Strange English Teaching Computer Might Have Been Big in Japan

[Ctrl-Alt-Rees] bought something strange on an auction site: a Japanese Cefucom-21 from 1983. No? Didn’t ring a bell for us either. The legend on the front boldly proclaims: “CCI Multipurpose SLAP Computer,” so maybe it is some kind of computer, but it is definitely strange. For one thing, the “screen” isn’t a screen at all. [Rees] has found that it has something to do with teaching English. You can see the odd beast in the video below.

We don’t know how common these were in Japan, but they appear to be virtually unknown everywhere else. Inside is a Z80 computer based on a  Sanyo PHC-25, which is a little better known.

The strange screen is offset from the keyboard. There was also a tape drive and a ROM cartridge port. The screen, however, isn’t driven by the computer — you still needed a TV. Instead, it is a window to view a paper graphic stored on a special kind of cartridge. The cartridge simply had images printed on paper. The computer could roll the paper to an image.

Inside, the computer is a fairly conventional Z80 design but with many extras, including a second Z-80. Luckily, the battery, which is known to leak, didn’t completely blow out.

When the video was made, the old box wasn’t working. However, a comment on the video indicates that he’s since got it working and found the software for it, so we are looking forward to a hands-on video soon.

Have you seen one of these before? If you have, we are sure [Rees] would appreciate hearing from you. There seems to be a correlation between odd machines and dual Z-80s. We love seeing these old, forgotten machines.