View source for Sinclair Research

{{Short description|British consumer electronics company}}
{{distinguish|text=the earlier company also founded by Clive Sinclair, [[Sinclair Radionics]]}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Sinclair Research Ltd
| type = [[Limited company]]
| logo = Sinclair.svg
| logo_size = 180px
| logo_alt = Sinclair logo
| founded = [[Cambridge]], England, UK ({{start date and age|1973}}){{disputed inline|date=September 2025}}
| hq_location_city = [[London]]
| hq_location_country = UK
| key_people = [[Nigel Searle]], Director (1979 to 1986)<br/>[[Jim Westwood]]<br/>[[Rick Dickinson]], Designer
| num_employees = 140 (1980s)<br/>3 (1990)<br/>1 (1997)
| revenue = £102 million [[Pound sterling|GBP]]
| revenue_year = 1985
| industry = [[Computing]]<br/>[[Electronics]]
| products = [[ZX Spectrum|Sinclair ZX Spectrum]]<br/>[[Sinclair QL]]
| founder = [[Clive Sinclair]]
}}

'''Sinclair Research Ltd''' is a British consumer electronics company founded by [[Clive Sinclair]] in [[Cambridge]] in the 1970s. In 1980, the company entered the [[home computer]] market with the [[ZX80]] at £99.95, at that time the cheapest personal computer for sale in the United Kingdom. A year later, the [[ZX81]] became available through retailers, introducing home computing to a generation, with more than 1.5 million sold. In 1982 the [[ZX Spectrum]] was released, becoming the UK's best selling computer, and competing aggressively against [[Commodore International|Commodore]] and [[Amstrad]].

A combination of the failures of the [[Sinclair QL]] computer and the [[TV80]] pocket television led to financial difficulties in 1985, and a year later Sinclair sold the rights to its computer products and brand name to Amstrad. Sinclair Research Ltd continued to exist as a one-man company, marketing Clive Sinclair's inventions.

== History ==
{| class ="wikitable" align="right"
|+ Profit and turnover data<ref name="corphist">{{cite web|url=http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/sinclair/corphist.htm|title=Sinclair: A Corporate History|work=Planet Sinclair|access-date=2006-12-15}}</ref>
!  Period
!  Profit
!  Turnover
|-
| 1980
| style="text-align: center;" | {{increase}} £131K
| style="text-align: center;" | £640K
|-
| 1981
| style="text-align: center;" | {{increase}} £818K
| style="text-align: center;" | £4.6m
|-
| 1982
| style="text-align: center;" | {{increase}} £8.55m
| style="text-align: center;" | £27.17m
|-
| 1983
| style="text-align: center;" | {{increase}} £13.8m
| style="text-align: center;" | £54.53m
|-
| 1984
| style="text-align: center;" | {{increase}} £14.28m
| style="text-align: center;" | £77.69m
|-
| 1985
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£18m
| style="text-align: center;" | £102m
|-
| 1988 to 1989
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£183K
| style="text-align: center;" | £8K
|-
| 1989 to 1990
| style="text-align: center;" | {{increase}} £618K
| style="text-align: center;" | £5K
|-
| 1990 to 1991
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£272K
| style="text-align: center;" | £5K
|-
| 1991 to 1992
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£593K
| style="text-align: center;" | £1K
|-
| 1992 to 1993
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£169K
| style="text-align: center;" | £380K
|-
| 1993 to 1994
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£195K
| style="text-align: center;" | £511K
|-
| 1994 to 1995
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£304K
| style="text-align: center;" | £436K
|-
| 1995 to 1996
| style="text-align: center;" | {{decrease}} −£123K
| style="text-align: center;" | £256K
|-
|}

=== Founding and early years ===
{{See also|Sinclair Radionics}}

On 25 July 1961, Clive Sinclair founded his first company, [[Sinclair Radionics|Sinclair Radionics Ltd.]] in [[Cambridge]]. The company developed [[hi-fi]] products, radios, calculators and scientific instruments.<ref name="radionics_ad">[https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Technology/Technology-All-Eras/Archive-Practical-Wireless-IDX/IDX/60s/PW-1969-03-IDX-70.pdf Sinclair Radionics advertisement], March 1963, [https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Technology/Technology-All-Eras/Archive-Practical-Wireless-IDX/IDX/60s/PW-1969-03-IDX-70.pdf page 876], (further details at [https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Technology/Technology-All-Eras/Archive-Practical-Wireless-IDX/IDX/60s/PW-1969-03-IDX-71.pdf page 877]) ''Practical Wireless,'' as photo-archived at WorldRadioHistory.com, retrieved May 21, 2023.</ref> When it became clear that Radionics was failing, Sinclair took steps to ensure that he would be able to continue to pursue his commercial goals. In February 1975, he changed the name of Ablesdeal Ltd (a [[shelf corporation|shelf company]] he had bought in September 1973 for just such an eventuality) to Westminster Mail Order Ltd. The name was changed to Sinclair Instrument Ltd in August 1975.

Finding it inconvenient to share control after the [[National Enterprise Board]] became involved in Radionics in 1976, Sinclair encouraged [[Christopher Curry (businessman)|Chris Curry]] to leave Radionics, which he had worked for since 1966, and get [[Sinclair Instrument]] operational. The company's first product was a watch-like Wrist Calculator.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sinclair Instrument Wrist Calculator |url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/52845/Sinclair-Instrument-Wrist-Calculator/ |website=Centre for Computing History website}}</ref>

=== Calculators ===
The [[Sinclair Executive]] was introduced in 1972 as the first calculator which could easily be carried in a pocket. It was also significantly cheaper than similarly featured 4-function calculators available at the time. The [[Sinclair Cambridge]] was launched in 1973 as a basic calculator and later in several enhanced versions supporting memory, advanced mathematical functions, and programmability. The [[Sinclair Scientific]] featuring trigonometric and logarithmic functions and employing [[Reverse Polish notation|Reverse Polish Notation]] was introduced in 1974.

=== Development of the ZX80 ===
In July 1977, Sinclair Instrument Ltd was renamed '''Science of Cambridge Ltd.''' <!-- DONT WIKILINK  'Science of Cambridge' or 'Science of Cambridge Ltd'. They both redirect to THIS ARTICLE-->Around the same time, Ian Williamson showed Chris Curry a prototype [[microcomputer]] based on a [[National Semiconductor SC/MP]] [[microprocessor]] and parts from a Sinclair calculator. Curry was impressed and encouraged Sinclair to adopt it as a product. In June 1978, Science of Cambridge launched its [[MK14]] microcomputer in kit form.

In May 1979, [[Jim Westwood]], Sinclair's chief engineer, designed a new microcomputer based on the [[Zilog Z80]] microprocessor. Sinclair Instrument Ltd introduced the computer as the [[ZX80]] in February 1980, as both a kit and ready-built.<ref name = "InfoWorld Oct 27, 1980">{{Cite magazine | last = Clarke | first = Jerry | title = Micro Industry in U.K. Shows Stiff Upper Lip | magazine = [[InfoWorld]] | volume = 2 | issue = 19 | pages = 1, 35 | date = 27 October 1980 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Qj4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PP1 | issn = 0199-6649}}</ref>

=== Commercial success and home computers ===
[[File:ZXSpectrum48k.jpg|right|thumb|[[ZX Spectrum]] (1982)]]

The company was being known as '''Sinclair Research Ltd''' at the launch of the [[Sinclair ZX80]] in January 1980,<ref>https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/2472/Computer-for-all-the-family-is-launched/</ref> but as late as March 1981 is was still going by the '''Science of Cambridge''' name.<ref>https://nosher.net/archives/computers/adve_026</ref> In March 1981, Sinclair Computers was renamed '''Sinclair Research Ltd''' and the [[Sinclair ZX81]] was launched. In February 1982, [[Timex Group USA|Timex Corporation]] obtained a license to manufacture and market Sinclair's computers in the [[United States|USA]] under the name [[Timex Sinclair]]. In April the [[ZX Spectrum]] was launched. In July Timex launched the [[Timex Sinclair 1000|TS 1000]] (a version of the ZX81) in the United States. In March 1982 Sinclair Research Ltd made an £8.55m profit on turnover of £27.17m, including a £383,000 government grant to develop a flat screen.

In 1982 Clive Sinclair converted the Barker & Wadsworth [[mineral water]] [[bottling line|bottling factory]] at 25 Willis Road, Cambridge, into the company's new headquarters. (Following Sinclair's financial troubles, the premises were sold to Cambridgeshire County Council in December 1985.)

In January 1983 the ZX Spectrum personal computer was presented at the [[Las Vegas]] [[Consumer Electronics Show]]. In September the Sinclair [[TV80]] pocket [[television]] was launched, but was a commercial failure.

In 1983 the company bought Milton Hall in the village of [[Milton, Cambridgeshire]], for £2m, establishing its ''MetaLab'' research and development facility there.

In late 1983 Timex decided to pull out of the Timex Sinclair venture which, due to strong competition, had failed to break into the United States market. However, Timex computers continued to be produced for several years in other countries. Timex Portugal launched improved versions, the [[Timex Sinclair 2048|TS 2048]] and [[Timex Sinclair 2068|2068]]; that company also developed and launched the [[Timex FDD3000|FDD3000]], a [[floppy disk]] system, although it was not well received by the market.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}}

=== Mid-1980s developments ===
The [[Sinclair QL]] was announced on 12 January 1984, shortly before the [[Macintosh|Apple Macintosh]] went on sale.<ref name="Sue Denham 1984">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr02/yr02_q2.htm | magazine=[[Your Spectrum]]| issue=2 |date=March 1984 | first=Sue | last=Denham | title=Sir Clive Makes The Quantum Leap | access-date=2006-04-19}}</ref> The QL was nowhere near as successful as Sinclair's earlier computers. It suffered from several design flaws,<ref name="QL News / SinclairWatch">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr05/yr05_47.htm#SinclairWatch |magazine=[[Your Spectrum]] |issue=5|date=July 1984|title=QL News / SinclairWatch|access-date=2006-12-15}}</ref> and ''[[Your Sinclair]]'' noted that it was "difficult to find a good word for Sinclair Research in the computer press".

Fully working QLs were not available until late summer and complaints against Sinclair regarding delays were upheld by the [[Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)|Advertising Standards Authority]] in May of that year. (In 1982 it had upheld complaints about delays in shipping Spectrums.) Especially severe were allegations that Sinclair was cashing cheques months before machines were shipped. In the autumn Sinclair was still publicly predicting it would be a "million seller", and that 250,000 would be sold by the end of the year.<ref name="Roger Munford 1984">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr07/yr07_72.htm#Circe|magazine=[[Your Spectrum]]|issue=7|date=September 1984|title=Circe|author=Roger Munford|access-date=2006-12-15}}</ref> QL production was suspended in February 1985, and the price was halved by the end of the year.<ref name="Timex/Sinclair history">{{cite web|url=http://www.zqaonline.com/Events/History.aspx|title=Timex/Sinclair history|work=ZQAOnline|access-date=2006-12-15|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060717042421/http://www.zqaonline.com/Events/History.aspx|archive-date=17 July 2006|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The ZX Spectrum+, a repackaged ZX Spectrum with a QL-like keyboard, was launched in October 1984 and appeared in [[WHSmith]]'s shops the day after release. Retailers stocked the machine in large numbers in expectation of good Christmas sales. However, the machine did not sell as well as expected and, because retailers still had unsold stock, Sinclair's income from orders dipped alarmingly in January. The Spectrum+ had the same technical specifications as the original Spectrum. An enhanced model, the ZX Spectrum 128, was launched in Spain in September 1985, with development funded by the Spanish distributor Investronica.<ref name="Kept in the Dark">{{cite magazine |date=November 1985 |title=Kept in the Dark| magazine = [[CRASH (magazine)|CRASH]] | issue = 22| url = http://www.crashonline.org.uk/22/editrl.htm | access-date = 2006-12-15 }}</ref> The UK launch of this was delayed until January 1986, because retailers had large unsold stocks of the previous model.<ref name="comphist-spec128">{{cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/cgi-bin/sitewise.pl?act=det&p=2584|title=Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128|publisher=The Center for Computing History|access-date=4 December 2009}}</ref>

At the January 1985 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, Sinclair re-entered the United States market, announcing the "FM Wristwatch Radio", an [[LCD]] [[wristwatch]] with a [[radio receiver|radio]] attached.<ref name="fmwr">{{cite web|url=http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/audio/wristwatch_radio.htm|title=FM Wristwatch Radio|work=Planet Sinclair|access-date=2009-12-09}}</ref> However, the watch had several problems and never went into full production.

Sinclair had long had an interest in electric vehicles, and during the early 1980s he worked on the design of a single-seater "personal vehicle", eventually starting a company called Sinclair Vehicles Ltd in March 1983. He launched the [[Sinclair C5]] electric vehicle on 10 January 1985, but it was a commercial disaster, selling only 17,000 units and losing Sinclair £7,000,000. Sinclair Vehicles went into liquidation later the same year. The failure of the C5, combined with those of the QL and the [[TV80]], caused investors to lose confidence in Sinclair's judgement.

<!-- Note:  The anchor will avoid breaking wikilinks to the previous section title. -->
{{anchor|Amstrad acquisition}}

=== Amstrad acquisition of assets ===
Sinclair Research had reportedly intended a public offering of shares on 12 March 1985, but this offering was postponed, ostensibly due to turmoil in the microcomputer industry, with [[Acorn Computers]] undergoing refinancing, and other companies such as Sinclair's competitor [[Oric computers|Oric]] and distributor Prism entering receivership. Although the collapse of the latter was not expected to have a significant effect on Sinclair's ability to reach customers, the observation was made that "Sir Clive would not be trying to go public unless he thought he could use the cash", indicating that the postponement of an offering whose timing would have been planned for optimal effect would be a setback for the company.<ref name="pcw198504_prism">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerWorld1985-04/page/101/mode/1up | title=Still waters | magazine=Personal Computer World | date=April 1985 | access-date=22 October 2021 | last1=Kewney | first1=Guy | pages=101–102 }}</ref>

On 28 May 1985, Sinclair Research had announced it wanted to raise an extra £10m to £15m to restructure the organisation. Given the loss of confidence in the company, the money proved hard to find. In June 1985, [[business magnate]] [[Robert Maxwell]] announced a takeover of Sinclair Research, through Hollis Brothers, a subsidiary of his [[Pergamon Press]].<ref name="nyt-srl">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/18/business/sinclair-to-sell-british-unit.html|title=Sinclair to Sell British Unit|date=18 June 1985|work=[[The New York Times]]|agency=[[The Associated Press]]|url-access=limited|access-date=4 December 2009}}</ref> However, the deal was aborted in August 1985.<ref name="corphist"/>

The future of Sinclair Research remained uncertain until 7 April 1986, when the company sold its entire computer product range, and the "Sinclair" brand name, to [[Amstrad]] for £5 million.<ref>{{cite magazine | author = Graham Kidd |date=May 1986 | title = Amstrad has bought Sinclair Research | magazine = [[CRASH (magazine)|CRASH]] | issue = 28 | pages = 7 | url = http://www.crashonline.org.uk/28/editrl.htm | access-date = 2006-08-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | date = May 1986 | title = Amstrad axes QL in Sinclair sell out | magazine = [[Sinclair User]] | issue = 50 | pages = 7 | url = http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/050/news.htm | access-date = 2006-08-19 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060924102231/http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/050/news.htm | archive-date = 24 September 2006 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> The deal did not include the company itself, only its name and products.

===Spin-offs===
Sinclair Research was reduced to an [[research and development|R&D]] business and a [[holding company]], with shareholdings in several new "spin-off" companies formed to exploit technologies developed by the main company. These included Anamartic Ltd ([[wafer-scale integration]]), Shaye Communications Ltd ([[CT2]] mobile telephony) and Cambridge Computer Ltd ([[Cambridge Z88|Z88]] portable computer and [[satellite television]] receivers).<ref name="corphist"/>

=== Return to invention ===
[[File:AbikeInventors.png|thumb|Inventors of the A-bike, Sir Clive Sinclair and Alexander Kalogroulis]]

Since 1986, the company has continued to exist, but in a completely different form. In 1993, 1994, and 1995 Sinclair made continuing losses on decreasing turnover. Investors became worried that Clive Sinclair himself was using his own personal wealth to fund his inventions. By 1990 the company's entire staff had been reduced to just Sinclair himself, a salesman/administrator, and an R&D employee. By 1997 only Sinclair himself was working at his company.

In 1992, the "[[Sinclair Zike|Zike]]" electric bicycle was released, Sinclair's second attempt at changing people's means of transport. It had a maximum speed of {{convert|10|mph|abbr=on}}, and was only available by mail order. Much like the [[Sinclair C5|C5]], the "Zike" was a commercial failure, and sold only 2,000 units. In 1999 Sinclair released the world's smallest radio, in the form of the "Z1 Micro AM Radio".

In 2003, the Sinclair "ZA20 Wheelchair Drive Unit" was introduced, designed and manufactured in conjunction with Hong Kong's Daka Designs, a partnership which also led to the SeaDoo Sea Scooter underwater propulsion unit.

July 2006 saw the release of the [[A-bike]], a [[folding bicycle]] invented by Sinclair, which was on sale for £200. It had been originally announced two years previously. In November 2010, Sinclair Research announced the X-1 two-wheel electric vehicle, which failed to reach production.

== Products ==
;Wrist Calculator
The [[Sinclair Wrist Calculator|Wrist Calculator]] was released by Sinclair Instrument in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/wrist_calculator.html|title=Wrist Calculator|access-date=13 October 2015}}</ref>

;Multimeter DM2
A digital [[multimeter]] with an LED display, measuring voltage (DC and AC), current and resistance, released in 1975.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

;MK14
The [[MK14]] (Microcomputer Kit 14) was a [[Electronic kit|computer kit]] sold by Science of Cambridge, introduced in 1977 for £39.95.

;ZX80
The [[ZX80]] [[home computer]] was launched in February 1980 at £79.95 in kit form and £99.95 ready-built.<ref name="InfoWorld Oct 27, 1980"/> In November of the same year Science of Cambridge was renamed Sinclair Computers Ltd.

[[File:Timex Sinclair 1000 FL.jpg|right|thumb|[[Timex Sinclair]] 1000, a U.S. version of the Sinclair ZX81]]

;ZX81
The [[Sinclair ZX81|ZX81]] (known as the [[Timex Sinclair 1000|TS 1000]] in the United States) was priced at £49.95 in kit form and £69.95 ready-built, by mail order.

[[File:ZX Spectrum128K.jpg|right|thumb|[[ZX Spectrum 128]], an updated version of the original 1982 ZX Spectrum]]

;ZX Spectrum
The [[ZX Spectrum]] was launched on 23 April 1982, priced at £125 for the 16 [[Kilobyte|KB]] RAM version and £175 for the 48 KB version.

;TV80
The [[TV80]] was a pocket [[television]]. Launched in September 1983, it used a flattened [[Cathode-ray tube|CRT]] unlike Sinclair's previous portable televisions. The TV80 was a commercial failure<ref>{{cite web | url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8185371/sinclair-ftv1-tv-80-miniature-television-receiver-television-receiver | title=Sinclair FTV1 (TV-80) miniature television receiver &#124; Science Museum Group Collection }}</ref> selling only 15,000 units and not covering its development costs of £4m.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}

;Sinclair QL
The [[Sinclair QL]] was announced in January 1984,<ref name="Sue Denham 1984"/> priced at £399. Marketed as a more sophisticated [[32-bit]] [[microcomputer]] for professional users, it used a [[Motorola 68008]] processor. Production was delayed by several months, due to unfinished development of hardware and software at the time of the QL's launch.<ref name="sunrise"/> Hardware reliability problems and software bugs resulted in the QL acquiring a poor reputation from which it never recovered.

;ZX Spectrum+
The ZX Spectrum+ was a repackaged ZX Spectrum 48K, launched in October 1984.

;ZX Spectrum 128
The ZX Spectrum 128, with RAM expanded to 128 kB, a [[sound chip]] and other enhancements, was launched in Spain in September 1985 and the UK in January 1986, priced at £179.95.<ref name="comphist-spec128"/>

;Computer peripherals
Sinclair created various peripherals for its computers, including memory expansion modules, the [[ZX Printer]], and the [[ZX Interface 1]] and [[ZX Interface 2]] add-ons for the ZX Spectrum. A number of QL peripherals were developed by other companies but marketed under the Sinclair brand. External storage for the Spectrum was usually on [[cassette tape]]s, as was common in that era. Rather than an optional [[floppy disk drive]], Sinclair instead opted to offer its own [[mass storage]] system, the [[ZX Microdrive]], a tape-loop cartridge system that proved unreliable. This was also the primary storage device for the QL.

[[File:Sinclair Research X1 FM Radio (front).jpg|right|thumb|X1 Button Radio (1997)]]

;X1 Button FM Radio
In June 1997 Sinclair Research released the X1 radio for £9.50. This miniature mono [[FM broadcasting|FM radio]], powered by a [[CR2032]] battery, had a fixed volume and was inserted in the ear. The X1 radio had three buttons, an on/off switch, a ''Scan'' button, and a ''Reset'' button to restart the scanning process. It came with a short length of aerial and a detachable ear hook.<ref>{{cite web|title=Planet Sinclair|url=http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/audio/x1radio.htm|access-date=12 April 2011}}</ref>

=== Cancelled projects ===
The following computer products were under development at Sinclair Research during the 1980s but never reached production:

;LC3
Standing for "Low Cost Colour Computer", the ''LC3'' was developed during 1983 by [[Martin Brennan (engineer)|Martin Brennan]] and was intended to be a cheap Z80-based games console implemented in two chips, using [[read-only memory|ROM]] and (non-volatile) [[random-access memory|RAM]] cartridges for storage. A multi-tasking [[operating system]] for the ''LC3'', with a full windowing [[GUI]], was designed by Steve Berry. It was cancelled in November 1983 in favour of the [[Sinclair QL|QL]].<ref name="sunrise">{{cite web|url=http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/ql/ql_sst.htm|title=The Quantum Leap - to where?|work=Sinclair and the 'Sunrise' Technology|author=Ian Adamson|author2=Richard Kennedy |access-date=2006-12-15}}</ref>
;SuperSpectrum
Intended to be a [[Motorola 68008|68008]]-based [[home computer]], equipped with built-in [[ZX Microdrive]], joystick, [[RS-232]] and ZX Net ports. Sinclair's [[SuperBASIC]] programming language was originally intended for this model but was later adopted for the QL. ''SuperSpectrum'' was cancelled in 1982 after the specification of the ''ZX83'' (QL) had converged with it.<ref name="sunrise"/> This project is not to be confused with ''Loki'', which was described as the "SuperSpectrum" in an article in the June 1986 issue of ''[[Sinclair User]]'' magazine.
;Pandora
This was to be a portable computer with an integral flat-screen CRT display. Initially to be [[ZX Spectrum]]-compatible with a faster [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] [[Central processing unit|CPU]], a built-in [[ZX Microdrive]] and a new 512×192-pixel monochrome video mode. Due to the limited size of flat CRT that could be manufactured, a series of folding lenses and mirrors were necessary to magnify the screen image to a usable size. The project was cancelled after the Amstrad take-over, but the ''Pandora'' concept eventually transformed into the Cambridge Computer [[Cambridge Z88|Z88]].<ref>{{cite newsgroup |title = Re: Sinclair Loki Superspectrum |author = Rupert Goodwins |date = 12 May 2002 |newsgroup = comp.sys.sinclair |message-id= 3cde626f.45085128@news-text.blueyonder.co.uk |url = http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.sinclair/msg/6bdb4bd808bdb3d6?dmode=source |access-date = 2006-11-23}}</ref><ref name="unreleased">{{cite web|url=http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/computers/loki/loki.htm |title = Loki, Janus, Pandora: The Unreleased Sinclair Computers|work=Planet Sinclair|access-date=2006-12-15}}</ref><ref name="dickinson-pandora">{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/9574086@N02/sets/72157600856913881/|title=Pandora to Z88|work=Flickr|author=Rick Dickinson|date=16 July 2007|access-date=2008-04-21}}</ref>
;[[Loki (computer)|Loki]]
This project was intended to create a greatly enhanced [[ZX Spectrum]], possibly rivalling the [[Amiga|Commodore Amiga]]. ''Loki'' was to have a 7&nbsp;MHz [[Zilog Z80|Z80]]H [[Central processing unit|CPU]], 128 KiB of RAM, and two custom chips providing much enhanced graphics and audio capabilities. After the Amstrad buy-out in 1986, two engineers who had worked on the project, [[John Mathieson (computer scientist)|John Mathieson]] and [[Martin Brennan (engineer)|Martin Brennan]], founded [[Flare Technology]] to continue their work.<ref name="unreleased"/>
;Bob/Florin
According to [[Rupert Goodwins]], this was a project to produce an add-on [[floppy disk]] drive for the [[ZX Spectrum]].<ref>{{cite newsgroup |title = Re: Does anyone remember the Spectrum to Spectrum+ upgrade? |author = Rupert Goodwins |date = 18 August 1999 |newsgroup = comp.sys.sinclair |message-id= 7pf9kh$ih1$1@neptunium.btinternet.com |url = http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.sinclair/msg/92cdbd9b554f978e?dmode=source |access-date = 2006-11-23 }}</ref>
;Tyche
This codename was assigned to a QL follow-on project running from 1984 to 1986. Among the features associated with ''Tyche'' were increased RAM capacity, internal [[floppy disk]] drives, the [[Psion (computers)|Psion]] ''Xchange'' application suite on ROM, and possibly the [[Graphics Environment Manager|GEM]] [[GUI]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mail-archive.com/ql-users@quanta.org.uk/msg01982.html|author=Tony Tebby|work="ql-users" mailing list|title=Q-Emulator 2|access-date=2006-12-15}}</ref>
;Janus
This name has been associated with a design concept for a "Super QL" based on [[wafer-scale integration]] technology.<ref name="unreleased"/><ref name="dickinson-ql">{{cite web
|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/9574086@N02/sets/72157600854938578/
|title=QL and Beyond
|work=Flickr
|author=Rick Dickinson
|date=16 July 2007
|access-date=2008-04-21}}</ref>
;Proteus
This was rumoured to be a hypothetical portable version of the QL similar to ''Pandora''.<ref>{{cite newsgroup |title = A little piece of Sinclair history... |author = Rupert Goodwins |date = 26 October 1999 |newsgroup = comp.sys.sinclair |message-id= 7v3mp3$5u2$1@uranium.btinternet.com |url = http://groups.google.co.uk/group/comp.sys.sinclair/msg/d86d60ac12c92da4?hl=en&dmode=source|access-date = 2009-05-04}}</ref>

;Sinclair X-1
In November 2010 Sinclair told ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper that he was working on a new prototype electric vehicle, called the [[Sinclair X-1|X-1]], to be launched within a year. "Technology has moved on quite a bit, there are new batteries available and I just rethought the thing. The C5 was OK, but I think we can do a better job now."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/nov/13/inventors-idea-regret|title=Whose bright idea was that?|date=13 November 2010|location=London|author=Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian|access-date=2010-11-13}}</ref> The two-wheel X-1 was to have been available in July 2011 at the price of £595,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gizmag.com/sinclair-x1-pedal-electric/16838/|title=Sir Clive Sinclair's X-1 pedal-electric hybrid|last=Coxworth|first=Ben|date=5 November 2010|website=www.gizmag.com|access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sinclairzx.com/spec-x-1.html|title=Sinclair Research|author=Sinclair Research - Sir Clive Sinclair|access-date=13 October 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003092254/http://www.sinclairzx.com/spec-x-1.html|archive-date=3 October 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> but failed to reach production.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/benchtalk/4437901/Sir-Clive-Sinclair-interview--ZX-Spectrum-relaunched-for-retro-gameplay|title=Sir Clive Sinclair interview|last=Dunn|first=Michael|date=8 December 2014|newspaper=EDN|access-date=5 February 2017|language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Commons category|Sinclair Research}}
* [[Sinclair BASIC]]
* [[Sinclair C5]]
* [[Sinclair Executive]]
* [[Sinclair Radionics]]
* [[Sinclair Scientific]]
* [[Sinclair Vehicles]]
* [[Timex Sinclair]]
* [[TV80]]
* [[Sinclair President]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* Adamson, Ian; Kennedy, Richard (1986). ''Sinclair and the "Sunrise" Technology''. London: Penguin Books. 224 pp.&nbsp;{{ISBN|0-14-008774-5}}.
* Dale, Rodney (1985). ''The Sinclair Story''. London: Duckworth. 184 pp.&nbsp;{{ISBN|0-7156-1901-2}}.
* Tedeschi, Enrico (1986). ''Sinclair Archaeology: The Complete Photo Guide to Collectable Models''. Portslade: Hove Books. 130 pp.&nbsp;{{ISBN|0-9527883-0-6}}.

== External links ==
* [http://www.interface1.net/zx/index.html Sinclair Nostalgia Products]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020301025415/http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/045/sstory.htm ''The Sinclair Story'' book extract]
* [http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/sinclair/ Planet Sinclair]
* [https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4341280.stm 'Pocket TVs failed before. What's changed?', BBC News Magazine article]
* [http://www.zx81museum.net/ ZX81 Online Museum]
* [http://www.1000bit.it/database2.asp?id=6&grp=S_NOM www.1000bit.net, 1000BiT Sinclair's section]
* [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01135105]

{{Sinclair computers and clones}}
{{Amstrad}}

[[Category:Sinclair Research| ]]
[[Category:Defunct computer companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Defunct computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Electronics companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct software companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Electronics companies established in 1973]]
[[Category:Electronics companies disestablished in 2021]]
[[Category:Computer companies established in 1973]]
[[Category:Computer companies disestablished in 2021]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Cambridge]]
[[Category:Technology companies based in Cambridge]]
<!-- foundation -->
[[Category:Defunct companies based in London]]
[[Category:British companies established in 1973]]
[[Category:British companies disestablished in 2021]]
[[Category:1986 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in England]]