They Create Worlds

TCW Podcast Episode 245 - The History of Commodore Pt 2

 

Commodore’s shift from calculators to computers began with the PET, which found success in Europe as a business machine. After seeing the ZX80 in Britain, Jack Tramiel pushed for an affordable home computer, leading to the VIC-20. Guided by marketing manager Michael S. Tomczyk, Commodore promoted the VIC-20 as “the friendly computer” with William Shatner as spokesman. It first launched in Japan before reaching the United States and Europe, becoming a hit worldwide. Building on that success, Commodore released the C64, featuring the powerful SID sound chip and far more memory than its competitors. Marketed again under Tomczyk’s direction at a price under six hundred dollars, the C64 became one of the best-selling computers of all time, driving Commodore’s revenue past a billion dollars and securing its place in computing history.

 

TCW 2025 Livestream: https://youtu.be/BXXAhEVD4Lk

 

TCW 165 - Allied Leisure: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/allied-leisure/

TCW 172 - The Computer Price Wars Part 1: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-price-wars-part-1/

TCW 173 - The Computer Price Wars Part 2: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-2/

TCW 174 - The Computer Price Wars Part 3: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-computer-wars-part-3/

TCW 130 - Uncle Clive's Radionics: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/uncle-clives-radionics/

TCW 131 -  Sir Clive of ZX: https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/sir-clive-of-zx/

 

KIM-1 Computer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMxOWngmy8I

The 8-Bit Guy - Commodore PET: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP9y_7it3ZM

The 8-Bit Guy - Commodore VIC-20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg04GyhS3ss

The 8-Bit Guy - Commodore C64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpXFB8ZEH30

Commodore VIC-20 Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak0YU8ymkBc

Wiliam Shatner VIC-20 Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAU9Ntpoms

Commodore 64 Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd_yiMhu1DM

 

New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!

 

TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com 

Twitter: @tcwpodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com

Alex's book, published Dec 2019, is available at CRC Press and at major on-line retailers: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1

 

Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode -  Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode 

Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love 

 

Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/