Keyboard Builders' Digest / Keyboard Spotting
Rockwell AIM-65
Rockwell AIM-65 with a built-in keyboard and a 20-character display, released in 1978.
Published March 4, 2022
Released in 1978, the Rockwell AIM-65 was a relatively cheap development computer available for $375.
"easy, inexpensive [computer] … for learning, designing, work or just fun"
It featured a 20 character LED display, an integrated thermal printer, and a built-in QWERTY keyboard.
In Spain, they were distributed by Comelta, and a photo of a model identical to the one above has a caption: "Comelta Drac-1".
I'm not sure about this because the Comelta Drac-1, at least at first sight, is something totally different, and also why would they keep the Rockwell branding?
The Wikimedia Commons page only adds to the confusion: the filename is "Rockwell AIM-65" but the description states in Spanish: "Comelta Drac-1 prototype, based on the Rockwell AIM-65".
Possibly, the AIM-65 was the name of the barebone machine, the intestine parts, and it came in different cases or – as it was common in those days – hobbyists built their own computers based on the provided parts/kit.
Regardless, this is an interesting piece of history.
Published on Fri 4th Mar 2022. Featured in KBD #68 (source).
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