Jonos

Netcom Research, Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Computer hardware
Predecessor	Jonos, Ltd.; Jonos International, Inc.
Founded	January 1, 1980 (1980-01-01) in Anaheim, California, United States
Founder	John R. Amos
Defunct	1992
Fate	Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 1990; ceased operations in 1992
Headquarters	Fountain Valley, California , United States
Area served	United States; international (including UK, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Japan)
Key people	John R. Amos (founder), C. Norman Campbell (owner from 1987)
Products	STD Bus expansion cards, smart terminals, microcomputer systems, portable computers (Courier/Escort series), LAN expansion cards
Number of employees	65 (1984)

Netcom Research, Inc., initially established as Jonos, Ltd. and later known as Jonos International, Inc., was a United States-based computer firm operating from 1980 until 1992. The company focused on producing computer hardware such as STD Bus expansion cards, smart terminals, microcomputer systems, and portable computer models. Notably, its Courier series (renamed Escort) was the first microcomputer to integrate Sony's innovative 3.5-inch floppy disk drives when launched in June 1982. Jonos’ technology found applications across sectors including construction, roadworks, machining, and defense.

Establishment and Early Years (1980–1982)

Founded by entrepreneur John R. Amos in 1980 in Anaheim, California, Jonos International began as Jonos, Ltd. The company’s name originated from Amos’s own name and was promoted with the slogan "a whale of a deal." Prior to founding Jonos, Amos gained industry experience at Computer Automation in Newport Beach during the late 1960s.

By August 1983, Jonos had grown to approximately 30 employees. The firm introduced its first products in January 1982: the JL-32K RAM/EPROM card designed for STD Bus platforms supporting up to 32 KB of RAM and a 2.7-KB EPROM, along with the 100 Series and 101 Series smart terminals—the former featuring a built-in keyboard and the latter with a detachable keyboard—aimed at business and industrial users.

Development of Portable Computers (1982–1987)

In May 1982, Jonos secured an agreement exceeding US$1 million with Japan's Sony Corporation to incorporate their newly released 3.5-inch floppy disk drives into Jonos’ forthcoming microcomputers, including the Courier portable line as well as the Diplomat and Sentry desktop models. This partnership marked Jonos’ debut in the computer systems arena. Although Sony maintained a larger $30 million contract with Hewlett-Packard (HP) for these drives, Jonos was the pioneer in bringing to market a computer system equipped with Sony's 3.5-inch floppy technology, launching the Courier series in June 1982 at a retail price of $3,995. Initial shipments occurred that same month.

The Courier series featured two initial models: the Model 2100 with dual 3.5-inch floppy drives and the Model 2500 combining one floppy drive with a 5 MB hard drive supplied by Rodime. Both models utilized Zilog’s Z80A processor running at 4 MHz alongside an Intel 8085 chip responsible for keyboard and video control. Operating on Digital Research’s CP/M system distributed via 3.5-inch disks—a novel approach at that time—the machines housed rugged aluminum enclosures with integrated 9-inch CRT displays and Selectric-style keyboards. Optional accessories included Gucci leather carrying cases and attachable printers. Internally, the Courier supported eight STD Bus expansion slots.

By August 1982, Jonos expanded its product range with various STD Bus cards such as real-time clocks, RAM backup modules, graphics adapters, hard disk controllers, and began offering models equipped with SyQuest removable hard drives. A service partnership with Olivetti ensured support for customers across the United States. In March 1983, following a trademark conflict with ITT Corporation, the Courier line was renamed Escort.

Revenue figures for fiscal year 1982 ranged between $1 million and $4.9 million for Jonos. At COMDEX/Spring 1983, the company introduced the Model C68000 portable featuring Motorola’s advanced 68000 processor running Unix OS with memory starting at 256 KB expandable up to 1 MB. Alongside this was the C2150—a refined version of the C2100—boasting a faster Z80B CPU and enhanced RAM plus built-in expansion cards as standard equipment. In April 1984, the C2600 model upgraded its Escort predecessor’s hard drive capacity from 5 MB to 10 MB.

Sales of Courier units reached between 100 and 500 by August 1983. In January 1984, Jonos International, Inc., was officially formed to facilitate direct sales operations in the UK and pursue growth opportunities across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Japan; prior to this, UK distribution had been managed through reseller Group N.H. since June 1983. The company moved its US headquarters from Anaheim to Fullerton, California by early 1984 and employed roughly 65 personnel by late that year.

Around March 1984, Jonos unveiled its first IBM PC compatible portable computer—the Jonos 2150i—powered by an Intel 8088 processor and offering options for dual floppy drives supporting either Sony’s 3.5-inch or various standard 5.25-inch disk formats. Encased in a sturdy steel chassis weighing about 31 pounds, it earned PC World’s description as "the B-17 of portable computers."

Rebranding and Closure (1987–1992)

In June 1987, C. Norman Campbell, who served as vice president of engineering at Jonos, purchased the company from Amos and reestablished it as Netcom Research, Inc. in Fountain Valley, California. Initially, Netcom developed workstations utilizing Intel's 80286, i386, and i486 microprocessors. By July 1989, the Phoenix Group—an investment entity founded by Chuck Missler and headquartered in Newport Beach—acquired Netcom Research for less than $100,000. Following this acquisition, Netcom redirected its efforts toward producing LAN expansion cards compatible with IBM PC systems and secured a $49 million agreement to distribute these networking products on an international scale.

In September 1989, Phoenix attracted worldwide attention by entering into a contract to deliver six million personal computers to the Soviet Union intended for educational institutions and commercial use. The manufacturing responsibilities fell to Netcom Research and Phoenix’s American P.C. Corporation, which were also involved in assisting the establishment of computer manufacturing facilities within the USSR. Nevertheless, this arrangement was terminated in April 1990 due to doubts regarding Phoenix’s financial viability.

Netcom Research filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 1990, with Phoenix following suit in December of the same year. The company ceased operations entirely in 1992, concluding its business activities.