The Father of ZX Spectrum, Sir Clive Sinclair, Passed Away

Sir Clive Sinclair, the legendary British inventor and designer, who is best remembered by gamers as the father of iconic home computers: ZX80, ZX-81 and, above all, ZX Spectrum has passed away at the age of 81. Sir Sinclair died at his home in London after a long battle with illness.

Born in 1940, Sir Sinclair started to work as a high school student in the "Practical Wireless" magazine, which dealt with issues of radio technology and electronics. In 1961 he founded his first company, Sinclair Radionics, which manufactured transistor radios and later also calculators.

Sir Sinclair is best known for its series of 8-bit home computers. Released in 1980, the ZX80 was the first mass-produced device of its kind that could be bought in the UK for less than a hundred pounds. The price of the finished model was 99.95 pounds, but a 20 pounds cheaper variant was also sold, which the user had to assemble themselves. Even cheaper was the ZX81 model released a year later.

The ZX Spectrum (1982) was the most successful model. By 1987, its various models had sold over 5 million units, not counting unauthorised clones, of which there was no shortage (over 50 types in total). With their low prices and wide selection of software, Sir Sinclair's products played a key role in popularizing home computers. In 1983 he received an honorary knighthood from the British Queen.

The later stages of the inventor's career were not as successful. The C5 electric vehicle was a huge flop, as was the business-oriented ZX83 (also known as QL) computer.

Despite his later failures, Sir Sinclair's legacy cannot be overestimated and his death was widely reported. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, film director Edgar Wright, physics professor Brian Cox, screenwriter Gary Whitta, and developer Demis Hassabis, among others, have all mentioned his work.