Yes, I remember it well!

[Paul_C]

A ZX81 NEVER looked like that..the picture is an American version or suchwith. The UK version was flat, without that add-on. Or a Jap version.

You've just answered your own query - That piece on the back is an add-on, probably one of the RAM expansion packs. The base ZX81 came with just 1K of RAM and there were different expansion modules which fitted on the edge connector on the back. They were notorious for poor connections, due to the bad design which often resulted in pressure being put on the edge connector.

The ZX81 was monochrome video only. The U.S. version did not carry the ZX81 designation but was instead badged as the Timex Sinclair 1000.

 

[Mickymoody]

A ZX81 NEVER looked like that..the picture is an American version or suchwith. The UK version was flat, without that add-on. Or a Jap version.

You've just answered your own query - That piece on the back is an add-on, probably one of the RAM expansion packs. The base ZX81 came with just 1K of RAM and there were different expansion modules which fitted on the edge connector on the back. They were notorious for poor connections, due to the bad design which often resulted in pressure being put on the edge connector.

The ZX81 was monochrome video only. The U.S. version did not carry the ZX81 designation but was instead badged as the Timex Sinclair 1000.

That looks like a ZX80, prototype, as on Wiki, the ZX81 looks completely different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ZXSpectrum48k.jpg

 

[Paul_C]

The link you posted is a picture of the ZX Spectrum. The ZX81 is as pictured in the BBC article. The ZX80 which preceded it has a white case.


ZX80:
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=262

ZX81:
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=263

ZX Spectrum:
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=223

 

[1john]

The spectrum had colour, was not as deep and had rubber individual keys. Google results mainly show the picture in the article with a few spectrums aswell. google image search fro zx81

I had a spectrum and also a 128k+3 with a floppy drive that took strange disks 128k+3