December 2002 - (Source: The Guardian)  

Alan Sugar is founder and CEO of Amstrad

Interview by Hamish Mackintosh for The Guardian.
Tuesday, December 12, 2002


At which point the computer is docked in your lifestyle?

Completely. I travel frequently to 5 different places and I have a computer in each of them. My emails are sent to each location, and this is how I tend to communicate today.
 
You can do a short email, while calls can drag unnecessarily.
  
Why Amstrad has moved away from personal computers after the success of CPC and PC1512?

When we launched the CPC 464 in April 1984, we introduced on the market the only computer that looked like a computer. Commodore, the Sinclair, etc ..., resembled large calculators because they did not monitor - the children should use them with the family viewing. While the CPC464 came with its own monitor and integrated software.

But the industry of personal computers into decline the next year we introduced our first PC. Recall that in 1985 the average retail price of an IBM or an Olivetti PC was more than £ 2,000. So we came up with PCs that matched the largest for £ 399. The parents began to buy Amstrad models 1512 for themselves and their children and the market for micro family then fell into an abyss, but shallow device.
  
The laptops and PDAs they walk on the beds of the desktop?

 The yuppies will always throw around this kind of gadgets. But the consumer market? I am not at all certain they can provide performance and comfort of your PC. Write emails and view images on small screens is from time to time but the PC will long remain the main tool.
  
Who do you see as current innovative IT?

The current innovators are those who bring technological advances in mass and which are in formats the simplest and most easily accessible to consumers that they are: Nokia, Google and AltaVista.
  
How your e-m@iler has he changed?

We wanted to set up communications tool for the home. Now, there are 250.000 users in all countries using the em @ ilerplus to call, mail, create text, play games and access the Internet. The library of downloadable games Sinclair ZX Spectrum has brought to life the great classics such vengeance. Games like Jet Set Willy probably gave fathers the only opportunity to beat their kids computer games.

Your favorite gadgets?

SKY digital recording device is brilliant - we will do one soon.