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Old joint venture between Timex and Sinclair From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Timex Sinclair was a joint venture established in December 1982[1][2] between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly growing early-1980s home computer market in North America.[3]
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Company type | Joint venture |
---|---|
Industry | Home Computer |
Founded | December 12, 1982 |
Defunct | January 10, 1984 |
Fate | Dissolved |
Headquarters | , |
Owners | Sinclair Research, Timex Corporation |
The choice of partnership was natural, as Timex was already the main contractor for manufacture of Sinclair's ZX81 and ZX Spectrum computers at its Scottish plant in Dundee.[3]
Due to large demand another manufacturer was needed, so Timex Portugal (TMX Portugal Lda, a Portuguese Timex subsidiary[4]), with skilled and relatively cheap labor force,[4] took on the production of models to be exported to the U.S..[5]
Timex Portugal sold the Timex Sinclair (ex: T/S 2068) models in Portugal and Poland under the Timex Computer (ex: TC 2068)[6] brand. In order to market Timex Sinclair products in the United States, Timex Corporation created a subsidiary named "Timex Computer Corporation", and sold machines under the brand Timex Sinclair.[7][1]
Timex Sinclair ended as Timex Corporation withdrew from the U.S. home computer market in January 1984[1][2] but Timex Portugal continued to manufacture, sell and develop hardware in Portugal and Poland[8] for another ten years, with some machines also being sold in Canada and Argentina (see Czerweny computers).[4][5] A 1986 report mentions that 800.000 systems, between TC 2048, TC 2068 and FDD3000, were sold to Poland.[8]
Overall, Timex Sinclair machines were nowhere near as successful as their UK progenitors; in contrast with the ZX Spectrum, which was the best-selling computer in Britain at the time, the T/S 2068 was a relative failure, partly due to Timex Corporation leaving the computer business shortly after its introduction.[9]
The T/S 1000 was introduced in July 1982,[2] with Timex Sinclair touting it as the first home computer to cost under $100 in the U.S. market.[10] In spite of the flaws in the early versions, 550,000 units were sold by the end of the year.[11]
In 1983, about 100,000 units were sold in Canada, and 400,000 in the US, with the price dropping to $49.95.[11] A new computer was announced in May. Named T/S 2000, it was based on the ZX Spectrum,[12] and would come in with 16 or 48K RAM versions, costing $150 or $200. The 16K version was cancelled, and the 48K version was released as T/S 2068.[13]
Two new computers were introduced that same year, the T/S 1500 and T/S 2068.[14] Both were more expensive ($79[15] and $199 respectively) and with low sales.[11]
Timex Sinclair released four computers, all of them based (to some extent) on Sinclair Research's existing machines. In chronological order:
Timex Computer Corporation, under the Timex Sinclair brand, and Timex Portugal, under the Timex Computer brand, produced a number of different peripherals for the Timex computer line:
Timex Computer Corporation, under the Timex Sinclair brand, released 9 business, 20 home management, 30 education and 25 game titles on cassette for the T/S 1000 and T/S 1500.[72][73] Four titles on cartridges were also released.[72]
For the T/S 2068, 4 business, 13 home management, 29 education and 24 game titles were released on cassette.[74] Seven titles were released on cartridges.[74]
Timex Portugal sold/developed the following software, under the Timex Computer brand:[75]
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