The Sharp PC-1211 is the first

pocket computer A pocket computer is a class of handheld computer characterized by very short displays (typically accommodating only one or a handful of lines of text) and calculator-style alphanumeric keypads. Pocket computers occupy a small footprint, allowin ...

ever released, marketed by

Sharp Corporation is a Japanese electronics company. It is headquartered in Sakai, Osaka, and was founded by Tokuji Hayakawa in 1912 in Honjo, Tokyo, and established as the Hayakawa Metal Works Institute in Abeno-ku, Osaka, in 1924. Since 2016, it is majority o ...

in March 1980. The computer was powered by two

4-bit 4-bit computing is the use of computer architectures in which integer (computer science), integers and other data (computer science), data units are 4 bits wide. 4-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures a ...

CPU A central processing unit (CPU), also called a central processor, main processor, or just processor, is the primary processor in a given computer. Its electronic circuitry executes instructions of a computer program, such as arithmetic, log ...

s laid out in power-saving

CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss ", , ) is a type of MOSFET, metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) semiconductor device fabrication, fabrication process that uses complementary an ...

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 Execution (computing), execute. It is one component of software, which also includes software documentation, documentation and other intangibl ...

s in

BASIC Basic or BASIC may refer to: Science and technology * BASIC, a computer programming language * Basic (chemistry), having the properties of a base * Basic access authentication, in HTTP Entertainment * Basic (film), ''Basic'' (film), a 2003 film ...

. A

badge-engineered In the automotive industry, rebadging (also known as badge engineering, an intentionally ironic misnomer in that little or no actual engineering takes place) is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. ...

version of the PC-1211, the TRS-80 Pocket Computer (model PC-1), was marketed by

Radio Shack RadioShack (formerly written as Radio Shack) is an American electronics retailer that was established in 1921 as an amateur radio mail-order business. Its parent company was purchased by Tandy Corporation in 1962, which shifted its focus from ma ...

in July 1980 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 developed by American company Tandy Corporation and sold through their Radio Shack stores. Launched in 1977, it is ...

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 data structure, 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 pri ...

LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liquid crystals do not em ...

*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 letter row of the keyboard: . The QWERTY design is based on a layout included in the Sh ...

-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 introduced in July 1980 and 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. 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 a travel case. TRS-80 Pocket Computer.jpg, Rebadged "TRS-80 Pocket Computer PC-1" version. TRS80PocketComputerWithCassetteDrive.jpg, TRS-80 Pocket Computer with external cassette tape interface unit and Realistic Minisette 9

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