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THE NEW business machine from Sinclair Research, which has been code-named the ZX-83, was launched in January. The machine has twin Microdrives for fast access to mass storage and a typewriter-style keyboard. It does not have the flat-screen television many people were expecting and, as a result, is not as portable as was first thought.
The microprocessor chip at the heart of the new computer has been specially designed to Sinclair requirements and is being manufactured by American electronics company Motorola.
The incorporation of Microdrives with the machine instead of the more usual disc drives means that the price can be substantially lower than computers such as the Apple II, which costs thousands of pounds. The cost of the Sinclair is as little as £400.
With the expansion of its range into the business market, Sinclair will have to think about peripheral support, such as printers and light pens. That means the design of a new printer, as the ZX printer will not suffice for the business community.
The Microdrives may also prove disappointing to many business owners. Despite the low cost of the machine the Microdrive, in comparison with disc, is slow. Potential purchasers may choose a more expensive disc-based machine. The new machine is, however, a great step forward in the business computer market.
THE SPECTRUM Interface Two has arrived in the stores and the software for the new ROM-based peripheral has started to flow.
When the ROM board was launched the only cartridges available were Planetoids, Space Raiders and Backgammon, which had previously been sold on cassette in the Sinclair Research software library. The new range of software, including packages which had originally been produced by Ultimate Play the Game, did not arrive until several months later. The games included Jetpac, Cookie and Tranz Am.
The Interface is being sold in W H Smith, and Boots has also placed a large order.
Future plans for the interface have not been fixed but the company is considering putting utility packages and languages onto ROM. A spokesman says:
"We have not decided what we shall do. It is hoped, however, that the Micro-Prolog language will at some stage be put onto ROM."
Interface Two seems to be the last of the planned peripherals which Sinclair Research is to add to the Spectrum, as it is dead-ended and will take only the ZX printer. It is, however, possible that other peripherals could be added between Interfaces One and Two.
HEATHROW Air Traffic Control, a 16K Spectrum simulation game from Hewson Consultants, was assessed by a professional air traffic controller on the Central Television Magic Micro Mission recently and passed the test with flying colours.
In the programme David Gunson from Birmingham airport and Stephen Martin, the programme's regular software tester, gave the simulation a score of four out of five for entertainment value.
Presented by Jo Wheeler, Magic Micro Mission is a new production featuring a spaceship sent to explore the new boundaries of computer knowledge. It is screened in the Central Television, Ulster TVS, Border Television, Tyne Tees and Television South West areas.
THE BUG-BYTE best-selling program Manic Miner is appearing under a different label.
Matthew Smith, the 17-year-old-author, has left his old firm to join Software Projects, a new company. Smith will become a director of the company when he comes of age.
Besides Manic Miner, Software Projects will be marketing its sequel, Jet Set Willy, as well as several other new games.
Bug-Byte, which held a licence to produce Manic Miner but not the copyright, says it is not too hard-hit by Smith's decision to move. "It is still an excellent game and we have 50,000 copies of it left," says Bug-Byte director Tony Baden. "We wish it the best of luck under any label."
FANS of Shakin' Stevens who buy his latest album, The Bop Won't Stop, on cassette can enjoy the bonus of a specially-commissioned game for the 48K Spectrum.
Written by Olympic Software, the game entails driving a car into Shaky's 'ole house' while avoiding lethal vampire bats. A huge score will get the player into Shaky's top ten.
CBS Records, which produces the cassette, says that the game was designed for the Spectrum rather than any other micro because it has become the most popular home computer in the U.K.
Arab-speaking home computer enthusiasts, who have long dreamed of being able to program in their own language, are happy at last. Ramez Alhalaby, president of Autoram Computers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has developed an Arabic version of the ZX-81 - a major breakthrough in the Arab world, where until now only large business systems have been programmed in Arabic. Micro owners have had to use English previously and the new version of the ZX-81 is expected to give Sinclair sales in the Middle East a considerable boost.
WITH SOFTWARE PIRACY causing an estimated loss in sales of at least £100 million, British software houses have started to fight back.
Quicksilva is leading the way by pointing the finger at various overseas operations which are marketing illegal software. One such outfit, claims Quicksilva vice-chairman Rod Cousens, is an Australian company called Rocksoft, which has been distributing bootlegged copies of Psion, Bug-Byte, Quicksilva and Melbourne House games.
Melbourne House is itself investigating piracy in Australia and is taking legal action. Alfred Milgrom, chairman, said; "It would he imprudent for us to make any specific comments on any individual company before court proceedings have been taken. However, be assured that we have a very aggressive attitude towards pirating and we do not hesitate to take action whenever we find that any of our rights have been violated."
Another major publisher, Bug-Byte, is tackling the problem nearer home, by attempting to discourage the ever-increasing copying of tapes by schools and computer clubs. Having received reports that pupils in one school are recording software with the co-operation of the staff, But-Byte has contacted the County Council concerned threatening legal action unless the practice is stopped.
The Guild of Software Houses is looking into the problem of piracy. Nick Alexander, chairman of the Guild and managing director of Virgin Games, said, "It is generally regarded that between one and ten pirate copies are made for each game sold." He believes that the continuation of piracy could result in the bankruptcy of software companies.
THE FIRST of a new chain of shops specialising in micro software has opened at Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire. Soft Shop will stock more than 1,200 programs for all the leading home computers, including the ZX-81, Spectrum, BBC, Commodore 64 and Oric.
Reflecting the preponderance of Spectrum software on the market, more than 350 of the tapes are for that machine. Most are games but there are also educational and business tapes. "We predict that the demand for Spectrum educational software in particular will grow considerably," says managing director Stuart Kotchie.
The shop will also sell computer accessories, such as blank tapes, leads and joysticks. A second shop is soon to open in St Albans and another 20 outlets throughout the Home Counties are planned.
Prism Software Products has signed an agreement with Greens of Debenhams to sell software at 70 nation-wide branches of the department store chain. Three of the stores will stock more than 1,000 titles, as well as books, magazines and peripherals.
W H Smith has expanded its computer operations by opening 23 new computer shops, bringing the total throughout the country to 30. The first three shops at W H Smith branches were opened in July, 1983 and four more followed three months later. All allow customers to try complete computer systems, including the Spectrum and ZX-81, the Acorn, BBC and Electron, the Apple IIe, the Commodore 64 and the Oric. Computer sales are backed by a wide range of software, books and magazines.
Melvin Lloyd-Jones and Mark Lucas |
At the 1983 Cambridge Award prize-giving, held at the ZX Microfair in December, Mark Lucas, right, was presented with the first prize of £1,000 by Melvin Lloyd-Jones, director of Cases Computer Simulations. Mark, whose Spectrum wargame Battle 1917 was declared the overall winner, also received the Cambridge Award trophy.
The Cambridge Award is co-sponsored by the software house Cases Computer Simulations and Sinclair User, and is intended to encourage the development of intellectually stimulating games programs written for the Sinclair computers. Details of the 1984 competition will be announced soon.
RADIO WAVES and interference from household appliances can affect the normal operation of home computers, according to the television programme Tomorrow's World.
In many countries laws govern the ways in which computers must be protected from interference. A silver-coloured paint is put round the inside of computer cases.
Computers in Britain, however, have no such protection. A spokesman for Sinclair Research says: "We do not use this type of protection as there is nothing in the law which states that we have to do so."
JOHN LAMBERT has joined the editorial team at Sinclair User, taking over the Hardware World section from Stephen Adams.
He has extensive experience in the hardware field, having worked for a large add-on company. "I come from a family background of electronics and it therefore seems natural that I should end up in computers. More importantly I am a user and my reviews will hopefully reflect this. I will be looking not only at the design of the hardware but also if it represents value for money, an important consideration these days."
COMPETITION for the Sinclair Microdrive has arrived in the form of the first floppy disc drive and interface package for the Spectrum.
The Viscount disc drive and interface is manufactured by Interactive Instruments and sold at £245 by the Spectrum computer chain. It has a capacity of 100K on a 3¼in. floppy disc.
Another company, which has promised a floppy disc drive for the Spectrum is ITL Kathmill Ltd. The Byte Drive 500 has already been launched for the Oric One and the Spectrum version has been promised for late April or the beginning of May.
It is based on the Hitachi drive and costs £260. It is supported by a toolkit assembler and text editor and is aimed mainly at the business sector of the market.
The floppy discs are single-sided with a total capacity of 440K. Approximate file access time has been put at three microseconds.
John Melville, a director of ITL, says: "I am aware of delays in the Sinclair market and we will not be launching the drive until we have sufficient stocks available."
A spokesman for Sinclair Research played down the idea that disc drives would have any impact on sales of the Microdrive. "We will not start worrying unless those companies can reduce the prices of the drives. It is probably not feasible to compete with the Microdrive on this level."
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