Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcK4kCuYthA
Atari ST Launch & First Public Demo - Winter CES 1985
Introduction
Atari 130ST and 520ST first public demo from the Winter Consumer Electronics Show 1985, hosted in Las Vegas in January 1985.
In it the unknown announcer discusses the ST’s TOS operating system and its desktop - GEM - including its original CP/M-68K underpinnings, which of course were replaced with GEMDOS shortly before release. There are a few interesting differences between the version demoed here and the final release, including the desktop icons which had to be changed due to a lawsuit from Apple.
This video seems to have vanished from YouTube so I decided to upload this segment for preservation.
Script
The new Atari Corp. this week establishes a revolutionary measure of price performance for easy to use and affordable 16/32-bit personal computers: the new 130ST and 520ST are specifically engineered to deliver to the individual consumer incredible power without the price.
The powerful and affordable 130ST and 520ST personal computers utilize a 16/32-bit MC68000 microprocessor, and are packed with 131,000 bytes of RAM and 524,000 bytes of RAM respectively.
They both have 512 available brilliant colors for excellent graphics - and to complement the ST family of computers, Atari Corp. is introducing a full line of compatible 3.5” disk drives, printers, RGB and color monitors, and other peripherals designed to expand the ST family to meet the individual’s needs.
GEM from Digital Research is built into every ST.
GEM is the special feature of the ST family which makes the Atari 130ST and 520ST personal computers easy to use and easy to learn. GEM provides the desktop metaphor and eliminates the need to use operating system commands. Software written for the GEM environment includes such features as overlapping windows, drop down menus, and icons - along with support for pointing devices such as a mouse.
With GEM’s visual software-oriented user interface even computer novices can quickly become comfortable with using the powerful ST family of personal computers.
But that’s not all!
The ST’s MIDI - M-I-D-I - the industry standard Musical Instrument Digital Interface - controls up to 16 different electronic instruments. The intelligence of a computer combined with today’s electronic music opens up the world of automated music lessons, digital composition and storage, and computer printed scores for amateurs and professionals.
The ST computer turns a simple electronic keyboard into a recording studio at a price that is within the reach of millions. It is on display today in the Atari ST demo room connected to a very advanced keyboard.
The design of the keyboard - meaning the computer keyboard - makes the ST computer a natural for serious applications like word processing and spreadsheets. There is a typewriter keyboard, a numeric touchpad, editing and cursor control keys, and 10 special function keys.
Atari has also included…
…a little bit of entertainment:
Breakout.
So while you’re toiling away the hours…
…working hard to make sure that you’re successful, and you need a little break, you can just bring up this nice little desk accessory and take your mind off things a bit.
But when the boss comes around quickly change over - lay that other piece of paper on there - and go back to look like you’re getting something accomplished!
But of course when he’s gone you can go right back to where the game was and proceed.
So enjoy yourselves this week. Atari is pleased to have you as a guest in our booth - and please meet with all our demonstrators: the 130XEs are off to my right demonstrating the fabulous Infinity, Silent Butler, and other application packages.
Off to my far left is the 65XE carousel. We’ve got the new learning phone which accesses the PLATO database on the most affordable computer and replaces the $10,000 expensive PLATO terminals.
We have many other examples of good education software there.
In the center kiosk you’ll find the 130ST and 520ST.
Please take the time to talk to the gentlemen that are there - they have worked many long hard hours to bring this product to you.
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