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On This Day - 25th April

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1985

Amstrad CPC 664 Introduced in the UK

The Amstrad CPC 664 was introduced in the United Kingdom, extending the CPC range with an integrated 3-inch floppy disk drive in place of the CPC 464's built-in cassette recorder. The 64K machine retained the distinctive all-in-one design of the CPC 464 and was supplied with either a green-screen or colour monitor. The CPC 664 was an important step in Amstrad's development of disk-based home computing, with its 3-inch disk system later finding a place in the ZX Spectrum range when Amstrad introduced the ZX Spectrum +3. The 664 therefore forms an interesting link between the original CPC computers and Amstrad's subsequent development of the Spectrum.
Source: Amstrad; Home Computer Museum; Popular Computing Weekly — 25 April 1985
The Amstrad CPC 664 was introduced in the UK on 25 April 1985, retaining the CPC 464's 64K architecture while replacing its integrated cassette recorder with a built-in 3-inch floppy disk drive. Amstrad positioned the machine as a more serious disk-based computer, including CP/M support, while continuing to offer the CPC 464 alongside it. The contemporary launch was reported in Popular Computing Weekly on 25 April 1985.
Amstrad CPC 664 CPC 3-inch Floppy Disk CP/M Home Computer Business Computer Locomotive BASIC Amstrad Computers Disk Computing

Also in this month

Other historical information recorded for April.

Million Sinclair computers sold worldwide
1983

Million Sinclair computers sold worldwide

Sinclair Research announced that it had sold one million home computers worldwide, claiming to be the first company to reach that milestone. The total comprised around 130,000 ZX80s, 750,000 ZX81s and 200,000 ZX Spectrums. Sinclair also estimated that a further 600,000 Sinclair computers had been manufactured under licence by Timex for the North American market. The company said production in Dundee had reached approximately one computer every four seconds.
Source: Sinclair User April 1983
Sinclair User, issue 13, April 1983, reported Sinclair Research's claim that one million Sinclair home computers had been sold worldwide. The figures given were approximately 130,000 ZX80s, 750,000 ZX81s and 200,000 Spectrums. Sinclair additionally estimated that 600,000 computers had been manufactured under licence by Timex for North American sales. The article noted that Commodore disputed Sinclair's claim, saying that it had already passed one million sales several months earlier.
Sinclair Research ZX80 ZX81 ZX Spectrum Sinclair Sales Timex Timex Sinclair Dundee Sinclair Manufacturing Home Computers UK Home Computers
Sinclair User Issue 13
Timex Sinclair User magazine launched in the USA
1983

Timex Sinclair User magazine launched in the USA

ECC Publications launched Timex/Sinclair User, a new magazine aimed at owners of Timex/Sinclair computers in the United States. Based on the format of Britain's Sinclair User, the magazine covered reviews, projects, books and programming, with a first print run of 100,000 copies. ECC estimated that around 750,000 Timex/Sinclair machines were already in the United States and expected that figure to reach two million within a year.
Source: Sinclair User May 1983 Issue 14
Sinclair User Issue 14 reported that ECC Publications had launched Timex/Sinclair User in the United States during April 1983. The first issue had a print run of 100,000 copies and contained hardware and book reviews, projects including an EPROM blower, and a four-part BASIC programming series. The American edition had its own editorial and advertising staff, with members of the British Sinclair User team helping coordinate the launch. John Sterlicchi acted as editor-in-chief and John Ross as advertising manager.
Timex/Sinclair User Sinclair User Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Research ZX81 ZX Spectrum Sinclair Magazines Timex Sinclair Magazines USA American Computers Home Computers
Sinclair User Issue 14
Page Revised: 07/09/2026

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