Acorn Computers name resurrected

By Steve Malone

Posted on 8 May 2006 at 11:03

One of the most famous names in the history of British home computing has been resurrected to badge a new range of PCs. A new Acorn Computers is now banking on the affection held in the name to sell to the old company's traditional markets in home, education and small business markets

Acorn Computers, along with Sinclair Research, was one of the original pioneers of what was then called 'microcomputing' in the UK. The high point for the company was when it won a contract to supply the 'BBC Micro' to accompany a series the corporation was screening at the time. However, despite a loyal following, Acorn, along with most of the rest of the early manufacturers, fell victim to the irresistible force of the IBM PC standard.

The new incarnation of Acorn Computers has no connection with ARM (Acorn RISC Machines, a spin-off) - which has since carved itself a lucrative niche in designing chips for mobile phones.

The new Acorn range consists of four models - 12.1in Solo Note, 14.1in Solo Book, 15.4in Desk Note and 17in Desk Book each with WXGA widescreens. The new Acorn range runs Microsoft Windows XP and comes with Zone Alarm from Zone Labs as well as Sun's Star Office.

Update: A reader writes that Element 14 Limited (now called Cabot 2 Limited) still owns the Acorn Nut logo (trademark 2123753). He states that before being called Element 14 the company was called Acorn Computers, and claims that it and the other Cabot X companies are the continuation of Acorn.