Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Before the TI-99/4 launched the US computer press was talking like Texas Instruments had already won the personal computer battle. Yet, 4 years after it launched, the $1,150 TI-99 was being sold in bargain bins for $50 and Texas Instruments were taking a $330M write-off. Was the TI-99 really that bad? And why was it such a flop?

Adrian Digital Basement TI-99 repair video: youtube.com/watch?v=uqp3-MMHvBI

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Sources
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments
spectrum.ieee.org/the-inside-story-of-texas-instruments-biggest-blunder-the-tms9900-microprocessor
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-990
web.archive.org/web/20170721222804/https://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/history/the-texas-instruments-994-worlds-first-16bit-computer
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Invaders_(Atari_2600_video_game)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_%26_Spell_(toy)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI_BASIC_(TI_99/4A)
archive.org/details/personal-computing-today-1982-09-ocr-uee
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMS9918
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Color_Computer
TI promotional material
atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n3/30_Texas_Instruments.php
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_Computer_40
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_Professional_Portable_Computer
99er.net/992.html
99er.net/998.html
techmonitor.ai/technology/ti_throws_in_towel_on_travelmate_sells_out_to_acer
https://books.google.it/books?id=vi4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA59
books.google.com/books?id=wy4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PP1&pg=PA63
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Sinclair_1000
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMS9900
icinsights.com/news/bulletins/tracking-the-top-10-semiconductor-sales-leaders-over-26-years
qz.com/top-chip-producers-revenue-share-fab-tsmc-samsung-1851758309/slides/7
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Chang
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSMC