[Coco] RadioShack returns...

[Frank Swygert]

Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:55:51 -0600
From: Allen Huffman<alsplace at pobox.com>

A video update from RadioShack asking what we want to see in the stores in 2013... It mentions what they added in 2012 based on previous surveys, and since then, they have sold over 50,000 Arduino computer kits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5j4whVP5wk&feature=youtu.be

I'm going to ask for the CoCo
===========================================

It sure sounds good, though they did mention a lot of the parts are available on-line... meaning not in stores. But it's a start! The Arduino is a good line. I doubt you'll see anything as good as a CoCo though. Next best thing: something like ECB on an Arduino board. It would be more akin to the Micro Color Computer I would think, but could happen. Sure would be nice if they would make an FPGA board that was CoCo 3 compatible though. I bet a few here would/could offer them the plans to do so for cheap. I don't really care much about higher resolution video, but if it will plug into a current monitor or digital TV that would be nice. Higher resolution would be nice, but you ruin into programming and resource restrictions. Just keep the 8-bit resolution for graphics, don't try to make it too modern. It doesn't really need a GUI, good clear 80 column text is most needed. If you have to have a GUI and sharp graphics you need something more powerful than an 8 bit machine.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Editor - American Motors Cars Magazine
www.amc-mag.com