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going to impact on Model 4 sales. The 2000 was always an expensive beast. A basic dual drive Tandy 2000 with 128K could be had for a "modest" $A4450 but you could easily spend over $A10,000 by the time you got the fully expanded Tandy 2000HD, upgraded it to 768K, hi-resolution graphics, colour monitor, etc. It never seemed to be a serious threat to the $A2299 Model 4 – the jobs both computers excelled at were vastly different. In my study of the history of Radio Shack and its computing products and their place in microcomputing, I found some interesting titbits of information about the TRS-80 Model 5, obviously planned as a replacement for the Model 4. Looking at feedback from TRS-80 Model III and 4 users, they compiled a wish list of specifications for the new machine and reading through them they look strangely familiar: Increased memory past 128K, preferably 256K or more A 16-bit CPU of around 6-8MHz Hi Resolution graphics as standard Colour and sound, better than the Apple IIe and IBM PC/XT Vastly increased disk storage capacity Internal hard disk drive More function keys Backwards compatibility with the Model III/4 Reading this list, except for the last item, reads like the specs list for the Tandy 2000. With projects like August on the drawing board, no wonder future development of Z800 (which Zilog was lazy to release anyway) based advanced TRS80s was shelved. Examined in this context the Tandy 2000 really does appear to be the zenith of TRS-80 development, and although a failure in the marketplace, it’s a success from a performance and reliability aspect, as well as setting very high final standards for ergonomics and user eye, neck and hand fatigue (these becoming big issues in the mid 1980s). So next time you see a sad looking Tandy 2000 languishing on eBay, CraigsList or a thrift store, give thought to what was at the time one of the most powerful and expensive TRS-80s, one of the last real signs that Radio Shack was trying to be a force to be reckoned with, producing innovative new products. Instead of just languishing in the small-butcomfortable monochrome Z80 world, or the “me too!” plain PC compatible zone, tried to really make a really stunning, classy TRS-80. [email protected] TRS8BIT - volume 07 Issue 02 - June 2013 - page 32
