Computing pioneer Sir Clive Sinclair dies aged 81

Inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, who popularised the home computer and invented the pocket calculator, has died at his London home aged 81.

His daughter Belinda Sinclair said he passed away on Thursday morning after having cancer for more than a decade.

Sir Clive's products included the ZX series of computers and his ill-fated C5 electric vehicle.

He was still working on his inventions last week "because that was what he loved doing", said Ms Sinclair.

"He was inventive and imaginative and for him it was exciting and an adventure, it was his passion," she added.

His ZX Spectrum computers brought affordable personal computing to the masses - selling in their millions across the world.

However, in a BBC interview in 2013, Sir Clive revealed he did not, at that time, use computers himself.

"I don't like distraction," he explained.

"If I had a computer, I'd start thinking I could change this and that, and I don't want to. My wife very kindly looks after that for me."

 

 Photo David Levenson Caption: Sir Clive Sinclair demonstrates his ill-fated electric C5 vehicle in 1985