Albert Computers
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Thousand Oaks , United States |
| Products | Albert Apple II clone computers |
The Albert was an Apple II clone introduced by Albert Computers, Inc. in 1983. The company released six variants that were similar in capability to the Apple IIe.
Description
Albert Computers, Inc. marketed a "complete system" priced near that of a basic Apple IIe. This package included 64 KB of RAM, expandable up to 192 KB; support for both uppercase and lowercase characters; a palette of 256 colors (compared to the Apple IIe’s 16); enhanced graphics capabilities; Analog RGB output; serial and parallel ports; a graphics digitizer tablet; voice recognition features; bundled software such as a word processor, spreadsheet, and data manager; a dual-voltage power supply; and an optional built-in battery backup.
The Albert was distinguished by its unique "two-piece" or "stereo" chassis design.
History
Located in Thousand Oaks, California, Albert Computers designed its Apple IIe-compatible systems targeting both home users and business professionals. The company promoted the Albert as a superior "next-generation computer," boasting enhanced hardware and software functionalities.
The entry-level Albert was priced at $1,595, slightly above the Apple IIe’s $1,395. However, the included features and options offered value exceeding $3,000.
Advertising campaigns featured Albert Einstein’s likeness alongside the tagline: "When you're ready to buy a personal computer, it's easy to see why Albert is smarter than Apple." Shortly after launch, Apple Computer, Inc. initiated a copyright infringement lawsuit against Albert Computers.
Models
| Model | Release Date | CPU | Video | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert | 1983 | 6502 | 16 colors | $1,595 |
| Express | 1983 | 6502 and Z80 | 256 colors | $695 |
| Executive | 1983 | 6502 and Z80 | 256 colors | - |
| Professional Executive | 1983 | 6502, Z80, 8088 | 256 colors | - |
| Pup | 1983 | 6502 (Z80 optional) | 256 colors | $499 |
| Profex Portable | circa 1984 | 6502, Z80, 8088 | 256 colors | - |
Video display
- Display modes
- Text mode with 40 columns (5x7 dot matrix)
- Optional upgrade to 80-column text requiring a monitor and 128 KB RAM expansion
- Color graphics available in low- and high-resolution modes
- Outputs for RGB and composite monitors
- Text layout
- Standard display of 24 lines by 40 columns
- Optional support for 24 lines by 80 columns
- Character set
- Supports 96 printable ASCII characters including both uppercase and lowercase
- Text attributes
- Normal, inverse video, and blinking text effects
- Low-resolution graphics
- Displays six colors simultaneously from a selection of 256
- Resolution options: either 48 × 48 pixels or combined mode with text at 48 × 40 pixels
- High-resolution graphics
- Six colors displayed simultaneously from a palette of 256
- User-selectable text and background colors
- Maximum resolution of up to 280 ×192 pixels with six colors or alternatively 140 ×192 pixels supporting sixteen colors
Processing
- Includes an Accumulator (A)
- Two Index registers labeled X and Y
- Stack pointer registers (P)
- Register width
- Registers are sized at 8 bits
- Data bus width is 8 bits
- Address bus width is 16 bits
- Addressable memory range
- Supports addressing up to 65,536 bytes (64K)
Memory
- Default memory configuration
- Equipped with 64 KB of dynamic RAM, expandable on the motherboard to a total of 192 KB
- Programmable memory space
- Provides up to 64 KB of RAM
- Read-only memory
- Contains two onboard sockets for ROM chips
I/O
- Separate keyboard resembling a typewriter
- Microphone input paired with an 8-ohm speaker featuring an amplifier and adjustable volume
- Output jack for external speakers
- Video output supporting composite color or configurable RGB signals
- Serial port compliant with RS-232 standard, along with parallel and serial printer interfaces
- RS-432/RS-422 port enabling connection to Ethernet through a network gateway adapter
- Five expansion slots equipped with interrupt handling and DMA priority management
- Hand controller (gaming) I/O signals (16-pin DIP)
- Four annunciator output lines
- Single strobe signal
- Three switch input lines
- Four analog input channels
- Ground and +5 V supply with soft switching
- Analog-to-digital converter inputs
- Six analog inputs, expandable up to eight
- Four annunciator output lines
- Three switch inputs
- Ground and +5 V supply, soft-switched
- Digital-to-analog converter outputs
- 8-bit DAC for digital-to-analog conversion
- Real-time clock providing month, day, hour, minute, and second data
Power requirements
- Line power
- Accepts 110 to 220 VAC or 8 to 32 VDC
- Battery power
- 12 VDC battery with a capacity of 1.2 ampere-hours
(All specifications are standard unless otherwise indicated.)