Oric Atmos

The Oric Atmos was a 1984 makeover of the Oric-1, and it tackled its predecessor's single biggest weakness head-on. Out went the cramped original keyboard, and in came a proper full-travel one, housed in a smart black-and-red case, along with some tidying-up of the machine's internal software.

Underneath the new clothes, though, it remained much the same computer, and it did little to slow the slide of its maker against the dominant Spectrum. The improvements were welcome, but they weren't enough to change the machine's fortunes in a market that had already largely made up its mind.

Where it really kept its spark was France, where the Oric line retained a loyal and enthusiastic following well beyond its British shelf life. The Atmos is a likeable, good-looking example of the many spirited contenders that crowded the early-1980s market, fighting hard for a place at a very busy table.