SpidersWeb
Veteran Member
The JX was quite obviously an attempt to compete with the NEC PC-98 series, no? Both had optional hi-res graphics and Kanji support. But by 1985, NEC added 8 and 10 MHz V30 processors and FM synthesis sound to the PC-98 series, while the JX was stuck with a 4.77 MHz 8088 and 3-voice PCjr sound.
From a random Japanese page I found, it did seem like buying an NEC PC-98 system was the smarter move back then.
And once you knock off the specialised Kanji support - you're left with a bit of an unfocused mess for the Aus/NZ market. Priced too high for the average home computer at the time (8 bitter), and it's advantages didn't make sense for the small business market it aimed at.
For the office...
- no choice in video options, so you'll be stuck doing 640x400 and 320x200 stuff on RGB* instead of crisp MDA
- no real use for 3 voice sound
- no real use for two joystick ports
- no real use for wireless keyboard
- once the serial port is installed, you're out of slots
But one thing to keep in mind is I don't think this was a very big venture for IBM, but rather them dumping a bunch of stuff at Panasonic and seeing what they could do with it and then reusing it as a cheap entry level setup for AU/NZ. So I'm not sure if it earns a "fail" or a "flop" - it's possible it did all it was expected to do.
NB: Just my thoughts, if anyone disagrees feel free to reply.
* just a side note about the display, it has a light grey tube, which makes it feel more like an Amiga 1084S than an IBM 5153
Oh and for anyone who hasn't seen it, the IBM JX advert (probably from Australia)
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