Micro Men Page #6

in the Sinclair style.

With all these features, you could be

forgiven for expecting to pay

quite literally thousands of pounds.

But no - the Sinclair QL will sell for merely 399.

Just before I hand you over to our

Head of Computing, Nigel Searle,

just to fill you in on some details -

let me be the first to say,

the future is here -

and it's ready to ship in 28 days.

No I understand that, yes.

Yes - no, that's no problem.

We're fully geared up to produce that volume.

Definitely - yes, you have my word.

No, thank you.

Okay. Bye bye.

WH Smiths have confirmed the Electrons.

I knew it!

It says here the market might have peaked.

Do we want to run the production lines that hard?

Hermann, they've just ordered 120,000 computers.

Does that sound like it's peaked?

Chris - remember you've got meetings with the

lawyers and accountants later this afternoon.

Right.

Thank you.

Is that the payroll?

Christ.

Again.

No, no, no. Needs more power on the start up.

That'll drain the battery.

Then spend more improving the battery!

Twelve million quid out of the coffers for this.

Well he's a genius, remember?

Trying to.

Clive. Sorry to interrupt again.

About the Quantum Leap.

Christ, not again.

We can't keep advertising it.

The phones are ringing off the hook with people

wanting to know where their machines are.

Well get the bloody things out then.

We're not ready.

The Microdrives aren't working.

Half the memory's hanging out of the back.

Well employ more people on the job!

Clive! More people isn't the issue.

We need more time to iron out all the problems.

For f***'s sake Nigel.

We announced the QL will be shipping

in 28 days. It will be!

That was sixty days ago.

Sales of the Spectrum have slumped.

In December 1983 every child

wanted one for Christmas.

And by December 1984, every child

who wanted one - had one.

There are currently some 600 home

computer manufacturers in Britain.

How many of them will still be around

by this Christmas?

Well certainly less than 600, that's for sure.

And the market is very fragmented.

It cannot contain anything like that number

over a long period.

The cheapest of all is this one -

made by the newly-knighted Sir Clive Sinclair.

It's survival of the fittest.

Who's most innovative - who best meets

the end users' requirements.

It's a tough marketplace for our rivals,

but as far as Acorn are concerned,

an interest in our computers

is still in the ascendancy.

At Sinclair Computing, we've recently developed

a truly groundbreaking machine -

the Quantum Leap.

Just recently we received our biggest ever order

for our latest product, the Electron.

We've already taken a huge number of orders

from eager consumers -

consumers who want the very best.

The QL, or Quantum Leap computer

designed for the upper end of the market

has been dogged by production

and marketing problems.

From next week, the Sinclair QL -

now priced at just under 400 pounds -

is to be reduced by fifty percent.

And although Sinclair originally

promoted this machine

as being capable of more serious applications

it failed to make any inroads

into the business computer market.

And that's where Amstrad comes in.

We are business men - we're not made up

by a team of ex-graduates

who are throwing a few electronic components

in a plastic box.

To make matters worse, the boom in

schools buying computers has also passed -

and it was demand from schools which helped

catapult Acorn from being a two-man outfit

to a turnover of 93 million pounds.

I believe with the right products

at the right price,

then market demand will just

keep growing and growing.

And so for 1985 the most serious

computer game of all

is being played by the companies themselves,

trying to turn around the continuing

and devastating slide in their industry.

Well you see, the way it works is this.

We send them out, and the shops order them.

Jesus Christ.

And the shops order them when they need them.

Aha?

The thing is - they needed them

three months ago, not now.

Smiths ordered 120,000 Electrons.

Did you get that order in writing?

Now, if it was your CD players -

we can't send them out quick enough this year.

Some people have been waiting three months

for their QIs. And they're the lucky ones -

The ones we're actually managing

to deliver just don't work.

We can't keep advertising it, Clive.

People trust Sinclair. They trust me.

If they don't work, give them

another one that does.

Look, stop fretting, Nigel!

Our advertising campaign will

guarantee healthy sales.

If Curry wants to muscle in on the Spectrum

market with his ugly tat,

then I'll be damned if we don't respond.

I'll chop him off at the knees

in his own territory. Here, take this.

Sinclair QL commercial, take 17.

Harrods. Asda and Dixons might be next.

What?

They can't all be pulling their Electron orders.

Well, not yet.

Jesus, Hermann, I've got suppliers

all over me for money.

Well, we cash in more of the stock.

No - can't do that.

Or what about using some of

the advertising budget?

No way - that's vital.

We have to advertise on TV

like IBM and Commodore -

we can't spare a penny of that money.

Going to have to find it from somewhere else.

This is the new Acorn Electron.

It's powerful. It's versatile.

And it's only 199 pounds.

But there's one feature that will make it

particularly welcome

in homes all over Britain -

it speaks the same language as

most schoolchildren - BBC BASIC.

The Electron. Now your children can

teach you all they know.

The Acorn Electron can be found

at local Acorn dealers

and major high street stores.

Jesus.

Just thought I'd check on you.

What are you getting for Christmas, Valerie?

Oh - one of those new CD players.

That's if Simon can find one in the shop.

What about you?

I'll be happy with an empty warehouse.

I brought something for you to eat.

Oh! Just like old times.

Very good!

It was fun then, wasn't it?

Dangerous, walking in traffic.

Keep to the side, if I were you.

That's the place for pedestrians.

Are you sure? You want to go

with the one knocking Sinclair?

Just run it. I want full pages everywhere.

What the f***ing hell is all this about then?

What?

You f***ing buggering sh*t bucket!

All right - all right.

Jesus Christ!

I'm fine.

Ridiculous.

Don't do that again.

Get out, and stay out.

Still got that temper, Clive.

Someone needs to teach you a lesson.

That's funny. Because everything I learned,

I learned from you.

You learned nothing.

You took, and you took - and you gave nothing.

You wouldn't listen to me.

What choice did I have?

We could have been the British IBM,

but you wouldn't listen to me when you should've

- and now look at us.

Shares in the Acorn microcomputer company

were suspended on the stock market

this afternoon.

It follows rumours of financial problems

at the company.

Share prices in Acorn have been under pressure

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