Business Week

October 22, 1979, Industrial Edition

SECTION: INFORMATION PROCESSING; Briefs; Pg. 128J

LENGTH: 160 words

Now that the Federal Communications Commission has waived its strict rules on 
testing home computers while it considers even tighter regulations, there will be 
new low prices on some models. The waiver on the testing, which was required to 
ensure noninterference with radio or TV broadcasting, was requested by Texas 
Instruments Inc., which had to introduce its 99/4 model last June with its own TV 
monitor to get around the problem. Industry observers expect TI to drop the costly 
display in time for the Christmas selling season, which could enable the Dallas 
company to shave the computer's $1,150 price tag by $200 to $400. Another company 
rolling out a home computer without a monitor will by Tandy Corp. A senior 
executive says that its Radio Shack stores will begin selling this model for less 
than $500 in the second half of 1980. In both cases, the computer would use the home 
TV set for the display.