The Sharp PC-1211 is a

pocket computer A pocket computer was a 1980s-era user programmable calculator-sized computer that had fewer screen lines, Some had only one line and often fewer characters per line, than the Pocket-sized computers introduced beginning in 1989. Manufacturers in ...

marketed by

Sharp Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products, headquartered in Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. Since 2016 it has been majority owned by the Taiwan-based Foxconn Group. Sharp employs more than 5 ...

in the 1980s. The computer was powered by two

4-bit In computer architecture, 4-bit integers, or other data units are those that are 4 bits wide. Also, 4-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures are those that are based on registers, or data buses of that si ...

CPUs laid out in power-saving

CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOSFE ...

circuitry. One acted as the main CPU, the other dealt with the input/output and display interface. Users could write

computer program A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to execute. Computer programs are one component of software, which also includes documentation and other intangible components. A computer program ...

s in

BASIC BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages designed for ease of use. The original version was created by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College ...

. A

badge-engineered In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a manu ...

version of the PC-1211 was marketed by

Radio Shack RadioShack, formerly RadioShack Corporation, is an American retailer founded in 1921. At its peak in 1999, RadioShack operated over 8,000 worldwide stores named RadioShack or Tandy Electronics in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austra ...

as the first iteration of the

TRS-80 The TRS-80 Micro Computer System (TRS-80, later renamed the Model I to distinguish it from successors) is a desktop microcomputer launched in 1977 and sold by Tandy Corporation through their Radio Shack stores. The name is an abbreviation of '' ...

Pocket Computer with just a marginally different look (outer plastic parts in black, not brown, gray display frame)

Technical specifications

*24 digit

dot matrix A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional patterned array, used to represent characters, symbols and images. Most types of modern technology use dot matrices for display of information, including mobile phones, televisions, and printers. The system is al ...

LCD *Full

QWERTY QWERTY () is a keyboard layout for Latin-script alphabets. The name comes from the order of the first six Computer keyboard keys#Types, keys on the top left letter row of the keyboard ( ). The QWERTY design is based on a layout created f ...

-style keyboard *Integrated beeper *Connector for printer and tape drive *Programmable in

*Uses four MR44 Mercury button cells *Battery life in excess of 200 hours *1424 program steps, 26 permanent variable locations (- or -) and 178 variables shared with program steps *Built out of off-the-shelf

components, including SC43177/SC43178 processors at and three TC5514P RAM modules

Accessories

*CE-121 Cassette Interface *CE-122 Printer

TRS-80 Pocket Computer ("PC-1")

version of the Sharp PC-1211 was marketed by

as the original TRS-80 Pocket Computer. (This was later referred to as the "PC-1" to differentiate it from subsequent entries (PC-2 onwards) in the

TRS-80 Pocket Computer line The Tandy Pocket Computer or TRS-80 Pocket Computer is one of a line of 1980s small pocket computers—calculator-sized programmable computing devices—sold by Tandy Corporation under the "''Tandy''" or "''Radio Shack TRS-80''" brands. A ...

.) Introduced in July 1980, the "PC-1" measured 175 × 70 × 15 mm and weighed 170 g, and had a one-line, 24-character alphanumeric LCD. The TRS-80 Pocket Computer was programmable in

, with a capacity of 1424 "program steps". This memory was shared with variable storage of up to 178 locations, in addition to the 26 fixed locations named A through Z. The implementation was based on

Palo Alto Tiny BASIC Tiny BASIC is a family of dialects of the BASIC programming language that can fit into 4 or fewer KBs of memory. Tiny BASIC was designed in response to the open letter published by Bill Gates complaining about users pirating Altair BASIC, whic ...

. Programs and data could be stored on a

Compact Cassette The Compact Cassette or Musicassette (MC), also commonly called the tape cassette, cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Ottens ...

through an optional external

cassette tape interface The Compact Cassette or Musicassette (MC), also commonly called the tape cassette, cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Otten ...

unit. A printer/cassette interface was available, which used an ink ribbon on plain paper. Sharp Calculator PC1211.jpg, Sharp PC-1211. This example exhibits a display that is failing, a very common problem with Sharp's displays of the time. Sharp-PC-1211-001.jpg, CE-122 printer in travel case. TRS-80 Pocket Computer.jpg, Rebadged "TRS-80 Pocket Computer" version.

References

External links

Sharp PC-1211
o
MyCalcDB
(database about 1970s and 1980s pocket calculators)
www.promsoft.com/calcs
Sharp Pocket Computers
The TRS-80 Pocket Computer
PC-1211 PC-1211 Computer-related introductions in 1980 {{microcompu-stub

Technical specifications

Accessories

TRS-80 Pocket Computer ("PC-1")

See also

References

External links