Manufacturer

Tatung UK (Parent company is Taiwanese)

Model

Einstein TC-01

Date Launched

October 1984

Price

£500

Microprocessor type

Zilog Z80A @ 4 MHz

ROM size

8 kilobytes

Standard RAM

64 kilobytes
+ 16 KB video RAM

Maximum RAM

256 kilobytes ?

Keyboard type

Typewriter style

Supplied language

Crystal BASIC.
COBOL, COMAL, Forth, Fortran and Logo were available as extras.

Text resolution

32 x 24 or 40 x 24 characters

Graphics resolution

256 x 192 pixels

Colours available

16

Sound

Three channels through internal speaker

Cassette load speed

Not applicable
Had a built-in 500KB, 3 inch floppy disc drive.

Dimensions (mm)
Weight (grams)

435 x 515 x 115
Not known

Special features

The case was very large, 20 inches deep, and had a depression on the top to hold a monitor at the correct distance from the user.

Good points

Incorporated ports for joysticks, printer, RS-232, monitor and TV.
Could run the CP/M operating system.

Bad points

Used 3 inch disc drives which in the event lost out to 3½ inch models (although a 3½ inch one could be used in the spare drive slot).
Too expensive for a home computer.

How successful?

Did not sell well.
It was not clear whether the Einstein was intended for the home or business markets.

Comments

Despite coming from a Taiwanese company the Einstein was in fact designed and built in the UK.
The specification was quite good but it was much too expensive to compete in the home market with the likes of the Commodore 64, at half the Einstein's price.
As a business machine it was a cheap option but by the end of 1984 business computers using 8-bit processors and running CP/M were seen as outdated.