 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
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| Developer | Information Appliance, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Canon |
| Type | Task-dedicated single-unit desktop computer |
| Release date | 1987 |
| Introductory price | US$1,495 (equivalent to $4,000 in 2023) |
| Discontinued | 1987 |
| Units sold | 20,000 units |
| Operating system | Forth |
| CPU | Motorola 68000 @ 5 MHz |
| Memory | 256 KB of RAM |
| Storage | 3½-inch 256 KB floppy disk drive |
| Display | 9-inch (229 mm) black-and-white monitor |
| Graphics | 80 × 24 characters, 672 × 344 pixels |
| Connectivity | Internal 300/1200 bit/s modem |
| Mass | 17 pounds (7.7 kg) |
The Canon Cat is a task-dedicated microcomputer released by Canon Inc. in 1987 for $1,495 (equivalent to $4,000 in 2023).[1] Its appearance resembles dedicated word processors of the late 1970s to early 1980s, but it is far more powerful, and has many unique ideas for data manipulation.
The system is primarily the creation of Jef Raskin who originated the Macintosh project at Apple.[1] After leaving the company in 1982 and founding Information Appliance, Inc., he began designing a new computer closer to his original vision of an inexpensive, utilitarian "people's computer". Information Appliance first developed the SwyftCard for the Apple II, then licensed it to Canon as the Cat. BYTE in 1987 described the Cat as "a spiritual heir to the Macintosh".[2]
- ^ a b "CAT Canon". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
- ^ Shapiro, Ezra (October 1987). "A Spiritual Heir to the Macintosh". BYTE. p. 121. Retrieved 4 August 2014.