Microcomputer Associates

{{Short description|Former American computer company}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}

Microcomputer Associates, Inc., was an American computer company founded by Manny Lemas and Ray Holt. It produced the low-cost Jolt Microcomputer, designed by Holt and released in 1975 for {{US$|249|1975|round=-1}}.{{Cite journal | last = Upton | first = Molly | title = Age of Build-It-Yourself Micros Arrives at Wescon | journal = Computerworld | volume = 9 | issue = 40 | page =36 | date = October 15, 1975 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fiYS7TkQGCUC&pg=PA36}} Microcomputer Associates introduces the 6502 based Jolt computer kit for $249.{{Cite web |url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=875 |title=JOLT |access-date=April 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121044124/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=875 |archive-date=November 21, 2010 |url-status=dead }} A Jolt microcomputer was notably used in the Atari VCS prototype by Cyan Engineering.{{cite book | title = Atari Inc: Business is Fun | first1 = Marty | last1 = Goldberg | first2 = Curt | last2 = Vendel | year = 2012 | isbn = 978-0985597405 | publisher = Sygyzy Press | chapter=Chapter 5 | url=https://archive.org/details/atariincbusiness0000gold/ | url-access=registration | chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/atariincbusiness0000gold/page/192/mode/2up | chapter-url-access=registration}}

MAI was later acquired by semiconductor manufacturer Synertek, a second source manufacturer of the 6502, and renamed Synertek Systems.{{cite journal | last=Staff writer | date=March 14, 1978 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118452153/microcomputer-associates-acquired-by/ | title=Microcomputer Associates acquired by Synertek | journal=The Peninsula Times Tribune | page=35 | via=Newspapers.com}} It then created the SYM-1, a 6502-based single board microcomputer and spiritual successor to the KIM-1. In 1978 the company offered a number of processor and peripheral modules.J. C. Boonham Small systems computer sourcebook Taylor & Francis, 1978 {{ISBN|0-470-26295-8}} pages 11-13