Two 'super rare' personal computers left behind in a junkyard

According to TechSpot , employees of the home cleaning service Just Clear accidentally discovered two strange computers in boxes stored in a storage room of a house in London (UK). Instead of destroying the machines, the company kept the devices and brought them to an expert to learn more about the products.

The two models were confirmed to be the Q1 PC model - the world's first desktop computer with a fully integrated single microprocessor. The product was launched by Q1 Corporation in 1972, with a flat plasma screen, running an 8-bit Intel 8008 chip, supporting 16 KB of memory and a maximum clock speed of 800 kHz.

Only three intact Q1 PCs are found worldwide.

TechSpot Screenshot

The 8008 architecture was designed by Computer Terminal Corporation (CTC), and Intel was responsible for the implementation and production. Initially, this chip was designed for use in CTC's Datapoint 2200 terminal programming device, but the two sides came to an agreement to allow Intel to commercially produce it for other customers after Seiko raised the issue of using it for its computer line. In addition to the Q1 PC, the 8008 chip was also used in other products such as SCELBI (USA), Micral N (France), MCM/70 (Canada).

The discovery of the sanitation worker attracted the attention of the community because the number of Q1 PCs imported into the UK is very limited and currently in the world there are only three recorded devices (including the two models just found). The machine is currently on display at the technology museum of Kingston University (Surrey, UK).

Brendan O'Shea, owner of Just Clear, said: "The company's staff reported the discovery during the cleanup. Although I thought it was related to history, I never imagined that the discovery would be so important in the field of technology as well as the computer industry. Experts say these models are extremely rare, so seeing two of them at the same time is extremely exciting."

After the exhibition, both devices will be auctioned or sold to private collectors. There is no new valuation for the two machines, but the old price (according to the information available) of the product sold in 1979 was 20,500 USD, equivalent to 87,000 USD today.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/hai-may-tinh-ca-nhan-sieu-hiem-bo-quen-trong-kho-do-cu-185240222151642989.htm