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Acorn Computers

Acorn Computers


Acorn Computers were a British computer company based in Cambridge. Set-up in 1978 by Chris Curry and Hermann Hauser. Arguably Acorn's most famous computer was the BBC Micro which could be found in practically every school in the country in the 1980's !
 
Acorn System 1

Acorn System 1
March 1979
The System 1 was the first commercially available computer produced by CPU Ltd under the trading name of Acorn Computers Ltd.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers
Type : Computer

Acorn Atom

Acorn Atom
January 1980
The Acorn Atom was a home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd from 1980 to 1981 it was the forerunner to the hugely popular BBC Computer System, it was then replaced by the BBC Micro (originally Proton) and later the Acorn Electron.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Micro Model A Issue 1

Acorn BBC Micro Model A Issue 1
1981
BBC Model A Issue 1 Launched in 1981 to coincide with a computer literacy drive by the BBC, the Model A was the cheaper of Acorn's two machines at £299.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Micro Model A

Acorn BBC Micro Model A
1st December 1981
BBC Model ALaunched in 1981 to coincide with a computer literacy drive by the BBC, the Model A was the cheaper of Acorn's two machines at £299.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Micro Model B

Acorn BBC Micro Model B
2nd December 1981
For me, this was the machine that really got me into programming and micro electronics.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Business Computer (ABC)

Acorn Business Computer (ABC)
1983
The Acorn Business Computer (ABC) was a series of microcomputers announced at the end of 1983 by the British company Acorn Computers.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Electron

Acorn Electron
July 1983
The Acorn Electron was a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

BBC Micro B+ 128K + 48K ROM

BBC Micro B+ 128K + 48K ROM
1984
This was the final BBC model, it squeezed every last bit of memory out of the 8-bit computer.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Briefcase Communicator

Acorn Briefcase Communicator
1985
The Acorn Communicator is a business computer developed by Acorn Computers in 1985.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Portable Computer

Acorn BBC Micro Model B+ (64K)

Acorn BBC Micro Model B+ (64K)
July 1985
The Acorn Communicator is a business computer developed by Acorn Computers in 1985.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Master 512

Acorn BBC Master 512
1986
The Acorn BBC Master 512 was a BBC Master computer with an 80C186 Co-Processor card fitted and 512 kB memory.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Master 128

Acorn BBC Master 128
1986
The BBC Master 128 was released by Acorn in 1986 and was the successor to the hugely successful BBC Micro.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Domesday System

Acorn BBC Domesday System
1986
The BBC Domesday Project was a partnership between Acorn Computers Ltd, Philips, Logica and the BBC to mark the 900th anniversary of the original Domesday Book, an 11th century census of England.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Limited
Type : Computer

Acorn - BT Merlin M2105

Acorn - BT Merlin M2105
13th May 1986
The BT Merlin M2105 was manufactured by Acorn for British Telecom as a dedicated communications terminal.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers / British Telecom
Type : Computer

Acorn BBC Master Compact

Acorn BBC Master Compact
September 1986
The Master Compact was launched in September 1986.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Archimedes 310

Acorn Archimedes 310
1987
The A305 and A310 were launched in June 1987.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Archimedes 305

Acorn Archimedes 305
1987
The Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer based on their own 32-bit ARM RISC CPU.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A680

Acorn A680
1988
The A680 Technical Publishing System was developed by Acorn for Olivetti in 1988.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A3000

Acorn A3000
1989
In May 1989 the 300 series was phased out in favour of the new Acorn A3000 (the 400 series was kept in production).

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn R140

Acorn R140
June 1989
"The Acorn R140 workstation represents a major pricebreakthrough for UNIX systems.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Archimedes A440

Acorn Archimedes A440
July 1989
The third Archemedes model Acorn launched in July 1989 was the A440/1.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn R260

Acorn R260
1990
The R260 is functionally identical to the A540.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Archimedes A5000

Acorn Archimedes A5000
1991
The Acorn A5000 was an all new model of the Archimedes family replacing the A440/1, which was officially phased out at the same time as the 5000 was introduced.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A5000 ALB53

Acorn A5000 ALB53
1991
The Acorn A5000 was an all new model of the Archimedes family replacing the A540.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A5000 ALB22

Acorn A5000 ALB22
1991
The Acorn A5000 was an all new model of the Archimedes family replacing the A540.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A4 Laptop

Acorn A4 Laptop
1992
June 1992 Acorn launched their only portable computer.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A3020

Acorn A3020
January 1992
The Acorn Archimedes A3000 was replaced by the Acorn A3010 and A3020, two simililar but slightly different models, aimed at the home and educational markets.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A3010

Acorn A3010
September 1992
The A3010 was launched in Sept 1992, along with the A3020 and A4000, as a replacement for the A3000.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A4000

Acorn A4000
September 1992
The Acorn AGC10 A4000 was a slightly cheaper cut down A5000, with a shorter case, one expansion slot and an ARM250 processor.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Risc PC 600

Acorn Risc PC 600
January 1994
The Risc PC (codenamed Medusa) was Acorn Computer's next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched in 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB25

Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB25
April 1994
Acorn Risc PC 600 The Risc PC (codenamed Medusa) was Acorn Computer's next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched in April 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB45

Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB45
April 1994
Acorn Risc PC 600 The Risc PC (codenamed Medusa) was Acorn Computer's next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched in April 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A7000

Acorn A7000
1995
This machine replaced the A4000/A5000 series and was a lower-cost alternative to the RISC PC.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn STB-1 - Set Top Box

Acorn STB-1 - Set Top Box
1995
Our STB-1 unit was an early prototype that preceded the actual Acorn Set Top Box 1 (Online Media).

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Media Box

Acorn RISC PC 700 -  Prototype

Acorn RISC PC 700 - Prototype
1995
This is an Acorn Prototype unit based on a RISC PC 700 with a serial no of 72-ACB77-1010004 It is marked on the top of the machine "Prototype only - Not tested by Acorn We are extremenly grateful t...

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn A7000+

Acorn A7000+
1995
The A7000 and A7000+ were Acorn Computers's entry level computer based on the Risc PC architecture.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Pocket Book II

Acorn Pocket Book II
February 1995
Acorn launched the Pocket Book in 1992.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : PDA

Acorn Pocket Book II

Acorn Pocket Book II
February 1995
Acorn launched the Pocket Book in 1992.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : PDA

Acorn Online Media NetStation STB-2

Acorn Online Media NetStation STB-2
24th March 1995
The Acorn Network Computer was Oracle's initial reference implementation of the NC.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Media Box

Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB60

Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB60
July 1995
Acorn Risc PC 600 The Risc PC (codenamed Medusa) was Acorn Computer's next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched in April 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Xemplar Matrix NC

Acorn Xemplar Matrix NC
1996
Xemplar was founded in 1996 as a 50/50 joint venture between Acorn and Apple to sell to the UK Education Market.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Media Box

Acorn StrongARM RiscPC

Acorn StrongARM RiscPC
1996
In September 1996 Acorn launched the StrongARM RiscPC.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer

Acorn Phoebe

Acorn Phoebe
1998
The Phoebe 2100 (or Risc PC 2) was to be Acorn Computers' next generation Risc PC, slated for release in late 1998.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Computer


Peripherals


Acorn 486 Processor Card

Acorn 486 Processor Card
Unknown
Allows and Acorn PC 600 to run MS-DOS applications.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Accessory

Acorn ARM610 Processor Card

Acorn ARM610 Processor Card
Unknown
ARM610 Processor Card Standard Processor Card Supplied with Acorn PC 600 computers.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Accessory

Acorn Filestore E01S

Acorn Filestore E01S
Unknown
The FileStore is a development from earlier servers operating on a BBC Microcomputer with a co-processor.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Accessory

Acorn Filestore E40S

Acorn Filestore E40S
Unknown
The FileStore is a development from earlier servers operating on a BBC Microcomputer with a co-processor.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Accessory

Acorn ARM Evaluation System

Acorn ARM Evaluation System
Unknown
The Acorn ARM Evaluation System for the BBC Micro was one of the first production RISC processors.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Limited
Type : Accessory

Acorn Data Recorder ANF03

Acorn Data Recorder ANF03
1982
The Acorn Data Recorder was the official tape player for the BBC Micro range of computers, featuring a 7-pin DIN connection to the BBC Micro, the tape motor was controlled by the BBC Micro thereby st...

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Ltd
Type : Accessory

 Acorn BBC Winchester Disc 120

Acorn BBC Winchester Disc 120
1984
External Hard Disk for the BBC Microcomputer.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Ltd
Type : Accessory

Acorn BBC Winchester Disc 130

Acorn BBC Winchester Disc 130
1984
This is an Acorn Computers Winchester Disc 130 with 30MB of storage.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Ltd
Type : Accessory

Acorn Econet Bridge

Acorn Econet Bridge
1984
Econet was Acorn's low-cost local area network system, intended for use by schools and small businesses.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Accessory

Acorn Cambridge Co-Processor (32016)

Acorn Cambridge Co-Processor (32016)
March 1987
The Acorn Cambridge Co-processor - a development of the 32016 2nd processor.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Limited
Type : Accessory

Peartree Computers - Music 87 Synthesizer (M500)

Peartree Computers - Music 87 Synthesizer (M500)
December 1987
The MUSIC 87 has been designed to be a complete MUSIC COMPOSITION SYSTEM.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Ltd / Peartree Computers
Type : Accessory

BBC Advanced Teletext Receiver

BBC Advanced Teletext Receiver
1988
The BBC Microcomputer System Advanced Teletext Receiver was made by GIS (General Information Systems Ltd) with co-operation from the BBC.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Accessory

Acorn ABJ01 JP-150 Printer

Acorn ABJ01 JP-150 Printer
1991
The Acorn/Olivetti JP-150 is a Hewlett-Packard DeskJet Plus compatible printer primarily for the Acorn RISC range of computers.

Manufacturer : Acorn
Type : Printer

Acorn RISC PC x86 Card

Acorn RISC PC x86 Card
1995
Acorn RISC PC x86 Card Part Number : ACA56 PC x86 Second Generation Card - DX4-100 S Designed by Acorn Computers Limited in conjunction with Aleph One Limited and F.

Manufacturer : Acorn Computers Ltd
Type : Accessory


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Historical Timeline for

Date Event
05-12-1978 Acorn Computers Ltd formed in Cambridge, UK
April 1979 Acorn System 1 Launched
1980 Acorn Atom Launched
1981 Acorn BBC Micro Launched
13-04-1984 First ARM Processors Powered Up
20-09-1984 Acorn Launch the ABC Micro
20-02-1985 Olivetti buy 49% of Acorn Computers
February 1986 Acorn BBC Master Launched
September 1986 Acorn BBC Master Compact Launched
02-04-1987 Windows 2 was launched
1988 RISC OS is released
1988 Hermann Hauser leaves Olivetti to start the Active Book Company
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