[TRS-80] Reviews of TRS-80 and compatible computers in magazines of the 1970s & 80s (fwd)

[This showed up on the TRS-80 list that I'm on. I figured many of you here would enjoy it. -g.] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:01:17 -0000 From: Rainer <fredrich at .......de> Reply-To: TRS-80 at yahoogroups.com To: TRS-80 at yahoogroups.com Subject: [TRS-80] Reviews of TRS-80 and compatible computers in magazines of the 1970s & 80s For some TRS-80 fans it may be interesting to have a view on the editor's judgements from the earlier times when these computers were displayed in computer shop's display windows for sale. The technical details of the reviewed computers are more precise and meaningful than the shorthand technical specifications found on modern computer museum internet sites. Some of the reviews are more well disposed and other less. Because of the different views of the various editors the reader can make himself a pretty good overview about the desired computer model. Since some of the reviews are difficult to obtain nowadays I think it might be useful to make them available in this manner. Beside the elder TRS-80 computer enthusiasts (I'm 51 years old) which are familiar with most of the TRS-80 models since the late 1970s there may be younger ones who could be supported in their decision to obtain a specific model. The containing information of the reviews might bring some light in the beginner's lack of knowlegde of the different types of TRS-80 and compatible computers. BTW, are there any younger TRS-80 users among us (born after ~1980) or do the group members consist only of survivers of the former 8-bit times? The reviews are taken almost all from independent magazines like Byte or 80micro and similar printed publications. The pages from the magazine 'Microcomputer News' should more seen like an introduction and advertisment than real reviews because this magazine was published by Radio Shack. Nevertheless I have added for completeness a few of the overviews from this magazine too. Some of the models have more reviews than others. That's because my access is limited to only a small fraction of all ever printed issues of the various computer magazines. For example: the Model III which is represented only by one review is accidently the least recognized computer in this collection despite the fact that this model is one of the most spread ones. Does someone have another review of the Model III? I've collected all the reviews found in magazines that I have (had) personally on paper or that are (were) accessible in digitized formats (PDF, JPG or plain text) on the internet. Regardless of the original data format all the reviews are now in PDF. Featured Tandy Radio Shack computers: - TRS-80 Model I - TRS-80 Model II - TRS-80 Model III - TRS-80 Model 4 - TRS-80 Model 4P - TRS-80 Model 12 - TRS-80 Model 16 - TRS-80 Model 16B - TRS-80 DT-1 - TRS-80 Color Computer Featured TRS-80 compatible computers: - PMC-80 - Dick Smith System 80 - Video Genie - Lobo Max-80 - LNW80 - Trommelschlaeger TCS GENIE IIIS - Trommelschlaeger Speedmaster The examined magazines (nearly all in English language exept the mentioned German magazines): - 80micro - Byte - 80-US - Microcomputer News - Creative Computing - Infoworld - Micro-80 - CHIP (German language) - c't (German language) - Computer Persoenlich (German language) The reviews of the specific models are integrated to sets of PDF files and packed in RAR archive files. To unpack the desired file you can use the program Winrar for example. Other packing programs like Winzip may work as well. For more information look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAR_(file_format) The sets are named: TRS-80_Model_I_Reviews_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar TRS-80_Model_II-12_Reviews_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar TRS-80_Model_III_Reviews_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar TRS-80_Model_4_Reviews_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar TRS-80_Model_16_and_Terminal_DT-1_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar TRS-80_Compatibles_Reviews_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar Color_Computer_Reviews_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar Additionally for the interested party that like to have all reviews a RAR file is available that includes the whole collection: Tandy_Radio_Shack_and_Compatible_Computers_Reviews_(whole_collection)_(Version_YYYY-MM-DD).rar A set's version date (Version_YYYY-MM-DD) is updated every time a new review is added to the set. The first version date of all sets is 2011-07-12. Coming updates will be published here. Each archive file is stored on two different file hosting services for downloading. You can choose your preferred file hoster. The files are usually deleted by the services after a period of 30-60 days without a download. Please let me know if a file isn't accessible anymore. See below for the download links. Have fun with reading. Additional contributions of reviews and any comments are welcome. Best Regards, Rainer Germany The archive files and their contents: --> TRS-80_Model_I_Reviews_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 5.32MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/8O8IKBOLCFQ http://www.fileserve.com/file/8rFWE4n Contents: TRS-80 Model I Byte 1977-11, page 46 TRS-80 Model I Byte 1978-04, page 49 --- German --- TRS-80 Model I CHIP 1979-07 ========================== --> TRS-80_Model_II-12_Reviews_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 4.05MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/61F7LBOLRH http://www.fileserve.com/file/KjpdT5M Contents: TRS-80 Model II vs. IBM PC 5150 80micro 1982-03, page 168 TRS-80 Model 12 80micro 1983-05, page 133 TRS-80 Model 12 InfoWorld 1983-08-22, page 50 --- German --- TRS-80 Model 12 Computer Persoenlich 1983-09 ========================== --> TRS-80_Model_III_Reviews_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 0.95MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/CHHALBOLA9 http://www.fileserve.com/file/n2ZXKk6 Contents: TRS-80 Model III Micro-80 1981-02 (Issue 15), page 2 ========================== --> TRS-80_Model_4_Reviews_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 6.62MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/1NZOLBOLPL http://www.fileserve.com/file/XnKhcbQ Contents: TRS-80 Model 4 80-US 1983-06 (Vol. 6 - Issue 6), page 14 TRS-80 Model 4 Micro-80 1984-01 (Vol. 4 - Issue 06), page 10 TRS-80 Model 4 Microcomputer News 1983-05, page 17 TRS-80 Model 4 Byte 1983-10, page 292 TRS-80 Model 4D 80micro 1986-02, page 29 TRS-80 Model 4P 80micro 1984-03, page 42 ========================== --> TRS-80_Model_16_and_Terminal_DT-1_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 4.67MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/3K3ZLBOLX5T http://www.fileserve.com/file/EZG2e4B Contents: TRS-80 Model 16 Microcomputer News 1982-03, page 32 TRS-80 Model 16 80-US 1982-08, page 39 TRS-80 Model 16 80micro 1982-09, page 16 - Model 16's Future 80micro 1982-09, page 300 - Whither DOS for the Model 16? TRS-80 Model 16 80micro 1983-02, page 228 TRS-80 Model 16B Microcomputer News 1983-10, page 11 TRS-80 DT-1 80-US 1982-08, page 54 ========================== --> TRS-80_Compatibles_Reviews_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 31.6MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/I7VGMBOLZD http://www.fileserve.com/file/QvkTac8 Contents: Dick Smith System 80 Micro-80 1980-06 (Issue 07), page 5 PMC-80, Video Genie, Dick Smith System 80 80micro 1982-01, page 218 PMC-80 InfoWorld 1981-04-13, page 54 Lobo Max-80 80micro 1983-07, page 122 Lobo MAX-80 InfoWorld 1981-01-17, page 53 LNW-80 Byte 1984-05, page 258 LNW-80 Kit 80micro 1982-05, page 206 LNW-80 Kit 80micro 1982-10, page 356 --- German --- Video Genie EG3003 CHIP 1980-11 Genie II EG3008 CHIP 1982-01 Trommelschlaeger TCS GENIE IIIS c't 1985-03, page 100 Trommelschlaeger Speedmaster CHIP 1984-09, page 98 ========================== --> Color_Computer_Reviews_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 4.62MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/94N82FOL0F http://www.fileserve.com/file/nr7pybg Contents: Color Computer 80micro 1981-01, page 88 Color Computer 80micro 1981-06, page 202 Color Computer 80micro 1981-08, page 286 --- German --- Color Computer 2 c't 1984-05, page 48 ========================== --> Tandy_Radio_Shack_and_Compatible_Computers_Reviews_(whole_collection)_(Version_2011-07-12).rar Filesize: 57.8MB Download links: http://www.share-online.biz/dl/FU5S3FOL2J5 http://www.fileserve.com/file/VfA2cRD Contents: TRS-80 Model I Byte 1977-11, page 46 TRS-80 Model I Byte 1978-04, page 49 --- German --- TRS-80 Model I CHIP 1979-07 -------------------------- TRS-80 Model II vs. IBM PC 5150 80micro 1982-03, page 168 TRS-80 Model 12 80micro 1983-05, page 133 TRS-80 Model 12 InfoWorld 1983-08-22, page 50 --- German --- TRS-80 Model 12 Computer Persoenlich 1983-09 -------------------------- TRS-80 Model III Micro-80 1981-02 (Issue 15), page 2 -------------------------- TRS-80 Model 4 80-US 1983-06 (Vol. 6 - Issue 6), page 14 TRS-80 Model 4 Micro-80 1984-01 (Vol. 4 - Issue 06), page 10 TRS-80 Model 4 Microcomputer News 1983-05, page 17 TRS-80 Model 4 Byte 1983-10, page 292 TRS-80 Model 4D 80micro 1986-02, page 29 TRS-80 Model 4P 80micro 1984-03, page 42 -------------------------- TRS-80 Model 16 Microcomputer News 1982-03, page 32 TRS-80 Model 16 80-US 1982-08, page 39 TRS-80 Model 16 80micro 1982-09, page 16 - Model 16's Future 80micro 1982-09, page 300 - Whither DOS for the Model 16? TRS-80 Model 16 80micro 1983-02, page 228 TRS-80 Model 16B Microcomputer News 1983-10, page 11 TRS-80 DT-1 80-US 1982-08, page 54 -------------------------- Dick Smith System 80 Micro-80 1980-06 (Issue 07), page 5 PMC-80, Video Genie, Dick Smith System 80 80micro 1982-01, page 218 PMC-80 InfoWorld 1981-04-13, page 54 Lobo Max-80 80micro 1983-07, page 122 Lobo MAX-80 InfoWorld 1981-01-17, page 53 LNW-80 Byte 1984-05, page 258 LNW-80 Kit 80micro 1982-05, page 206 LNW-80 Kit 80micro 1982-10, page 356 --- German --- Video Genie EG3003 CHIP 1980-11 Genie II EG3008 CHIP 1982-01 Trommelschlaeger TCS GENIE IIIS c't 1985-03, page 100 Trommelschlaeger Speedmaster CHIP 1984-09, page 98 -------------------------- Color Computer 80micro 1981-01, page 88 Color Computer 80micro 1981-06, page 202 Color Computer 80micro 1981-08, page 286 --- German --- Color Computer 2 c't 1984-05, page 48 ========================== ------------------------------------ Using an emulator? Please join!Yahoo! 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