• Tag Archives Texas Instruments
  • TI-99/4A

    Source: Home Computer Weekly – Issue Number 15 – June 14-22, 1983



    I’m not sure what the popularity of the TI-99/4A in the U.K was (my guess is not very) but that is where the above ad is from. Here in the U.S., it had a very brief period of popularity. This ad appeared in the June 14-22, 1983 issue of Home Computer Weekly. By this time, Texas Instruments had pretty much already lost the price war with Commodore and the TI-99/4A would be officially discontinued the following year.

    The TI-99/4A was an early home computer designed by Texas Instruments. It was introduced in 1981 and competed with the Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, VIC-20 and later the Commodore 64. It was technically the first 16-bit personal computer (the processor was a TMS9900) but this provided limited benefits as the 16-bit processor was basically shoehorned into a system that had originally been designed for an 8-bit processor that TI failed to successfully produce. The TI-99/4A was superior to the VIC-20 in many ways but it could not compete on price. Commodore manufactured its own chips giving it a cost advantage. A little more than a year after the TI/99-4A was introduced, the Commodore 64 was released, which while arguably having a weaker CPU, had much better sound and graphics capabilities. The TI/99-4A did have a brief period of popularity and had up to a 35% market share for a short amount of time.

    Texas Instruments was one of several victims of the price wars initiated by Commodore and the TI/99-4A was discontinued in 1984. Their marketing strategy was pretty poor and having Bill Cosby as a spokesman could only help so much. To compete, their plan was to sell the hardware at a loss and then make up the loss by selling software and peripherals that had higher profit margins. Unfortunately, for this plan to work they had to monopolize these markets and they prevented third party development. This had the predictable result of limiting software and hardware availability and quality. Other home computers of the time, particularly the Commodore 64, VIC-20 and Apple II enjoyed significant third party support.

    While some of the games produced by TI were decent, there were too few and most were clones of more popular games. Application software did not fare much better. There were some interesting peripherals produced, including the voice synthesizer which many games supported.

    The above ad is from the June 14-22, 1983 issue of Home Computer Weekly.


  • Home Computer Magazine – Volume 5, Number 2

    Source: Home Computer Magazine – Volume 5, Number 2

    Home Computer Magazine was an early to mid 1980s computer magazine that covered Commodore, Apple, IBM, and Texas Instruments computers though it was born out of a magazine devoted exclusively to the TI-99/4A. Volume 5, issue 2 includes:

    Features

    • It Figures! – What does it do? How does it do it? It Figures!
    • Evacu-Pod – Pilot your Evacu-Pod to rescue miners on 4 other worlds.
    • Switch ‘n’ Spell – A spelling aid … with an entertaining twist.
    • Laserithmetic – Will math skills and laser blasts keep alien beasts at bay?
    • Organizer Reports – Flexibility and organization highlight your outline printouts.
    • Razzle Dazzle – Don’t just play with your 99/4A, play it, maestro.
    • What is CP/M? – Is this operating system headed for rebirth?
    • Apple Seedlings – Sort your ProDOS catalogs.
    • Commodore Hornblower – Inside the SID chip.
    • IBMpressions – Create 3-D surface drawings with BASIC.
    • Field & Screen: Using a Data Base System – A general introduction to using data bases – correctly.

    Product Reviews

    • The Music of Sound: A Review of 4 Music/Sound Software Series with Keyboards for the C-64 – Creative fun with Commodore’s amazing sound capabilities.
    • Lost in CP/M Land: A Review of the Microsoft Premium Softcard IIe – Are we being too hard on the Softcard?
    • A CP/M Dawn for the TI-99/4A: A Review of Morning Star’s CP/M Package – Finally, the CP/M window is opened to 99/4A Users.
    • Spy vs Spy – Does the software capture the comic MADness?
    • AppleWorks – An easy-to-use integrated package reaches the home.
    • The Ancient Art of War – Here it’s okay to pick a fight.
    • Legacy II for the PCjr – Junior continues to grow in power.
    • The Factory – Punch, stripe, at rotate objects in your own factory.
    • Keys to Responsible Driving – Better than a driver’s manual?

    Departments

    • Welcome to HCM
    • Inside/Outside HCM
    • On Screen
    • Letters to the Editor
    • HCM One Liners
    • HCM Review Criteria
    • Industry Watch
    • HCM Product News
    • Program Typing Guide
    • Program Listing Contents
    • DeBugs on Display
    • Home Computer Tech Notes:
      • Apple
      • Commodore
      • IBM
      • TI

    …and more!


  • Home Computer Magazine – Volume 5, Number 3 (1985)

    home_computer_magazine_vol5_03-001

    Source: Home Computer Magazine – Volume 5, Number 3 – 1985

    Home Computer Magazine started life as another magazine that focused solely on the TI-99/4A by Texas Instruments. By 1985, that machine wasn’t really doing so well do to Commodore’s price war. 99er then became Home Computer Magazine and covered a random assortment of computers including IBM/DOS, the Commodore 64, the Apple II and it continued to cover the TI-99/4A. Home Computer Magazine only lasted for about 11 issues. The Contents of Volume 5, Number 3 from 1985 include:

    Features

    • Budgetron – A mighty hero to rescue your budget.
    • Over-Reaction – Keep this reactor cool – but don’t overreact.
    • Torpedo Alley – Fire torpedoes, then dive, dive!
    • Geometrix – Basic shapes compose the world.
    • Build a LOGO Adventure – In part 3, we add objects to our Adventure Land.
    • Achilles and the Turtle – Can Achilles ever beat the turtle?
    • Apple Seedlings – Generate character graphics on the hi-res screen.
    • Commodore Hornblower – Select waveforms and envelopes from SID.
    • IBMpressions – Blending sine waves into complex patterns.
    • Razzle Dazzle – Multi-layered animation with TI sprites.
    • MAC-ROs – Expanding BASIC on Macintosh
    • Speeding Up A BASIC Program – Part 1 teaches the first steps to speed up BASIC.

    Product Reviews

    • The Gibson Light Pen – Sketch or paint right on the screen.
    • Monty Plays Scrabble – Is the computer a worthy opponent?
    • Dollars and Sense – Does it make sense to spend dollars on this program?
    • The Music of Sound Part 2: Music Software for the C-64 vs. Casio’s CT-6000 Keyboard – Comparing musical hardware to musical software.
    • Junior’s First Words: A Review of the PCjr Speech Attachment – This speech synthesizer has little to say.
    • Commodore-Taming for the Shrewd: A Review of SysRes – Coming to the aid of C-64 programmers.
    • Computer-Age Typing – A Look at Some Key Typing-instructor programs.
    • Going Solo: A Review of Flight Simulator II – Flying by the seat of your computer.
    • Moon Patrol – Eliminate the nasties in Sector 9.

    Departments

    • Welcome to HCM
    • Inside/Outside HCM
    • Letters to the Editor
    • HCM One Liners
    • HCM Review Criteria
    • Industry Watch
    • Group Grapevine
    • HCM Product News
    • Program Listing Contents
    • Program Typing Guide
    • Debugs on Display
    • Home Computer Tech Notes
      • Apple
      • Commodore
      • IBM
      • TI

    …and more!