r-dino

Entrance to Madame Tussauds Amsterdam, Dam Square, by Tony Burgering. 1970s

The Casio FX-850P (1987) A Pocket Computer Ahead of Its Time

Introduced in 1987 and sold until 1999, the Casio FX-850P is a pocket computer with a 2x32 character LCD display, weighing just 197 grams.

Powered by a Hitachi processor running at 1.228 MHz, this device featured 8 KB of RAM that could be expanded to 40 KB using optional expansion modules.

The FX-850P came equipped with a BASIC interpreter, a MEMO function for data storage, and a comprehensive formula library with 116 built-in scientific functions. Via the optional FA-6 interface board, users could connect the device to cassette recorders, Centronics printers, and PCs through RS-232, allowing data transfer between devices. Popular among university students in the 1990s, the MEMO function was particularly useful for storing information during exams.

The Microdigital TK-95 (1986), Brazil's ZX Spectrum Clone

The Microdigital TK-95 was a ZX Spectrum clone produced by the Brazilian company Microdigital Eletrônica in 1986, created during a time when importing foreign computers into Brazil was illegal.

It was the second and final Spectrum clone from the company, improving on the earlier TK90X with a redesigned case (inspired by the Commodore Plus/4), a better keyboard, and improved software compatibility.

The TK-95 featured a Z80A processor running at 3.58 MHz, 48 KB of RAM, and custom engineering by Microdigital to replicate the Sinclair ULA chip.

Despite being a technically superior machine, the TK-95 failed commercially because Brazil's market was shifting toward the more powerful MSX standard.