Atari Corp. Introduces the 1040ST, The First PC With One Megabyte of Memory from a Leading Manufacturer

Sunnyvale, Calif. -- Jan. 9, 1986 -- PRNewswire -- Atari Corp. today announced it is introducing the 1040ST, the first personal computer with one megabyte of memory from a leading manufacturer.

The machine, available with a high-resolution monochrome ($999.95) or color monitor ($1,199.95), will be offered exclusively for distribution by computer dealers. Shipment of the 1040ST begins immediately.

The 1040ST is a business system featuring professional integrated design, with CPU, keyboard and disk drive all built in. The computer comes complete with ST BASIC, 1ST WORD (a word processing program), NEOchrome paint program and VT52 terminal emulator for telecommunications.

A large, diverse library of software is immediately available, since all titles developed for the current 520ST run on the new 1040ST. Now there are over 150 ST programs, representing business, home productivity, education, word processing, accounting and entertainment applications. A minimum of 100 additional titles is expected in the first quarter of 1986.

In a related announcement, Atari will provide a 20 megabyte, 5-1/4-inch hard disk peripheral, the SHD-204, available next month. The add-on will deliver the increased power requirements for most professional applications.

Atari Vice President/General Manager Al Montross emphasized that he expects to increase distribution dramatically among computer dealers with the 1040ST. "The 1040ST is clearly a superb computer on its own merits, and its price makes it remarkable," said Montross. "We're certain more and more dealers will now perceive Atari as serious about the business market, and see the 1040ST as a valuable addition to their sales and profit mix."

Distinctive features of the 1040ST include its built-in double-sided, double density 3-1/2-inch disk drive and power supply. The computer's operating system (TOS) is in ROM, leaving the full RAM available for user applications.

Another important feature of the system is an elegant, professional 95-key keyboard with a separate cursor, 10 function keys and an 18-key numeric keypad.

The 1040ST has a built-in hard disk (DMA) port, facilitating the highest data transfer on the market. The machine also boasts a floppy disk interface for external 3-1/2-inch drive, a built-in RS-232 serial port for use with standard modems, and an industry standard parallel port for connection to popular brand printers. A MIDI interface is resident for music applications.

The machine has a powerful graphics interface, utilizing the GEM standard. A mouse controller and desktop metaphor presentation deliver a level of comfort and ease-of-use not found on any other system for under $1,000. The 1040ST offers a choice among a high-resolution monochrome monitor (640 by 400 pixels); medium-resolution color monitor (640 by 200 pixels), with a palette of 512 colors available; and RF video output provided by a built-in RF modulator.

Atari is the largest privately held manufacturer and marketer of personal computers in the United States. The company offers the new 16-bit ST series of computers, the XE line of computers, video game systems and an extensive line of computer and video game software.

/CONTACT: Gail Snider or Pat Lamb of Richard Weiner Inc., 212-315-8000, for Atari/