• On January 9th, Texas Instruments reaches agreements with Imagic, Sierra On-Line and Walt Disney to produce at least five new cartridges for the TI-99/4A Home Computer. (Enthusiast 99 Jan 1984, p.7)

• TI announces that it will begin issuing licenses for its Auto-Incrementing GROM chip in the 99/4A, thereby opening up the 3rd Party Software market that so strongly shut the world out of only 6 months previously. Although one might offr the opinon that it's 'better late, than never', TI's decision did little to help spur software development. No one was willing to make the investment required to tool up for production, when you were talking about a 'dead computer'.

• Texas Instruments publishes a beautiful 22" x 17" brochure that is mailed to known TI-99/4A owners. It contains:
  • A Message from Texas Instruments Executive Vice-President Jerry R. Junkins
  • News on TI Software Price Reductions
  • Information on New Cartridge Titles

  In the brochure Junkins writes:

  "Dear TI Customer:
  The TI-99/4A Home Computer you own is one of the most popular computers in the world. But, as you know, we have had to discontinue its production. We want to reassure you that the difficult decision we have had to make is no reflection on the product itself and that TI intends to work hard to earn your continued satisfaction with it. If the news of our decision has caused you concern about support for your TI-99/4A, we would like to put those concerns to rest. While all details are not yet settled, be assured that we are working to provide continuin support for the TI-99/4A in such areas as:

  • Product Service: We absolutely will honor our in-warranty commitments. And, to support out-of-warranty service, we will fully maintain our repair facilities.
  • Software: The huge installed base of TI home computers makes an attractive market for independent software publishers. We are developing the means to encourage this and provide you with continued software support. We feel you should be able to look forward to a wide choice for a long time to come.
  • Peripherals: Many independent manfacturers of peripherals produce products designed to be compatible with the TI-99/4A. Here again, we are working on plans to encourage their efforts and to help make those products more readily accessible to you.
  • Information and Assistance: We realize you may have questions your retailer can't answer about your TI-99/4A. We have a toll-free hot line to help you with answers about software, accessories, service, independent suppliers, users' groups, and the like. Just call 1-800-TI-CARES.

  As available quantities of TI-produced software diminish, you may have difficulty finding the programs you want. The enclosed brochure will help you identify those you may wish to purchase while supplies last. If you have any trouble find them, call 1-800-TI-CARES to obtain a list of retailers in your area, or to order directly from TI. We are sorry for any inconvenience our difficult decision may cause you. We will do our best to help ensure your continued satisfaction."

  The brochure displays the colorful documentation covers from 46 cartridge software titles, divided into Education, Information Management, and Entertainment. It shows the following as 'New' titles.

  • PHM 3131 MOON MINE -- $29.95
  • PHM 3146 MUNCHMOBILE -- $29.95
  • PHM 3158 M*A*S*H -- $29.95
  • PHM 3168 TREASURE ISLAND -- $29.95
  • PHM 3177 FACEMAKER -- $29.95
  • PHM 3178 STORY MACHINE -- $29.95
  • PHM 3189 RETURN TO PIRATE'S ISLAND -- $29.95
  • PHM 3194 JAWBREAKER -- $29.95
  • PHM 3197 SLYMOIDS -- $29.95
  • PHM 3219 SUPER DEMON ATTACK -- $29.95
  • PHM 3220 MICROSURGEON -- $29.95
  • PHM 3225 STAR TREK STRATEGIC OPERATIONS SIMULATOR -- $29.95
  • PHM 3229 HOPPER -- $29.95
  • PHM 3233 BURGERTIME -- $29.95

  Additionally, price reductions are announced on the Wired Remote Controllers (PHP 1100 Joysticks), now available at $24.95, a savings of $10, and on the TI Program Recorder (PHP 2700) now available at $49.95, a savings of $20. Most titles listed were reduced in price down to $29.95, $15.95 or even $10.95 in the case of Mind Challengers, Securities Analysis and Personal Report Generator.

• The Competition Pro 300 joystick debuts.

• TI Executive Vice President Jerry R. Junkins writes a letter of response to the Houston Users Group's December 1983 letter asking for an explanation of why the Home Computer was abandoned by Texas Instruments. Junkins points out that it was the marketplace which dictated the decision, avoiding the fact that there were so many bad decisions made by TI in the marketing of the 99/4A, that hundreds of millions of dollars were lost in 1983.

• Texas Instruments' Ron Wolfson releases the figures of 2.5 million TI-99/4A consoles sold with about 250,000 having expansion systems.

• CorComp announces a February 1st release of their DS/DD disk controller card.

• The Beyond Parsec game cartridge from John Phillips' Video Magic company is announced in the National Ninety Niner newsletter but it is never produced. DataBiotics will ultimately release the cartridge through Triton Products Co. during the third Quarter of 1988. The game was originally created by Phillips in 1983 as part of the Employee Software Submission program at Texas Instruments, but it never got produced because of the decision by TI to leave the home computer market.

• Consumer Reports Magazine publishes an article on the TI-99/4A with the headline reading, "Computer Update: Balky Adams, Vanishing TI's".

  "In our September report on computers, we described the TI-99/4A, then selling for $100, as "a loss-leader for the costly TI peripherals needed to run some of the better applications programs available for it." The TI-99/4A is now a total loss: Texas Instruments has decided to abandon the home computer market and will no longer make its much-advertised TI-99/4A.

  "However, the manufacturer is not abandoning its advertising campaign, since it wants to clear existing stock off retailers' shelves. By mid-November, retailers were practically giving away the TI-99/4A for $50 or so. It's not a good gift.

  "You would still need a peripheral expansion box and 32K memory expansion card to put this model to best use. Those items, like the basic computer itself, are out of production and, even if you find them, they are costly-together, about $250 at distress-sale prices.

  Further, programs to run on the TI-99/4A are likely to grow increasingly scarce. Unlike most other makers of home computers, Texas Instruments produced all its own software rather than license independent publishers to develop software. While it's possible that independent publishers may now be licensed to market programs for the large number of TI's in homes and schools, the programs would probably be available only by mail order. Most retailers give shelf space only to programs for the computers they sell."

• Excerpt from Compute! magazine editorial by Robert Lock, page 6: "...Texas Instruments (too little, too late) is, for the first time in the history of their home computer division, selling every computer dealers can get their hands on, as fast as they can get their hands on them. Unfortunately, since TI doesn't make TIs any more, this phenomenon will soon be over. It's a bargain at $49.95. We are pleased to report that there are teeth to TI's promises of continued support. They do plan to continue to market support software; establish a user hotline; and, most importantly, will continue to service and repair their computers. At least they're withdrawing with class and appropriate concern for their customers."

• Excerpt from Compute! magazine, News & Products, page 203: "JOYSTICKS FOR ATARI, COMMODORE, TI...Coin Controls has developed the Competition Pro 3000 joystick, a new game controller for Atari, Commodore, and TI computers. The Competition Pro 3000 includes a trigger atop the joystick and a 'fire-bar' on the controller's base. The joystick incorporates arcade-style, eight-way directional leaf switches, and is backed by a two-year warranty. Atari and Commodore models are available for $16.95. The TI version is available for $18.95."

• Coin Controls, Inc. 2609 Greenleaf Ave, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 (800) 323-8174.

• Excerpt from Compute! magazine News & Products, page 204: "TI CARTRIDGE SOFTWARE...Texas Instruments has released five new cartridge games for the TI-99/4A home computer. The games sell for $29.95 each and can be played from the keyboard, though some games may perform better with joysticks. The games are:

• BURGERTIME, a single-player chase game in which Peter Pepper has to avoid the nasty pickles and hot dogs.
• TREASURE ISLAND, in which the player must gather treasure before rising waters engulf the island.
• RETURN TO PIRATE'S ISLE, a Scott Adams adventure with multiple screens.
• HOPPER, a ten-level chase game for one or two players. The action takes place in the cargo hold of an ocean liner.
• SLYMOIDS, a single-player game in which you control a sharpshooting cowboy who uses scanners and laser fireballs to eliminate alien Slymoids.

Texas Instruments Consumer Relations P.O. Box 53 Lubbock, TX 79408 (800) 842-2737.

• Texas Instruments announces that it will be contracting with as New York firm, March Direct Marketing, to produce a free catalog of TI-99 products and that the catalog will be sent to all 1 million users in TI's mailing list.

• TI announces that on January 30, 1984 the TI offices in Rochester, NY will move to Pittsford, NY.

• Amnion Stoneware 116 Carl St. San Francisco, CA 94114 open the Amnion Helpline, featuring the Library Services subsidiary with free software for TI-99/4A owners.
  

• Texas Instruments is stuck staffing a booth at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, despite the fact that the TI-99/4A and other home computer entries from TI were dropped in October 1983. Compute! Features Editor Tom R. Halfhill states, "Texas Instruments was stuck with a large exhibit at CES, reserved long before the TI-99/4A was dropped. Not a single TI-99/4A was in evidence, and the TI booth looked forlornly deserted since it just happened to be directly across the aisle from the busy Commodore exhibit." (Compute! Apr84, p.14)

• Tigervision of Mundelein, IL, the electronic game manufacturer who announced or released Changes, Espial, Miner 2049er, Polaris, River Patrol, Scraper Caper, Sky Lancer, Springer and Super Crush for the TI-99/4A, announces the availability of a Miner 2049er T-Shirt for $7.95 each. (Compute!, Jan84, p.169)

• APPLE --
  • At the January 30th meeting of the Boston Computer Society, Apple introduces the Macintosh computer, as well as the Lisa 2. Rupert Lisner's Appleworks integrated productivity software is also released for the Apple //e at a MSRP of $250. A similar program for the Apple ///, called /// Easy Pieces is also scheduled for release in January. The Macintosh features an 8MHZ Motorola 68000 cpu and comes bundled with MacPaint and MacWrite software, but no built-in programming language. (Compute! Apr84, p.44).
  • Apple Macintosh is unveiled on January 24, 1984 in a publicity campaign that compared IBM to Big Brother and touted Apple as the savior of the masses. The television commercial for the introduction airs during the Super Bowl and will never be used again. It is a dark, Orwellian type theme that it is said Apple did not really like, but decided to use, in the absence of anything else being ready.

• COLECO --
  • Coleco Industries Inc. announces a variety of add-on products for its Adam computer system at CES. The products, which are all scheduled to be available by late summer, include a 300/1200-bps modem for less that $250, a second digital data-pack (cassette) drive for under $200, a 64K memory expander for under $200, and a tractor-feed option for the Adam's printer for about $125.
  • At the 1984 Winter Consumer Electronics Show, Coleco officials indicate that the company was only able to produce 95,000 ADAM computers in 1983.
  • Coleco also announces a 5.25-inch double-sided, double-density disk drive with a 360K-byte capacity for less than $400. Included with the disk drive -or available separately on a digitial data pack-will be Digital Research's Personal CP/M operating system, making Coleco the first U.S. manufacturer to use this home computer version of CP/M. (Byte, Mar84, p.9)

• COMMODORE --
  • Koala Technologies Corporation announces that it will manufacture the Gibson Light Pen for the Apple, Commodore and IBM computers. (Byte, Mar84, p.9)
  • Commodore shows its 264 line of computers at CES, which are planned for release in the summer of 1984.

• Microcomputer manufacturers in business as of January 1984:
  • Altos
  • Apple - Cupertino, CA
  • Atari
  • Columbia - Columbia, MD
  • Commodore
  • Compaq - Houston, TX
  • CompuPro (Dr. Bill Godbout)
  • Corona - Westlake Village, CA
  • Cromemco
  • Digital
  • Eagle
  • Franklin
  • Gifford - San Leandro, CA
  • Handwell - Los Altos, CA
  • Hyperion (Bytec-Comterm Inc.)
  • IBM - Armonk, NY
  • Intertec - Columbia, SC
  • ITT
  • Kaypro
  • Laser
  • Monroe - Morris Plains, NJ
  • Morrow
  • NEC - Boxborough, MA
  • Onyx - San Jose, CA
  • Sanyo
  • Sharp
  • Silicon Valley Micro
  • Sinclair
  • Sperry
  • Tandy - Ft. Worth, TX
  • TAVA - Irvine, CA
  • Televideo
  • Texas Instruments - Dallas, TX
  • Visual - Tewksbury, MA
  • Zenith - Glenview, IL

• ATARI -- Company CEO James Morgan scraps plans for the 1400XL computer and delays production of the 1450XLD.
  • Atari employees vote to keep out the Glaziers Union from their workplace...143-29.

• COLECO -- Coleco announces that it has reached an agreement with Honeywell Inc. to establish a nationwide network of service centers for the Adam Computer. The company says by the end of 1984, 35 service centers will be in place.

• COMMODORE -- Commodore introduces three new home computers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and also announced that it has become the first computer company to sell $1 billion worth of products in one year (1983). The new machines are the 264, 364V and the SX64.

• MISC. -- Game manufacturer Activision reports a $15 million loss for the 4th quarter 1983. is reported for Activision. The loss is attributed to slumping Christmas sales of cartridges.
  • Alfred Kastler, the "Father of the Laser", and the developer of the world's first atomic clock, dies at the age of 81.

• TIMEX -- Sir Clive Sinclair, chairman of the company which bears his name, promises to make a $550 personal computer available in the U.S. by mid-year. Sinclair promises the "QL", which stands for "quantum leap" will outperform the IBM PC and the Apple IIe.

FEB 1984:

• J.C. Penney department stores, once a major retailer for the TI-99/4A, discontinue the line after dumping as much of their TI-99/4A inventory as they could during the 1983 Christmas shopping season.

• Don and Lucy Veith form the National 99er User Group in Bakersfield, CA.

• Home Computer Compendium (later renamed MICROpendium) begins publication from Round Rock, Texas with the release of Volume 1, Number 1, produced by John Kolen and Laura Burns, dba Burns-Kolen Communications.

• In an interview with Home Computer Compendium publisher John Koloen, TI's manager of press relations for the Consumer Products Group, Jon Campbell, tells readers that; Texas Instruments has dropped its support of TI-99/4A User Groups; that as of December 1983 TI was still producing software for the TI-99/4A; that the International 99/4 Users Group had been talking to Texas Instruments about taking over the 800-TI-CARES line; and that as of mid-December 1983 TI was still producing the TI-99/4A Home Computer in quantities sufficient enough to meet its contractual obligations.

• In an interview with Cor-Comp public relations manager Dana Webb, Home Computer Compendium readers are told of a 99/64 replacement computer for the TI-99/4A. The proposed machine, dubbed the Phoenix at this stage, is said to have 64KB RAM, a built in RS-232 port and disk drive controller, two cartridge slots, a detached keyboard and other features.

• 99er Magazine resurfaces as Home Computer Magazine, in a format that is designed to appeal to owners of Apple, Commodore, IBM and TI-99/4A computers.

• Craig Miller begins publishing THE SMART PROGRAMMER newsletter from San Dimas, California.

• InfoCom, a Massachusetts firm that manufactures adventure games for various computers including the 99/4A, announces that it is leaving the TI market.

• TI sends letter to registered UG's to inform their members that it will no longer be selling 4A products.

• AtariSoft advertises Stargate, Superstorm and Robotron: 2084 for the TI-99/4A, but the game cartridges were never produced for the TI as far as can be determined. (Byte Magazine on page 115)

• George Bowman introduces THE MISSING LINK joyport-based word processor and printer interface at the Chicago TI-UG meeting.

• THE TI-99/4A IN BITS & BITES book debuts.

• According to a newsbyte in Home Computer Compendium on page 23, Milton Bradley decides to drop the MBX system.

  "MB Drops Expander -- After more than a year of development and after finally releasing its long-awaited voice expander system for the T199/4A computer, Milton Bradley is leaving the home computer market. It is one of the first non- computer companies to suffer heavily from the turmoil in today’s home computer market. Prior to TI’s announcement that it would cease the production of home computers, Atari told Milton Bradley that it would not honor its contract to utilize a similar voice recognition system with its home computers. The company then had its hopes pinned solely on TI. When TI dropped the ball, Milton Bradley was left standing out in the cold with a $100± system that would allow users to play high-priced game software, not all of which used the voice recognition capabilities of the MB expander. The voice expander finally reached the market in November but was withdrawn almost immediately. The company cited the lack of software support as the reason for recalling the expander.

  "Actually, it may not have been a very good idea in the first place, according to some analysts. Game cartridges for the system were priced as high as $50. One cartridge, a simulation of baseball, was very similar to Intellivisjon’s baseball cartridge. The basic difference was in the voice-recognition capabilities of the expander. However, there is some question as to whether consumers would agree to pay $100 or more for the expander hardware plus $50 for a game cartridge that could be purchased for half the price on other systems, sans the voice recognition capabilities. Voice recognition at this point remains more of a novelty than a useful feature in home computers. So what happened to the several thousand MBX systems that were produced? According to a TI spokesman, the units were gobbled up by TI and Milton Bradley employees."

• An article on Page 7 of the February 13th, 1984 issue of ComputerWorld becomes the first article to appear in a major publication about the year 2000 (Y2K) problem. The article by Paul Gillin, is an interview with Bill Schoen, who seems to be the first person to realize the potential disaster and to go public with it.

• The Western New York 99ers are founded in Newfane, NY with Paul Thomas, Paul Whiddon, Bruce Rechin, and Steve Royce as the officers.

• The International 99/4 Users-Group issues a pricelist including the IUG Master 99 Series. All programs require at least a single density disk system:

• M9-100 - Data-Base 500 $14.95
• M9-101 - Data-Base 300 $14.95
• M9-120 - Accounts Receivable System (500 records) $14.95
• M9-130 - Accounts Receivable System (2000 records, DS/SD disk req’d) $14.95
• M9-150 - Bookkeeping Accounting System (requires two disks drives) $14.95
• M9-160 - Point of Sale System (requires two tape recorders) $14.95
• M9-180 - Inforcenter Records Management $14.95
• M9-190 - Food Management System $14.95
• M9-200 - Departmental Budgeting $14.95
• M9-220 - Product Cost Allocation $14.95
• M9-230 - The Bowler’s Record $14.95
• M9-240 - D-Station (cassette version for Mini Memory) $12.95
• M9-241 - D-Station (requires XB and 32K RAM) $14.95
• M9-242 - D-Station (requires E/A and 32K RAM) $14.95
• M9-242C - D-Station on Romox ECPC cartridge $24.95

• APPLE -- Apple releases the Lisa 2 business computer. (Byte Feb84,p.84)
  

• COLECO -- Coleco lays off 50 employees at its administrative offices in Hartford, Conn. It is known that Coleco has back debts totalling $150 million, trouble making trouble-free computers, and a fairly low profit margin.

• COMMODORE -- Commodore raises the prices on 100 software programs by 10 to 50 percent. The action comes as spokesmen say, "We were far below the market in price, and some people equate quality with price." The price hikes apply to both Commodore 64 and VIC-20 software.
  • Four executives of Commodore suddenly resign on the heels of the departure of founder Jack Tramiel.
  • Commodore announces that its "264" computer, introduced at the C.E.S. in Las Vegas, will be delayed.

• TIMEX -- Timex becomes the third major home computer maker to abandon this highly competitive industry.

MAR 1984:

• San Francisco based Triton Products Company is named by TI as the "fulfillment house" for remaining 99/4A hardware and software products in their inventory. Triton is co-founded by E.S. Herman and Terry Miller.

• Texas Instruments officially leaves the home computer market when it ceases all production of the TI-99/4A model on March 28, 1984, and stops shipping any remaining home computer products on March 30. In a letter dated March 28, 1984 to known TI-99/4A owners, Carl Gundlach, TI's Manager of Consumer Affairs, reports that Texas Instruments will stop selling any TI-99/4A products.
  

• Charles Ehninger of Futura Software is the guest speaker at the Houston User Group's March meeting.

• Jane McAshen, Vice President of programs at the Houston User Group, reports that she communicated with Robert Lindsay of Atarisoft and Lindsay related that his company is about the release their second round of software for the TI-99/4A. Current titles for the 99/4A include; Centipede, Defender, Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Protector II. (HUG Newsletter Mar84, p.2.)

• InfoCom reverses their February decision to leave the TI-99/4A market and decides to continue producing their text adventure titles in 99/4A compatible versions.

• Creative Computing magazine founder and publisher David H. Ahl writes an in-depth article on the demise of the TI-99/4A. It is found on page 30 of the March 1984 issue.

• An Australian authored program named Diablo is released by Jim Schwaller doing business as the Extended Software Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. Schwaller later intimates to me that his company was receiving as many as 150 orders a day for his company's products back then and he employed five full time workers to meet the demand.

• A program called Speed Math, written in TI BASIC, appears in Popular Computing page 209. It will have the distinction of being the only TI-99/4A program to ever grace the pages of this basically MS-DOS and CP/M oriented magazine

• Mike McCann of McCann Software in Omaha, NE releases Business Graphs 99, written in TI-Forth. It goes relatively unnoticed, but will come into its own when it is promoted by CompuServe TI Forum host Jim Horn at the first annual FEST-WEST in Los Angeles in March 1986.

• The Television Bureau of Advertising releases figures showing that Texas Instruments spent the most on commercials in 1983-- a whopping $34.2 million, which was an increase of 286% over 1982. Altogether, computer companies spent more than $185 million on TV commercials.

• Byte Magazine publishes an editorial explaining to readers its reason for failing to review the TI-99/2 under $100 16-bit computer; production of the computer was cancelled shortly after its announced release. (Byte Mar84, p.4)

• ATARI --
  • Axiom Corporation 1014 Griswold Ave. San Fernando, CA 91340 (213) 365-9521 releases the GP-700AT, an Atari home computer compatible color printer. It retails for $599.00 and plugs directly into an Atari serial port, eliminating the need for the Atari 850 peripheral interface. The GP-700AT also permits daisy-chaining of cassette drives and other peripherals. It prints text and graphics at speeds up to 50cps and comes with a connecting cable and screen dump utility. (Byte, Mar84, p.477)
  • Some 300 employees are laid-off at Atari while another 100 are hired. James Morgan's dramatic staff-slashing and resurrection effort is in full swing. Atari says the jobs of those laid-off were "redundant" and those hired will be marketing and engineering.

• COMMODORE --
  • Creative Software, the California-based software house which bought out Funware of Richardson, TX, introduces Joe's Writer, Fred's Filer, and Jack's Calc programs for the Commodore 64.
  • Commodore, Coleco and Epson announce that they have signed agreements with CompuServe to provide Special Interest Group (SIGs) areas on CompuServe for their respective computers.

• COLECO --
  • Commodore, Coleco and Epson announce that they have signed agreements with CompuServe to provide Special Interest Group (SIGs) areas on CompuServe for their respective computers.
  • Coleco lays off workers in the face ofa $35 million loss during the 4th quarter.

• MISC --
  • Elan Computers Ltd. 31-37 Hotton St. London, England releases the Enterprise 64 and Enterprise 128 home computers. The units sport a built-in joystick, cartridge port, built-in word processor, serial and parallel ports, a fully structured programming language based on BASIC and the ability to use cassette drives or 3.5-inch micro floppies for storage. (Byte, Mar84, p.481)

• SINCLAIR --
  • Sinclair Research Ltd. introduces the QL (for Quantum Leap), a Motorola 68008 based home computer retailing for $570. It will include 128K RAM, two 100K-byte tape drives, two local area network ports, two RS-232 serial ports, SuperBASIC, and a multitasking operating system. It will come bundled with the Abacus spreadsheet, the Archive database manager, the Easel graphics software, and theQuill word processor. (Byte, Mar84, p.9)

APR 1984:

• Compute! Books releases COMPUTE!'S FIRST BOOK OF TI GAMES.

• Scott, Foresman representative Dorothy Fujimura attends the April 7th Chicago TI User Group meeting to demonstrate the new Probe instructional programming package for the TI-99/4A. (Chicago TIUG Newsletter, Mar84, p.2)

• AtariSoft, Atari's third-party software division, announces seven new games for the Commodore 64, VIC-20, IBM PC, Apple II and TI-99/4A. These are Joust, Battlezone, Pole Position, Ms. Pac-Man, Moon Patrol, Galaxian, and Jungle Hunt. (Battlezone and Galaxian are not available on the TI). Each game costs $34.95 on disk or $44.95 on cartridge. (Compute! Apr84, p.26)

• Atarisoft also announces the release of Centipede, Defender, Dig-Dug, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Robotron, Stargate, Picnic Paranoia, Protector, Shamus, Super Storm and Galaxian. All titles except Galaxian will run on the TI-99/4A. The first seven titles are available for the Apple II, Commodore 64 and VIC-20, and IBM PC. Galaxian, Centipede and Defender are available for the Colecovision with Centipede, Defender and Pac-Man being offered for the Mattel Intellivision. (Compute! Apr84, p183).

• Mikel Labs announces plans to build a peripheral expansion box for the 99/4A. It never appears.

• Mikel Labs releases an RS232 stand alone unit for the 99/4A.

• William S. Schwartz, dba as Software Carousel 23757 Via Kannela Valencia, CA 91355,  announces the availability of a DEMO for their flagship Graphics Code Generator program.  The $4.00 demonstration program is provided on cassette tape only. The demo program is loaded into XB, then the black, white and red cables removed from the cassette recorder.  One that is done, the PLAY button is pressed on the recorder and Mr. Schwartz provides about 8 minutes of voice track tutorial that is synchronized with the display on the TI-99/4A computer screen. (MP Apr84, p.20)

• Joseph Nocera authors the now classic DEATH OF A COMPUTER article for Texas Monthly magazine. The article is so popular that only 2,000 copies of the April issue remain for sale a scant month after it is released. (Enthusiast 99 May84, p.3)

• TI-99/4A's have 14% of Home Computer market compared to 37% for Commodore.

• Rumors begin to surface about the impending release of a third-party 20,000 word spelling checker for the TI Writer word processor.

• It is rumored that Texas Instruments is manufacturing PCjrs for IBM.

• Kinetic Designs introduces TI File, TI File Junior and TI Mail for the TI-99/4A. (Compute! Apr84, p.182).

• APPLE --
  • Apple introduces the Apple IIc home computer for $1295.
  • Kangaroo Inc. introduces Jeepers Creatures and My House My Home for the Apple II and Atari computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.182).
  • Unicorn Software introduces Funbunch, Race Car 'Rithmetic, Ships Ahoy and Ten Little Robots, for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64 and IBM PC computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184).
  • Sierra On-Line introduces the Homeword word processor for Apple II, Atari and Commodore 64 computers. MSRP is $49.95. (Compute! Apr84, p.185)
  • Strategic Simulations introduces Carrier Force for the Apple II, Battle for Normandy for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, IBM PC and TRS-80 Models I and III and Tigers in the Snow for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and TRS-80 computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184)
  • Apple's goal of selling 50,000 Macintosh computers within the first 100 days comes on the 74th day after the MacIntosh unveiling.

• ATARI --
  • Unicorn Software introduces Funbunch, Race Car 'Rithmetic, Ships Ahoy and Ten Little Robots, for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64 and IBM PC computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184).
  • Sierra On-Line introduces the Homeword word processor for Apple II, Atari and Commodore 64 computers. MSRP is $49.95. (Compute! Apr84, p.185)
  • Strategic Simulations introduces Carrier Force for the Apple II, Battle for Normandy for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, IBM PC and TRS-80 Models I and III and Tigers in the Snow for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and TRS-80 computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184)
  • Atari lays off another 250 employees as all manufacturing in California ends when the company's coin-op game division pulls up stakes and moves elsewhere.

• COMMODORE --
  • Sophisticated Software of America introduces Grafix Artist and Grafix Printer for the Commodore 64. (Compute! Apr84, p.184).
  • Unicorn Software introduces Funbunch, Race Car 'Rithmetic, Ships Ahoy and Ten Little Robots, for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64 and IBM PC computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184).
  • Sierra On-Line introduces the Homeword word processor for Apple II, Atari and Commodore 64 computers. MSRP is $49.95. (Compute! Apr84, p.185)
  • Strategic Simulations introduces Carrier Force for the Apple II, Battle for Normandy for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, IBM PC and TRS-80 Models I and III and Tigers in the Snow for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and TRS-80 computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184)
  • Commodore announces two new IBM compatible business computers, one of them portable.

• PC/MS-DOS --
  • Unicorn Software introduces Funbunch, Race Car 'Rithmetic, Ships Ahoy and Ten Little Robots, for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64 and IBM PC computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184).
  • Strategic Simulations introduces Carrier Force for the Apple II, Battle for Normandy for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, IBM PC and TRS-80 Models I and III and Tigers in the Snow for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and TRS-80 computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184)

• TANDY --
  • Radio Shack introduces Peanut Butter Panic!, Star Trap and Taxi for the TRS-80 CoCo. (Compute! Apr84, p.182).
  • Strategic Simulations introduces Carrier Force for the Apple II, Battle for Normandy for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, IBM PC and TRS-80 Models I and III and Tigers in the Snow for the Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and TRS-80 computers. (Compute! Apr84, p.184)

MAY 1984:

• Home Computer Compendium becomes MICROpendium.

• Little-known assembly language programming wizard David S. Muenchau, who would later have several excellent TI Extended BASIC games published in MICROpendium, releases the 100% assembly language coded game Star Fort, an arcade-quality space adventure, for $19.95

• Maple Leaf Micro Ware announces the release of Backup, Diskit, Math Flash Astronaut, and Spelling and Phonics Tutor programs. Backup sells for $19.95 and it allows users to make backup copies of protected Extended BASIC programs. Mini-Memory is required. Diskit allows users to write adventure games to dosk from cassette. It sells for $29.95 and requires the Editor/Assembler cartridge and 32K Memory Expansion. Math Flash Astronaut sells for $14.95 and allows children to launch a rocket based upon successful answers to mathematics questions. It sports 12 levels of difficulty. Spelling and Phonics Tutor sells for $14.95 and allows the user to compose lessons by editing DATA statements within the program. It requires a cassette recorder, Solid State Speech Synthesizer and the Terminal Emulator II cartridge.

• Chris Bobbitt first appears on the TI scene with a book review that is published in MICROpendium.

• The International 99/4 Users Group reports that it has won a lawsuit against Torrance, CA based 99/4 Program Exchange, but the newsbyte in the May 1984 issue of Enthusiast 99 leads the reader to belive the lawsuit was won over use of the IUG maintained public-domain software library. Later information in Dr. Ron Albright's ORPHAN CHRONICLES book would reveal that the lawsuit was actually won on the merits of ownership of the IUG logo.

• Future Computing reports 1983 home computer sales by company:

• Commodore - 2 million Texas Instruments
• 1.5 million Atari
• 500,000 Timex
• 500,000 Tandy
• 400,000 All others
• 100,000

• Corcomp releases 9900 and 99000 expansion systems and the DS/DD disk controller card announced in February.

• Charles Ehninger, creator of Futura Software, is profiled in the National Ninety Niner newsletter out of Bakersfield, California.

• TexComp Users Supply announces that it will become the exclusive distributor for the TI Miniwriter word processor that Texas Instruments announced in June 1983, but never officially relased due to its departure from the home computer market.

• Axiom Corporation, 1014 Griswold Ave San Fernando, CA 91340 (213) 365-9521 announces the release of the ParallexTI printer interface which allows a printer to be used from the I/O port of a TI-99/4A console, thus eliminating the need for the PEB and RS-232 card to print.

• Not-Polyoptics releases Backgammon, Bankroll, Cosmopoly, Ophyss and Tower games on cassette.

• The International 99/4 Users Group publishes a new June 1984 pricelist which appears as a jacket to the V2N3 issue of Enthusiast 99 magazine.

• Charles LaFara reports that the International 99/4 Users Group suffered losses of $184,000 on $1,385,000 in revenue during the 1st quarter of 1984.

• APPLE -- The fate of the Apple /// seems sealed now that the Apple //c is on the scene. It appears the Apple /// is all but forgotten. Apple spokeswoman Barbara Krause acknowledged that the Dallas Apple /// assembly line is being converted to a production line for //c computers but denies the company is abandoning the Apple iii. Within 7 and a half hours of it's introduction, 50,000 Apple IIc computers are ordered by Apple dealers.

• ATARI --
  • Atari drops the Atari Program Exchange, better known as APX, a program through which it sold third-party software. -- Atari also unveils its first new video game player in two years. The game player can double as a home computer when an optional keyboard and disk drive is added. Atari chairman James Morgan says the demand for new video games remains strong.
  • Lucasfilm and Atari join "Forces" for the unveiling of two new home video games on May 8, that are designed to bring about a renaissance in the video game business. "Rescue on Fractalus" and "Ballblazer".

• COLECO -- Columnists Franklynn Peterson & Judi K-Turkel invite their 6 million readers to nominate the best and worst computers of 1983. The results are in, and the pair report Worst buy #1 is the Adam home computer from Coleco, dubbed the "Adam Bomb" .

• COMMODORE -- Doug Carlston, VP of Broderbund Software in San Rafael, CA., urges software writers to stay away from Commodore after it is learned that General Alexander Haig is on the Commodore board of directors.

• IBM PCjr -- Future Computing reports that IBM sold only 20,000 PCjr computers in the first three months of 1984. In November 1984 analysts predicted that the company would sell 500,000 PCjrs in all of 1984.

• MISC. -- Sorcim, maker of the SuperCalc spreadsheet, is sold to Computer Associates International. -- Hewlett-Packard releases its new $3495 laser printer, which can print text at eight times the speed of a daisywheel printer. ComputerLand will market the printer. -- Sente Technologies, started by Nolan Bushnell, is sold to Bally Manufacturing for $3 million.

JUN 1984:

• Myarc releases the MPES/50 expansion System with 32K memory, RS232/PIO ports and a SS/DD disk drive and controller. Retail price is $595. An MPES/50-RPM is also offered for cassette only owners.

• Infocom Inc. releases Sorcerer and Seastalker adventures for the TI-99/4A. Seastalker was written by Jim Lawrence and sells for $39.95. Sorcerer was written by Stu Galley and sells for $49.95.

• SunWare, a Lubbock, Texas firm, offers cartridge making service to assembly language and GPL programmers of TI-99/4A applications.

• TI establishes 800-TI-CARES phone.

• The Houston, TX Users Group reports gaining 50 new members since Texas Instruments announced that it was leaving the Home Computer market and would quit producing the TI-99/4A. (HUG Newsletter Jun84, p.1)

• Don and Doyle Bynum, dba Softmail Inc. out of Lancaster, TX, release TE 1200, a disk based terminal emulator for the TI-99/4A that is capable of transmitting at 1200bps. The $49.95 application requires Editor/Assembler and 32K Memory Expansion as well as an RS-232 device and a modem. It is being marketed by Unisource Electronics PO Box 64240 Lubbock, TX 79464 (800) 858-4580.

• The Navarone (Edgar Dohmann) authored assembly language Super Bugger program is released to the public domain by Texas Instruments.

• Navarone releases the Homework Helper cartridge.

• Navarone Industries announces the Cartridge Expander for the TI-99/4A. MSRP is $39.95 for the unit, which plugs in to the cartridge port of the 4A. (Compute! Jun84, p.151).

• EB Software releases Galactic Battle video game.

• Microcomputer Games, a division of Avalon Hill, releases the Galaxy space game for the TI-99/4A.

• Phil Barnes releases 99Calc, the first XB spreadsheet available for the TI-99. The program is advertised in the June issue of Computers and Electronics, on page 117.

• Dilithium Press releases 32 BASIC PROGRAMS FOR THE TI-99/4A by Tom Rugg, Phil Feldman and Raymond Alen.

• THE TI-99/4A IDEA BOOK book by David H. Ahl debuts in Creative Computing.

• El Dorado Trading Company of Palo Alto, CA buys $1,000,000 in TI-99/4A inventory and goes into business to serve the TI Community, reports Larry Boggs, controller for the firm.

• The SST Expanded BASIC Compiler is released on June 5th by SST Software Inc. PO Box 26 Cedarburg, WI 53012 (414) 771-8415. The price is $95.00.

• TEN-X Precision releases a replacement for the PEB fire hose. It sells for $43.90. A separate interconnect can also be purchased to allow the Solid State Speech Synthesizer to be used. It sells for $14.90.
• Computer-Fest '84 takes place on June 15-17, 1984 in Dayton, OH, sponsored by the Midwest Affiliation of Computer Clubs.

• Foundation computing of Tiburon, CA unveils an 80-column video display card on June 29th. (MICROpendium Sep84 p.5).

• THE BEST TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SOFTWARE book by the editors of Consumer Guide debuts in Byte Magazine, listed among similar titles for the Apple, Atari, and VIC/Commodore. (Byte, Jun84, p.463)

• ATARI -- Within two weeks of introducing new video games and a new video game console, Atari lays off some 700 workers at its Sunnyvale headquarters.

• APPLE -- Franklin computer files for bankruptcy on June 22nd, blaming its demise on its $2.5 million copyright settlement with Apple Computer, and "a general softness in the computer industry."

• COLECO -- In a move to boost sales of the Adam home computer, Coleco begins bundling 32 software programs with the machine. Meanwhile dealers report Coleco is offering to allow them to sell Adam computers on consignment.

• COMMODORE -- At the Summer CES Commodore announces the Plus/4, a 64KB machine with four internal programs: a word processor, database manager, graphics, and spreadsheet. The most astounding feature is the price -- less than $300. The really astounding feature is that the Plus/4 won't run the same programs as the C64! Also announced is the $100.00 Commodore 16, a scaled down version of it's popular C64 model, designed to replace the VIC-20.

• MISC. -- WordStar word processing manufacturer MicroPro lays off 100 people, or about 20% of its staff.

• MSX - The planned emergence of Japanese MSX-based computers at the Chicago show failed to materialize. Analysts were suprised and now say the wave of Japanese home computer may arrive early next year.

JUL 1984:

• JOYPRINT, a printer interface that is designed to work out of the joystick port, is released by Model Masters.

• The impending publication of Super 99 Monthly is announced by editor Richard Mitchell.

• Bright Micro Komputers releases Budget Recorder and Tramper programs.

• Tank Wars is released by Green-Bytes software of Waynesburg, PA. It is a TI BASIC game that retails for $9.95.

• Ramsoft Enterprises releases Extendaload, a loader/file manager for disk system owners. Price is $9.95.

• An article appears in Popular Computing that derides TI and its non-standard 16 bit chip, citing the failure of the TI-99/4A as an example of TI's poor corporate decision.

• Quick Copyer is released by Quality 99 Software.

• Assembly language programmer Gregg Wonderly releases Bugout, a $39.95 assembly language debugger for the TI-99/4A. Marketing for the program is done with the assistance of a friend and associate of the author named Terri Heim, who provides The Data Process as a store front for sales. (Enthusiast 99, May/June '84, p.17 and Gregg Wonderly 2/4/00). See also page 20 of the same issue for a BUGOUT advertisement.

• Dr. Guy-Steffan Romano opens the Amnion Helpline, formerly the International 99/4 Users Group Library Services, at 116 Carl St. San Francisco, CA 94117. (MICROpendium Jul84 p.20)

• Tiny Logo is released by Microcomputers Software of Armonk, New York. The programming language comes on cassette and uses only console memory.

• The Wild Woods game program by JW Software debuts.

• Western Ware Inc. PO Box 53042 Lubbock, TX 79453 releases the Data Base-X data manager for $29.95. (MICROpendium Jul84 p.12)

• Kent Sheets, 1673 So. N. Curtice Road, Curtice, Ohio 43412, sends out a letter to various user groups announcing that he is undertaking the first known indexing project of the various articles and other information found in publications supporting the TI-99/4A. He asks for the help of others in the TI Community.

• Intellestar releases Vyger and Heart Attack programs.

• The Atlanta 99/4A Computer User Group sponsors a Home Computer Fair on July 28th, that takes place at the Quality Inn in Atlanta, GA.

• 99/4A Auto Spell-Check is released by Thomas Kirk, doing business as DragonSlayer American Software. It becomes the first spelling checker ever written for TI-Writer. (MICROpendium Jul84 p.20)

• ATARI -- Warner Communications sells Atari to Commodore founder Jack Tramiel on July 10th. The deal is a NO CASH DOWN deal, with parent company Warner Communications issuing $240 million in debt securities to Tramiel which he has 12 years to pay off. Tramiel replaces James Morgan. Within 8 days of Jack Tramiel's purchase of Atari, his old company Commodore files a lawsuit against four engineers Tramiel lured with him to Atari. The suit claims the 4 stole trade secrets from Commodore.

• COLECO -- COLECO hires former Apple II and IIe production chief Robert Baker to run its Adam Division. Undaunted by its $35 million 4th quarter loss, it gears up for a $15 million advertising campaign to reintroduce the Coleco Adam computer.

• COMMODORE -- Commodore purchases the Amiga Corporation of Santa Clara, CA. , maker of the new Amiga computer.

• EAGLE -- Eagle Computer lays off another 85 employees. Plagued by serious debts and a price-cutting war with IBM, Eagle's Ronald Mickwee also brushes off the resignations of six more top-ranking executives' resignations by stating, "We didn't need all that brass."

• MISC. --
  • Computer Magazine casualties that die as a result of the computer industry's downturn include SYNC, SOFTWARE SUPERMARKET, BASIC COMPUTING, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING, Softalk's ST GAME and Atari's ATARI CONNECTION.
  • Maryland PC clonemaker Seequa Computer files for bankruptcy.
  • Bondwell Industrial  Co. Inc. of Hong Kong announces that it plans to buy former TI-99/4A competitor Spectravideo, makers of the SV-318 that Texas Instruments included in a feature comparison marketing tool in 1983.
    

• VICTOR -- Chuck Peddle's Victor Technologies company is sold to Datatronic AB of Stockholm, Sweden for $28 million. Datatronic distributes Commodore computers in Europe.

AUG 1984:

• Super Extended BASIC programming is released by Jim Hollender doing business as J&KH Software.

• CorComp files for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11.

• St. Nick and Schnozola game cartridges are released by Funware.

• Milton Bradley Co. of Springfield, MA announces Programming Animation and Graphics for the TI-99/4A and Apple II computers. It is a set of 60 Task Cards that teach the techniques, designed for use by a teacher. MSRP is $9.95.

• IBM PCjr -- A new typewriter style keyboard and optional memory expansion attachments are released for the PCjr.

• MISC. -- George Tate, co-founder of ASHTON-TATE, dies at the age of 40 of an apparent heart attack on August 10th. -- The "Visi On" software series is sold to Control Data Corporation for a reported $2.5 million dollars.

SEP 1984:

• Home Computer Magazine announces that beginning with the September 1984 issue it will no longer accept advertising. Publisher Gary Kaplan makes the announcement in the September 1984 issue of Home Computer Digest, which does accept advertising. Word outside of the Emerald Valley Publishing firm is that advertising was dropped as part of a lawsuit settlement filed by advertisers who claimed they were mislead about the magazine's true circulation. The introduction of the Home Computer Digest in September 1984, with its advertisements, comes off as a stroke of marketing genius by the Kaplan regime. (Home Computer Digest, Sep 1984, p.3)

• Richard Mitchell begins publishing Super 99 Monthly from Sulphur, LA.

• Wisefiler, a free-form text database management tool written by Paolo Bagnaresi of Milan, Italy, wins the programming contest  sponsored by the Italian magazine "Micro &  Personal Computer".

• The Wycove Forth programming lnguage for the TI-99/4A is released by Canadian author Tim McEchearn.

• Tarik Isani, owner of StarSoft releases three new assembly language programs for the 99/4A; Microkey, for defining keyboard macros, Nibbler, a disk copier program, and Unprotector, a program to unprotect Extended Basic programs while they are in memory.

• Cheryl Whitelaw (aka REGENA) profile appears in the National Ninety Niner newsletter.

• Compute! Books releases COMPUTE!'S GUIDE TO EXTENDED BASIC HOME APPLICATIONS ON THE TI-99/4A by Christopher Flynn.

• Personal Peripherals releases the Sketchmate graphics drawing tablet for the TI-99/4A. (HUG Newsletter Sep84, p.7)

• Home Computer Digest reports on page 13 of it's September 1984 issue that MicroMagic Software has begun producing the LVM-99 Videodisc Interface, but it never appears.

• The Defense Department accuses Texas Instruments, its largest supplier of semiconductors, of improperly testing millions of dollars worth of chips that are now used in military hardware.

• Texas Instruments admits to improperly testing millions of dollars worth of semiconductors it sold to the Defense Department, but denies that any of the chips were faulty.

• The Lehigh, PA 99'er Computer Group reprints an authorized copy of Joseph Nocera's "Death of a Computer" from the April 1984 Texas Monthly in the group's September newsletter.
  

• APPLE -- Apple releases the so-called Fat Mac, a 512K RAM Macintosh, with a price tag of $3,195.

• COMMODORE -- Commodore begins a series of TV ads designed to increase its name recognition when it finds out that even though it is selling more computers than anyone else, few people say "Commodore" when asked to name brands of computers.

• MISC --
  • Reader's Digest leaves the software business. (Home Computer Digest Sep 1984, p.25)
  • MECA decides to withhold distribution of it's James Fixx endorsed software program The Complete Book of Running after Fixx dies while jogging. (Home Computer Digest Sep 1984, p.25)

OCT 1984:

• Texas Instruments releases enhancements to TI-Writer and Multiplan.

• MICROpendium reports that Atarisoft appears to be backing out of its support of the TI-99/4A as more and more Atarisoft ads in magazines are beginning to omit the TI Home Computer.

• Gembar Graphics releases Blue Bert and Derby Day.

• Morning Star Software releases their CP/M Card for the TI-99/4A Peripheral Expansion Box.

• Tachyon Systems releases a 32K Standalone Memory Expansion unit. Price is $110.

• Ramsoft Enterprises releases Ramvoice invoice management software. It is offered in 1600, 3200 and 6400 stock number capacity versions, priced at $39.95, $49.95 and $59.95 respectively.

• Know-Ware of Lubbock, TX releases Slinkybug assembly language debugger, and Turbo Copy disk duplicator utility.

• Foundation Computing announces that it is delaying the sale of it's 80-column card announced in August.

• Intellestar general manager Richard M. Jolles announces that his company will be leaving the TI market.

• Compute! Publications ceases publication of Compute!'s PC & PCjr magazine after it and the IBM PCjr both fail in the market place. (Compute! Oct84, p.6)

• COLECO -- Coleco cuts the price on the ADAM home computer, they say to increase Christmas sales. Industry pundits however state that the price cut is the first step in Coleco's efforts to disband the line of home computers. Coleco's Morton Handel emphatically denies this.

• COMMODORE --
  • H.E.S., aka Human Engineered Software, a maker of 45 different Commodore 64 software products, avoids going out of business when it is acquired by Avant Gaurd Publishing Corp. of Eugene, Oregon.
  • Commodore's Plus/4 and Commodore 16 computers begin to show up in toy and department store channels.
  • Commodore buys the Amiga Lorraine computer from Amiga Corporation of Santa Clara, CA. (Byte Oct84,p.9)

• OSBORNE -- The reborn Osborne Computer company introduces the "Vixen" and the Osborne III.

• TANDY -- The Tandy 1200, an IBM-XT compatible, is released.

NOV 1984:

• Compute! Books releases 33 PROGRAMS FOR THE TI-99/4A by Brian Flynn.

• Tigervision's Miner 2049er shows up on dealer's shelves and inventory lists at a MSRP of $49.95.

• Navarone's Super Duper high speed disk copier debuts at a MSRP of $39.95.

• Richard G. Minutillo releases a 40-column utility for the Mini Memory cartridge which allows complete access to the TI-99/4A's 40-column text mode via various CALL LINK commands. Price is $12.95.

• INNERMOST SECRETS OF THE TI-99/4A book by Computer Shopper columnist Randy Holcomb is released for $5.95.

• Availability of THE LAST WORD ON THE TI-99/4A book by Linda M. and Allen R. Schreiber is listed in Byte magazine on page 496. Price is $11.50.

• Challenger Software International changes its name to CSI Design Group.

• Intellestar reverses it's decision to leave the TI-99/4A market.

• APPLE -- Because demand has been lower than expected, Apple reduces the price of the IIc to $1195, $1295 with monitor and stand. Price for the IIe remains at $895. (Byte Nov84, p.10)

• ATARI -- Jack Tramiel takes over Atari on Tuesday November 13th. It is expected that he will announce an Atari 800XL price cut from $179 to $100.

• COLECO --
  • ECN (Expandable Computer News) editor Darrell R. Sage reports; "The Wall Street Journal continues to be filled with speculation that Coleco will drop the ADAM after Christmas. Remember this is only speculation. Most of it comes from the same type of people who thought that the IBM PC Jr. was the best thing since sliced bread. We all know how accurate their predictions about the Jr. have been.At the same time they are predicting the demise of the ADAM. Coleco has announced a number of promotions. The most recent will allow many retialers to sell the ADAM at $499. Rather than cut the wholesale price, Coleco is offering retailers $175 worth of free software with each computer. Infoworld recently carried a relatively positive article on ADAM. The article quotes industry analysts who estimate that by the end of the year approximately 320,000 ADAMs will have been sold. Coleco has been busily working to get peripherals and software on the market before Christmas. They are currently shipping disk drives, modems and 64k memory expanders, as well as data drives." (ECN Nov/Dec 1984, #5)
  • Industry rumors abound that Coleco is ready to dump the Adam computer come 1985. The company cancels a major contract with Chinon Industries of Tokyo, which supplies the printers for Adam computers. Coleco won't confirm that the contract is dead however.

• MISC. -- MicroPro announces the impending release of WordStar 2000. Versions for IBMs and compatibles will be available first, in late November and will be priced between $500 and $600. -- The name "VisiCorp" probably won't be on future products that the company markets because VisiCorp has just decided to merge with Paladin Software.

• OSBORNE -- Osborne Computer holds an auction in San Jose, CA, selling 100 Osborne 1 and Executive computers to bring in some fast cash to the newly reorganized firm.

• TANDY -- Tandy introduces the Tandy 1000, a PC- lookalike which costs $1,200 less than a PC. Analysts expect it to become the company's best seller next year as it runs most IBM software and has a very attractive price.

DEC 1984:

• Compute! Books releases COMPUTE!'S TI COLLECTION VOLUME 1.

• TI receives the "Warped Disk" award from Popular Computing for its decision to orphan the TI-99/4A.

• Jim Peterson, doing business as TigerCub Software, releases Nuts and Bolts disk #1.

• CSI Design Group releases Gravity Master game.

• Know Ware releases System Diagnostics for the TI-99/4A.

• Quality 99 Software releases Chart Maker, Disk Manager III, QS-Writer, and SDUMP.

• Axiom Corporation 1014 Griswold San Fernando, CA 91340 releases the Axiom GP-550 dot matrix printer for $299.00 MSRP. The bi-directional printer has a draft (86 characters per second) and a Near Letter Quality mode (43 characters per second). It also comes with built-in interfaces for Apple, Atari, Commodore and Texas Instruments home computers. A separate model, the GP-550PC is also available for $319.00 for use with the IBM PC and compatibles. (Compute! Dec84, p.201)

• APPLE --
  • Your Personal Net Worth debuts from Scarborough Systems Inc. 25 North Broadway Tarrytown, NY 10591. The home financial management package is available for the Apple, Atari and Commodore 64 line of computers at a MSRP of $79.95. A version for the IBM PCjr is also available for $99.95. The program comes on two disks, the second of which is preformatted with accounts. (Compute! Dec84, p.204)
  • Arktronics 520 East Liberty St Ann Arbor, MI 48104 releases JANE for the Apple //c. Jane is an integrated package featuring word processing, budgeting, and list management functions. Jane utilizes a set of pictures to represent system commands and functions. Four on-screen windows allow all three applications to be displayed and used at the same time. The applications are called Janewrite, Janecalc and Janelist. (Compute! Dec84, p.202)
  • Reports surface that Aldus Corporation of Seattle will introduce the first low-cost desk-top printing press based on a Macintosh computer in January.

• ATARI --
  • Atari closes its production facility in Limerick, Ireland on Christmas Eve, putting 250 members of that community out of work. Some 40 workers are also laid off at Atari's Sunnyvale, California headquarters. Jack Tramiel told the "San Jose Mercury News" that he's hoping to build a new, automated plant in Europe, and in the meantime, all production has been shifted to Taiwan. Irish officials, meanwhile, are aghast at the closure. Frank Prendergast, Mayor of Limerick, has been quoted as saying, "Irish workers are suffering so Atari could benefit from slave labor wages in the Far East!"
  • The Wall Street Journal reports that former Commodore head Jack Tramiel will get out of Atari if the company isn't profitable by December 1, 1984. Tramiel denies this.

• COMMODORE --
  • At the January COMDEX in Las Vegas Commodore announces a sequential music synthesizer for the Commodore 64.
  • Commodore pays $25 million to acquire AMIGA, which is developing its first Macintosh-like computer. This comes from Commodore's annual report. Commodore continues to say the "less than $1,000" computer will have great graphics and will be available commercially in early '85.

• MISC. -- Workman Publishing of Plano, TX releases a new book entitled "Cracking the Peanut" by former Texas Instruments programmer and TI-99 engineer Hank Mishkoff. -- Noted programmer Tom Snyder announces that he will introduce a game called "The Other Side." It is inspired by his watching the doomsday made-for-TV movie "The Day After" on ABC.

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