News from Acorn Computers - Embargoed until 18th August 1994 ------------------------------------------------------------ Keep Track Of Your Social Life With Acorn's New Pocket Book II (It's good for studying as well!) Can you imagine a combination of an 'electronic notepad', personal organiser and complete personal computer, packaged in a stylish case which is small enough to fit in your pocket? If so, you have some idea of what Acorn Computers' new Pocket Book II can offer. Instead of carrying around lots of bits of paper with phone numbers, lecture notes, party invites and timetables scribbled on them, Acorn's Pocket Book II will keep everything you need in one place, with you at all times, and you can keep adding information long after your bag, pocket or notepad would be full! As well as keeping track of your social life, the Pocket Book can be used to take notes in lectures and seminars, jot down library-based research and draft essays - as well as allowing you to work outside when its sunny! What's more, with the original Pocket Book starting at 169.95, owning one won't break the bank, especially if you persuade your parents to buy you one for Christmas! Its size and neat design make the Pocket Book very easy and attractive to use. Because it is smaller than a paper-back book and light enough to be carried around easily in a bag or jacket pocket, Pocket Books are as a big a hit with girls as they are with boys. In fact, a survey last year showed that 46% of 6th form girls preferred portables to desktop computers. Peter Talbot, General Manager, UK Education at Acorn Computers, explains: "A computer can't be truly 'personal' unless you can easily carry it around with you like a diary or wallet, and use it whenever and wherever you want to. From this point of view the Acorn Pocket Book II is a 'personal' computer in every sense of the word. Students in higher education and 6th form colleges have grown up in a technology-led world and expect flexible technology like Pocket Books to fit their way of life rather than the other way round." The Pocket Book II range builds on the strengths of the original Acorn Pocket Book, which is already used extensively by those in education, offering a larger screen, more built-in software applications and increased power and memory. The Acorn Pocket Book is an 'electronic notepad', personal organiser and powerful, general purpose computer. Smaller than a paper-back book, the Pocket Book has its own screen and keyboard, enclosed in a strong case. Powered by long-lasting batteries, the Pocket Book comes with a word processor, spreadsheet, database, diary, calculator, spellchecker, thesaurus, clock and alarm and can easily be linked to printers and to Acorn, PC and Apple computers, which are commonplace in schools, universities and the home. A host of additional applications are also available, including: drawing & painting, personal organiser, personal accounts & expenses, telephone call coster, adventure and sports games titles, sales and business contact system, bank account management, Berlitz interpreter, health & nutrition and systems to calculate child support payments & welfare benefits. Pocket Book II will be available in September. The original Acorn Pocket Book (256k RAM) is available from 169.95. The new Pocket Book II (256k RAM) is priced at 229.74, while the top of the range model (512k RAM) is priced at 280.81. All prices exclude VAT. Acorn Pocket Books are available from Acorn dealers. For details of your local Acorn dealer please call 0223 254254. Founded in 1978, with 1993 revenues of 54.3m, Acorn Computers is the premier supplier of IT solutions to UK education and has been the leading provider of 32-bit RISC based personal computers since 1987. Acorn works closely with a strong community of industry partners, users and software developers to provide innovative technology solutions for the education, consumer, publishing and international markets. The Acorn Computer Group is a holding company for Acorn Computers Limited, Acorn Australia, Acorn New Zealand, Acorn GmbH and Online Media. Acorn Computer Group owns 43% of ARM Ltd. Online Media, a division of the Acorn Computer Group, was launched in 1994 with the mission to design world class, interactive multimedia products. --- end release 1