Robie

"Other new products in the works include a desk-top model, code named "Roby". It will have two disk drives and be similar to the Kaypro II but will have a smaller footprint on the desk and look more like a small TV set." Note that Roby is how it was spelled in the article.
(CommuniKay, June 1983)

Another new product from the Kaypro family of computers has just been unveiled at this year's COMDEX. The Robie is its name, and desktop computing is its game.

The Robie is our smallest model yet, with a footprint measuring slightly over a square foot. It has a nine-inch green monitor with anti-glare screen, two half-height floppy drive which can hold 2.6 megabyte of information each, a slimmed-down detachable keyboard, an internal 300 baud modem, and a real-time clock/calendar. The popular CP/M operating system, with its many applications, runs the unit. The drives use pre-formatted diskettes, which will also be produced by Kaypro.

Robies are being produced in two different colors, white and black, with the distinctive handwritten signature in cherry red. Architect, Janice Kay, is responsible for its modern look which allows it to blend into any office decor.

Prototye Robies were introduced to the rest of the industry at COMDEX in Las Vegas. Vice-president, David Kay, and Promotions Coordinator, Henry Hester, were on hand to announce the new product and demonstrate its features to the press and other industry officials. Advertising material on the new model was also available.

The Robie is still in the prototype phase and remains open to changes. These could include color selection, keyboard design, and other modifications. The first production run is scheduled at 2,000 units; availability to dealers is expected in the spring of '84. The suggested retail price for this new workstation is around $2295.00.

(ComminiKay, Nov/Dec 1983)

"Kaypro produced less than 500 of the tardy, touchy Robies before taking a staggering $3-million writedown on the machines." (The Executive (Southern California), August 1987, pg 21)

	Robie Prototype Note that the case is white and that the keyboard case looks more like the the other CPM Kaypro keyboards (The top of the case is inset within the base).

"The Robie has two 2.6-megabyte floppy drives for a total of 5.2 MB of disk storage. In addition, this computer has a real-time clock and an internal 300-baud modem.

Software included with the Robie is the same as for the 2X, plus Kaypro's Master Menu program. MasMenu is a menu-driven front end for CP/M that lets you operate the computer without regard to what programs are in which user areas. MasMenu already knows what is in each user area, so all you need to do is select a program from the menu on your screen."
(Profiles V3 N6)

As far as I can tell a Robie has not been sold on eBay in the last 10+ years.

Disks

"You should buy good-quality, high-density diskettes pre- formatted l7-sector 192 TPI. Specify Brown Disk UHR II or the Maxell equivalent. Each diskette is capable of holding 2.6 megabytes of information." (Robie Manual)

Cleaning Disks

"A drive-cleaning disk is needed to keep the drive heads clean and in proper working order. The following are approved: Scotch 7440, Head Computer Products, Perfect Data, Floppiclene." (Robie Manual)

"Responding to requests from Kaypro headquarters and from the field, Drivetec (manufacturer of the Robie disk drives) has approved four head-cleaning disks for use in their drives. Drivetec states:
The following cleaning disks have been evaluated and are recommended for usage on the Drivetec disk drive when head cleaning is deemed necessary:
1. Scotch #7440
2. Head Computer Products
3. Perfect Data
4. Floppiclene
(Kugram Vol.2 No.5 Page 22)