Sharp MZ-40K

MZ-40K was an ancestor of the Sharp MZ computers series. It was a single-board microcomputer in a plastic covered box. Sharp called it "Dr. Microcomputer (MAIKON HAKASE)". It was designed as a consumer electrical appliance and sold as a toy or a training tool for the first microcomputers fans. The MZ-40K had a built-in speaker and could play music automatically or become an organ, using the monitor keys. Software was included into the 4-bit CPU ROM and users could run several basic applications without any programming skill. MZ-40K wasn't a marketing success, mainly because it was designed only for beginners without expansions capabilities, while the major competitor, NEC TK-80, offered a full range of software and hardware expansions.