Thew new project is called the ZX Spectrum Next, and
it’s a computer-in-a-keyboard featuring design work from Rick Dickinson, the
original designer of the ZX Spectrum.
You can’t actually walk into a store
and buy a ZX Spectrum Next yet. It’s only available to backers of a
crowdfunding campaign and the finished units aren’t expected to ship until
January 2018.
A pledge of £ 175 or more reserves a ZX Spectrum Next
(although you’ll also have to pay an extra £ 25 for international shipping
unless you’re in the UK, where the shipping fee is £ 10). Don’t want the new
keyboard/case? You can request just the computer board for a pledge of £ 99,
with an estimated ship date of August, 2017.
The new system is completely compatible with
hardware and software developed for the original ZX Spectrum, and even has the
same Z80 processor with 3.5 MHz and 7 MHz modes and 512Kb of RAM (which can be
expanded to 1.5MB using internal memory or 2.5MB of external memory). But it
also has new features including HDMI output, and an SD card.
