Unlike most toy computers and other electronic gadgets, besides the regular math and trivia games, the VTech PreComputer 1000 has a decent keyboard that's good enough to touch-type on, and is programmable in BASIC, called "Pre-BASIC V1.0"! While it lacks a tape interface or any other permanent storage, and just has a one-line LCD screen, it's a fun self-contained and portable device that for $70 would have been great to bring to Grandma's in the '80s if you weren't rich enough to afford a TRS-80 Model 100 or 102 for $500 to $1000.
Thanks very much to DJ Sures for lending it to me! Check out his channel with lots of NABU fun:
/ djsures
The 8-Bit Guy covered some of the related V-Tech Laser computers which came before and after the PreComputer 1000: • The Laser Portable Com...
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VTech's original name was Video Technology Limited.
Index:
0:00 Kid's toys?
2:30 Look at system and box
9:36 Trivia / quiz games: General, History, Geography, Sciene
16:47 Math: Quiz, Fractions, Decimals, Mixed Calculation, Story Problems
22:54 Calculator Mode
24:22 Games: Typing Fun, Hangman, Scramble
29:12 Typing Course
33:49 Computer Drill: Example Programs, Guessing Z80 MHz
38:10 BASIC Computer: 10 PRINT?
45:01 No POKE, PEEK, SYS: but it does have SOUND
47:13 Type-In Time: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
51:24 Dream Machine? Laser 50, Laser PC4? Thanks!
3 авг 2024