The Acorn Communicator is a discontinued business computer developed by Acorn Computers. Mentioned in the computing press in late 1984 as the C30, previewed in early 1985 with estimated pricing between £500 and £800, in late 1985 with a built-in LCD display, and subsequently unveiled in a slightly different form, the system sold in very low numbers to companies requiring a computer with a built-in modem. Orders for the machine were reported in late 1986, with an initial 500 units to be rebadged by Thorn EMI Business Communications for its own customers and approximately 1400 units going to Pickfords Travel for use in its high street stores. As a "smart videotex terminal" and a "complete turnkey comms solution" featuring Prestel connectivity and built-in word processing and spreadsheet capabilities, the extensibility of the product through the development of additional software appealed to customers such as Pickfords. Although not openly priced, rumoured pricing of a Communicator was around £1000 in late 1985 for the basic model, remaining at a similar price level in early 1987 with colour monitor included. Origins Launched as part of Acorn's range of new products (alongside the Acorn Cambridge Workstation) targeting "new and more specialised market areas" following the decline of the home computer market and the financial crisis that led to Acorn's rescue by Olivetti, the Communicator had its origins in a concept mentioned publicly by co-founder Chris Curry as early as April 1984, envisioning a communications terminal aimed at business users offering a single-device solution for online information access in an elegant package with a small footprint. Acting as a personal computer, desirable features included the ability to run existing business software, offer networking support and connectivity to mainframes, connect to public data services such as Prestel and Telecom Gold mailboxes, and also support services over other cable-based infrastructure (such as cable television infrastructure then being introduced in the United Kingdom). A meeting between Curry and product design consultant David Morgan, who had approached Acorn with an idea for a personal computer, led to a deeper collaboration that would establish the nature of the Communicator's physical characteristics. Intending for the product to be customised and sold by other vendors, an emphasis was placed on a physical product design that would permit such customisation and offer a degree of modularity. Thus, a "basic keyboard unit" would be central in any eventual product configuration, being augmented by a