RICK%mit-mc@sri-unix.UUCP (04/18/83)
From: Richard P. Wilkes <RICK@mit-mc> I saw a flyer for the new Model IV from Tandy and thought I might pass on what I remembered about the machine. First, good-bye battleship grey! Altho the white/black combination isn't the most appealing, it doesn't fleck off like the grey... It is in a case similar to the Model III (apparently a replacement computer). Two 184K disk drives running TRSDOS 6.0 or LDOS (TRSDOS 6.0 *may* be LDOS. The description was very close...). Z80A, 4MHz (finally), 64K std., 128K max. (Other 64K used as RAMDISK. Hopefully, it can be used for the spooler and SYSRES modules, also.) Screen is 80x24 OR 64x16 OR 32x16 (to be compat with Mod III while still offering 80x24). Couldn't tell if it was a green phosphor display. The keyboard is like the model III except for a control key next to the space bar (huh?) and a shift lock on the right side of the space bar (double huh?). Special keys (BREAK, CLEAR, etc) are white while others are black. There are also three function keys at the top of the keypad. Supposedly, it has sound, inverse video (whole screen?) one RS232C max (yuk!), the new Microsoft BASIC, and is touted as being "totally Model III compatible." We'll see. Price: $1999 gives a 2 drive, 64K, RS232C machine. $119 gets you the additional 64K. Looks like a reasonable machine. It is going to be announced Apr 25, I believe, so we'll find out after that. -r