Tatung Books

The Texas Instruments TI-99/4A, released in 1981, was an early home computer that gained popularity for its innovative design and educational focus. It featured a sleek silver-and-black console with a full-travel keyboard and an integrated cartridge slot for software, including games, educational programs, and productivity tools. Powered by a TMS9900 16-bit processor, it was among the first 16-bit home computers, although its architecture was somewhat limited by the use of an 8-bit system bus. The TI-99/4A offered a variety of features, such as BASIC programming built into its ROM and support for external peripherals like the Peripheral Expansion Box, which added capabilities such as extra memory, floppy drives, and a speech synthesizer. The computer also gained a following for its high-quality graphics and sound for its time, supporting a 256×192 resolution with a palette of 16 colors. Many users appreciated its educational software and arcade-style games, which were widely available in its proprietary cartridge format. Despite its innovation, the TI-99/4A faced stiff competition from other systems like the Commodore 64 and was discontinued in 1984.