The Sharp PC-1211 is the first pocket computer ever released, marketed by Sharp Corporation in March 1980. 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)
Technical specifications 24 digit dot matrix LCD Full QWERTY-style keyboard Integrated beeper Connector for printer and tape drive Programmable in BASIC 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 CMOS 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") A badge-engineered version of the Sharp PC-1211 was introduced in July 1980 and marketed by Radio Shack 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.
See also Sharp pocket computer character sets
References
External links
Sharp PC-1211 on MyCalcDB (database about 1970s and 1980s pocket calculators) www.promsoft.com/calcs Sharp Pocket Computers Daves Old Computers - TRS-80 Pocket Computer The TRS-80 Pocket Computer