Commodore USA Announces the PC64: Atom in a C64 Case : Thu 26th Aug 2010
I'm not really sure what to do with this. I mean, I know how popular the Commodore 64 was and still is, and how significant a machine it really was. So, when Commodore USA sends out a press release that it has acquired the rights to produce an exact replica case of the C64 (but with Intel Atom innards), I knew a lot of people would like this. At the same time, Commodore USA's website always seemed a little... Sketchy to me.
The C64 doesn't really need an introduction, I'd say. It's definitely from before my time, and I can't recall ever having used one - although there's one particular machine I used when I was about 6-7 years old that I can't recall which could've been a C64. A whopping 30 million of these were sold, making it the best selling personal computer of all time.
The C64 had a MOS Technology 6510 processor running at ~1Mhz (it differed slightly depending on PAL or NTSC), sported 64kB of RAM and 20kB of ROM. The version currently being promised by Commodore USA would have the exact same case, yet have completely different internals - a fairly standard Intel Atom affair.
Commodore USA had to reach an agreement with the Dutch (?!) Commodore Licensing B.V. in order to get the rights to make this product.
"We are ecstatic to be partnering with Commodore Licensing B.V. in this new, exciting product launch," says Barry Altman, president and CEO of Commodore USA, "The legacy of the Commodore C64, which sold over 30 million units, making it the best selling computer of all time, and our reintroduction of this legendary form factor, combined with the world's most recognizable consumer electronics brand, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We look forward to bringing these new products to market, and welcoming a whole new generation of computer users to the Commodore experience."
Well, it's all a promise at this point, and I must say that I'm not particularly impressed by the rather, eh, unprofessional look of that website and the products listed. Clearly a case of seeing is believing.
Commodore Gets Rights to Amiga, Hyperion Takes Legal Action: Wed 1st Sep 2010
Just when you thought the Amiga world was finally getting its act together, finally making things a little less obtuse for outsiders, this happens. So, we have the AmigaOne X1000 coming up, a brand-new PowerPC computer, running the real deal - AmigaOS 4. In the meantime, Commodore USA - the one with the sketchy website - has apparently secured rights to the Amiga hardware brand, and is planning to release Amiga-branded computers running AROS. In the meantime, Hyperion, the Belgium company behind AmigaOS, who is working with A-eon on the AmigaOne X1000, claims this is a clear violation of the settlement between them and Amiga Inc., and has notified its US lawyers.
Commodore USA sent out a press release yesterday in which they state they've reached an agreement with Bill McEwen of Amiga, Inc. (one of the two companies named Amiga) in which Commodore USA may use the Amiga hardware brand on computers running AROS, the open source Amiga-inspired operating system.
"We are ecstatic to be partnering with Amiga Inc. in this new, exciting product launch," states Barry Altman, President and CEO of Commodore USA, "The legacy of the Commodore and Amiga trademark brand, reunited once again after so many years, and our reintroduction of the legendary All-In-One computer keyboard form factor, combined with the twenty-five year anniversary of the introduction of the first Amiga computer by Commodore International, is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
My first thought was - wait, doesn't this violate the settlement agreement between Amiga Inc. and Hyperion, which finally settled all the legal mumbo-jumbo in the Amiga world? It appears Hyperion believes that this is indeed a violation, and as such, they have asked their lawyers in the US to investigate the matter.
"Our American lawyers will take action against this," Hyperion states, "This is blatant violation of the rights Hyperion Entertainment secured in the settlement agreement with Amiga Inc., Itec and Amino."
The facts here are that if there's two companies I would blindly trust in the Amiga world, it's Hyperion and ACube. These are the only two companies that have kept their promises and delivered actual working products we can buy today. Everyone else - including A-eon (until they ship the X1000) - are fair game.
The only conclusion I can draw from this is that my initial distrust of this Commodore USA thing was more than justified. Their website (shoddy doesn't even begin to describe it), their rebranded products, their unilateral press releases which can't be confirmed anywhere else but on their site... It all reeks of a massive con. Are their products even shipping, after months of promises?
Unless proven otherwise, I'm assuming for now that Commodore USA is, at best, a hoax, and at worst, a very inept con. They are properly registered as an LLC, though.
Source:
http://www.osnews.com
