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software. The year-long national program would kick off Sept. 30th with a mailing of catalogs to more than 91,000 schools. A simultaneous direct
mailing to 41 million homes -- approximately half of all U.S. households -- would announce the promotion to consumers and identify the participating Post brands and Atari products. Linda Gordon was SVP of the Atari education group. (PR)

September 23: The two Atari Center locations both closed at the end of the 90- day trial period for the program.

September 28-October 2: Atari featured the XL range of home computers (600XL/800XL) and products, including the new Touch Tablet and Light Pen, at the Sixth Personal Computer World Show (PCW), Barbican Centre, London.

Fall: Atari shipped the Communicator II kit (with the new 835 modem)
($279.95) and the 1027 printer.

Fall: An Atari TV ad promoted the 400 for $69.95 after $50 Atari rebate, indicating a new/final list price of $119.95 (previously: $299). (http://www.atarimania.com/videos/atari-400-commercial-50-usd-rebate.flv)

September/October: Atari Products Management Director, Marketing, Home Applications and Children's Software Colette Weil departed the company (to CompuFill Corporation, the subsidiary of McKesson Corporation).)

October 3: Linda Gordon, previously Atari VP special projects, had become
Atari Products Management SVP education, replacing Chris Bowman who had departed the company (to Apple Computer, where he was now manager of education marketing). (InfoWorld 10/3/83 p20)

October 3-7: In France, at the first ever VidCom-MIJID held at the Palais de
la Croisette in Cannes, P.E.C.F. Atari previewed the 600XL. (L'Atarien #1)

October 10: Atari announced the appointment of David Ruckert, previously SVP
of entertainment software marketing, as SVP of Atari Products Management, the marketing arm for home computers and video games, replacing division president John Cavalier who departed the company (to Apple Computer). Jeffrey Heimbuck, SVP for the marketing of hardware for video games and computers, had also departed the company (to Koala Technologies Corp.). Fred Simon (previously:
VP software (engineering/development)) was named SVP of computer marketing, responsible for the marketing of computer hardware and software. (Ken Wirt remained VP computer marketing, now reporting to Simon. Steve Arnold remained VP software marketing, reporting to Simon.) Philip Restaino (previously: VP game hardware marketing) was appointed VP of games marketing, in charge of marketing game hardware and game software used on Atari hardware. Simon, Restaino, and SVP of education Linda Gordon would each report to Ruckert. (PR)

October 12: The Washington Post reported (p.D11) on Atari's plans to introduce an IBM-compatible personal computer at the January 1984 CES, incorrectly
naming the unannounced computer the Sierra. The project was actually known as Shakti or 25601 or 1600, a project of Atari Advanced Engineering (never introduced; see Atarimuseum's 1600XL page). Sierra was actually the name of a separate concept computer project, a project of Atari Corporate Research Engineering.

October 13: Koala Technologies Corp. announced that Jeffrey A. Heimbuck, formerly a senior marketing executive at Atari Inc., would become its
president and CEO October 31. (WSJ 10/14 p3)

October: The Atari Learning Systems division (previously: AtariEd) published Review: A Catalog of Atari Learning Systems. New Atari home computers education titles from Atari were to include: Spelling in Context 1, Spelling
in Context 2, Spelling in Context 3, Spelling in Context 4, Spelling in
Context 5, Spelling in Context 6, Spelling in Context 7, Spelling in Context
8, U.S. Geography check marc (by Marc Ed, Inc.), U.S. Geography high marc (by Marc Ed, Inc.), Atari Pascal (Version 2.0) (previously: Denver Pascal; to ship Jan. '84; never shipped), Secret Formula elementary (by Mind Movers), Secret Formula intermediate (by Mind Movers), Secret Formula advanced (by Mind Movers), Screen Maker, Player Maker, Alligator Mix (Arcademic Skill Builders
by DLM), Minus Mission (Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), Dragon Mix
(Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), Atari Super PILOT (previously: PILOT II; to ship April '84; never shipped), Phone Home (never shipped), Name Rondo (never shipped), Create a Rondo (never shipped), Instructional Computing
Demonstration (previously released by APX), Music I (Terms & Notations) (by MECC; previously released by APX), Music II (Rhythm & Pitch) (by MECC; previously released by APX), Music III/Scales & Chords (by MECC; previously released by APX), Elementary Biology (by MECC; previously released by APX), Earth Science (by MECC; previously released by APX), Geography (by MECC; previously released by APX), Prefixes (by MECC; previously released by APX), Metric & Problem Solving (by MECC; previously released by APX), The Market Place (by MECC; previously released by APX), Basic Arithmetic (by MECC), Graphing (by MECC), Pre-Reading (by MECC), Counting (by MECC), Expeditions (by MECC), Spelling Bee (by MECC), Word Games (by MECC). Announced: AtariLab Biofeedback, Timekeeper, Lie Detector, and Mechanics modules (all never shipped), AtariWriter Curriculum Guide (never shipped), Swarthmore Trig (never shipped). Again promised for future release: AtariLab Curriculum Modules: Temperature and Light, CONDUIT Algebra, Green Globs and Other Trig Diversions. Linda Gordon was Atari Products Management SVP Education.

October: Atari released the Pro-Line Trak-Ball Controller (CX22) (VGU 11/83)

October: Atari would consolidate operations of its Atari Products Management, "Atari Products Engineering," Atari Sales & Distribution Co., Atari Manufacturing Co., and Coin-Op operating divisions, along with corporate research and development, into a new operating division to be called, Atari Products Co. Paul Malloy, previously Atari Manufacturing Co. president, would additionally assume responsibility for product engineering (replacing Farrand in the role), with VP Engineering Computer division Dave Stubben as an additional report. Atari VP research and development Ted Hoff would additionally assume responsibility for advanced engineering (new product development; replacing Farrand in the role), with director of advanced engineering Donald Teiser as an additional report. Atari would not complete and announce these changes to the public until January 23, 1984.

October: Premier issue #0 of L'Atarien magazine, the official magazine of the Atari Club in France, published by Rive Ouest - Cato Johnson France on behalf of P.E.C.F. Atari.

October: "Atari still had not brought out any of its new XL line by mid- October." (Compute! #43 Dec83 p32)

October 21: Atari said that it was delaying the making and marketing of its
two higher-priced computer models, the 1400XL and the 1450XLD. The machines would not ship until late December, after the Christmas selling season, and then only in limited quantities. (WSJ 10/24/1983 p.5)

October 21-23: TariCon '83, "the world's first Atari-only computer
convention," was scheduled by MACE, Michigan Atari Computer Enthusiasts, at
the Southfield Civic Center Pavillion, Southfield, Michigan. The even did not come together as planned, but TariCon '84 was successfully held August 1984.

October 24: Report that plans at Atari to introduced a new computer model, the Atari 1600, had recently been canceled by Atari CEO James Morgan. (WSJ 10/24/1983 p.5)

October/November: Atari shipped the 600XL NTSC version for North America
($199) (The Globe and Mail (Canada) 12/23/83), 600XL UK version (159.99
pounds) (Page 6 #7 p6), and 600XL PAL version for Europe (except France).

November 2: Report that Atari announced that because of production snags in Hong Kong (Atari-Wong and contract manufacturer Chelco Sound), it would be
able to fill only 60 per cent of its Christmas orders for the 600XL and the 800XL. Atari also reiterated that it would ship the 1400XL and the 1450XLD in limited quantities in late December and more widely after the first of the year. (WSJ 11/2/1983 p.2)

November 4: Premier of the Warner Bros. film, Deal of the Century, which included a fighter plane cockpit monitor where the display was driven by a
real (off-screen) Atari 800, software by Atari's Los Angeles Lab (Corporate Research Division L.A. Lab).

November 9: Atari said it would raise the prices of its home computers and video game consoles by between 17 percent and 29 percent, effective Jan. 1, 1984. The increases would raise the dealer price on the 600XL to $180, from $140. The dealer price of the 800XL would rise to $280, from $240. Atari
also said it would raise prices of its 1027 printer and 1050 disk drive by about $15 each.

November 19: Atari (Coin-Op) announced the opening of the first Atari
Adventure family entertainment center (and the third Atari "Adventure"
location overall) at the Northwest Plaza shopping center located in St. Ann MO (suburban St. Louis MO). The 8,000 square foot location was planned as the prototype for a nationwide roll-out of 12-15 facilities. Store design by Bill Poon & Company Architects. The location combined a traditional video game arcade (65 games), a new video game technology display area, and a Computer Learning Center: a hands-on public computer classroom/lab featuring 8 Atari 1200XL computer stations and a full-time instructor (Kent Wilke). (CCv7n11; PR via Fun p757)

November 22: John J. Cardozo had become Acting Manager, Product Review, APX, replacing Jack Perron who departed the company.

November/December: John Peeke-Vout, previously Atari Products Co. director of external software development, became VP software marketing, replacing Steve Arnold who departed the company. (Arnold would join the Lucasfilm Computer Division Games Group as general manager in January 1984).

November/December?: Dorothy K. Deringer, previously a program officer at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), joined Atari Learning Systems as VP product development. Deringer was hired by Atari Products Co. SVP Education Linda Gordon.

November/December?: In the Atari Semiconductor Group (ASG), Peter R. Ateshian was promoted to Manager of VLSI Development, replacing Rich Pasco who departed the company. (Carl Nielsen remained ASG VP design and test.)

November/December?: Joe Miller became Atari Products Co. manager, operating systems software, replacing Scott Scheiman who departed the company.

November/December: Atari Products Co. engineer Ajay Chopra departed the
company (to Mindset).

November/December?: Atari Products Co. director of business planning Robert Cory departed the company (to Apple Computer).

December 1?: Atari released the Atari Program Exchange (APX) Product Catalog Winter Edition 1983-84, introducing: Equestrian, Mastermatch, Atspeller for AtariWriter, Bellum, Burgers!, Chambers of Zorp, Character Fun, Dragon Quest
or A Twist in the Tail, Numberland Nightwatch, Raid on Graviton, Rush Hour, Weakon, National Flags, Dog Daze Deluxe

December 13: In an open letter posted to the Atari SIG on CompuServe,
addressed to Atari users from Atari Chairman and CEO Jim Morgan, Morgan described the Atari he had inherited as being "in way over its head with a computer product line as inclusive as the 600XL, 800XL, 1400XL, 1450XLD, and 1600." Morgan announced the formation of "a group led by Ted Hoff and Alan
Kay which is chartered to define our next generation of computers...In the meantime, we will have to keep our product line rather restricted to broadly saleable products." (M.A.C.E. Journal v4n2/3 Feb/Mar 1984 p.2; see also CC May84p193)

December: Atari shipped initial small quantities of the 800XL NTSC version for North America ($299) (see newspaper ads and Current Notes Jan84p6 for
timing). (800XL production would ramp up dramatically in Winter 1984.)

December 20: Steve Bristow, previously Atari VP engineering AtariTel Division, had become Atari Products Co. VP product development (reporting to EVP product development Ted Hoff), replacing Donald Teiser who would depart the company
(to Cadtrak).

"Atari sold about 400,000 units [computers] in December." - Creative
Strategies International as quoted in InfoWorld, Feb 6, 1984.

"Atari sold roughly 250,000 of its 800 series computers last year"
- Time magazine, July 16, 1984

1984
January 1: In the U.S., the suggested retail price for the Atari 600XL became $249 (previously: $199); the suggested retail price for the Atari 800XL became $399 (previously: $299).

January 7-10: At the Winter CES in Las Vegas, for the 600XL ($249), 800XL ($399), and 1450XLD (unshipped but again shown), Atari introduced the Light
Pen (CX75) with AtariGraphics and the 1064 Memory Module for the 600XL. Again promised: Touch Tablet (CX77), Remote Control Wireless Joysticks (CX42), the AtariWriter System kit (previously: Writing System), the Programming System kit, The BASIC Tutor I kit. Atari announced the release of DOS 3 (previously: DOS III), available for free, and also to ship with new production 1050 disk drives. Software introduced: The Atari Translator, Captain Hook's Revenge (previously: Peter Pan's Daring Escape; never shipped), Typo Attack
(previously released by APX), AtariMusic I, AtariMusic II, RealSports Tennis, RealSports Football, Mario Bros. (title by Nintendo; would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1988), Moon Patrol (title by Williams Electronics; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Jungle Hunt (title by Taito), Robotron: 2084 (title by Williams Electronics), Millipede (would be shipped by Atari, Corp.
in 1985); again promised: Pole Position, Joust, Ms. Pac-Man, Pengo, Donkey
Kong Junior, The Mysteries of Wonderland, TeleLink II (again promised apart from Communicator II kit); announced: Pop'R Spell (previously released by Milliken; never shipped by Atari), Sky Writer (previously released by
Milliken; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), SynCalc (previously introduced by Synapse), SynFile+ (previously introduced by Synapse), SynTrend (consisting of SynGraph and SynStat; previously introduced by Synapse); previewed: Crystal Castle (box mock-up; Crystal Castles would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1988), The Legacy (Atari Advanced Games Group; later: Final Legacy; would be shipped by Atari, Corp.). The Bookkeeper kit was to be renamed The Accountant effective 4/1/84. Finally, Atari Learning Systems promoted: AtariLab Starter Set with Temperature Module ("ready to ship now"), AtariLab Light Module, Atari Pascal (Version 2.0), Atari Super PILOT, Player Maker, Screen Maker.

January 14: At the Annual Atari Star Awards Banquet held at 12:30pm at The Westin St. Francis Hotel, Union Square, San Francisco CA, in the City Club located on the 12th floor on the main building, Atari awarded the third annual Atari Star Award and $25,000 to Mark Reid for his APX title, Getaway!. Other Finalists: James Burton, R. Stanley Kistler, Gregor Novak. Atari Products Co. SVP Fred Simon announced the winner and APX director Fred Thorlin presented
the award. (AC Spr84p14)

January: Atari shipped: Joust (VGU 1/84)

January: Atari opened their fourth "Adventure" location, the second Atari Adventure family entertainment center, at Crestwood Plaza in Crestwood MO (suburban St. Louis MO). A 2-story location, using the same concept as the area's Northwest Plaza Atari Adventure location.

January: Atari recognized three of the highest ranking technical positions in the company with the new additional title of "Atari Fellow": Atari VP/chief scientist Alan Kay, Atari Products Co. VP product development Steve Bristow, and Atari (Coin-Op) VP of creative development Lyle Rains.

January 23: Atari, Inc. announced the completion of its latest organizational realignment (initiated October 1983).

Winter: Atari shipped the Touch Tablet (CX77; with AtariArtist), Tennis, Pole Position, Ms. Pac-Man (see 1/1/84 price list)

Winter: Donald Kingsborough, previously Atari Products Co. EVP sales & distribution, was to depart the company (after an unspecified period; he would be reassigned until his departure). Keith Schaefer, previously Atari Products Co. SVP sales (computer markets), was promoted to EVP sales & distribution (replacing Kingsborough in the role). Shortly thereafter, Schaefer departed the company (to NEC Home Electronics (USA)). Kingsborough returned to his previous role as EVP sales and distribution.

Winter: At Atari Products Co., John Hahn, previously director of technical support, became director of computer marketing (reporting to SVP computer marketing Fred Simon), replacing Ken Wirt who departed the company (to Cognitive Systems). Thea Cain was promoted to 1450XLD product marketing manager, and Sherri L. Horowitz was promoted to 600XL/800XL product marketing manager, together replacing Don Thorson who departed the company (to Apple Computer).

Winter?: Mark Cator was promoted to Atari Manager, Users' Group Support (replacing Earl Rice in the role; Rice would remain with customer support).

February 7: Atari Products Co. had re-launched 1450XLD development; Phil Suen was project manager. (http://TinyURL.com/y8zep9e7)

February: Atari shipped Football. (VGU 3/84)

February: Atari Products Co. manager, operating systems software Joe Miller departed the company (to Koala technologies).

February: Atari Products Co. VP product development and Atari Fellow
Steve Bristow departed the company (to Technicom Advanced Design Center). VP engineering Computer division Dave Stubben would receive an Atari Fellow recognition. (Fun p792 for Stubben business card)

February 16: Phil Suen was Atari Products Co. 1450XLD project manager; Thea Cain (marketing) was product manager. (http://TinyURL.com/y8zep9e7)

March 6: Atari, Inc. was awarded U.S. patent 4,435,779 for 13 claims by inventors Steven T. Mayer, Jay G. Miner, Douglas G. Neubauer, and Joseph C. Decuir regarding their "Data processing system with programmable graphics generator" (the Atari 400/800 hardware platform).

March 7-9: At Billboard's second Computer Software/Video Game Conference, held at The Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, Nancy Garrison,
International Marketing Manager, AtariSoft, took part in a panel entitled: "Getting Over Seas: International Marketing"

March 11-18: At the Festival International du Son et de l'Image, held at the CNIT (Center of New Industries and Technologies) in La Defense in Paris, France, P.E.C.F. Atari launched the 600XL and 800XL in France. PAL versions were available immediately (2 200 F / 3 200 F); 600XL SECAM version (2 500 F; never shipped) and 800XL SECAM version (3 500 F; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. 11/84) were due to ship in June 1984. (L'Atarien #2; L'Ordinateur Individuel #58 Apr84 p81; L'Atarien #4 p18 for prices)

March?: Atari shipped the 800XL UK version (249.99 pounds) and 800XL PAL version for Europe.

March: For Atari home computers Atari released: Donkey Kong Junior, Pengo (VGU 4/84)

March: Atari Products Co. applications software and telecommunications
products group manager Sherwin Gooch was 1450XLD project manager. (CreativeComputing Jul84 p206) (having recently replaced engineer Phil Suen in the role).

March 22-25: At the 9th West Coast Computer Faire, San Francisco Civic Auditorium and Brooks Hall, Atari showed/again promised the light pen, the Plato System cartridge, and many games. Atari introduced APX Bumpomov's Dogs, while confirming that APX was being discontinued, with the top 20 APX titles
to be absorbed into the "main line" of products, and APX director Fred Thorlin would depart the company. A new, final production run of 15,000 850
interfaces had just been manufactured. At Atari: Thea Cain was 1450XLD
product manager; Dave Wilson had been promoted to director of Customer Relations, replacing VP Consumer Product Service Jon Ebbs who had departed the company; Earl Rice remained Manager, Users' Group Support; Bill Bartlett remained manager of Product Support for Customer Relations.

March 31: James Morgan, CEO of Atari, said shipments of his company's home computers in the first three months of this year were 35 per cent lower than
in the first quarter of 1983. (The Globe and Mail (Canada) 6/1/84)

April 2: Internally, Atari Products Co. EVP Ted Hoff announced the promotion
of Jan Dekema to manager, Research Administration (assistant to Hoff in the administration of the entire Atari R&D and Product Development organization) (Dekema was previously administrative manager for the Atari Sunnyvale Research Laboratory, and would also retain that role). Hoff also announced the promotion of Chris Jeffers (previously: manager of administration for
Corporate Research) to VP Product Development, also reporting directly to Hoff (Update) (replacing the departed Steve Bristow).

April 2: Programmer Michael Barall (QDOS developer) joined Atari, where he would direct advanced operating systems development. (see Antic 1/86 pAC14; source for date?)

April 5: John Peeke-Vout was Atari Products Co. VP software marketing. (https://archive.org/details/APX_Programmer_Correspondence)

April: Stephen Race, previously Atari International director of marketing, would be promoted to Atari International VP marketing and communications (source, source), and Steve Gerber, previously director of the Software Development Group of the Software Development Centre at Atari International (U.K.) Inc., would be promoted to VP International New Product Development, together replacing VP Marketing and Product Management Chris Deering who departed the company (to Spinnaker Software). (for date: RCA/Columbia PR 4/5/1985)

April: Harry Jenkins, previously Atari Products Co. manager of corporate
design research, would be promoted to director of research and development (reporting to EVP R&D/product development Ted Hoff), replacing VP/chief scientist and Atari Fellow Alan Kay who departed the company. (InfoWorld 6/11/84 for timing)

April: Atari National Educational Sales Manager and director of the Atari Institute for Education Research Alfred Moye had departed the company (to Hewlett-Packard).

Spring: I/O Issue Five turned out to be the final issue of Input/Output, the magazine of the Atari Home Computer Club (Atari International (U.K.)).

Spring: Atari shipped: CX75 Light Pen with AtariGraphics, AtariLab Starter Set with Temperature Module, SynCalc, SynFile+, SynTrend, Typo Attack

May 1: "Hearing on Computer Education" held before the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives, included testimony by Atari Learning Systems VP product development Dorothy Deringer.

May 8: At the Lucasfilm Ranch in Marin County California, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Atari Inc. introduced Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus!, both developed by the Lucasfilm Computer Division Games Group (Peter Langston was Games Group Leader, David Levine was Ballblazer project leader, David Fox was Rescue on Fractalus! project leader), to be published by Atari and marketed under the
new Atari/Lucasfilm logo on cartridge for Atari home computers (summer). (PR)

May 14-19: At the special SICOB show held at CNIT in France, Atari featured
the 600XL/800XL product line. (L'Atarien #4 p21)

May: Atari Products Co. Applications Software and Telecommunications Products Group manager Sherwin Gooch departed the company. Earl Rice, previously Manager, Users' Group Support, became 1450XLD project manager (replacing Gooch in the role). Mark Cator was promoted to Atari Manager, Users' Group Support (replacing Rice in the role).

May 22: Publication date of the Atari Learning Systems New Products Bulletin, introducing: Find It! (Atari XL, C-64, Apple II, IBM PC; never shipped), Green Globs (Atari XL, Apple II; never shipped), Yaacov Agam's Interactive Painting (Atari XL, IBM PC; never shipped), First Aid... The ABC of CPR (Atari XL;
never shipped), Simulated Computer II (Atari XL, C-64; never shipped), Telly Turtle (Atari XL, C-64, Apple II, IBM PC/PCjr; never shipped), Wheeler Dealer (Atari XL, C-64, Apple II, IBM PC/PCjr; never shipped), AtariLab Starter Set (versions for Apple II, C-64; never shipped), LabMate Home Edition Ages 9-13 (book for AtariLab Starter Set; never shipped), LabMate Home Edition Ages 14- 15 (book for AtariLab Starter Set; never shipped), LabMate School Edition Elementary (books for AtariLab Starter Set; never shipped), LabMate School Edition Jr. High (books for AtariLab Starter Set; never shipped), LabMate School Edition High School (books for AtariLab Starter Set; never shipped),
The Learning Phone (previously: Atari PLATO; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1986), Escape ("interpreting graphs the fun way"; platform(s) unspecified; never shipped).

May 24-25: At MIDISoft '84, the first annual event sponsored by IMA (the International MIDI Association) held at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, Hybrid Arts introduced MIDIMate for the Atari 800 or 800XL
computer.

May 28: Media report that Atari was shuttering its Atari-Wong manufacturing plant in Hong Kong and terminating a purchasing accord there with its primary supplier of home computers, Chelco Sound. (ElectronicNews 5/28 as referenced
in EN 6/4) Atari-Wong had been the producer of almost all Atari video games and home computers sold in the international market over the last year. Production of the 600XL was currently suspended. 800XL production would continue exclusively at Atari Taiwan Manufacturing Corp. (ATMC). The dealer price for the 800XL had been cut to $217 (previous dealer price: $280, corresponding with the previous retail price of $399). (EN 6/4)

June 1: David Evans, previously product director at Atari Elektronikvertriebs GmbH in West Germany, became head of marketing (product management director) for Atari International, in part replacing departed VP Marketing and Product Management Chris Deering. (Evans would report to executive director for marketing Stephen Race.)

June 3-6: At the Summer CES in Chicago Atari introduced the MindLink System, comprised of: infra-red transmitter, receiver, head band, and one software cartridge.

Atari introduced or again promised (due summer/fall 1984): Ballblazer (would
be shipped by Epyx in 1985), Crime Lab (never shipped -VGU 7/84 p64 sole source), Crystal Castles (would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1989),
Final Legacy (previously: The Legacy; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Hobgoblin (Atari Advanced Games Group; later: Habitats; never shipped), Jr. Pac-Man (title by Bally-Midway; never shipped), The Last Starfighter
(would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1986 as: Star Raiders II), Millipede (would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Moon Patrol (would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Rescue on Fractalus! (would be shipped by Epyx in
1985), This Is Ground Control (Futuremakers series; due Sept. 1984; never shipped), Through the Star Bridge (Futuremakers series; due Sept. 1984; never shipped), Track & Field (with Arcade Controller; title by Konami; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Elevator Action (title by Taito; never shipped), Stargate (title by Williams Electronics; never shipped). (VGU 7/84 p64). Also announced/previewed/again promised (due in 1985): Sky Writer
(would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Proofreader (previously released via APX as: Atspeller for AtariWriter; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1986), Letter Tutor (never shipped), Word Tutor (never shipped), Captain
Hook's Revenge (never shipped), Pole Position II (title by Namco; never shipped), Mario Bros. (would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1988). Also announced/previewed: Garfield on the Run (Atari Advanced Games Group; never shipped). Atari Learning Systems introduced or again promised (due
summer/fall 1984): AtariLab Light Module (would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Green Globs (never shipped), Escape (never shipped). (VGU 7/84 p64) Atari Learning Systems also previewed (due in 1985): Find It! (never shipped), First Aid... The ABC of CPR (never shipped), Wheeler Dealer (never shipped), Simulated Computer II (never shipped), Telly Turtle (never shipped). (Analog #22 p49)

Privately previewed: the (revised) 1090 XL Expansion System (previously: Expansion Box; to ship with one XL 64K RAM Card). Atari also announced they had "begun developing ties with independent firms to create software for a new high-end computer for introduction in the second half of 1984." The new machine (unnamed; previously: 1450XLD), previewed privately to software developers, was to include "a built-in, double-sided, dual density disk drive that stores 352 kilobytes of RAM....(that) operates five times faster than a disk drive previously planned in a computer announced a year ago (the old 1400 series)." Also to be built-in: a 300 baud modem, telecommunications software and a mini-database called The Grapevine, an enhanced speech synthesis chip (upgrade from the old 1400 series), and 64K RAM. (While the larger-capacity built-in disk drive would not be supported by DOS 3, it would be supported by the new "QDOS".)

At Atari Products Co.: Dave Ruckert was head of marketing (EVP marketing).
(WSJ 6/4) Philip Restaino, previously Atari Products Co. SVP games marketing, had become SVP games and computer marketing, assuming computer marketing from Fred Simon who had departed the company. (SanFranChron 4/16/86; NYT 6/4) West Shell, previously AtariSoft director, had become director of marketing (computers), replacing John Hahn who had departed the company. (AdWeek 7/9/84) David Wilson and Bill Bartlett of Customer Relations and Product Support had departed the company. (SLCC 6/84) As previously planned, Don Kingsborough, most recently on special assignment to Atari chairman James Morgan, had departed the company (to Coleco). (ElectronicNews 6/4; SLCC 6/84) VP of semiconductor development (founder/head of ASG, the Atari Semiconductor Group) Gary Summers had departed the company. (ElectronicNews 6/4)

June: Atari 1450XLD product manager (marketing) Thea Cain had departed the company. (SLCC 7/84)

June: Atari released the Atari BASIC Rev. C cartridge, offered through Atari Customer Service (free to 600XL/800XL owners still within warranty). (SLCC
7/84 p3)

Month?: Exidy released the Max-A-Flex coin-operated arcade conversion system, along with four games for the system, all developed by First Star Software: Astro Chase, Boulder Dash, Bristles, Flip and Flop. The Exidy Max-A-Flex utilized an embedded Atari 600XL system. (MyAtari Magazine, January 2003.)

July 1-August 25: Third and final year of Atari Computer Camps. Camps were scheduled and held at 2 locations: "Camp Atari--New England" at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Greenfield MA, and "Camp Atari--Poconos" at East Stroudsburg State College in PA.

July 2: Warner Communications Inc. and Tramel Technology, Ltd. (statement by chairman Jack Tramiel) jointly announced the acquisition by Tramel Technology of the Atari, Inc. home video game and computer businesses.

The transaction included an inventory of 100,000 XL computers. (Current Notes Sept84p10)

July 5-6: Tramel Technology hired approximately 300 of the existing Atari,
Inc. domestic consumer and home computer division employees. (InfoWorld July 30) Among key marketing and advertising executives, the lone holdovers were expected to be West Shell III (previously: director of marketing (computers)
at Atari, Inc.) and Bryan Kerr (previously: group product manager (videogames
- AtariSoft) at Atari, Inc.). (AdWeek, July 9, 1984) John Skruch, previously Atari, Inc. Operations Manager, Atarisoft Product Line, would be a software product manager. Engineers and technicians included Jim Tittsler, Lane
Winner, and Jose Valdes, plus: Phil Suen (XL line engineering director), Vincent H. Wu (1450XL/900XL project manager, see CreativeComputing 1/85 p190),

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would ship as CX24). Atari introduced the Writing System (would ship as: AtariWriter System) and announced the Programming System and Entertainment System (never shipped) All-In-One-Pak kits. Add-A-Pak kit again promised: Communicator II (July); introduced/previewed: Atari Accountant (formerly The Bookkeeper kit; never shipped under the new name), Home Manager (never shipped), Arcade Champ, BASIC Tutor I. Introduced, announced, or again promised: Donkey Kong Junior (title by Nintendo), Eastern Front (1941)
(version updated for cartridge), Football, Joust (title by Williams Electronics), Ms. Pac-Man (title by Namco), Pengo (title by Sega), Pole Position (title by Namco), Robotron: 2084 (title by Williams Electronics), Soccer (never shipped), Tennis, The Mysteries of Wonderland (Disney; never shipped), Peter Pan's Daring Escape (later: Captain Hook's Revenge; Roklan for Walt Disney Productions; never shipped), Atari Logo, AtariMusic I, AtariMusic II: Major Scales and Keys, TeleLink II (again promised apart from Communicator II kit). Previewed (simulated): Battlezone (title would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1988), Tempest (never shipped), Xevious (title by Namco; never shipped). (No longer promised: Star Trux, Superman III.) Atari also introduced Alan Alda as spokesperson for Atari computers, in an arrangement to extend for the next 5 years.

Atari announced AIMS (Atari Instructional Material Service) at the show. A
few of the AIMS titles (to be released fourth quarter, 1983) included: Math Arcademics (Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), Atari Sentences, and a multi- program Trigonometry and Algebra course from CONDUIT (University of Iowa). Previewed at the show: AtariLab (previously: ScienceLab) series (by Dickinson College), including AtariLab Starter Set with Temperature Module (September); future modules: Timekeeper, Light, Biofeedback, Mechanics, Lie Detector
(Analog #13 p36; see also InfoWorld 7/4/83 p13)

June 6-8: Atari demonstrated the AtariLab series at NECC/5, the National Educational Computing Conference 1983, held at Towson State University, Baltimore MD. (InfoWorld 10/10/83 p28)

June 9-14: At the 17th International Exhibition of Music, High Fidelity, Video and Consumer Electronics (SIM-HI.FI-IVES '83) in Milan, Atari International (Italy) Inc. introduced the 600XL, 800XL, and 1450XLD to Italy. Estimated pricing: L. 500.000, L. 750.000 - 1 million, and L. 2.9 - 3 million, respectively. Also featured: 1010, 1050, 1020, 1027, CP/M Module, Touch Tablet, Light Pen, Remote Control Wireless Joysticks, Track-Ball, Expansion Box, and much software. (MCmicrocomputer #21 p14-16)

June 11-Sept 10: Expanding upon the Atari computer classroom concept already offered in at least eight other Club Med locations, "Club Med-Atari Village" was featured at Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. (Les Villages 4/83 v3n1) (The Atari Village included custom hardware and software developed at the Atari L.A. Lab).

June: The total installed base of Atari 400/800/1200XL computers was estimated by Future Computing, Inc. to be about 950,000.

June?: Atari discontinued production of the 800 (late production units made at Atari-Wong Co. in Hong Kong).

June: Atari shipped: Dig Dug, Donkey Kong (VGU)

June 27: Atari opened their first Atari Center, an educational computing concept, at The Oaks Shopping Center in Cupertino, CA. Atari Centers were operated by the Picodyne Corporation (Dean Brown, president) with Atari providing funding and advertising. Alan O'Neill was the contract manager of Atari Centers. Sara Armstrong, director of the Terra Nuova Montessori School in Hayward CA, would be director of the Cupertino Atari Center.

June/July?: Atari shipped the 1010 program recorder ($99.95), 1020 printer/plotter ($299) and 1025 printer ($549).

July 2: The second Atari Center opened at the corner of Fifth Ave. and 48th
St. in Manhattan. Educator Seth Greenberg would be manager of the Manhattan Atari Center.

July?: AtariEd (previously: AIMS (Atari Instructional Material Service)) published an updated Atari Computer Educational Software Directory. New Atari home computers education titles from Atari were to include: Alien Addition (Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), AtariLab Starter Set, AtariLab Curriculum Modules (never shipped), AtariLab Light Module (would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Atari Logo in the Classroom: A Teacher's Manual (book by Donna Bearden, would be published by Reston in 1984), Atari/PLATO (would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1986 as: The Learning Phone), Atari Sentences (never shipped?), CONDUIT Algebra Part I & II (never shipped?), CONDUIT Trig Part I & II (never shipped?), Concentration, Demolition Division (Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), Denver Pascal (never shipped), Department of Defense Dependent Schools Student Scheduling Program (never shipped), Division Drill (School and Home CourseWare), Geoterms Part I & II (Marc Ed, Inc.; never shipped?), Green Globs & Other Trig Diversions (never shipped?), Math Facts
and Games (never shipped?), Math Mysteries (never shipped?), Meteor Multiplication (Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM; never shipped?), Peter and
the Wolf (never shipped?).

July: Production of the Atari 1200XL computer ended (later units made by Atari Taiwan Manufacturing Corp.).

Summer?: Atari planned to release 11 new peripherals for Atari XL home computers by the end of the year (including the Expansion Box).

Summer: Second year of Atari Computer Camps, held at 7 locations: Camp Atari- New England (Jerome Singer, director) at the Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Greenfield MA; Camp Atari-Poconos (Robert Werner, director) at East
Stroudsburg State College in PA; Camp Atari-Chesapeake (Leonard Fagen, director) at the Oldfields School in Glencoe MD; Camp Atari-Smokey Mountains (Jeffrey Wolfe, director) at the University of North Carolina at Asheville; Camp Atari-Midwest (William Merriman, director) at the Shattuck School in Faribault MN; Camp Atari-Old West (Marlene and Don Applebaum, directors) at
the Athenian School in Danville CA; Camp Atari-Pacific (Marianne and William Kravitz, directors) at the University of San Diego in CA.

August 8: Linda Gordon remained Atari VP special projects. (InfoWorld 8/8/83)

August: Atari shipped the 1050 disk drive, with DOS II version 2.0S. (Page 6
#6 p5)

August: Don Thorson (previously with Atari (Consumer) in marketing from 1977- 1980) would (re-) join Atari as XL computer line product manager, replacing Andrew Soderberg who departed the company (to ViMart).

August: Sherwin Gooch, previously Atari Products Co. manager, Telecommunications Products Group, became Atari Products Co. manager, Applications Software and Telecommunications Products Group, assuming the role of Ken Balthaser who departed the company (to Mindset).

September 1?: Atari released the Atari Program Exchange (APX) Product Catalog Fall Edition 1983, introducing: Atspeller Rev. 2, AtariWriter Printer Drivers, Color Alignment Generator, Advanced Fingerspelling, Excalibur, Musical Pilot, Puzzler, Ringmaster, Spelling Genie Rev. 2.0, Ion Roadway, Kangaroo (GCC;
title by Sun Electronics), Moon Marauder, Saratoga, Space War, Cartoonist, Eastern Front (1941) Scenario Editor, Eastern Front Scenarios 1942/1943/1944, Mathlib for Deep Blue C. Fred Thorlin was APX director; product review manager: Jack Perron.

September 6: James Morgan arrived at Atari as chairman and CEO (replacing the departed Ray Kassar). (InfoWorld 8/1/83 p3) The Atari Products Co. division, previously comprised of consumer/computer international marketing and engineering, would remain the domestic marketing arm for home computers and video games, and would now be known as the Atari Products Management division. John Cavalier would remain president of Atari Products Management, and SVP Jeffrey Heimbuck, previously responsible for domestic and international marketing and engineering, would remain responsible for hardware marketing. Dave Stubben, previously Atari Products Co. SVP engineering (reporting to Heimbuck), would remain SVP Engineering, now reporting to Atari (Coin-Op) president John Farrand. (InfoWorld 8/6/84 p52 for date; InfoWorld 2/27/84 p104 for Farrand new title/role)  The Atari International division would reassume responsiblity for international marketing from the former Atari Products Co. division.

September 12: Atari International had reassumed responsibility for international marketing from the former Atari Products Co. division, and had named: Christopher P. Deering (previously of Gillette Europe, based in London (see RCA/Columbia PR 4/5/85)) as VP marketing (Marketing and Product Management) (replacing former Atari Products Co. SVP international marketing and engineering Jeffrey Heimbuck in the role). (WSJ p48) Also at Atari International: Stephen Race remained director of international marketing, now reporting to Deering. (Nancy Garrison remained Atari International marketing manager for computer software and AtariSoft; Anton "Tony" Bruehl remained president of Atari International.)

September: Atari National Educational Sales Manager Alfred Moye would additionally become director of the Atari Institute for Education Research, replacing Ted Kahn who departed the company (to Picodyne).

September: In the Netherlands, W.L. (Wilfried) de Graaf joined Atari International (Benelux) B.V. as sales manager (home computers).

September 17-25: Atari International (U.K.) Inc. launched the XL home computer product line (600XL, 800XL, 1010, 1050, 1025, 1020, 1027, Touch Tablet, Trak- Ball, Super Controller, Memory Module (1064); previewed: CP/M Module,
Expansion Box) and software line in the UK, and introduced The Lone Raider, at the Great Home Entertainment Spectacular, Olympia, London.

September 22: Atari, Inc. and General Foods announced a multi-million dollar promotion called Catch-On-To-Computers. Computer tutorials would run in 10 cities nationwide during October, November and December, starting in
Washington D.C. and San Francisco on Oct. 5th with a 10-day Catch-On-To- Computers Learning Festival. On subsequent days similar programs would be conducted in Los Angeles; Denver; Chicago; Houston; New Orleans; Atlanta; St. Louis; and Newark, N.J. At each stop on the tour computer training experts would present 80 hours of free tutorials especially designed for Catch-On-To- Computers by the People's Computer Co., a non-profit company. In addition, weekend open houses were scheduled to provide family members and any
interested individuals the opportunity to operate the computers under supervision. Aside from the classes, Atari and Post Cereals would offer schools and other membership organizations the opportunity to exchange a specified number of Post Cereals proof-of-purchase box tops for a wide range
of Atari equipment, expansion devices and a wide selection of educational software. The year-long national program would kick off Sept. 30th with a mailing of catalogs to more than 91,000 schools. A simultaneous direct
mailing to 41 million homes -- approximately half of all U.S. households -- would announce the promotion to consumers and identify the participating Post brands and Atari products. Linda Gordon was SVP of the Atari education group. (PR), replacing Chris Bowman who had departed the company (to Apple Computer, where he would be manager of education marketing). (InfoWorld 10/3/83 p20)

September 23: The two Atari Center locations both closed at the end of the 90- day trial period for the program.

September 28-October 2: Atari featured the XL range of home computers (600XL/800XL) and products, including the new Touch Tablet and Light Pen, at the Sixth Personal Computer World Show (PCW), Barbican Centre, London.

Fall: Atari shipped the Communicator II kit (with the new 835 modem)
($279.95) and the 1027 printer.

Fall: An Atari TV ad promoted the 400 for $69.95 after $50 Atari rebate, indicating a new/final list price of $119.95 (previously: $299). (http://www.atarimania.com/videos/atari-400-commercial-50-usd-rebate.flv)

September/October: Atari Products Management Director, Marketing, Home Applications and Children's Software Colette Weil departed the company (to CompuFill Corporation, the subsidiary of McKesson Corporation).)

October 3-7: In France, at the first ever VidCom-MIJID held at the Palais de
la Croisette in Cannes, P.E.C.F. Atari previewed the 600XL. (L'Atarien #1)

October 10: Atari announced the appointment of David Ruckert, previously SVP
of entertainment software marketing, as SVP of Atari Products Management, the marketing arm for home computers and video games, replacing division president John Cavalier who departed the company (to Apple Computer). Jeffrey Heimbuck, SVP for the marketing of hardware for video games and computers, had also departed the company (to Koala Technologies Corp.). Fred Simon (previously:
VP software (computer software engineering/development)) was named SVP of computer marketing, responsible for the marketing of computer hardware and software. (Ken Wirt remained VP computer marketing, now reporting to Simon. Steve Arnold remained VP software marketing, reporting to Simon.) Simon and SVP of education Linda Gordon would each report to Ruckert. (PR)

October 12: The Washington Post reported (p.D11) on Atari's plans to introduce an IBM-compatible personal computer at the January 1984 CES, incorrectly
naming the unannounced computer the Sierra. The project was actually known as Shakti or 25601 or 1600, a project of Atari Advanced Engineering (never introduced; see Atarimuseum's 1600XL page). Sierra was actually the name of a separate concept computer project, a project of Atari Corporate Research Engineering.

October 13: Koala Technologies Corp. announced that Jeffrey A. Heimbuck, formerly a senior marketing executive at Atari Inc., would become its
president and CEO October 31. (WSJ 10/14 p3)

October: The Atari Learning Systems division (previously: AtariEd) published Review: A Catalog of Atari Learning Systems. New Atari home computers education titles from Atari were to include: Spelling in Context 1, Spelling
in Context 2, Spelling in Context 3, Spelling in Context 4, Spelling in
Context 5, Spelling in Context 6, Spelling in Context 7, Spelling in Context
8, U.S. Geography check marc (by Marc Ed, Inc.), U.S. Geography high marc (by Marc Ed, Inc.), Atari Pascal (Version 2.0) (previously: Denver Pascal; to ship Jan. '84; never shipped), Secret Formula elementary (by Mind Movers), Secret Formula intermediate (by Mind Movers), Secret Formula advanced (by Mind Movers), Screen Maker, Player Maker, Alligator Mix (Arcademic Skill Builders
by DLM), Minus Mission (Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), Dragon Mix
(Arcademic Skill Builders by DLM), Atari Super PILOT (previously: PILOT II; to ship April '84; never shipped), Phone Home (never shipped), Name Rondo (never shipped), Create a Rondo (never shipped), Instructional Computing
Demonstration (previously released by APX), Music I (Terms & Notations) (by MECC; previously released by APX), Music II (Rhythm & Pitch) (by MECC; previously released by APX), Music III/Scales & Chords (by MECC; previously released by APX), Elementary Biology (by MECC; previously released by APX), Earth Science (by MECC; previously released by APX), Geography (by MECC; previously released by APX), Prefixes (by MECC; previously released by APX), Metric & Problem Solving (by MECC; previously released by APX), The Market Place (by MECC; previously released by APX), Basic Arithmetic (by MECC), Graphing (by MECC), Pre-Reading (by MECC), Counting (by MECC), Expeditions (by MECC), Spelling Bee (by MECC), Word Games (by MECC). Announced: AtariLab Biofeedback, Timekeeper, Lie Detector, and Mechanics modules (all never shipped), AtariWriter Curriculum Guide (never shipped), Swarthmore Trig (never shipped). Again promised for future release: AtariLab Curriculum Modules: Temperature and Light, CONDUIT Algebra, Green Globs and Other Trig Diversions. Linda Gordon was Atari Products Management SVP Education.

October: Atari released the Pro-Line Trak-Ball Controller (CX22) (VGU 11/83)

October: Premier issue #0 of L'Atarien magazine, the official magazine of the Atari Club in France, published by Rive Ouest - Cato Johnson France on behalf of P.E.C.F. Atari.

October: "Atari still had not brought out any of its new XL line by mid- October." (Compute! #43 Dec83 p32)

October 21: Atari said that it was delaying the making and marketing of its
two higher-priced computer models, the 1400XL and the 1450XLD. The machines would not ship until late December, after the Christmas selling season, and then only in limited quantities. (WSJ 10/24/1983 p.5)

October 21-23: TariCon '83, "the world's first Atari-only computer
convention," was scheduled by MACE, Michigan Atari Computer Enthusiasts, at
the Southfield Civic Center Pavillion, Southfield, Michigan. The even did not come together as planned, but TariCon '84 was successfully held August 1984.

October 24: Report that plans at Atari to introduced a new computer model, the Atari 1600, had recently been canceled by Atari CEO James Morgan. (WSJ 10/24/1983 p.5)

October/November: Atari shipped the 600XL NTSC version for North America
($199) (The Globe and Mail (Canada) 12/23/83), 600XL UK version (159.99
pounds) (Page 6 #7 p6), and 600XL PAL version for Europe (except France).

November 2: Report that Atari announced that because of production snags in Hong Kong (Atari-Wong and contract manufacturer Chelco Sound), it would be
able to fill only 60 per cent of its Christmas orders for the 600XL and the 800XL. Atari also reiterated that it would ship the 1400XL and the 1450XLD in limited quantities in late December and more widely after the first of the year. (WSJ 11/2/1983 p.2)

November 4: Premier of the Warner Bros. film, Deal of the Century, which included a fighter plane cockpit monitor where the display was driven by a
real (off-screen) Atari 800, software by Atari's Los Angeles Lab (Corporate Research Division L.A. Lab).

November 9: Atari said it would raise the prices of its home computers and video game consoles by between 17 percent and 29 percent, effective Jan. 1, 1984. The increases would raise the dealer price on the 600XL to $180, from $140. The dealer price of the 800XL would rise to $280, from $240. Atari
also said it would raise prices of its 1027 printer and 1050 disk drive by about $15 each.

November 19: Atari (Coin-Op) announced the opening of the first Atari
Adventure family entertainment center (and the third Atari "Adventure"
location overall) at the Northwest Plaza shopping center located in St. Ann MO (suburban St. Louis MO). The location was planned as the prototype for a nationwide roll-out of 12-15 facilities. Store design by Bill Poon & Company Architects. The location combined a traditional video game arcade (65 games), a new video game technology display area, and a Computer Learning Center: a hands-on public computer classroom/lab featuring 8 Atari 1200XL computer stations and a full-time instructor (Kent Wilke). (CCv7n11; PR via Fun p757)

November 22: John J. Cardozo had become Acting Manager, Product Review, APX, replacing Jack Perron who departed the company.

November/December: John Peeke-Vout, previously Atari Products Management director of external software development, became VP software marketing, replacing Steve Arnold who departed the company. (Arnold would join the Lucasfilm Computer Division Games Group as general manager in January 1984).

November/December?: Dorothy K. Deringer, previously a program officer at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), joined Atari Learning Systems as VP product development. Deringer was hired by Atari Products Management SVP Education Linda Gordon.

November/December?: In the Atari Semiconductor Group (ASG), Peter R. Ateshian was promoted to Manager of VLSI Development, replacing Rich Pasco who departed the company. (Carl Nielsen remained ASG VP design and test.)

November/December?: Joe Miller became Atari Products Management manager, operating systems software, replacing Scott Scheiman who departed the company.

November/December: Atari Engineering Computer Division engineer Ajay Chopra departed the company (to Mindset).

November/December?: Atari Products Management director of business planning Robert Cory departed the company (to Apple Computer).

December 1?: Atari released the Atari Program Exchange (APX) Product Catalog Winter Edition 1983-84, introducing: Equestrian, Mastermatch, Atspeller for AtariWriter, Bellum, Burgers!, Chambers of Zorp, Character Fun, Dragon Quest
or A Twist in the Tail, Numberland Nightwatch, Raid on Graviton, Rush Hour, Weakon, National Flags, Dog Daze Deluxe

December 13: In an open letter posted to the Atari SIG on CompuServe,
addressed to Atari users from Atari Chairman and CEO Jim Morgan, Morgan described the Atari he had inherited as being "in way over its head with a computer product line as inclusive as the 600XL, 800XL, 1400XL, 1450XLD, and 1600." Morgan announced the formation of "a group led by Ted Hoff and Alan
Kay which is chartered to define our next generation of computers...In the meantime, we will have to keep our product line rather restricted to broadly saleable products." (M.A.C.E. Journal v4n2/3 Feb/Mar 1984 p.2; see also CC May84p193)

December: Atari shipped initial small quantities of the 800XL NTSC version for North America ($299) (see newspaper ads and Current Notes Jan84p6 for
timing). (800XL production would ramp up dramatically in Winter 1984.)

"Atari sold about 400,000 units [computers] in December." - Creative
Strategies International as quoted in InfoWorld, Feb 6, 1984.

"Atari sold roughly 250,000 of its 800 series computers last year"
- Time magazine, July 16, 1984

1984
January 1: In the U.S., the suggested retail price for the Atari 600XL became $249 (previously: $199); the suggested retail price for the Atari 800XL became $399 (previously: $299).

January 1?: Donald Teiser, previously Atari director of Engineering Computer Division, became director of Advanced Engineering (still reporting to SVP Engineering Dave Stubben). Steve Bristow, previously Atari VP engineering, AtariTel Division, became Atari VP Enginering Computer Division (replacing Teiser in the role).

January 7-10: At the Winter CES in Las Vegas, for the 600XL ($249), 800XL ($399), and 1450XLD (unshipped but again shown), Atari introduced the Light
Pen (CX75) with AtariGraphics and the 1064 Memory Module for the 600XL. Again promised: Touch Tablet (CX77), Remote Control Wireless Joysticks (CX42), the AtariWriter System kit (previously: Writing System), the Programming System kit, The BASIC Tutor I kit. Atari announced the release of DOS 3 (previously: DOS III), available for free, and also to ship with new production 1050 disk drives. Software introduced: The Atari Translator, Captain Hook's Revenge (previously: Peter Pan's Daring Escape; never shipped), Typo Attack
(previously released by APX), AtariMusic I, AtariMusic II, RealSports Tennis, RealSports Football, Mario Bros. (title by Nintendo; would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1988), Moon Patrol (title by Williams Electronics; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), Jungle Hunt (title by Taito), Robotron: 2084 (title by Williams Electronics), Millipede (would be shipped by Atari, Corp.
in 1985); again promised: Pole Position, Joust, Ms. Pac-Man, Pengo, Donkey
Kong Junior, The Mysteries of Wonderland, TeleLink II (again promised apart from Communicator II kit); announced: Pop'R Spell (previously released by Milliken; never shipped by Atari), Sky Writer (previously released by
Milliken; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. in 1985), SynCalc (previously introduced by Synapse), SynFile+ (previously introduced by Synapse), SynTrend (consisting of SynGraph and SynStat; previously introduced by Synapse); previewed: Crystal Castle (box mock-up; Crystal Castles would be shipped by Atari Corporation in 1988), The Legacy (Atari Advanced Games Group; later: Final Legacy; would be shipped by Atari, Corp.). The Bookkeeper kit was to be renamed The Accountant effective 4/1/84. Finally, Atari Learning Systems promoted: AtariLab Starter Set with Temperature Module ("ready to ship now"), AtariLab Light Module, Atari Pascal (Version 2.0), Atari Super PILOT, Player Maker, Screen Maker.

January 14: At the Annual Atari Star Awards Banquet held at 12:30pm at The Westin St. Francis Hotel, Union Square, San Francisco CA, in the City Club located on the 12th floor on the main building, Atari awarded the third annual Atari Star Award and $25,000 to Mark Reid for his APX title, Getaway!. Other Finalists: James Burton, R. Stanley Kistler, Gregor Novak. Atari Products Management SVP Fred Simon announced the winner and APX director Fred Thorlin presented the award. (AC Spr84p14)

January: Atari shipped: Joust (VGU 1/84)

January: Atari opened their fourth "Adventure" location, the second Atari Adventure family entertainment center, at Crestwood Plaza in Crestwood MO (suburban St. Louis MO). A 2-story location, using the same concept as the area's Northwest Plaza Atari Adventure location.

January 23: James J. Morgan, chairman and CEO Atari, Inc., announced an organizational realignment of the company. John Farrand was named president
of Atari, Inc. and president and COO of Atari Products Co. (both newly created positions; reporting to Morgan). Atari Products Co. was a new operating division of Atari, comprised of sales and marketing, research and development, software development, product engineering and manufacturing, plus the coin- operated games unit. Donald Kingsborough and David Ruckert were named Atari Products Co. EVPs of sales and marketing, respectively (each now reporting to Farrand). Paul Malloy and Marcian E. ''Ted'' Hoff Jr. were named Atari Products Co. EVPs of operations/product engineering and R&D/product development, respectively (each now reporting to Farrand).

Atari recognized three of the highest ranking technical positions in the company with the new additional title of "Atari Fellow" including: Atari Products Co. VP/chief scientist Alan Kay, and Atari Products Co. VP
engineering Computer division Steve Bristow. (PR; plus see WCI 1983 Annual Report)

Dave Stubben, previously Atari SVP Engineering (reporting to Farrand), would remain Atari Products Co. SVP engineering (now reporting to Malloy). Donald Teiser, previously Atari Director of Advanced Engineering (reporting to Stubben), would remain Atari Products Co. director of advanced engineering
(now reporting to Hoff).

Winter: Atari shipped the Touch Tablet (CX77; with AtariArtist), Tennis, Pole Position, Ms. Pac-Man (see 1/1/84 price list)

Winter: Donald Kingsborough, previously Atari Products Co. EVP sales & distribution, was to depart the company (after an unspecified period; he would be reassigned until his departure). Keith Schaefer, previously Atari Products Co. SVP sales (computer markets), was promoted to EVP sales & distribution (replacing Kingsborough in the role). Shortly thereafter, Schaefer departed the company (to NEC Home Electronics (USA)). Kingsborough returned to his previous role as EVP sales and distribution.

Winter: At Atari Products Co., John Hahn, previously director of technical support, became director of computer marketing (reporting to SVP computer marketing Fred Simon), replacing Ken Wirt who departed the company (to Cognitive Systems). Thea Cain was promoted to 1450XLD product marketing manager, and Sherri L. Horowitz was promoted to 600XL/800XL product marketing manager, together replacing Don Thorson who departed the company (to Apple Computer).

Winter?: Mark Cator was promoted to Atari Manager, Users' Group Support (replacing Earl Rice in the role; Rice would remain with customer support).

February 7: Atari Products Co. had re-launched 1450XLD development; Phil Suen was project manager. (http://TinyURL.com/y8zep9e7)

February: Atari shipped Football. (VGU 3/84)

February: Atari Products Co. manager, operating systems software Joe Miller departed the company (to Koala technologies).

February: Atari Products Co. VP engineering Computer division and Atari Fellow Steve Bristow departed the company (to Technicom Advanced Design Center). SVP engineering Dave Stubben would receive an Atari Fellow recognition. (Fun p792 for Stubben business card)

February 16: Phil Suen was Atari Products Co. 1450XLD project manager; Thea Cain (marketing) was product manager. (http://TinyURL.com/y8zep9e7)

March 6: Atari, Inc. was awarded U.S. patent 4,435,779 for 13 claims by inventors Steven T. Mayer, Jay G. Miner, Douglas G. Neubauer, and Joseph C. Decuir regarding their "Data processing system with programmable graphics generator" (the Atari 400/800 hardware platform).

March 7-9: At Billboard's second Computer Software/Video Game Conference, held at The Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, Nancy Garrison,
International Marketing Manager, AtariSoft, took part in a panel entitled: "Getting Over Seas: International Marketing"

March 11-18: At the Festival International du Son et de l'Image, held at the CNIT (Centre des Nouvelles Industries et Technologies), Paris La Defense, France, P.E.C.F. Atari launched the 600XL and 800XL in France. PAL versions were available immediately (2 200 F / 3 200 F); 600XL SECAM version (2 500 F; never shipped) and 800XL SECAM version (3 500 F; would be shipped by Atari, Corp. 11/84) were due to ship in June 1984. (L'Atarien #2; L'Ordinateur Individuel #58 Apr84 p81; L'Atarien #4 p18 for prices)

March?: Atari shipped the 800XL UK version (249.99 pounds) and 800XL PAL version for Europe.

March: For Atari home computers Atari released: Donkey Kong Junior, Pengo (VGU 4/84)

March: Atari Products Co. applications software and telecommunications
products group manager Sherwin Gooch was 1450XLD project manager. (CreativeComputing Jul84 p206) (having recently replaced engineer Phil Suen in the role).

March 22-25: At the 9th West Coast Computer Faire, San Francisco Civic Auditorium and Brooks Hall, Atari showed/again promised the light pen, the Plato System cartridge, and many games. Atari introduced APX Bumpomov's Dogs, while confirming that APX was being discontinued, with the top 20 APX titles
to be absorbed into the "main line" of products, and APX director Fred Thorlin would depart the company. A new, final production run of 15,000 850
interfaces had just been manufactured. At Atari: Thea Cain was 1450XLD
product manager; Dave Wilson had been promoted to director of Customer Relations, replacing VP Consumer Product Service Jon Ebbs who had departed the company; Earl Rice remained Manager, Users' Group Support; Bill Bartlett remained manager of Product Support for Customer Relations.

March 31: James Morgan, CEO of Atari, said shipments of his company's home computers in the first three months of this year were 35 per cent lower than
in the first quarter of 1983. (The Globe and Mail (Canada) 6/1/84)

April 2: Internally, Atari Products Co. EVP Ted Hoff announced the promotion
of Jan Dekema to manager, Research Administration (assistant to Hoff in the administration of the entire Atari R&D and Product Development organization) (Dekema was previously administrative manager for the Atari Sunnyvale Research Laboratory, and would also retain that role). Hoff also announced the promotion of Chris Jeffers (previously: manager of administration for
Corporate Research) to VP Product Development, also reporting directly to Hoff (Update) (replacing Director of Advanced Engineering Donald Teiser who had departed the company (to Cadtrak)).

April 2: Programmer Michael Barall (QDOS developer) joined Atari, where he would direct advanced operating systems development. (see Antic 1/86 pAC14; source for date?)


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