Have you ever seen a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III computer? Aesthetically, it's everything I dreamt a computer should look like. This is an all-in-one system; monitor, disk drive and keyboard built-in. These days when we hear a description like that we think laptop or ultra-portable device like a Microsoft Surface Pro. Back in 1980, that was not the case.
The base model went for about $700, but it didn't include a disk drive.
The Model III was a lot like the Model I with the biggest difference being the shielding for the RF emissions (the Model I didn't have this). They were mostly compatible with each other and both had BASIC in ROM. The Model III could display 16 lines of 64 characters on it's 12 inch monochrome monitor. It had a parallel port for Radio Shack printers. The base model only came with 8 kilobytes, but it was able to be expanded to 48 kilobytes. A lot of computers of the time were going with 64K built-in.
I remember seeing these at some schools and from what I read, that's because they were popular for education. The biggest reason being that they were hard to steal and being an all-in-one, parts of it couldn't go missing.
Yes, I remember. But, do you remember this beauty....
The APF Microcomputer System[1] is a second generation 8-bit cartridge-based home video game console released in 1978 by APF Electronics Inc with six cartridges.[2] The console is often referred to M-1000 or MP-1000, which are the two model numbers of the console. The controllers are non-detachable joysticks which also have numeric keypads. The APF-MP1000 comes built-in with the game Rocket Patrol. The APF-MP1000 is a part of the APF Imagination Machine. (from wiki)
This was first computer I bought when I was like 16. Save the money working during my summer. Got it and did mad basic warez. Ahhhh those where the days ;)
Never seen one in person, but I know of it. The Imagination Machine should have been bigger than it was.
I thought so too at the time. Brand new was like $150.00. The TSR's where way out of my budget. It had a whopping 9k of ram. Plus tape deck, and a game console. What could be better:) Had it up till my 2c, then traded that for an IBM 8088. Again, those were the days. Hehe