missed opportunity why Amstrad never made a more modern lcd PCW or NC800

[zack4mac]

I always wondered why Amstrad never made a machine using the same cost cutting principles used in the PCW.  The PCW-NC-tough book cross if you like,  with a LCD screen that would be perfect for students typing essays and emailing. 

[Gryzor]

What would the NC800 be like though?

[Bryce]

They did: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/31788/Amstrad-ALT-386SX-Laptop-Computer but at the time, computers were becoming more than just Wordprocessors. Amstrad followed that trend and offered PC compatible devices. It would have been a complete flop to come out with an NC800 or PCW when every competitor was offering PC laptops. Just look at how well the strategy (didn't) work for PSION with the Series 7.


Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Ooh the Psion 7, got one to sell?

[Bryce]

Nope. I have a 3a and a 5mx, but I never owned a 7.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Was looking for a 5mx some time ago, gave up after a while. Trade ya?

[Bryce]

Na, it was mine from new and still gets used. In fact it's what some would call a "collectors item" = Entire original packing, polys, guarantee cards and the lot.

Bryce.

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

The utter failure of the PcW16 shows why. Although that one was not really a PCW, the PCW was far more flexible.


OTOH the PcW16 was probably one of the most powerful Z80 machines ever made by that time, with a whole 16MHz of Z80 power.


The availability of cheap PCs (Amstrad themselves made many of them) killed the PCW.


The NC series could have gone on further IMO. PC laptops weren't cheap in the 90s. OTOH students still got grants back then, but a "cheap" PC would have been enough for essays and play games as well.


But yeah, an NC400 with the PcW16 16MHz Z80, a bitmapped 640x200 display (instead of character mapped), more flexible software, some games, could have been an interesting option at the right price.