Following the re-launch of the 48K as the Leisure (Issue 49), Camputers is attempting to revive its flagging fortunes by re-launching the 128K Lynx as a business system called the Laureate.

It is promoting a Laureate package combining a 128K Lynx, twin 200K disk drives, CP/M, parallel interface module and free Perfect Software suite for an all in price of £999.95.

At this price it is one of only a handful of complete CP/M systems selling at or below the magic £1,000 mark. Camputers certainly considers it an attractive proposition and is aiming to sell the system to small businesses and for specialised applications.

Two pieces of software already available for the machine are an estate agents package and a welfare benefits package. Camputers is using the latter as the basis for its bid to put its micros into the local offices of the DHSS.

The company claims that the Laureate is the fastest CP/M micro around. The claim is based on the use of the 780B processor which runs at 6MHz compared to the usual 4MHz on the Z80A. However, the Camputers claim has yet to be independently verified.

Another plus feature of the Laureate is that 64K of the RAM is used to handle the video display. It offers a screen resolution of 512 by 248 pixels in eight colours compared to the 256 by 248 resolution of the 48K Leisure.

Camputers' chairman, Stanley Charles, says the relaunching of products and the move into the business market are part of a move to re-vamp the company's image.

He will undoubtedly have his work cut out. The 96K Lynx was originally due to be available in July last year and the 128K Lynx with CP/M by the autumn. Both dates were missed.

Mr. Charles is also keen to scotch rumours about the financial health of his company. He confirmed that it had been seeking additional capital to finance its expansion plans for several months and a financing agreement was reached around Christmas, but the deal fell through.

"We have now reached agreement with a financial consortium," he said, "and we are just waiting for the stock exchange paperwork to go through before we make a formal announcement about it."

The extra finance will enable Camputers to step up its export plans. It recently signed a £3 million deal to sell the Lynx in France and has just started shipping machines to Greece.