|  |  | ## History of computer design: TRS-80
|  |  | Home || Introduction || Historiography || 1-Cottage industry || 2-Emerging standards || 3-Macintosh 4-frogdesign || 5-Corporate focus || Conclusion || Bibliography & links
|  | Another "appliance" computer to gain popularity in 1978 was Tandy-Radio Shack's TRS-80. Affectionately called the "trash-80," it had a far more portable appearance, its circuitry contained below its keyboard in a rectangular slab tilted slightly towards the user. A comparison of TRS-80 and Apple II advertisements reveals the degree to which Apple was emphasizing accessibility to a broad public audience. While the Apple II was declared both useful "and just plain fun" (Apple ad in Byte, April 1979, p. 5), the TRS-80 was said to have "advanced features like comprehensive string handling, multi-dimension arrays, multi-letter variable names" along with other esoteric capabilities (Radio Shack ad in Byte, Feb. 1979, p. 89). Radio Shack's ad is typical of this period, similar to hundreds of contemporary ads for components directed towards the hobbyist. Clearly, Apple's ads were unusual in trying to avoid technical language and complex details. Apple's friendly approach was emphasized by full-colour ads picturing smiling people alongside this accessible description. Colour ads from other computer companies were rare before 1980, when they gradually became more common. To Early History (1976-80) To Apple III Home || Introduction || Historiography || 1-Cottage industry || 2-Emerging standards || 3-Macintosh 4-frogdesign || 5-Corporate focus || Conclusion || Bibliography & links