The Z88 was a laptop-style machine with a Zilog Z80 processor, LCD screen screen and a silent keyboard. It was produced by Cambridge Computer, the company established by Sir Clive Sinclair following the 1986 takeover of Sinclair Computers by Amstrad of Sinclair Research’s computer business.
The Z88 came with a built-in software suite was very much reminiscent of a modern PDA: calculator, calendar, clock, diary, terminal emulator, spreadsheet and word processor. It was not PC-compatible but had a good deal of compatibility with the BBC Micro, thanks to its use of an adaptation of BBC BASIC.
| Released | 1988 |
| Power source | 4 x AA Alkaline Cells (MN1500, LR6) providing 20 hours of use; AC Mains adaptor (6.5 v DC), 500 mA, centre positive. |
| Weight | 900 g (1.98 lb). |
| Dimensions | 294 mm (L) x 210 mm (D) x 23 mm (H) |
| Keyboard | QWERTY, 64 keys including INDEX, MENU, and HELP. |
| Interface | RS232, connector 9-way ‘D’ female. |
| Storage | Memory cards, unique to Cambridge Z88 (concurrent, 4M Bytes address range). |
| Processor | CMOS Z80A |
| Internal Memory | RAM CMOS 32K Bytes, ROM CMOS 128K Bytes Internal options allow the use of up to 512K RAM and 512K ROM in future machines. Memory cards Slots 1, 2, or 3 IM Byte per card maximum Slot 3 also programs EPROM cards. CMOS RAM: Random Access Memory. Data retained only while machine is powered. CMOS EPROM: Erasable, Programmable, Read-Only Memory Data Retention measured in years. Card can be removed from Cambridge Z88 without data loss. |