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Zeaker II becomes Zero 2
Zero 2 was originally referred to as Zeaker II, as it was the descendant in marketing terms of IGR's first turtle/buggy, called Zeaker, which was designed for the ZX-81. But with their eyes on the wider overseas market, IGR plumped for Zero 2 as a more 'international' name that wouldn't have unforeseen connotations in other languages. 'Zeabo' was another name that appeared briefly in the development stages. (You'll find lots of info on the original Zeaker on David Buckley's website - see above.)
Zero 2's vacuum formed plastic case was slightly smoked rather than completly clear, and acquired a mild yellow/brown tint with age.
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At its launch, Zero 2 was claimed to be the first true robot costing less than £100 (£99.95 inc VAT in fact, and just £79.95 in kit form). It was controlled via the computer's serial port, allowing drivers to be written for a range of 8-bit micros as well as the later 16-bit Sinclair QL. | |