>I think Timex's main projection was that the Sinclair machines would be affordable over the long term. But I guess in the USA, the competition became cheaper m

>I think Timex's main projection was that the Sinclair machines would be affordable over the long term. But I guess in the USA, the competition became cheaper much faster than they expected. The competition became cheaper much faster than anyone expected. The Timex Sinclair 1000's introduction in the US in 1982 caused the US home computer industry to believe that they had to enter the sub-$100 market. Tandy introduced the MC-10 (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_MC-10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_MC-10>) as a cut-down version of its Color Computer, and TI designed the 99/2 as a cut-down version of its 99/4A. Two unexpected things happened: * Americans, more wealthy than Britons or Europeans, viewed $99 computers as toys. * Commodore's Jack Tramiel began a massive price war that drove the retail price of existing, more capable home computers down to $99. In 1983 the Commodore VIC-20 and TI 99/4A reached the $99 price point. TI thus never introduced the 99/2 despite having it ready for production. The VIC-20 and 99/4A received substantial third-party support; the Timex Sinclair 1000 and MC-10 did not, and quickly disappeared from the market.