Video game:Amstrad CPC/Schneider, ZX Spectrum On Cue

First released in 1984, the Amstrad CPC (Colour Personal Computer) was a series of six 8-bit computers manufactured by Amstrad. Competing against the Commodore 64 and Sinclair Spectrum, the Amstrad line distinguished itself in European countries such as France, Spain, and Germany. The first three versions, the CPC464, CPC664, and CPC6128, were the most successful, though Amstrad continued the line with three more models until 1990. The main selling point of the series was its "all-in-one" advertising. The computer, keyboard and data storage devices were attached as a single unit, and users had the opportunity to also purchase a dedicated monitor. Other computers of the era sold data devices such as disk drives and cassette players separately, and buyers were instructed to use home television sets as their monitors. Amstrad computers also possessed high resolution graphics and text, making them both a popular business computer and gaming platform. Overall, the CPC series sold approximately three million units.

The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit home computer released in the UK in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. The Spectrum was one of the first mass-marketed home computers in the UK, and is often compared to its main rival, the USA's Commodore 64. Unlike the Commodore, however, the Spectrum used cassette tapes instead of cartridges for its games. The introduction of the Spectrum created a huge increase in software and hardware production across the country, and some claim it launched the UK IT industry. Inventor Clive Sinclair earned a knighthood for "services to British industry" based on the Spectrum's massive impact. Although the machine was discontinued in 1992, classic game aficionados can still enjoy over 20,000 Spectrum titles through the use of emulators.