• Texas Instruments introduces text-to-speech at the January Consumer Electronics Show. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Feb 1981, p.1 and 99er Magazine, May/June 1981, p.31)

• The European PAL model of the TI-99/4 is released in Europe. The computer's interrupts operate 50 times a second instead of 60 times a second as in the U.S. version.

• Commodore announces the VIC-20.

• Atari releases the Missle Command cartridge for the VCS home videogame machine.

• Atari marketing vice-president William Grubb resigns to form his own company called New West Marketing. His first client will be Activision, a company formed almost a year earlier by former Atari employees, with the express purpose of creating game cartridges for the Atari VCS.

FEB 1981: The first issue of TIHOME TIdings is released in England. The magazine is sent free to 14 users by Paul Dicks, representing the start of the first TI Users Group in the United Kingdom.

• The VAT (Value Added Tax) Accounting module is announced in England, but it never appears. The program eventually surfaces in 1988 on disk.

• Pewterware of Point Mugu, CA announces the release of Decathelon and Challenge Poker.

• The 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group claims 1500 members.

• The 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group offers the yet unreleased Extended BASIC command module as grand prize for a programming contest announced February 1st. The contest criteria gives songs of the '60's, Graphic depictions of state flags and game programs as the categories.

• TI releases a re-worked version of its Mailing List program (PHD 5001) after the 99/4 Home Computer Users Group gives it a poor review. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Feb 1981, p.1)

• TI introduces a new 10" color monitor (PHA 4100) for the 99/4. The new monitor is made by Panasonic and will replace the 13" model previously sold for the Home Computer. MSRP is $374.95. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Feb 1981, p.1)

• The 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Feb 1981, reviews some of the new software released for the 99/4.
• A-MAZE-ING- "...one of their best efforts yet."
• BLACKJACK and POKER - "...graphic effects on the cards are nicely done..."
• MARKET SIMULATION - "...not a child's game but is great fun..."
• MIND CHALLENGERS - "...sure to test the mental skill of even the most experienced game player."
• MUSIC MAKER - "...for the music lover, Music Maker is a must."
• PERSONAL REAL ESTATE (coded by John C. Plaster)- "in our opinion the finest Command Module that they have produced to date."

MAR 1981: Texas Instruments announces the impending release of UCSD Pascal for the 99/4 Home Computer.

• The Second issue of TIHOME TIdings is published with letters from Stephen Shaw and Peter Brooks.

APR 1981: TI announces a delay in the release of the new Terminal Emulator II module (PHM 3035) due to production problems. It is designed to replace the original Terminal Emulator I (PHM 3017) module that contains a bug in it which often causes the computer to lock up. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Apr 1981, p.2)

• Charles Ehninger (later the owner of Futura Software) wins first place in an Author's Incentive Program contest that TI sponsors. He wins a $3,000 prize for his Household Inventory program. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Dec 1980, p.2 and 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Apr 1981, p.2 and 99'er Magazine V1N1 May/June 1981, p.3)

• The 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group announces a programming contest aimed at Business and/or Professional applications. Deadline for submission is set at June 15th, 1981. An optimistic deadline to say the least. The contests run offer excellent incentives however, as prizes include such sought after items as RS232 interfaces, disk drives, disk controllers and printers. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Apr 1981, p.4)

• Texas Instruments releases:
• PHD 5003 PERSONAL FINANCIAL AIDS on disk
• PHT 6003 PERSONAL FINANCIAL AIDS on cassette tape
• PHD 5020 MUSIC MAKER DEMO
• PHD 5021 CHECKBOOK MANAGER
• PHD 5026 BRIDGE BIDDING I on diskI
• PHT 6026 BRIDGE BIDDING I on cassette tape
• PHM 3021 WEIGHT CONTROL and NUTRITION
• PHM 3031 THE ATTACK

• TI Logo (PHM 3040) is introduced on April 17. It is only made available to qualified school districts.

• TI changes the name of the Texas Instruments Home Computer User's Newsletter to the Texas Instruments Personal Computer User's Newsletter.

• TI announces delays in the release of Extended BASIC and the new 32K memory standalone unit. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Apr 1981, p.1)

• CHASE-CO of Vancouver, Washington releases Bingo for the 99/4 Home Computer.

• The 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group raises the cost of user written programs to $3.00 per program with a minimum order of 4 programs required. They also move into new offices in Oklahoma City, from the previous facilities, which were located in Charles LaFara's house. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Apr 1981, p.1)

MAY 1981: 99'er Magazine publishes its first issue from Eugene, Oregon. It begins as a bi-monthly publication produced by Gary Kaplan dba Emerald Valley Publishing.

• Street prices for the TI-99/4 Home Computer and peripherals (source: CBM Inc. 198 Moore Dr Lexington KY 40503):
• PHC 004 -- TI-99/4 Home Computer $499.00 -- (MSRP $599.00)
• PHA 2100 - RF Modulator $41.00 -- (MSRP $75.00)
• PHP 1800 - Disk Controller $243.00 -- (MSRP $299.95)
• PHP 1850 - Disk Drive $399.00 -- (MSRP $499.95)
• PHP 1700 - RS232 Interface $183.00 -- (MSRP $224.95)
• PHP 1600 - Telephone Coupler $183.00 -- (MSRP $224.95)
• PHP 1900 - Solid State Thermal Printer $325.00 -- (MSRP $399.95)
• PHP 1500 - Solid State Speech Synthesizer $122.00 -- (MSRP $149.95)
• PHP 2200 - Memory Expansion (32K) Peripheral $325.00 -- (MSRP $399.95)
• PHM 3026 - Extended BASIC cartridge and Instruction Manual $81.00 -- (MSRP $99.95)
• PHP 1100 - Wired Remote Controllers $28.00 -- (MSRP $34.95)
• PHA 2000 - Dual Cassette Cable $14.00 -- (MSRP $14.95)

• The CIN-DAY (Cincinnati-Dayton, Ohio) Users Group forms with Larry Morrow as president.

• Creative Computing reviews the TI Extended BASIC module. The article appears on page 17. The review is done by Owen Linderholm. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Jun 1981, p.1)

• Bugs are found in the newly released Extended BASIC module from TI (v100). (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Jun 1981, p.1)

• The third issue of TIHOME TIdings puts the TI User Group membership figure in the United States at 6000 members.

• TISHUG (TI Sydney, Australia Home computer Users Group) forms in Sydney, Australia. It is founded by Shane Anderson.

• An external keyboard interface for the TI-99/4 is designed, and the plans introduced to the public by Mike Kovacich in May of 1981, only weeks before TI introduces the 4A with its improved keyboard.

JUN 1981: The TI-99/4A Home Computer is unveiled at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, which takes place May 31st to June 3rd. It has a suggested retail price of $525 for the console. It is the "A" in the TMS9918A Video Display Processor chip that gives the new 99/4A its name. The 99/4's screen controller chip is the TMS9918. Both are 40 pin silicon chips but the TMS9918A chip has a bit map mode that the TMS9918 does not. The targeted date for release of the 99/4A is said to be August 15, 1981. Additional releases at the '81 Summer CES are TI LOGO (now available to the general public), TexNet, Terminal Emulator II, the Scott, Foresman Addition and Subtraction I module, as well as Texas Instrument's own Editor/Assembler package. (99'er Magazine V1N2, July/August 1981, p.48, 49 and 56 -- TI99/4 Source, Jul81, p.1).

• Denali Data, Oklahoma City, OK. introduces a joystick adapter that allows Atari joysticks to be used on the TI-99 Home Computer. The MSRP is $20.00. (99er v1n1, p.12)

• TI's Cash Management program (PHD 5029) is announced.

• TI reports further delays in the release of Extended BASIC.

• Cheryl Whitelaw (aka C. Regena), Sam Moore, Rick Rothstein (FFF Software) and Greg Crinklaw are the announced winners of the 99/4 Home Computer Users Group's first programming contest.

• Brain Games:  Darts, Dueling Digits and Parrot
• Know Yourself:  Alcohol and Behavior, Psychoanalysis and Sex Roles
  
• Strategy Games:  Blockage, Checkers, Depth Charge and Tunnel Vision
  
• Strategy and Brain Games:  Blockade, Checkers, Darts, Depth Charge, Dueling Digits, Parrot and Tunnel Vision

• TI Engineer Richard Tarrant submits plans for the TI-99/7. The 99/7 is an upgrade plan to the 99/4 that provides software compatibility with the 99/4 but has 512 bytes of scratchpad workspace instead of the 256 bytes found on the 99/4, 90K of internal GROM instead of the 18K found on the 99/4, a 58 key keyboard with 4 rocker switches, instead of the 99/4's 40 key keyboard, bi-directional cassette interfacing, 64K of expansion memory, support for an 80-column printer. A new 300 baud modem is planned that will offer both originate and answer capabilities. The 99/7 will also feature a Pascal Interpreter built in, the same console Basic as the 99/4, a cooling fan with system shut-down capabilities in overheat situations, a keyboard with 55 keys in a row/column matrix, a Fctn key, a Ctrl key, four function rocker switches and an LED indicator for modem carrier detect and software monitoring. One of the four rocker switches provides hardware selectable originate or answer status for the modem.

• A proposal is made in the fourth issue of the TIHOME TIdings magazine to set TIHOME up as an official Users Group.

• Epson introduces Graphtrax for the MX-80 printer.

• The TI-99 appears on The Mike Douglas Show the week of July 6th when Texas Instruments employees Ralph Oliva, Alecia Helton and Diane Musha, and students Niky Murphy and Susie Murphy from the Lamplighter School in Dallas, Texas, demonstrate TI Logo and other educational applications that are supported by the Home Computer. Guest hosts on the show, Darrell Dragon and Toni Tenille, better known as the Captain and Tenille, are greeted with a computer version of their hit "Love Will Keep Us Together", sung by the 99/4 with a Speech Synthesizer.

• In the TI-99/4 SOURCE newsletter out of Rye, New York, Jerald Greenberg reports that rumors of COBOL and FORTRAN languages for the new 99/4A are surfacing.

• TI introduces the Video Controller (PHP1290) peripheral that plugs into the I/O port on the right side of the computer. It was first shown to the public at the Summer CES in Chicago.

• TI vendors of note begin showing off their wares in 99er Magazine advertisements. The July/August issue (V1N2) features ads from American Software Design and Distribution (Barnyard Fun $6.95, Land on Mars $8.95, Laser Shield $8.95, Ski $9.95, Space Battle $9.95); Pike Creek Computer with TI-Count (Accounts Payable $300, Accounts Receivable $300, General Ledger $650, Inventory $300, Mailing List $650), and the Bach Company.

• On July 17, 1981 IMAGIC is founded by former Atari marketing vice-president William Grubb, ex-Atari game designer Dennis Koble, Mattel Intellivision designer Jim Goldberger, Intellivision senior engineer Brian Dougherty and 5 former Atari employees spirited away from the company by Grubb.

AUG 1981: The Futura General Ledger program is released by Charles Ehninger dba Futura Software.

• 99'er Magazine advertisers (V1N2, July/August 1981 issue):
• CBM -- retailer -- p.34
• Checks To Go -- p.13
• Data Systems -- p.23
• Graphics
• Denali Data -- p.38
• Arti-Stic Joystick Adapter -- $20.00
• Backer Bus -- $no price given
• Checkbook Reconciliation for Joypad -- available later in 1981
• Coding Sheets -- $no price given
• Joypad Numeric Keypad for Joystick port -- available later in 1981
• Monitor Screen Overplay
• Screen Graphics layout sheets -- $no price given
• Screen to Epson MX80 Block Graphics Dump -- $requires Joypad -- available later in 1981
• Split-T-Box (Double T Switch for RS232) -- available later in 1981
• Stacker Bus -- $no price given
• Dow Jones Information Services -- p.18
• Epson MX-100 printer -- p.7
• Fantasy Computing -- p.31
• Ringwraith's Lair -- $24.95
• Frederick Marin -- p.14
• File Management System $60
• Statistics Package $40
• Futura Software -- p.23
• Accounts Payable -- $149.95
• Accounts Receivable -- $149.95
• All*Star Baseball -- $29.95
• Casino Pack -- $19.95
• Challenge I -- $19.95
• Challenge II -- $19.95
• Dr. Nuttier -- $19.95
• Galactic War -- $29.95
• General Ledger -- $139.95
• Gran Prix -- $19.95
• Household Inventory -- $59.95
• Inventory Management -- $99.95
• Mailing List -- $49.95
• Payroll -- $99.95
• SAM Defense -- $29.95
• Wall Street -- $19.95
• Word Processing -- $149.95
• Letcher Offshore Design -- p.31
• Naval Architecture -- Inquire
• Perspective Plotting -- $199.00
• Text Editor -- $99.00 -- instruction manual an additional $10.00
• Marinchip Systems -- p.15
• Micro House, The -- retailer -- p.31
• Schwartz, Dr. E.D. -- Ledger/Payroll -- $55.00 -- p.34
• Tam's -- retailer -- p.14
• Texas Instruments (Author Incentive Program Winners) -- p.2
• Street prices for the TI-99/4 Home Computer and peripherals (source: CBM Inc. 198 Moore Dr Lexington KY 40503):

• PHC 004 -- TI-99/4 Home Computer $399.00 -- (MSRP $599.00)
• PHA 2100 - RF Modulator $41.00 -- (MSRP $75.00)
• PHP 1800 - Disk Controller $243.00 -- (MSRP $299.95)
• PHP 1850 - Disk Drive $399.00 -- (MSRP $499.95)
• PHP 1700 - RS232 Interface $183.00 -- (MSRP $224.95)
• PHP 1600 - Telephone Coupler $183.00 -- (MSRP $224.95)
• PHP 1900 - Solid State Thermal Printer $325.00 -- (MSRP $399.95)
• PHP 1500 - Solid State Speech Synthesizer $122.00 -- (MSRP $149.95)
• PHP 2200 - Memory Expansion (32K) Peripheral $325.00 -- (MSRP $399.95)
• PHM 3026 - Extended BASIC cartridge and Instruction Manual $81.00 -- (MSRP $99.95)
• PHP 1100 - Wired Remote Controllers $28.00 -- (MSRP $34.95)

PHA 2000 - Dual Cassette Cable $14.00 -- (MSRP $14.95)

• Texas Instruments releases:

• PHD 5016 Structural Engineering Library on disk
• PHT 6016 Structural Engineering Library on cassette tape
• PHD 5019 Teach Yourself Extended BASIC on disk
• PHT 6019 Teach Yourself Extended BASIC on cassette tape

• TI announces Texnet on The Source in its Texas Instruments Personal Computer User's Newsletter.

• The 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group announces its Fall programming contest.

• 99'er Magazine publishes its first "Letters to the Editor" page in V1N2, the July/August 1981 issue, just as Publisher and Editor Gary M. Kaplan had promised in the magazine's premier issue. Curiously, it is found on page 94 of a 95 page issue? (99'er Magazine V1N1, p.6 and V12N2, p.94)

• Frank Barden forms the Epson Users-Group in Raleigh, NC to share information with other Epson printer users. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group, Aug 1981, p.4)

• TI announces plans to produce a Pascal peripheral for the TI-99/4, thereby adding another 6.5 inches to the chained peripherals that must extend in a line to the right of the computer console. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Aug 1981, p.4)

• TexNet on The Source gets extensive coverage in the 99/4 Home Computer Users-Group newsletter, and UG owner Charles LaFara offers three "TEXPAC" packages in support of the new service. Each TEXPAC is designed to outfit the 99/4 user with a desired level of hardware and software so that TexNet can be accessed. They provide minimum to maximum configurations based upon the amount of equipment the individual needs.

• IBM introduces the IBM Personal Computer, priced at $1565 for the basic unit which consists of a console, detachable keyboard, 16K RAM and a cassette interface. (Educational Computing Nov/Dec 1981 p.52).

SEP 1981: The Source on-line information service promises TEXNET start-up by month's end but it does not occur.

• Release of the Milton Bradley designed Hustle (PHM 3034) game module is announced by TI.

• Texas Instruments releases Invoice Management (PHD 5027) disk and Electrical Engineering Library (PHD 5008 and PHT 6008).

• Pittsburgh, PA. Users Group meeting of September 20, 1981 features large display and presentation of Texnet, TI Logo and Editor/Assembler software, all put on by TI representatives.

• Educational Computer Magazine reports on page 50 of the September/October issue that "Texas Instruments is phasing out its model 99/4s and replacing them with updated model 99/4As. This new version contains a standard keyboard, 16K RAM (expandable to 48K), 72K of ROM and is to be priced at $525."

• Dr. M.D. Roblyer reviews the Scott, Foresman Early Reading cartridge in Educational Computing magazine on page 16. He tells readers that the package includes a cartridge, Teacher's Guide and Student materials if purchased from Scott, Foresman, or a cartridge and Reference Guide if purchased from Texas Instruments. The review prices the package from either source at a curious $58.95?

OCT 1981: Don Bynum, TI's Personal Computer Division Manager, and Brian Gratz, TI's User's Group Coordinator, meet with TI-99 owners at an October 17th meeting at the Cafe Ricard Room of the Airporter Inn in Irvine, CA. The new Editor/Assembler, Logo and Text-to-Speech products are demonstrated. (TI letter sent to registered users on October 9, 1981)

• Dutch 99er Paul Karis reveals the hidden secrets of the Personal Record Keeping module in an article published in TIHOME TIdings.

• The Personal Record Keeping command module is reviewed in InfoWorld on page 28 of the October 26th issue.

• Charles LaFara changes the name of the 99/4 Home Computer Users Group to the International 99/4 Users Group.

• The International 99/4 Users Group moves from Oklahoma City to Bethany, Oklahoma.

• B. Cromley, Billings, MT. and Tom Nickel, Manhattan Beach, CA. win prizes in the IUG's Business Applications programming contest.

• Production problems continue to plague the new Extended BASIC. (99/4 Home Computer Users-Group Newsletter, Oct 1981, p.1)

• TEXNET goes on-line on October 23rd on The Source. It will prove to be the only TI supported Special Interest Group for the 99/4.

TEXNET would flourish for some three to four years but would eventually founder due to cost, slow operation because of the 300 baud limit of the TE-II program and the lack of Xmodem protocols for up and downloading of files. This, despite the fact that TEXNET offered color graphics and animation, music and sound effects, an extensive exchange library and state of the art synthetic speech. It was revived for a short time in the late 1980's by former TI employee Don Bynum and his father Doyle, but eventually went out forever when CompuServe bought out The Source in 1989.

Services and features offered to users included a News section, Voice Chat using the Speech Synthesizer, a Software Library, a dictionary of phonetic words for text-to-speech, a software directory, listings of User Groups, a graphics library, a music and sound library, a section on help, a Logo exchange and more. Sign up fee was $100 and $7.75 per hour weeknights and weekends 6-12, then $5.75 per hour from 12-7am. At its startup, TEXNET (The Source) boasted local access numbers from 350 cities across the country.

• Texas Instruments releases:

• PHD 5037 DRAW POKER on disk
• PHT 6037 DRAW POKER on cassette tape
• PHD 5039 BRIDGE BIDDING II on disk
• PHT 6039 BRIDGE BIDDING II on cassette tape
• PHM 3032 BLASTO
• PHM 3035 TERMINAL EMULATOR
• PHM 3039 YAHTZEE

NOV 1981: Joe Nichols, a pioneering member of the Washington, D.C. 99ers, and influential force behind the formation of the 99/4 Home Computer Users Group by Charles LaFara, dies on November 28, 1981.

• Texas Instruments announces the Course Designer Authoring software package for the TI-99/4 Home Computer that also has the TI Video Controller. (InfoWorld, Nov30, p.74)

• The Personal Real Estate command module is reviewed in InfoWorld on page 60 of the November 30th issue.

• Texas Instruments releases:

• PHD 5023 BASKETBALL STATISTICIAN
• PHD 5041 BRIDGE BIDDING III
• PHT 6041 BRIDGE BIDDING III on cassette tape
• PHD 5042 SPELL WRITER on disk
• PHT 6042 SPELL WRITER on cassette tape
• PHM 3041 ADVENTURE MODULE
• PHM 3052 TOMBSTONE CITY: 21st CENTURY
• PHM 3053 TI INVADERS
• PHM 3054 CAR WARS

• Hardin's Computer Solutions releases a new workstation for the 99/4 and 4A.

• Educational Computing Magazine reports that Commodore has signed William Shatner to promote their computers.

• TEXNET on The Source gains its first international user on November 21st, 1981 when Bernie Elsner from Mount Lawley, Western Australia left a message on Source Mail for the 99/4 Home Computer Users Group.

• The IUG releases its first complete catalog of user-written programs.

• Atari CEO Raymond E. Kassar announces the creation of the Atari Institute for Educational Action Research in Sunnyvale, CA. (Educational Computing Nov/DEC 1981 p.52)

DEC 1981: TIHOME TIdings magazine ends its policy of free issues to British 99ers.

• InfoWorld announces on page 1 of the December 7th issue that TI is introducing a new Video Controller for the 99/4A.

• TI adds to customer service staff due to increasing sales of the 99/4A Home Computer. 

• Pat Roper, founder of Games by Apollo, releases Skeet Shoot for the Atari VCS. The game was written by Ed Salvo, a programmer that Roper hired by advertising in the classified sections of the Dallas Morning News and the San Francisco Chronicle.

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