter and Kensington High Street, London. Smiths already has computer shops at Birmingham, Croydon and Northampton and computer know-how departments in 250 branches all over the country.
Besides software, computer books and magazines, the shops stock the ZX-81 and Spectrum, as well as the Acorn, BBC and Electron, the Commodore 64, and the Apple IIE business machine.
AUTOMATA is still looking for a winner of its Pimania competition. The adventure is selling well but so far nobody has managed to find the diamond-encrusted Golden Sundial which has been valued at £6,000.
"One or two people are going to some very interesting places," says Christopher Penfold, author of the game. "I cannot say any more than that, except that the man who is planning to go to Bethlehem for Christmas day is wrong."
While Pimaniacs are still searching, Automata has added another competition to its repertoire. It is called My name is Uncle Groucho, you win a fat cigar, and the prize is a trip to Hollywood for two, with a flight by Concorde one way, a trip on the QEII on the way back, and £500 spending money.
Billed as a game for the adventurous adventurer, it consists of a quest for a mystery personality. "There are only about six million people it could be," says Penfold, "so it should not be too difficult."
The competition closes on June 1, 1984, the winner being the first correct entry out of a hat.
Artic Computing has ceased promoting the software for its Krakit competition, although existing entries are being taken into account. Managing director Richard Turner says: "A number of people decided not to buy the cassette because their friends told them how difficult the game was."
Krakit is still being marketed in the U.S. by the International Publishing and Software Co and the jackpot prize has risen from an initial £10,000 to £14,000.
A NEW FIRM, Micro Gold, is prospecting for talent among little-known software writers. The aim is to market through the retail trade games and eventually educational tapes for the Spectrum, Dragon, Oric, Commodore and BBC computers.
Micro Gold has sent circulars to programmers who have been advertising by mail order and has received an encouraging response.
"Almost a quarter of those to whom we sent circulars have expressed interest", says software manager Tony Rainbird. "A few of their programs show definite promise, although the general standard of quality is disappointing."
Micro Gold plans to keep prices low by bulk purchasing and shared advertising. To promote its wares it will be retailing its first releases, two Spectrum games called Race Ace and Run, Baby, Run, at £2.75.
The company is also offering programmers back-up services such as quality control, production of labels and cassette inserts, and supply of blank cassettes.
A SURVEY by the Sinclair Owners Software Library at Liss, Hampshire, has produced some surprising results. Of 300 people who replied to a questionnaire sent during the summer, 49 percent said they regularly bought tapes they had hired previously from the library and liked. That seems to contradict the oft-held theory that the existence of software lending libraries harms software sales.
On average, members of the library bought eight tapes in a period of six months, roughly one every three weeks. They spent an average 11 hours a week with their computers, although some recorded figures of up to 50 hours a week. Adventure games topped the popularity league, followed by games, simulations, programming aids and educational tapes, in that order.
Spectrum owners outnumbered ZX-81 owners by about two to one, but tape hires were in the ratio of five to one. Many of the ZX-81 owners also had Spectrums; among Spectrum owners the 48K was the most popular version.
MICROS will be among the exhibits at the Northern Home Entertainment Show 84, which is to be held from January 19-22 at the Excelsior Hotel, Manchester Airport. Sponsored by Laskys, one of Britain's biggest retailers of home entertainment equipment, and Morgan Grampian, which publishes Hi-Fi for Pleasure, the show aims to cover all aspects of the home entertainment market, from hi-fi and video to computers, peripherals and software.
"Judging by the success of five consecutive hi-fi and video shows at the Excelsior, we expect an enthusiastic response from exhibitors and visitors," says Laskys managing director Peter Klein.
The ZX Microfair, a two-day event featuring every conceivable item of hardware and software applicable to Sinclair computers, takes place at Alexandra Palace, London, on December 3-4. Tickets are £1 for adults, 50 pence for children.SINCLAIR RESEARCH has admitted to a failure of communication over the introduction of issue three Spectrums last July. The company changed the Uncommitted Logic Array on the new model to make it compatible with a wider range of TVs than earlier issues.
The difficulty was that the modification gave rise to difficulties in loading both commercial tapes and program listings published by magazines.
"We did not announce the change at the time because we did not want people to think there was anything wrong with issue one and two Spectrums," says a company spokesman. "Unfortunately that caused problems for people who unwittingly bought the latest machines."For those writing their own programs or using magazine listings, the problem can be solved by changing the IN command. Where it would be followed by 255 on earlier models, the number should be 191 for the issue three Spectrum, 254 should be 190, and 253 should be 189.
Sinclair Research disclaims all responsibility for commercial tapes which do not work on the latest model, so the only recourse is to send any such tape to its maker and ask for a replacement which works.
HARD ON THE HEELS of the Microdrive and the hand-held TV, Sinclair Research launched its Interface Two at the end of September. Billed as a peripheral for beginners and experts, it costs £19.95 and allows Spectrum owners to load cartridge software and use any joystick with a nine-way D plug.
At £14.95, the cartridges are not cheap but Sinclair Research claims they are fast and easy to load.
Because the whole program is stored on the cartridge, leaving the computer RAM unused, any program will run on a 16K machine even if it was written originally for 48K.
The cartridges already available include games like Space Raiders, Cookie, Hungry Horace and Jet Pack, as well as chess and backgammon.
True to form, Sinclair Research is offering the Interface Two for sale by mail order only in the early stages. "The response has been good so far," says a company spokesman, "but it is too early to say how sales will develop.
We cannot predict when Interface Two will be available in the shops."
SINCLAIR USER, Sinclair Programs and Sinclair Projects are all included in a list of 20 computer magazines which W H Smith is recommending for sale by its nation-wide branches.
Faced with a proliferation of computer titles - there are more than 70 computer-orientated publications, of which 14 have appeared since July - Smiths has decided to restrict its range to those which it regards as the most worthwhile. Branch managers still have the final say on which magazines to stock but from now sales will be monitored to keep the top 20 list updated constantly.
Sinclair User was top in popularity in a recent survey conducted by Gallup, with a readership of 14 percent of micro owners. Sinclair Programs was in joint second place with a readership of 10 percent. Latest figures published by the Audit Bureau of Circulation have put Sinclair User in third position among all micro magazines, with a circulation of 74,721.
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THE INFORMATION Technology Exchange at Milton Keynes is mounting a series of courses designed to help people in business gain a practical knowledge of computers. Courses range from a one-day event aimed at people with no previous experience of computers to a two-day series covering a range of business applications.
There are also evening classes to help parents keep pace with children learning about computers at school.
Courses are repeated regularly, and cost from £10 per session to £125 for the two-day series. Details from the training administrator, Information Technology, Exchange, Milton Keynes.
SPECTRUMS are likely to be in short supply this Christmas. "We thought we were being far-sighted when we stockpiled 100,000 machines but we have already received orders for 200,000", said a Sinclair spokesman. "It may well be that retailers are being over-optimistic in their estimate of customer requirements," he added.
Bob Denton, managing director of Prism Microproducts, which distributes Sinclair machines, comments: "The rush for Spectrums just before Christmas is nothing unusual but this year it appears to have started a month earlier."
Part of the reason has been the gradual move from mail order sales to retail outlets. Last year, Sinclair Research sold 75,000 Spectrums over the Christmas period by mail order alone. Sales have continued at that level throughout the year, and the sudden glut of orders from shops and dealers at the end of the summer took the company unawares. "There may be a temporary shortage," says Sinclair Research, "but it should not persist."
WE APOLOGISE for the Silver Fox Communications advertisement which appeared in our November issue. It is our policy not to print material which might offend any of our readers and the inclusion of the advertisement was an inadvertent error.
No further advertisements of this nature from Silver Fox Communications will be published in the magazine.
