The recreated Sinclair ZX Spectrum will be a Bluetooth keyboard, initially for iOS and subsequently for Android and Windows phones and tablets (as well as for PCs and Macs), in the form-factor of a 48K Sinclair ZX Spectrum. It will be known as the Bluetooth ZX Spectrum. The Bluetooth ZX Spectrum will connect wirelessly to, for example, an iPad and in turn to a TV via Apple Airplay.
This is a great way to relive some classic gaming and of course coding moments from back when things were less about DLC and more about awful loading noises, games on cartridges and tapes, typing our code from magazines for hours on end to get a free game and all that other crazy nonsense that the Spectrum was great at.
“By default, when used in conjunction with the simultaneously released and separately sold Bluetooth ZX Spectrum apps, available from the iTunes App Store and subsequently from the Google Play, Amazon App Store and Windows Store, the Bluetooth ZX Spectrum will provide authentic rubber-key play-control over a comprehensive catalogue of 100% original, officially licenced, paid-for Bluetooth ZX Spectrum games (and more) via a secure App Store environment. Either at launch or sometime later, the Bluetooth ZX Spectrum will also be ‘backwardly compatible’ with the existing and separately sold, ‘ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection’ apps, either by default or perhaps via an in-app purchase from within those apps.”
You can read more about the existing ZX Spectrum: Elite Collection apps for iOS devices here and here. Meanwhile you can check out the just launched Kickstarter for the new Bluetooth ZX Spectrum here.
Thank you Elite for providing us with this information.
Image courtesy of Elite.
Not sure if it’s just me but i think this misses the point, you just want a ZX spectrum with the same board and all its flaws but new else you could just get a raspberry pi emulating the ZX Spectrum games and put it in a ZX spectrum case.
It’s all about nostalgia and the ability to play old titles on a modern platform but you’re right, you can use a Raspberry Pi and do the emulation yourself but this solution makes things simpler for the average Joe. I mean, come on, how many (of today’s) gamers have actually heard of the ZS Spectrum let alone used one but would like to play a blast from the past. The Spectrum was my very first foray into PC’s coming from Winchester drives, MUX’s and mainframes and I remember it fondly and although I’d never be interested in this product it could appeal to a lot of folk.