C/WP-Cortex Advert - October 1984
From A-Z of Personal Computers
Get to Know Cortex - the Really Very Friendly Computer
This is an interesting advert for a forgotten machine - The Cortex - built by C/WP (Computers/Word Processors) of the UK from a design bought from Ontel in the US.
In the US this machine was known as the Amigo[1], which probably gave Commodore a few sleepless nights over the name of its Amiga machine, released the following year.
In many ways it provides the template for the Apple iMac, which wasn't released until 1998 - some 15 years after the Cortex was first released in 1983 - what with its all-in-one monitor/base-unit design, and a choice of case colours - red, green, sunshine yellow, ice white, all black and beige.
It even came with the "friendly computer" reference, even though that had already been used by Commodore as part of its VIC-20 campaign.
It was a dual-processor machine, using a 4MHz Zilog Z80 as its main "program" CPU and a MOS 6502 - which ran entire computers like the VIC-20, Apple II and BBC Model B - just to drive the display. It shipped with 64K memory, plus another 40K for the screen.
The choice of sticking with 8-bit processors in the era of the 16-bit IBM PC was apparently down to the large array of software already available for 8-bit CP/M, which at least included a custom version of legendary early word-processor WordStar.
It retailed for £1,795 + VAT - around £8,390 in 2025 money.
Date created: 01 July 2012
Last updated: 11 December 2024
Sources
Text and otherwise-uncredited photos © nosher.net 2025. Dollar/GBP conversions, where used, assume $1.50 to £1. "Now" prices are calculated dynamically using average RPI per year.
