History Platform / ColorComputer

The original Color Computer came in a silver case with a built-in chiclet keyboard, similar to the UsefulNotes/TRS80 Model I. However, despite the use of the "TRS-80" name (which Tandy phased out later in the 1980s), the [=CoCo=] was completely incompatible with software written for other TRS-80 models.[[note]]In fact, it didn't even use the Z80 CPU that gave the TRS-80 line its name in the first place. The use of the TRS-80 name was pure marketing.[[/note]] Like many other microcomputers of the time, the [=CoCo=] could only handle uppercase letters. Graphics on the [=CoCo=] were limited to two predefined four-color palettes, one of which had neither black nor white. The [=CoCo=]'s Motorola 6809E CPU was underclocked, running slowly even by 1980 standards. TRS-80 was sometimes joked as meaning "Trash-80".

The [=CoCo=]'s first two models went through several revisions each: the silver case was replaced with a white one, the keyboard acquired proper keys, memory was increased, a newer version of BASIC became available, and the "TRS-80" branding was dropped. Microware's popular UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like OS-9 operating system was first offered for the [=CoCo=] in 1983. The final model, the Color Computer 3, was introduced in 1986. The [=CoCo=] 3 had significantly expanded memory and could output high-resolution graphics (up to 16 simultaneous colors) or mixed-case text to a monitor. But by then the [=CoCo=] was in decline, and UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer clones, including Tandy's own [[UsefulNotes/Tandy1000 1000 series]], were becoming more popular as home computers. The [=CoCo=] still remained in production until 1991.

The Color Computer, or [=CoCo=] to its fans, was Tandy/Radio Shack's first microcomputer not limited to a black-and-white display. When it debuted in June 1980, the TRS-80 Color Computer was the cheapest home computer that could display multiple colors, until the Commodore UsefulNotes/VIC20 came out the next year. Its output was designed to be shown on an ordinary color TV set.

The original Color Computer came in a silver case with a built-in chiclet keyboard, similar to the UsefulNotes/TRS80 Model I. However, despite the use of the "TRS-80" name (which Tandy phased out later in the 1980s), the [=CoCo=] was completely incompatible with software written for other TRS-80 models.[[note]]In fact, it didn't even use the Z80 CPU that gave the TRS-80 line its name in the first place. The use of the TRS-80 name was pure marketing.[[/note]] Like many other microcomputers of the time, the [=CoCo=] could only handle uppercase letters. Graphics on the [=CoCo=] were limited to two predefined four-color palettes, one of which had neither black nor white. The [=CoCo=]'s Motorola 6809E CPU was underclocked, running slowly even by 1980 standards.

The [=CoCo=]'s first two models went through several revisions each: the silver case was replaced with a white one, the keyboard acquired proper keys, memory was increased, a newer version of BASIC became available, and the "TRS-80" branding was dropped. Microware's popular UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like OS-9 operating system was first offered for the [=CoCo=] in 1983. The final model, the Color Computer 3, was introduced in 1986. The [=CoCo=] 3 had significantly expanded memory and could output high-resolution graphics (up to 16 simultaneous colors) or mixed-case text to a monitor. But by then the [=CoCo=] was in decline, and UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer clones such as Tandy's own [[UsefulNotes/Tandy1000 1000 series]] were becoming more popular as home computers. The [=CoCo=] still remained in production until 1991.

The [=CoCo=]'s first two models went through several revisions each: the silver case was replaced with a white one, the keyboard acquired proper keys, memory was increased, a newer version of BASIC became available, and the "TRS-80" branding was dropped. Microware's popular UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like OS-9 operating system was first offered for the [=CoCo=] in 1983. The final model, the Color Computer 3, was introduced in 1986. The [=CoCo=] 3 had significantly expanded memory and could output high-resolution graphics (up to 16 simultaneous colors) or mixed-case text to a monitor. But by then the [=CoCo=] was in decline, and UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer clones such as the UsefulNotes/Tandy1000 were becoming more popular as home computers. The [=CoCo=] still remained in production until 1991.

* ''[[Franchise/CarmenSandiego Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?]]''

* ''VideoGame/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''

The [=CoCo=]'s first two models went through several revisions each: the silver case was replaced with a white one, the keyboard acquired proper keys, memory was increased, a newer version of BASIC became available, and the "TRS-80" branding was dropped. Microware's popular UsefulNotes/{{Unix}}-like OS-9 operating system was first offered for the [=CoCo=] in 1983. The final model, the Color Computer 3, was introduced in 1986. The [=CoCo=] 3 had significantly expanded memory and could output high-resolution graphics (up to 16 simultaneous colors) or mixed-case text to a monitor. But by then the [=CoCo=] was in decline, and UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer clones such as the Tandy 1000 were becoming more popular as home computers. The [=CoCo=] still remained in production until 1991.

The [=CoCo=]'s first two models went through several revisions each: the silver case was replaced with a white one, the keyboard acquired proper keys, memory was increased, a newer version of BASIC became available, and the "TRS-80" branding was dropped. Microware's popular OS-9 operating system was first offered for the [=CoCo=] in 1983. The final model, the Color Computer 3, was introduced in 1986. The [=CoCo=] 3 had significantly expanded memory and could output high-resolution graphics (up to 16 simultaneous colors) or mixed-case text to a monitor. But by then the [=CoCo=] was in decline, and UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer clones such as the Tandy 1000 were becoming more popular as home computers. The [=CoCo=] still remained in production until 1991.

* ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry''

* ''VideoGame/{{Pitfall}} II'' (and ''Super Pitfall'')

The [=CoCo=] was initially co-developed by Tandy and processor manufacturer Motorola with help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the "Green Thumb" project. By using some of Motorola's chips, including a new, inexpensive color video processor, they built a teletex device aimed at farmers that could plug into a regular color TV. Using the built-in modem, farmers could get information on weather, crop prices and other useful information. A general consumer version called the "Videotex" was released, built around use with CompuServe. It was only a short step to turn the terminal into a full computer.

The [=CoCo=]'s first two models went through several revisions each: the silver case was replaced with a white one, the keyboard acquired proper keys, memory was increased, a newer version of BASIC became available, and the "TRS-80" branding was dropped. Microware's popular OS-9 operating system was first offered for the [=CoCo=] in 1983. The final model, the Color Computer 3, was introduced in 1986. The [=CoCo=] 3 had significantly expanded memory and could output high-resolution graphics (up to 16 simultaneous colors) or mixed-case text to a monitor. But by then the [=CoCo=] was in decline, and IBMPersonalComputer clones such as the Tandy 1000 were becoming more popular as home computers. The [=CoCo=] still remained in production until 1991.