Vtech I.Q. Unlimited Computer
Copyright © 1991 Video Techhology Electronics, Ltd.

"The computer for parents who have done their homework." That is how Vtech describes this item.

While Vtech states that the I.Q. Unlimited Computer is "for ages 9 and up," this is no toy. It is a real computer with a Z80 CPU.

The I.Q. Unlimited Computer is pre-loaded with 11 programs and a BASIC interpreter for programming. Essentially, this is an integrated suite. The software titles included, listed in the order they appear in the main menu screen, are:

🌟  Word processor
🌟  spell Review (spell Right)
🌟  Calculator
🌟  Mind challenge
🌟  word Zappers
🌟  basic Tutor
🌟  Basic
🌟  200 Year calendar
🌟  Spreadsheet
🌟  Graphs
🌟  Database
🌟  Art studio

Word processor features pull-down menus, find & replace, spell check (using spell Review's dictionary), justify, headers, footers, tab setting, block functions (define, move, copy, erase), word count, print, set margins, file (load, save, new, rename, copy, erase), format (system RAM or a RAM cartridge). It can be run in 40-column or 80-column mode.

spell Review (spell Right) is a spelling correction program with an electronic dictionary of over 70,000 words. When a word to check is entered, the message *CORRECT SPELLING* is displayed if it is spelled correctly. If the word is misspelled, a list of possible words are displayed in the Suggestions box.

Calculator features basic and scientific functions and also contains an English/American unit conversion module. Type a mathmatical formula — 1+1= — press Enter, and the Calculator program executes the formula and displays the result. Special mathmatical functions include square root, sin, cos, tan, ln, log10, square of a number, constant e to the power of a number, pi, etc. A memory area can store constants. The conversion module converts length, area, volume, and mass.

Mind Challenge is a trivia game divided into 4 categories: science, geography, general trivia, and history. It has 2 levels of difficulty and allows 1 or 2 players. The 2-player mode uses a "game show" format. When a question appears, the first player to press their key gets to answer.

word Zappers is a letter and word game designed to improve typing skills. It is a variant of the arcade game Breakout. There are 3 levels that can be played. Letters and/or words drop from the top of the screen toward 5 colored bars at the bottom of the screen. The player must type the letters or words before they break through the 5 bars. When the score reaches 1000 points, a reward screen is displayed and a few seconds are allowed to rest your hands. A new bar appears at the bottom of the screen every 5000 points. The game ends when the 5th bar is broken. A high score screen tracks the top 10 scores and shows the players' names.

basic Tutor is a training program designed to teach the commands of Advantech BASIC, the BASIC interpreter included with the I.Q. Unlimited. This training program, in conjunction with the User's Manual, teaches advanced BASIC programming concepts. From the basics of BASIC, LIST and PRINT statements, to variable creation and value assignment, INPUT data entry and processing, IF...THEN conditional statements, READ and DATA statements, GOTO and FOR...NEXT loop statements, DIM array statement, GOSUB subroutine statement, structured programming concepts, and sample BASIC programs. It can be run in 40-column or 80-column mode.

Basic is the BASIC language interpreter included with the I.Q. Unlimited. It allows you to create, edit, and run BASIC programs. Basic features a pull-down menu with Load, Save, New, Erase, Copy, Rename, Format, and Dir options. Other BASIC statements not covered in the basic Tutor training program include CLEAR, END, LPRINT, STOP, REM, RESTORE, 19 numeric and string functions (RND, SQR, MID$, etc.), CLS, CLEAR, CONT, PRINT USING, and more. BASIC programs can be saved in the system's memory (assigned as "drive B:"), or on external memory cartridges (assigned as "drive C:").

200 Year calendar can display a calendar month within a 200 year span between 1900 and 2099. A notebook feature allows you to save text information for any day within this date range. A record for a given day can hold up to 96 characters, and up to 30 records can be stored. Records are referred to as events. All events can be listed using the List icon. Selecting Print will print the calendar month or list of events. Delete can delete a single daily event, an entire month's events, or all saved events.

Spreadsheet features a worksheet size of 26 columns and 99 rows, maximum data size of 24K, maximum cell data of 40 characters, numbers are limited to 10 digits before the decimal and 5 digits after, cell values cannot be entered with scientific notation, has 3 @ functions (@AVG, @COUNT, @SUM), pull-down menus, cell block functions (define, move, copy, erase), title lock, column width (default 9 characters), cell formats (general, fixed, percentage, currency), insert/delete rows or columns, recalculate, print all/block. Spreadsheets are saved with a .WK1 extension. It can be run in 40-column or 80-column mode.

Graphs features 4 graph types (line, bar, pie, exploded pie), graph title, scale title, scale range, data title, set colors, data definition of up to 7 characters in 3 rows by 20 columns, column titles, row data titles, graph preview, and graph print.

Database features a file format of up to 99 fields and up to 99 records, uses the .DBF file extension, fields are composed of field number, field name, field type (character, numeric, date), field width (up to 254 characters for text, 20 for digits, 8 for dates, 1 for logical fields), up to 18 decimal places for numeric fields, index fields (alphabetic sort for character fields, lowest to highest value for numeric fields, can't index fields 101 characters or longer, 1 index field per database), data entry form screen, record functions (mark, unmark, delete, go to, search), edit records by loading a database and selecting a record, print reports in row or column style, report header, view (print preview), set and clear index.

Art studio is a combination graphics design program and card program. Due to memory limitations, Art studio does not save projects to memory. Projects must be printed if they are to be saved. This program is divided into two sections: Picture and Card. Picture is a graphics program featuring pencil, crayon, eraser, brush, spray, line, and circle drawing tools, move, duplicate, reverse, zoom, new, print, large or small text, objects (images: gift, flower, trees, bells, pumpkin, Easter egg, X'mas flower, Santa, Valentine, witch), 14 colors. Card looks nearly identical to Picture except the work area is divided into two sections to create the areas necessary to print a card. Print format for Card is for folding a piece of 8½"x11" piece of paper in half twice. All menu items are identical in Picture and Card.

The Vtech I.Q. Unlimited Computer was marketed for children to learn and to use for their school homework. Teenagers and adults can also create serious word processor, spreadsheet, database, chart, and BASIC program documents, print them, and save them in memory or onto external memory cartridges.

If your 9-year-old child has the I.Q. to master all the features of all the programs in this system, including advanced BASIC structured programming concepts, forget elementary school, enroll them in a university.

This version was released on ROM integrated into the Vtech I.Q. Unlimited Computer system.