The Atari Sweet 16 Project

       On April 7, 1982 the first draft of the Atari Sweet 16 Home Computer Product Specifications were written.   Several revisions were made up until June 11, 1982.   The specifications outlined the designs for a new pair of computer systems which would replace the overpriced Atari 400 and 800 systems.   These new systems would come in 2 different memory configurations: 16K and 64K.   They would come in sleek low profile one piece cases with 4 function keys, a built-in HELP key, International character set, an on-board diagnostic system, 2 SIO connectors which would use standard DB-15 connectors, and a new expansion system called the PBI (Parallel Bus Interface) which would be an 8-bit gateway into each of the custom chips contained within the new systems.   This new bus would soon be accompanied by an expansion system called the Atari 1090:  XL Expansion System which would have given the new 1000 series computers 5 expansion slots.

      These new systems where designated:  The Atari 1000 and the Atari 1000-X.   Have you ever wondered why when the Atari 1200XL was introduced, that all its peripherals were not numbered after it, like the Atari 810 disk drive should have been the Atari 1250, not the 1050.   Or the Atari 1010 cassette recorder or the Atari 1025 dot matrix printer.   These peripherals were designed for the new Atari 1000 line.

      So where does the Atari 1200XL fit in???

      The Atari 1200XL was Atari's final design revision for the Sweet 16 line of computers.   It was stripped of its major "HIGH END" features and was left crippled by management.   It was decided that the original Sweet 16 specifications would appear in a later version of XL computer when costs could be cut down to where lost features would be packaged into an affordable package.   What in turn happened was the original Sweet 16 spec's did eventually surface:  as the Atari 600XL and 800XL computers.   However, to keep costs down, the Sweet 16's were placed into cheaper smaller cases with low quality keyboards, the function keys were removed and the only one SIO port was installed.    The true Sweet 16's never made it to market.   The only model Atari computer that comes close to fulfilling the original 1982 dream of the Sweet 16 specifications was the unreleased Atari 1400XL.

The above information was taken from Atari Confidential Trade Secrets file titled Atari Sweet 16 Home Computer Specifications April 7, 1982; April 14, 1982; June 11, 1982.  Ajay Chopra.