One Per Desk
The One Per Desk, or OPD, was an innovative hybrid personal computer/telecommunications terminal based on the hardware of the Sinclair QL. The One Per Desk was built by International Computers Limited (ICL) and launched in the United Kingdom in 1984. It was the result of a collaborative project between ICL, Sinclair Research and British Telecom begun in 1983, originally intended to incorporate Sinclair's flat-screen CRT technology.
Merlin Tonto | |
| Also known as | OPD, Merlin Tonto, Computerphone |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | International Computers Limited (ICL) |
| Type | personal computer / telecommunications terminal |
| Release date | 1984 |
| Operating system | BFS ("Basic Functional Software") |
| CPU | Motorola 68008 |
| Memory | 128 KB |
| Storage | 2× Microdrive |
| Graphics | ZX8301 |
| Sound | TMS5220 speech synthesiser |
| Connectivity | V.21/V.23 modem |
Rebadged versions of the OPD were sold in the United Kingdom as the Merlin Tonto and as the Computerphone by Telecom Australia and the New Zealand Post Office. The initial orders placed for the One Per Desk were worth £4.5 million (for 1500 units) from British Telecom and £8 million from Telecom Australia, with ICL focusing on telecommunications providers as the means to reach small- and medium-sized businesses. Sales of the OPD worth $42 million were reportedly made by ICL within the first nine months of the product becoming available, largely involving contracts with British Telecom and the telecommunications authorities of Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.