What’s old is new again

“HP Reimagines the Desk for the Future of Work” shouts the headline on the HP website. The tech giant has ‘reimagined’ the desktop PC with a:

“Unique, keyboard-based form factor”.

They are talking about the HP EliteBoard AI PC, which is a computer in a keyboard:

I became officially old when I started noticing cyclical events and ideas rebranded, rehashed and suggested as “new”.

Anyone who was around in the 80s knows that a computer in a keyboard is absolutely nothing new:

Amstrad CPC 464 6128 and 664 computers owned by Simon Green

Do you remember it feeling strange when the computer was separate from the keyboard? Just comment below!

And if you want to see more reimagining of computers, then join us in June at the UKAG first ever Amstrad meetup



The Retro Zone: Lake District Nostalgia for Amstrad Fans

If you are on holiday in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, the Lake District, it’s well worth a visit to The Retro Zone, a collection of 70s and 70s nostalgia.

UKAG founding members Simon Green and Jo Cook enjoyed wandering around and talking to the owners about their personal memories from the decades many of us grew up in.

Simon Green and the CPC 464 at The Retro Zone.

It’s peak 70s/80s microcomputing nostalgia, instant “I had that” or, more often, “I wanted that” feeling, and a museum full of memory-triggering kit from the home computer boom.

Continue reading The Retro Zone: Lake District Nostalgia for Amstrad Fans

Who is Roland Perry?

Roland is the star guest at the inaugural UKAG meetup, but if you are newer to the retro hobby you might not know his background or his impact on the computer we all know and love.

Roland says of the event:

“I’m looking forward to attending the UK Amstrad Group meeting. It’s always a pleasure to see these machines still being used, repaired, and enjoyed, and to chat with people who remember what made them work so well. The best part is the community, swapping stories, solving the odd technical mystery, and having a good laugh about the design choices that still get people talking.”

Interview

There’s a great article from Retro Gamer to find out more, and here are the essentials:

Amstrad’s lead technical figure on the CPC: Roland Perry was Amstrad’s group technical manager, often described as the person who made the CPC “tick”, leading the electronics design that turned the CPC concept into a working machine.

Continue reading Who is Roland Perry?

UKAG meetup – as featured on Xyphoe’s channel!

Thanks to Xyphoe and Novabug – two of the greatest Amstrad streamers – for giving our June event a shout-out on his stream!

Hopefully, many of their viewers can come and join us on June 21st 2026 for a day of Amstrad fun and friends.

Xyphoe said of the event:

“It has the potential to grow and grow.”

Stream UKAG announcement 2026

In the stream chat, with typical humour of the retro scene, RetroUnlim joked of the venue:

“If it’s a church, I’m not marrying Roland.”

Continue reading UKAG meetup – as featured on Xyphoe’s channel!

More Info on the June UK Amstrad Group Meet

UKAG’s first official meet takes place on Sunday, 21st June 2026. Doors open at 9am, and close at 8pm (or sooner if everyone decides to wind down a bit early and go to the pub, as can happen).

Key Information

  • When: Sunday 21st June 2026
  • Where: Ottershaw Village Hall, Brox Road,
    Ottershaw, Surrey, KT16 0HG
  • Time: 9am-8pm
  • Cost: £20 per person
    (price includes tea, coffee and snacks throughout the day)
  • Ticket Link: Buy Here
Continue reading More Info on the June UK Amstrad Group Meet