Sharp PC-1211 or TRS-80 Pocket Computer – 1980
Handheld computer!
Sharp PC1211 Specifications
The Sharp PC-1211 (also sold as the Tandy TRS-80 Pocket Computer) was a technologic marvel when it was released in 1980. Having said that, it was built using off the shelf CMOS components and was really just a very clever piece of packaging. Utilizing two four-bit processors, one for compute “power” and one for I/O, it was hardly a power-house…
Carry case with printer
Sharp PC-1211 carry case with printer
PC-1211 components
Interior view of the Sharp PC1211
Manual
Specifications (from Wikipedia)
- 24 digit dot matrix LCD
- Full QWERTY-style keyboard
- Integrated beeper
- Connector for printer and tape drive
- Programmable in BASIC
- Uses four MR44 1.35 V Mercury button cells
- Battery life in excess of 200 hours
- 1424 program steps, 26 permanent variable locations (A-Z or A$-Z$) and 178 variables shared with program steps
- Built out of off-the-shelf CMOS components, including SC43177/SC43178 processors at 256 kHz and three TC5514P 4 Kbit RAM modules
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