I had to defend the TI99/4A in Youtube Comments.

[JamesD]

I actually have a more-or-less complete Aquarius system in my collection. . .

Just for the record, I owned one myself up until my fire ate it along with most of my other machines.

I also owned a TS-1500 and still own at least one TS-1000.

Sh*t has a certain charm.

[am1933]

My guilty secret, I also have an Aquarius

[JamesD]

The only machines I regretted purchasing were the Aquarius and TS-1000.

[Retrospect]

The only machines I regretted purchasing were the Aquarius and TS-1000.

I even resented the Aquarius emulator.

[Willsy]

The only machines I regretted purchasing were the Aquarius and TS-1000.

 

It's bizarre that the TS-1000 (ZX81) is actually less capable than the Aquarius, yet it is universally loved (at least in the UK and Europe), whereas the Aquarius has colour, sound, and a cartridge port, and is a LOT faster, yet is universally hated!

 

I guess it's because the ZX81 was one of the very first home computers (you could buy it in kit form), whereas the Aquarius was launched into a mele of machines all competeing, and was obsoloete even before it was launched!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattel_Aquarius

[am1933]

 

It's bizarre that the TS-1000 (ZX81) is actually less capable than the Aquarius, yet it is universally loved (at least in the UK and Europe), whereas the Aquarius has colour, sound, and a cartridge port, and is a LOT faster, yet is universally hated!

 

I guess it's because the ZX81 was one of the very first home computers (you could buy it in kit form), whereas the Aquarius was launched into a mele of machines all competeing, and was obsoloete even before it was launched!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattel_Aquarius

I refer the right honourable gentleman to my previous pictorial answer.

Edited November 9, 2015 by am1933

[JamesD]

 

It's bizarre that the TS-1000 (ZX81) is actually less capable than the Aquarius, yet it is universally loved (at least in the UK and Europe), whereas the Aquarius has colour, sound, and a cartridge port, and is a LOT faster, yet is universally hated!

 

I guess it's because the ZX81 was one of the very first home computers (you could buy it in kit form), whereas the Aquarius was launched into a mele of machines all competeing, and was obsoloete even before it was launched!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattel_Aquarius

Keep in mind inexpensive machines were still in the $400+ (US) range in 1980 when the ZX-80 came out. It was crap but it was affordable in a lingering recession in Europe and it had the hype that it was made in the UK going for it. The TS-1000 came out in the US in 82 and they sold a lot of them but this is the machine that doomed Timex in the computer market. Programming the TS-1000 was torture compared to machines we were used to in the US.

 

By the time the Aquarius came out, the C64 was out, Ataris, VIC20s and Color Computers had dropped in price and/or offered more RAM, the Spectrum and Oric were taking off in Europe, there were a bunch of new, more capable, low end machines that had things the Aquarius didn't, and people in the US were leery of cheap low end machines thanks to Timex.

In 1976-1978 the Aquarius is actually competitive. There were no inexpensive color machines at that time. But it wasn't introduced then.

[+OLD CS1]

RetroAge, local shop in the mall, has an Aquarius system with what looks like some peripherals. Made me think of this thread and chuckle. That quickly faded to lament as I discovered someone bought the full Sega Master System they had.