Sinclair User (April 1982)

_{Cover of the April 1982 issue of Sinclair User}

Sinclair produced a very popular line of computers in the U.K. starting with the ZX-80 then the ZX-81 and finally the ZX Spectrum. There were a couple of other more enhanced Spectrums afterwards but those had limited success. This is the first issue of Spectum User which was one of the major magazines in the U.K. dedicated to those computers. In 1982 it was just the ZX-80 and ZX-81. The April 1982 issue includes:

Sinclairvoyance - An introduction to the magazine and speculation about what is ahead for Sinclair computers.

Software Scene - New software this month includes 3D Labyrinth, a maze game requiring the 16K RAM expansion to play on the ZX-81; two new bargain collections of software on tape that will run in the default 1K of the ZX-81 including a collection of games (Laser Blast, Alien Crawler, Ghost Hunt and Torpedo) and a collection of more productive software (Bank Budget and Car Log); a ZX-81 version of Monopoly; a new programming language called Window Language; a faster version of Defender from Quicksilva; a new chess game called ZXchess II; and more.

Hardware World - New hardware this month includes a kit for preventing screen flicker with the ZX-80; the ZX-99 expansion which adds the ability to connect four tape recorders and adds a RS323C port; a variety of add-ons from Quicksilva including a 3K RAM expansion, a sound board, programmable graphics board and more; an add-on kit that allows sound to be routed to your TV via the RF modulator; an improved keyboard; a more reliable tape recorder for data; a 32K RAM expansion; and more.

Inside Sinclair - An interview with the person responsible for technical support for the 250,000 ZX-81 owners.

_{Table of Contents from the April 1982 issue of Sinclair User}

School Spot - A look at how ZX-81s are being used in schools across the U.K.

Eight Pages of Programs - Eight type-in programs including: Intercept, a simpler version of Missile Command for the ZX-80; Star Swerver, a game for the ZX-81 in which you must steer your spaceship around the stars; Square Root, a program for solving square roots on the ZX-81; Graph Plotter, a program for the ZX-81 capable of plotting curves when given a formula; Othello, a computerized Othello/Reversi for the ZX-81; Blackjack for the ZX-81; and Old Forty-niner, a version of draughts on a 7x7 board for the ZX-81.

Business - How one person turned their ZX-81 into a business machine by adding 16K RAM, printer, tape recorder for data storage, and a better keyboard among other things.

Conversion - An article on how to convert your programs from the ZX-80 to the ZX-81. Mostly this involves having enough memory and converting and PEEKs and POKEs that address memory directly.

Books - A look at some books for ZX-80/81 owners including "Getting Acquainted with Your ZX81", "Stretching Your ZX81 or ZX80 to its Limits", "The ZX81 Pocket Book", "The ZX81 Companion", and others.

_{Back cover of the April 1982 issue of Sinclair User}