TRS-80 Pocket Computer by RadioShack

The TRS-80 Pocket Computer, also known as the Tandy Pocket Computer or PC-1, was a series of early handheld electronic calculators and personal computers released by Tandy Corporation (RadioShack) in the late 1980s. The PC-1 was one of the first affordable pocket-sized computers available to the general public.

Some key features and details:

Release Date The original TRS-80 Pocket Computer (PC-1) was introduced in 1980, while its successors, the PC-2 and PC-3, were released in 1982 and 1983, respectively.
Design The TRS-80 Pocket Computers had a compact and portable design, resembling a calculator with a small QWERTY keyboard and an LCD display.
Display The early models, such as the PC-1 and PC-2, featured a 24-character, single-line LCD display, which could show alphanumeric characters.
Processor The devices were powered by a custom processor running at a relatively low clock speed (Sharp SC43177 4-bit @256kHz), but it was sufficient for basic computational tasks.
Programming Capabilities One of the significant features of the TRS-80 Pocket Computers was their programmability. Users could write and run BASIC programs on these devices, making them early precursors to modern programmable calculators.
Expansion The devices had limited memory and capabilities, but they offered expansion options, such as the PC-2's memory card slot for data storage.
Successors As mentioned earlier, the PC-1 was followed by the PC-2 and PC-3 models. These successors added more features and improvements, such as better displays and increased memory.
Impact The TRS-80 Pocket Computers were popular among hobbyists, students, and professionals who needed a portable computing device for simple calculations and basic programming tasks.

The CPU of the pocket PC was the Sharp SC43177 processor. SC stands for Simple Computer/Machine Processor. The processor was manufactured by National Semiconductor, was a simple 8-bit microprocessor that gained popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was designed for embedded systems and small computers, making it a suitable choice for the TRS-80 Pocket Computer due to its low power requirements and cost-effectiveness.