Yeah, the second-generation keyboard looks a hell of a lot better than any Mac keyboard I've used since the G4 at the latest.

My elementary school had a shitload of these and they all had the second-gen keyboard. Which I remember being pretty okay, but this was also like 27+ years ago so I didn't really know what to look for in a keyboard at the time.

Everyone in my class preferred the Apple II though, because it had Number Munchers and that was better than anything we had for PCJr.

The best analogy for these for someone who didn't grow up in this era of computing is to imagine being given a tablet and instead of an iPad or Galaxy or Surface (or even a Kindle), you are given a Leapfrog.

I had a PCjr, and I loved the hell out of it (I also had the 2nd gen keyboard, a ram expansion sidecar, and cartridge BASIC). Granted, 99% of what I did with it was write programs in BASIC, and it was great for that (a big step up from my Atari 400). I admit that it sucked for gaming, but that's what Atari and Nintendo were for. it might just be the nostalgia talking, but I've never really understood all the hate.

At this point, I'd rather have the Leapfrog. I used to be a big fan of the Galaxy line, but the latest generation is just wannabe iPhone garbage (sealed battery? Fuck you, Samsung!)

It's funny how this PCjr still works, after all these decades - while virtually every iOS and Galaxy device being built right now, will be bricked within two years.

PCjrs *sigh* they don't build 'em like that anymore.

The thing that's interesting about these to me is that the sound was really quite good for the time. I haven't gotten to play with one yet but I have the impression that it was on par with the Atari ST.

If I remember correctly, there were 3 sound channels that could be programmed to play at the same time through the speaker housed in the monitor. It was cumbersome, but the results sounded nice.

Texas Instruments TI99-4a did that too, I think, and Atari ST definitely did. Commodore had the sense to put the plug for the expansion modules on the back.


It's too bad the TI99-4a didn't go anywhere, the rack system for peripherals was great, there are still people designing custom hardware for those things and using modern hard drives and stuff in them.