Display article   Subject:  The New Tandy 1000 RLX
   04/30/97   18:00:22


THE NEW TANDY 1000 RLX

On April 18th, the new Tandy 1000 RLX (Cat. No. 25-1452, $799.95)
and Tandy 1000 RLX Hard Drive (Cat. No. 25-1453, $1,199.95)
computers were introduced.  These new units continue the
tradition set with the Tandy 1000 RL, designed with the home user
in mind, but featuring the power and features necessary for
bringing work home from the office.

The PC Compatible Tandy 1000 RLXs both feature a 80286
microprocessor running at 10 MHz clock speed.  The standard
memory on the 25-1452 is 512K RAM, with an available upgrade to
1 MB (Cat. No. 25-1083, $79.95).  The 25-1453 RLX HD unit
(25-1453) comes with 1 MB RAM already installed.  Included with
both machines are two joystick ports, a DB-9 serial port, a DB-25
parallel printer port, PS/2 mouse port, a PS/2-Style two-button
mouse (same as the 25-1042), one 1.44 MB high density 3 1/2"
diskette drive, 101-Key enhanced keyboard, real time clock with
battery backup, special Tandy 1000 sound circuitry with
bi-directional DACs, VGA video support, volume control, stereo
headphone jack, microphone jack, one ten-inch expansion board
slot, MS-DOS and DeskMate in ROM and the 24 DeskMate and DeskMate
Home Organizer Applications.

On the 25-1452, there is an additional storage device slot for
either a 720K (25-1075) or 1.44 MB (25-4053) 3 1/2" floppy
diskette drive or a 20 (25-1047) or 40 (25-1048) Megabyte
SmartDrive.  On the 25-1453, there is a 40 Megabyte SmartDrive
already built-in and formatted, with MS-DOS and DeskMate
pre-installed on the drive.  You just power up and go!

The new features to this 1000-family computer include the VGA
video support (the first time for a 1000 computer), up to 1
megabyte RAM on the main board and the inclusion of a two-button
PS/2-Style Mouse with the computer.  With the addition of the
VGM-220 Color Monitor (25-4044) to the 25-1452 Tandy 1000 RLX,
you have a package price of $1,199.90, the lowest price ever
offered on a VGA computer/Color Monitor combination from Radio
Shack.  In fact, it's less than the initial catalog price of the
Tandy 1000 TL/2 (25-1602) computer alone!

Also included is a new Voice Message option in the Information
Center, which allows you to leave voice messages by attaching a
microphone to the RLX.  It is a great enhancement that will make
a super demonstration of the advanced sound technology built into
every Tandy 1000 produced since the Tandy 1000 SL in 1988.

These features alone would make a solid computer for the home or
home office user, but we've kept those special features that make
this the perfect family system.  First, as in the RL, we've left
the fan out of the RLX.  It was designed to run cooler than most
computers, and all components were built with the special
requirements of a no fan environment in mind.  The floppy drive
has a disk change detection circuit, so when you change
diskettes, the DeskMate screen is updated automatically.  The RLX
has a durable, rugged metal enclosure with a very compact
footprint of 2 7/8" high, 14" wide and 15" deep.  DeskMate
features the "screen saver" option that causes the screen to go
blank after a period of keyboard and mouse inactivity, thus
allowing the monitor to stay powered on all the time with no risk
of screen burn-in.

On the hard drive version, the screen saver option also controls
the "power saver" program of the SmartDrive, where the SmartDrive
is turned off, after a period of keyboard and mouse inactivity,
until needed.  These two features are designed with the idea of
leaving the computer powered on at all times, making it a true
home information center.

If you choose to add a SmartDrive to your floppy RLX computer
later, you'll find the installation a very easy task.
The 20 (25-1047) and 40 (25-1048) Megabyte SmartDrives feature
the HINSTALL initialization program that runs under DeskMate.
Four keystrokes and you're finished.  Even a labeled blank
diskette is included!  The MS-DOS/GW-BASIC diskette installs to
the SmartDrive under DeskMate as well.  Just start DeskMate,
press <F7>, highlight INSTALL, put your MS-DOS/GW-BASIC diskette
in Drive A, and MS-DOS is installed in its own directory.  It
even creates or modifies the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and sets the ROM.

As stated earlier, the RLX is a system, and the other part of the
system is software.  For the RLX, we have improved the 15
DeskMate Home Organizer applications by the addition of new
colors and graphics (made possible by the use of VGA), and added
the Recipe Sharer.  The Home Organizer applications are fully
explained in "Tandy 1000 RLX:  Another Home Run."  Here's a
review, by each category, the DeskMate Home Organizer
Applications:

Personal

Collections:  Helps keep collections organized, such as coins,
stamps, videos, records, etc.

Diary:  Keeps a password-protected diary on the computer to
express your thoughts daily.

Home Inventory:  Keeps an organized list of your possessions in
your home for insurance and other purposes.

Information Center:  A "bulletin board" for leaving messages,
plus a list of important phone numbers and a date book.  This
replaces the refrigerator door as the family message center.

Itemized List:  Keep a detailed account of anything in your home
inventory or any other list.

Travel Planner:  Create an itinerary of your vacation or business
trip and schedule every day.

Kitchen

Cookbook:  Browse through recipes filed by category.  Make a
selection and a "recipe card" displays both an ingredient list
and preparation instructions.  Includes 30 recipes from the New
Good Housekeeping Cookbook.  By using a new program called Recipe
Sharer (included with the RLX), those with DeskMate Home
Organizer software are able to write individual recipes to disk
and share them with others.

Grocery List:  A real time saver, created from a list of foods
you normally buy.  Just check each item needed and print a list.

Meal Planner:  Put together a menu created from recipes in your
Cookbook.

Financial Organizer

Account Information:  A handy file of your checking, savings,
credit union and other accounts.

Checkbook Register:  Keeps track of the checks you've written and
keeps the current balance of your account.

Checkbook Balancer:  Helps reconcile your bank account with the
monthly statement, easily and quickly.

Expense Itemizer:  Using information from the Checkbook Register,
find out where your money went during the month.  Includes both a
monthly Pie Chart and annual Bar Chart for quick reference.

Financial Notebook:  Keeps information on stocks, bonds and
loans, right at your fingertips.

Mathcard:  Solve problems with commonly used formulas, including
loans, savings, unit conversions and more.

The RLX also includes nine other DeskMate programs:  Desktop,
Text, Draw, PC-Link, Telecom, Hangman, Music, Sound and Address
Book.  This makes a total of TWENTY-FOUR applications included
with the Tandy 1000 RLX computer.

Of course, we believe that the RLX and RL are THE Home Computers.
But we're not alone.

The Tandy 1000 RLX joins the Tandy 1000 RL as the only computers
to have the Good Housekeeping Seal.  The Seal is one of the most
widely respected in the world, and our RLX and RL are the only
computers with the Seal.

"The Home Computer... That Means Business!" is the slogan we are
using to indicate how confident we are that the RLX is the system
for those who are concerned with 80286 power and work brought
home from the office, but still need an easy to learn and use
computer.  Anyone can be successful using the RLX.  First, there
are the built-in tutorial programs to step you through the
applications, as well as a manual that covers both software and
hardware.  And the friendly face of DeskMate allows you to learn
one interface and then use common features in all programs.

There is a comparison chart at the end of this article.  To
highlight some differences, the IBM PS/1 has PC-DOS 4.0 and a
built-in Modem.  The RLX has faster video, a larger hard drive,
an expansion slot, serial port, two joystick ports and built-in
digital sound standard.  It has a superior keyboard to the IBM.
In fact, it's the same keyboard that we use with our most
expensive computers.  If you want a modem, many are available for
the RLX.  But if you don't want to pay extra for a modem, you
don't have to.  MS-DOS 3.3 runs faster and takes up less memory
than the PS/1's PC-DOS 4.0.  Options for the RLX are much more
affordable than those for the PS/1.

To decrease the learning curve, the friendly face of DeskMate and
the DeskMate Home Organizer software requires the learning of ONE
common set of commands.  The PS/1 software includes programs that
require the learning of five different interfaces.

The Mac Classic is a monochrome only system, with no option to
add color to its 9-inch built in screen.  Its operating system is
incompatible with MS-DOS, where 80% of program development is
happening today.  The myth about Apple's ease of use has been
shattered by programs such as DeskMate and Windows.

If you want to bring work home, such as preparing a speech or
presentation, or using Lotus Spreadsheet for DeskMate for
forecasting, the RLX can do the job.  The majority of home users
will be well satisfied with the 80286 power, VGA Graphics and up
to 1 MB RAM available with the RLX.  For more intensive programs
and power users, the Tandy 2500 XL/2 may be better suited to your
needs.

But for the majority of home and small business users, both new
and experienced, the Tandy 1000 RLX has all the power and
expandability you will ever use or need.  Functionality, ease of
use and early success will keep this computer busy long after
others have been relegated to the top shelf of the closet or
stuffed in the attic.

This is the computer you have been asking for.  Our stores told
us what you wanted, and this input was instrumental in the design
and features included with the RLX.

The Tandy 1000 RLX proves, once again:  Tandy Computers -- there
is STILL no better value!


                Tandy 1000 RLX Comparison to
         IBM PS/1 and Macintosh Classic Computers

                     IBM           Macintosh          Tandy
                     PS/1           Classic          1000 RLX

CPU                 80286           M68000            80286
Speed (MHz)          10              7.83              10
Base Memory         512K             2 MB             512K
Max Mem/
   Main Board       1 MB             4 MB             1 MB
Expansion Slots       0                0             1-10" XT
Floppy Drives   3 1/2" 1.44 MB  3 1/2" 1.4 MB    3 1/2" 1.44 MB
   Opt. 5 1/4"  Ext 360K/1.2 MB       N/A           Ext 1.2 MB
Hard Drive
   Optional HD      30 MB            40 MB          20/40 MB
Keyboard           101-key           78-key         101-key
Operating System   PC-DOS           MAC DOS         MS-DOS
Video                VGA          Mono Analog         VGA
Sound - Voices     1 Voice          4 Voice         3 Voice
      - Digital                    8-Bit DAC       8-Bit DAC

Ports:
Serial               No             Yes - 2           Yes
Parallel             Yes              No              Yes
Mouse                Yes              Yes             Yes
Joystick             No               No            Yes - 2
Headphone            Yes              Yes             Yes
Microphone           No               No              Yes
Clock                Yes              Yes             Yes

Suggested Retail:
w/Mono Monitor     $999.00          $999.00         $999.90
w/Color Monitor  $1,449.00        Mono Only       $1,199.90

Options:
Mouse              No Cost          No Cost         No Cost
2400 bps Modem     No Cost          $199.95         $149.95
Expansion Slots    $169.95          No Cost         No Cost
Sound              $249.00          No Cost         No Cost
Second Joystick
   Port             $39.00            N/A           No Cost
Memory to 1 MB     $199.95          No Cost          $79.95

Options Subtotal   $657.90          $199.95         $229.90

Total System Price:
w/Mono Monitor   $1,656.90        $1,198.95       $1,229.80
w/Color Monitor  $2,106.90        Mono Only       $1,429.80

Software
   Included:       PC-DOS          MAC DOS          MS-DOS
                  GW-BASIC                         GW-BASIC
               Microsoft Works                   Address Book
                  Prodigy                           Desktop
                 Promenade                           Draw
                                                    Hangman
                                                     Music
                                                    PC-Link
                                                     Sound
                                                    Telecom
                                                     Text
                                                     plus
                                                  15 DeskMate
                                                 Home Organizer
                                                  Applications



                     IBM           Macintosh          Tandy
                   PS/1 HD       Classic 2/40      1000 RLX/HD

CPU                 80286           M68000            80286
Speed (MHz)          10              7.83              10
Base Memory         1 MB             4 MB             1 MB
Max Mem/
   Main Board       1 MB             4 MB             1 MB
Expansion Slots       0                0             1-10" XT
Floppy Drives   3 1/2" 1.44 MB  3 1/2" 1.4 MB    3 1/2" 1.44 MB
   Opt. 5 1/4"  Ext 360K/1.2 MB       N/A          Ext 1.2 MB
Hard Drive          30 MB            40 MB          20/40 MB
Keyboard           101-key           78-key         101-key
Operating System   PC-DOS           MAC DOS         MS-DOS
Video                VGA          Mono Analog         VGA
Sound - Voices     1 Voice          4 Voice         3 Voice
      - Digital                    8-Bit DAC       8-Bit DAC

Ports:
Serial               No             Yes - 2           Yes
Parallel             Yes              No              Yes
Mouse                Yes              Yes             Yes
Joystick             No               No            Yes - 2
Headphone            Yes              Yes             Yes
Microphone           No               Yes             Yes
Clock                Yes              Yes             Yes

Suggested Retail:
w/Mono Monitor   $1,649.00        $1,499.00       $1,399.90
w/Color Monitor  $1,999.00        Mono Only       $1,599.90

Options:
Mouse              No Cost          No Cost         No Cost
2400 bps Modem     No Cost          $199.95         $149.95
Expansion Slots    $169.95          No Cost         No Cost
Sound              $249.00          No Cost         No Cost
Second Joystick
   Port             $39.00            N/A           No Cost
Memory to 1 MB     No Cost          No Cost         No Cost

Options Subtotal   $457.95          $199.95         $149.95

Total System Price:
w/Mono Monitor   $2,106.95        $1,698.95       $1,549.85
w/Color Monitor  $2,456.95        Mono Only       $1,749.85

Software
   Included:       PC-DOS          MAC DOS          MS-DOS
                  GW-BASIC                         GW-BASIC
               Microsoft Works                   Address Book
                  Prodigy                           Desktop
                 Promenade                           Draw
                                                    Hangman
                                                     Music
                                                    PC-Link
                                                     Sound
                                                    Telecom
                                                     Text
                                                     plus
                                                  15 DeskMate
                                                 Home Organizer
                                                  Applications

Source:  Dataquest SpecCheck Winter 1991

