The CPC 464 turned 40 today!

[BSC]

I did not find a topic covering this (scandal, scandal!), you can thank me later for not forgetting it. 

Hooray for the oldest child in the family of our beloved CPCs! Happy birthday 464!

A nice video by ChinnyVision: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWas7NunHe4

[Jean-Marie]

Happy birthday Arnold! 🎂

[chinnyhill10]

I was almost tempted to spam this onto here as its a special day, but it turns out BSC has done it for me. 

Do we know the truth between the launch dates? ACU says it was a 2 day event. The 10th and 11th of April. However the only invite I've ever seen is for the 12th.

So my best guess is the launch was the 11th and 12th of April 1984. Presumably the second day was down to how many people they could fit in?

[lmimmfn]

Happy Birthday CPC!!!

I owe a lot to my CPC464, incredible machine.

Great video Chinny, really enjoyed that, thanks mate, honestly going to miss the weekly videos but look forward to your future ones!!!!

[Amagni]

I thought it was released in June!  Is the April date a pre-release announcement or did I get the wrong info?

We're planning a big Amstrad day at the Australian Computer Museum in Sydney for the 22nd of June, any Aussies who'd like to show off your hardware or software please let me know, I'll do a proper announcement once we've worked out all the details!

[The Electric Monk]

To be honest, I never had much contact with the 464 - the 6128 was my jam. I don't think my impatient young self could've handled a tape drive.
Nonethless, this is where it all started. Happy birthday!

[chinnyhill10]

I thought it was released in June!  Is the April date a pre-release announcement or did I get the wrong info?

We're planning a big Amstrad day at the Australian Computer Museum in Sydney for the 22nd of June, any Aussies who'd like to show off your hardware or software please let me know, I'll do a proper announcement once we've worked out all the details!

People generally regard April as the launch. Yes it was a product announcement but unlike Sinclair and other companies Amstrad had actual production machines there not prototypes for stuff that was still in development and hadn't even hit a production line. The delay between the event and them hitting the shops is merely down to a small number of machines being air freighted ahead with all the rest on an 8 week boat trip from Korea.

So when William Poel was asked if they'd meet the deadline he said he'd eat his hat in Trafalgar Square if they weren't on time. Short of the boat sinking, they would be. The units being shown that day were the same units as on the boat. It's just the demo ones got here in a couple of days vs 8 weeks.

The date in June wasn't marked as such other than the initial batch hit a few select stores.

So when did the CPC launch? April the 11th. When could you buy them? June.

[ZorrO]

What can be said more about CPC than was said 10 years ago?

[loftcat]

My uncle got a 464 not long after it was released - my first contact with the machine before I got my hands on a CPC later on. Great early memories of The Galactic Plague, Spannerman and the Roland games! Happy Birthday 464!

[cwpab]

Spannerman must be one of the most anxiety-inducing games ever! I will check it out on CPC-Power and CPC Games Reviews too see what people think about it. I had it as a kid, definitely not among my favorites.

BTW, are you guys ready for the 50th anniversary of EVERYTHING? Better get ready because it all starts in 3 years, with the Atari 2600... and Star Wars.

[loftcat]

Spannerman must be one of the most anxiety-inducing games ever! I will check it out on CPC-Power and CPC Games Reviews too see what people think about it. I had it as a kid, definitely not among my favorites.

BTW, are you guys ready for the 50th anniversary of EVERYTHING? Better get ready because it all starts in 3 years, with the Atari 2600... and Star Wars.

Spannerman was memorable as a challenge. I also remember it was the first game I figured out how to hack for infinite lives

[Shaun M. Neary]

I was late to the party (not by choice), I got my Amstrad in 86.

But 40 years, you know what that means, right?
YOU'RE A BUNCH OF OLD FARTS!!!!

(And so am I! )

[chinnyhill10]

Spannerman must be one of the most anxiety-inducing games ever! I will check it out on CPC-Power and CPC Games Reviews too see what people think about it. I had it as a kid, definitely not among my favorites.

BTW, are you guys ready for the 50th anniversary of EVERYTHING? Better get ready because it all starts in 3 years, with the Atari 2600... and Star Wars.

I had it on pirate thanks to my Dad's mate David from the pub. He transferred a load of games to floppy, added a menu and gave them to us. Spannerman was a game I rarely played. I must revisit it. Gem Software wasn't it which means there may be versions for other home micros.

[ComSoft6128]

Worth a look....

'New Computer Express' article from April 1988 (courtesy of CPCRulez):

https://cpcrulez.fr/people-cpcstaff-hip_to_be_square.htm