 Sharp PC-1211 | |
| Manufacturer | Sharp Corporation |
|---|---|
| Generation | First |
| Release date | March 1980 |
| CPU | SC43177/SC43178 processors at 256 kHz |
| Memory | three TC5514P 4 Kbit RAM modules |
| Display | 24 digit dot matrix LCD |
| Input | Full QWERTY-style keyboard |
| Power | four MR44 1.35 V Mercury button cells |
| Successor | Sharp PC-5000 |
| Related | Sharp PC-1500 Sharp PC-1251 |
The Sharp PC-1211 is the first pocket computer ever released, marketed by Sharp Corporation in March 1980.[1][2] The computer was powered by two 4-bit CPUs laid out in power-saving CMOS circuitry. One acted as the main CPU, the other dealt with the input/output and display interface. Users could write computer programs in BASIC.
A badge-engineered version of the PC-1211, the TRS-80 Pocket Computer (model PC-1), was marketed by Radio Shack in July 1980 as the first iteration of the TRS-80 Pocket Computer with just a marginally different look (outer plastic parts in black, not brown, gray display frame)
- ^ Hayes, Frank (December 16, 2002). "The Story So Far". Computerworld. 36 (51). IDG Publications: 28 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ Barry, John (September 1, 1980). "Japanese Retailer Pursues U.S. Market". InfoWorld. 2 (15). IDG Publications: 26–27 – via Google Books.