Microcomputer Associates, Inc., was an American computer company founded by

Manny Lemas Manny is a common nickname for the given names Manuel (name) , Manuel, Emmanuel (name) , Emmanuel, Immanuel (name) , Immanuel, Emanuele, Herman (name), Herman, Norman (name), Norman, or Manfred (given name), Manfred. It may refer to: People *Man ...

and

Ray Holt Raymond Holt or Ray Holt is the name of: * Raymond Holt (character) from '' Brooklyn Nine Nine'' *Ray Holt (computer scientist) Raymond M. Holt (born in 1944) is an American computer designer and businessman in Silicon Valley. Ray Holt graduate ...

. It produced the low-cost Jolt Microcomputer, designed by Holt and released in 1975 for . Microcomputer Associates introduces the 6502 based Jolt computer kit for $249. A Jolt microcomputer was notably used in the

Atari VCS The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...

prototype by

Cyan Engineering Cyan Engineering was an American computer engineering company located in Grass Valley, California.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfFGrQLuY8s Atari's Cyan Engineering - Splendor in the Grass documentary It was founded by Steve Mayer and Larry Emmons ...

. MAI was later acquired by semiconductor manufacturer

Synertek Synertek, Inc. was an American semiconductor manufacturer founded in 1973. The initial staff consisted of Bob Schreiner (the CEO), Dan Floyd, Jack Balletto, and Gunnar Wetlesen and Zvi Grinfas. Schreiner, Floyd, Balletto and Wetlesen were all forme ...

, a second source manufacturer of the

6502 The MOS Technology 6502 (typically pronounced "sixty-five-oh-two" or "six-five-oh-two") William Mensch and the moderator both pronounce the 6502 microprocessor as ''"sixty-five-oh-two"''. is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by a small ...

, and renamed Synertek Systems. It then created the

SYM-1 The SYM-1 is a single board "trainer" computer produced by Synertek Systems in 1975. It was designed by Ray Holt. Originally called the VIM-1 (Versatile Input Monitor), that name was later changed to SYM-1. The SYM-1 is a close copy of the po ...

, a 6502-based single board microcomputer and spiritual successor to the

KIM-1 The KIM-1, short for ''Keyboard Input Monitor'', is a small MOS Technology 6502, 6502-based single-board computer developed and produced by MOS Technology, MOS Technology, Inc. and launched in 1976. It was very successful in that period, due to ...

. In 1978 the company offered a number of processor and peripheral modules.J. C. Boonham ''Small systems computer sourcebook'' Taylor & Francis, 1978 pages 11-13

References

1975 establishments in California 1978 disestablishments in California 1978 mergers and acquisitions American companies established in 1975 American companies disestablished in 1978 Companies based in Santa Clara, California Computer companies established in 1975 Computer companies disestablished in 1978 Defunct computer companies based in California Defunct computer companies of the United States Defunct computer hardware companies Early microcomputers {{Computer-stub