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Rare Commodore KIM-1 hits eBay, shows you the PET's barebones roots

Jon Fingas — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:00:00 EST

Most of us think of Commodore's pre-C64 computing history in terms of the still-legendary PET-2001, but an eBay auction run by Lawrence Bezuska shows just how far back the tradition really goes. He's selling a KIM-1, the stripped-down hobbyist computer from Chuck Peddle that was the foundation for what the PET became. It's so old that it was originally made by MOS Technologies in 1976 -- Commodore bought the company and kept making the KIM-1 until 1981. Inside, you're still looking at a 6502 chip, although you get just 1.12Kb of RAM and lose more than a few things that even DIY enthusiasts take for granted today, such as a power supply. There's no way you'll play Doom on it, then, but the winning bidder does get the luxury of a keypad just inches away from bare circuitry. If you're quick enough to make the May 17th auction deadline and miss the days of very, very low-level programming, be sure to check the source link.

Rare Commodore KIM-1 hits eBay, shows you the PET's barebones roots originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore founder Jack Tramiel passes away at age 83

Darren Murph — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST

Terribly sad news from the family of Jack Tramiel today. The Polish-born businessman is perhaps best known in the technology universe for his founding of Commodore International, the company responsible for the Commodore 64, 128, Amiga, etc. Tramiel's story is an inspiring one; he was born into a Jewish family, and during World War II, was sent to Auschwitz. He was rescued in April of 1945, and some 39 years later he purchased Atari Inc.'s Consumer division and formed the Atari Corporation that is so well recognized in gaming lore. As first reported by Forbes, Martin Goldberg -- a writer working on a book about the Atari brand and the early days of video games and computing with Atari Museum founder Curt Vendel -- had this to say: "Jack Tramiel was an immense influence in the consumer electronics and computing industries. A name once uttered in the same vein as Steve Jobs is today, his journey from concentration camp survivor to captain of industry is the stuff of legends." Tramiel leaves behind his wife, three sons and their extended families.

Commodore founder Jack Tramiel passes away at age 83 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore Amiga Mini PC revealed: Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive

Darren Murph — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:04:00 EST

Yeah, an optical drive. You know, for folks who still appreciate the passing fads of life. Bitterness aside, Commodore is following up its retro-fabulous C64x with a new small-form-factor PC, the Amiga Mini. While not much of a looker, this box houses a potent 3.5GHz Core i7-2700k CPU, 16GB of DDR3 memory, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 430 (1GB), a WiFi radio and a 1TB HDD that can be swapped out for a 300GB or 600GB solid state drive. There's a slot-loading Blu-ray drive by default, internal space for a pair of 2.5-inch drives and a predictable Amiga logo burned right onto the front panel. Unfortunately, the well-specced base model tips the pricing scales at $2,495, but that does include a copy of its Commodore OS Vision. The company's also revealing the C64x Supreme, the new VIC mini and a more powerful VIC-Slim keyboard computer (which now includes an HDMI output), all detailed in the presser past the break.

Update: Citing "consumer outcry," Commodore has lowered the entry price of the machine you see above to $1,995. For those of you who paid $500 more yesterday -- well, as least you've got a refund headed your way.

Gallery: Commodore Amiga Mini press photos

Continue reading Commodore Amiga Mini PC revealed: Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive

Commodore Amiga Mini PC revealed: Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA goes Extreme, stuffs a 2.2GHz quad-core i7 into its C64x

Joe Pollicino — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:32:00 EST

We've loved Commodore USA's C64 computer recreations ever since it began producing them back in 2010. Much to our delight, the company recently outed its third variant, the C64x Extreme. This unit features the '80s flair we've come to appreciate, but supercharged to 2011 spec. Crammed inside its case is a 2.2GHz Intel core i7 quad-core CPU (capable of turbo boosting to 3.3GHz), 8GB of DDR3 RAM, Intel HD integrated graphics and a spacious 2TB HDD. Externally, you'll find a duo of USB 3.0 ports, a triplet of USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA connection, along with HDMI, 3.5mm S/PDIF, VGA and DVI ports for A/V hookups. Best of all, it's loaded with Bluetooth, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, an Ethernet port and even a DVD-RW drive on its side. The C64X-Ex will initially come loaded with Linux Mint 11, and it'll fully support Windows once the company's "retro inspired" Commodore OS Vision becomes available. Of course, the C64x-Ex's blend of vintage looks and modern-day power will cost ya -- to a tune of $1,500. If that's cool by your books, Commodore USA plans to ship orders placed by November 25th before December 15th. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading Commodore USA goes Extreme, stuffs a 2.2GHz quad-core i7 into its C64x

Commodore USA goes Extreme, stuffs a 2.2GHz quad-core i7 into its C64x originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Commodore C64 gets stacked against the original, deemed a worthy successor (video)

Dana Wollman — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:02:00 EST

We know a few of you have been waiting with bated breath for the retooled Commodore C64 to arrive, so we're not at all surprised that the first people to claim one are wasting no time putting its tactile keys through its paces. In that clip you see below, YouTube user "EternalPtah" places the three decades-old original next to its Atom-powered successor, comparing everything from the beige color to the height of the function keys. All told, he reassures us, the twenty-first century iteration is a worthy follow-up to the vintage model, even if it does replace the power light with a button. If you've got four minutes to spare, hit play for what will probably be the most nostalgic hands-on you see this week.

[Thanks, Ian]

Continue reading New Commodore C64 gets stacked against the original, deemed a worthy successor (video)

New Commodore C64 gets stacked against the original, deemed a worthy successor (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA begins shipping replica C64s next week, fulfilling your beige breadbox dreams (video)

Jesse Hicks — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:16:00 EST

If you're like us, you've probably been holding your breath in anticipation since Commodore USA announced its replica of the famous C64. It promised a keyboard PC that duplicated the original's retro-beige finish, with an Atom CPU and an NVIDIA Ion graphics card under the hood. But despite numerous announcements, and even after a cross-promotion with Tron: Legacy, they've yet to ship any products. The latest word from the company has pre-orders shipping next week, in five different varieties, from a barebones chassis and card reader to the C64x Ultimate - an $895 machine that includes 1TB hard drive and a Blu-ray player. If you haven't been teased enough over the past year of delays, hit the video after the break for more preview images.

Continue reading Commodore USA begins shipping replica C64s next week, fulfilling your beige breadbox dreams (video)

Commodore USA begins shipping replica C64s next week, fulfilling your beige breadbox dreams (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA puts the new C64 up for pre-sales, unveils far-less-retrotastic VIC-Slim

Sean Hollister — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:43:00 EST

Now that Commodore USA has sufficiently piqued your curiosity with a revamped Commodore 64 prototype, it's ready to capitalize on the idea. Quite literally, we might add. $595 buys you the basic basic model with an 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 chip, NVIDIA ION 2 graphics, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive -- which it promises to deliver by "early June" -- with hundred-dollar increments adding premium features like an additional 2GB of memory, a Blu-Ray drive, up to 1TB of storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth. However, if you're simply looking for a compact keyboard computer (rather than reliving 80's nostalgia) there's another option on tap -- a likely rebadged thin wedge of a machine that Commodore's calling the VIC-Slim. Even at just $395, though, something tells us it won't be the "wonder computer" of 2011.

Continue reading Commodore USA puts the new C64 up for pre-sales, unveils far-less-retrotastic VIC-Slim

Commodore USA puts the new C64 up for pre-sales, unveils far-less-retrotastic VIC-Slim originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA's all new C64 finds a friend in Tron on the road to availability

Donald Melanson — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:29:00 EST

Been a bit skeptical of Commodore USA's promise to bring back the venerable Commodore 64 with some up-to-date PC specs? We can't blame you, but the company is now working to change some minds, and is finally proving that it is in fact the real deal. In addition to revealing some pictures of an early prototype a little while back (pictured after the break), the company has also somehow managed to team up with Disney, and it will be promoting the new C64s with an ad included with every copy of Tron: Legacy (pictured above). Still no word of an actual release date, unfortunately, but Commodore USA will apparently be launching a new website tomorrow to coincide with the DVD and Blu-ray release, so hopefully it will have a few more details to share then. In the meantime, you can check out more prototype shots at the link below.

Continue reading Commodore USA's all new C64 finds a friend in Tron on the road to availability

Commodore USA's all new C64 finds a friend in Tron on the road to availability originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA to relaunch Amiga brand with series of AROS desktops

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:03:00 EST

Barry's back, kids! The CEO of Commodore USA just informed us that, in addition to slapping Commodore stickers on various all-in-one PCs, he has acquired the rights to the Amiga name (we only hope that the process went a little smoother this time around). The plan is to sell machines that fully support AROS -- an open source variant of AmigaOS 3.1 that y'all seem to go crazy for. We can't wait to get a look at these bad boys, but for now we'll have to settle with the picture of an old Amiga 3000 he inexplicably included with the PR. The PR, that is, that can be seen in its entirety after the break.

Continue reading Commodore USA to relaunch Amiga brand with series of AROS desktops

Commodore USA to relaunch Amiga brand with series of AROS desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA announces the PC64, an Atom-powered PC in a replica Commodore case

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:47:00 EST

We have a fondness for Commodore computers (as you've probably noticed by now) and we are psyched that Commodore USA is still flying the flag for the once-ubiquitous brand, but as they always are in this biz, things are a little... complicated. We were first contacted way back in March when the company shared the news that it had acquired the rights to sell PCs under the name. Then what happened? Turns out this was not exactly the case... although CEO Barry Altman assured us that they were on their way towards hammering out a deal. And here we are, in possession of a press release saying that indeed, Commodore USA, LLC, and Commodore Licensing B.V. have finally come to an agreement, meaning that your subsequent purchases will at least come with a Commodore decal. But that ain't all! This also paves the way for the company's newest offering, the Commodore PC64, an Intel Atom-powered PC featuring 4GB DDR3 memory, SATA 1TB HDD, HDMI output, optical drive (either DVD/CD or optional Blu-ray), and more -- all in "an exact replica" of the original beige C64 chassis. Of course, doing any significant amount of work with the original Commodore keyboard will probably be a challenge, but we like to think we're up to it. As always, we'll believe it when we see it, but in the meantime we'd like to be the first to formally request a review unit. If everything goes according to plan, this bad boy should be out in time for the holidays. PR after the break.

Continue reading Commodore USA announces the PC64, an Atom-powered PC in a replica Commodore case

Commodore USA announces the PC64, an Atom-powered PC in a replica Commodore case originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore Amiga celebrates its 25th birthday, Andy Warhol still dead

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:09:00 EST

It was on July 24, 1985 that the Amiga 1000 computer had its debut at Lincoln Center in New York City. As you're no doubt aware, we have quite a fondness for Commodore in general and its Amiga offspring in particular, so it's only fitting that we would make a note of this auspicious anniversary. And if you're an unrepentant Amiga fanboy (the original fanboys), there was so much to love: color graphics! Stereo sound! Something called "multitasking!" This was a machine that took on all comers, and it coulda licked 'em, if circumstances (and some wonky decisions) on the business end of things hadn't got in the way. For a trip down memory lane, hit up the source link. As for us, we're going to go fire up our copy of Neuromancer and take it for a spin. Some things never change, indeed.

Continue reading Commodore Amiga celebrates its 25th birthday, Andy Warhol still dead

Commodore Amiga celebrates its 25th birthday, Andy Warhol still dead originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google replaces hints of Chrome OS hardware from Acer, Dell, and HP with even better hints

Donald Melanson — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:16:00 EST

As you may recall from a few days ago, Google offered some of the clearest evidence of Chrome OS hardware from major manufacturers yet by letting some build configurations for Acer, Dell, and HP slip out into its public code repository. Now, that wasn't too surprising considering that each of the companies have already made their Chrome OS intentions pretty clear, but Google seems to have done a bit of backtracking nonetheless. It's replaced the files with what you see above (the files, not the Caruso), which now suggest that Chrome OS hardware is coming from the likes of Amiga, Commodore and Atari. Way to raise expectations, Google.

Google replaces hints of Chrome OS hardware from Acer, Dell, and HP with even better hints originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore USA unveiling Eee Keyboard rival?

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:10:00 EST

We're not sure where things stand as far as Barry Altman's rights to the Commodore name, but a little red tape isn't going to stop this Commodore fanatic (and all-around good guy) from moving onwards and upwards with his Commodore USA venture. Recently, a photo of a keyboard PC with resistive touchscreen popped up on the company's website, labeled Commodore Invictus. Details are scant, but a certain "BigBentheAussie" over at the amigaworld.net forums is really excited by the thing. Apparently, this Eee Keyboard-doppleganger sports an Intel Atom processor, wireless HDMI, NVIDIA ION chipset, and five hours of battery life -- in addition to the aforementioned touchscreen display. Currently there is no price, street date, or detailed spec sheet available, but we're sure that all will be revealed in due time.

Commodore USA unveiling Eee Keyboard rival? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore Gaming disavows Commodore USA (and its decals)

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:18:00 EST

Remember back in March, when Commodore USA CEO and longtime Commodore user Barry Altman excitedly told us about how he'd spent "the better part of a year" untangling the red tape, finally getting the rights to the Commodore name? As far as we are able to tell, Yeahronimo Media Ventures acquired the rights to the Commodore brand back in 2004, when it changed its name to Commodore International Corporation. Among its many projects are a joint venture with Amsterdam's Content Factory called -- you guessed it! -- Commodore Gaming. Today we received an email from Commodore Gaming's Global Product Manager Taco van Sambeek, informing us that Commodore USA has not been granted a license to use the Commodore name, and that "Commodore USA Ltd. has no legal rights to be using the Commodore trademark." When we went back to the old Commodore USA site, we found a few updates, including this line in the fine print:

Commodore trademark logo used pending licensing rights, used above for illustrative purposes only.

In case you're curious, the company has also started shipping its "barebones and configured systems" (also known as the Cybernet all-in-one PC). But there's a catch! Your purchase, according to the site, "will not be branded with the Commodore logo or markings. These self-adhesive logo label plates will be shipped to you at no charge when they are available." Thanks for clearing that up. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have to go order some Silicon Graphics decals to put on our Toshiba Satellite laptop.

Commodore Gaming disavows Commodore USA (and its decals) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Commodore name licensed again for a line of keyboard PCs

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:29:00 EST

We've always had a soft spot for Commodore computers. Compact, economical, and robust for their day, they were ubiquitous throughout the 1980s. Unfortunately, the machine's glory days are long behind it, with little more than some gaming rigs and the tireless work of Ben Heck to keep the flag flying. But all that could change if Barry Altman has his way. As President and CEO of the newly minted Commodore USA, he's spent the better part of a year crawling through the arcane red tape necessary to get the rights to the Commodore name. And now? With any luck, later this year the company's monumental advertising campaign will have had its effect ("something like you've never seen in your life," as Altman described it to us on the phone this afternoon) and you'll be able to have your very own keyboard computer with the Commodore logo slapped on for good measure. Presumably based on the Cybernet ZPC-GX31, the exact configurations and pricing will all be spelled out soon enough. In the meantime, hit the source link to see for yourself. And please, guys -- make us a beige one, will ya?

The Commodore name licensed again for a line of keyboard PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:52:00 EST

Come on Manomio, what did you expect? Did you really think Apple would leave your C64 emulator in the App Store after it was revealed that the BASIC interpreter was still in your software, exposed with a little up, up, down, down, left, right trickery? That's a clear breach of the SDK and well, downright sneaky. In a blog post to its site, Manomio claims that it had "no intention of tricking basic into the app" and only left the code in to be remotely activated later should Apple change its policy. Of course, with so much money left on the table, Manomio promptly submitted a new, presumably BASIC-free app for approval. Something we're sure Apple will get right on.

[Via The iPhone blog]

Read -- Enable BASIC in C64 hack
Read -- Manomio's plea for mercy

Filed under: Software, iPhone OS

Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:52:00 EST

Filed under: Software

Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:56:00 EST

Benjamin J. Heckendorn seems unusually enthused by his latest hack'n mod, calling the Commodore 64 laptop "probably one of, if not my favorite project I have done." That's saying something from the man who brought the "Benheck" finesse hammer down upon just about every modern and classic PC / game console and accessory you can think of. The C64 lappie features a C64C motherboard, a Gamecube power supply, and special 1541-III DTV device that emulates a floppy drive using a FAT-32 formatted SD card -- all while keeping true to the beige 8-bit spirit of the original. And if we're not mistaken, he's controlling it with an Atari joystick seen in the video posted after the break. Then again, there could be an Xbox 360 controller hiding in that joystick knowing Ben.

[Via Nowhereelse]

Continue reading Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore knocks a home run with MLB-themed gaming rigs

Darren Murph — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:46:00 EST

Hard to say if these MLB-themed gaming PCs will be "a line drive to right" with gamers out there, but Commodore has certainly "rounded the bases" in order to deliver some pretty fanciful machines. The officially licensed desktops boast an exclusive C-kin paint job only possessed by the "true five-tool" PC manufacturing companies, though we have heard that the Core i7 within was "indirectly linked to HGH." At any rate, clean-up hitters can "round third and head for home" (or the order page, as it were) right now, but don't expect to underpay one of these "all-stars" and get away with it. Full release is just past the break, and we don't want to see any lollygagging on your way down.

Continue reading Commodore knocks a home run with MLB-themed gaming rigs

Filed under: Desktops

Commodore knocks a home run with MLB-themed gaming rigs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore refuses to be left out, offers Core i7-based gaming rigs

Darren Murph — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:37:00 EST

Not one to be outdone by the likes of Dell, Alienware and Gateway, Commodore Gaming is also offering up Core i7-based gaming rigs. Unlike the big boys, however, Commodore's choosing not to expand its current lineup any further; instead, it's simply offering up the new pieces of silicon as options in the machines it already sells. Don't venture over expecting anything to be cheap, else you'll be sorely disappointed. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Commodore refuses to be left out, offers Core i7-based gaming rigs

Filed under: Desktops

Commodore refuses to be left out, offers Core i7-based gaming rigs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore impresses with prototypes at IFA, really

Donald Melanson — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:31:00 EST

While the idea of Commodore showing off some early prototype devices isn't exactly the sort of thing that'd normally get many folks' hopes up, the never-say-die company looks to have managed to impress the doubters at IFA, where it had a number of intriguing-looking concepts on hand in addition to that soon-to-be-released netbook we saw yesterday. That includes two Pocket PC devices -- one with a sliding QWERTY keypad and one that opts for a folding design (pictured above) -- as well as a much slicker-looking netbook than the one that is actually going to be released, naturally (check it out after the break). Of course, specs for any of those are virtually non-existent, although there's apparently some talk that the Pocket PCs could sell for between €100 and €150 (or roughly $220 to $290) whenever they're actually released. Be sure to hit up the gallery below for plenty more shots courtesy of Engadget Spanish.

Gallery: Commodore impresses with prototypes at IFA, really

Continue reading Commodore impresses with prototypes at IFA, really

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

Commodore impresses with prototypes at IFA, really originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore hops on the netbook bandwagon with UMMD 8010/F

Donald Melanson — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:51:00 EST

As we've seen countless times by now, the folks behind the Commodore brand will stop at nothing to keep the venerable name alive, and they've now finally hopped on the biggest bandwagon going, with the UMMD 8010/F marking the company's first foray into the netbook game. Unfortunately, apart from that familiar logo, there's not too much that stands out here, with the netbook packing a 10-inch screen, a 1.6GHz VIA C7-M processor, an 80GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, built-in WiFi, and optional Bluetooth. The nearly $600 price tag also doesn't do it any favors, but we're guessing there's at least a few nostalgic folks out there that'll add one to their Commodore collection as soon as they're available.

[Via GottaBeMobile]

Filed under: Laptops

Commodore hops on the netbook bandwagon with UMMD 8010/F originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XLV: Amiga head says new AmigaOS 5 "better than OS X"

Joshua Topolsky — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:48:00 EST

Sure, we know you and your Video Toaster have been gutted over this whole AmigaOS 4 debacle... what's that? You've never heard of OS 4? You didn't know Amiga was still around? You hadn't heard that Bill McEwan, CEO of Amiga says the company's next OS is going to be "better than OS X?" Well time to perk up those ears, kiddo. In a truly enthralling read, the head of the ~~defunct~~ hardware-maker / software company says that Amiga is hard at work on a number of projects, not the least of which is the follow up to company's OS 4 -- which has been mired in development disputes with a company called Hyperion Entertainment since 2001 -- AmigaOS 5. A piece of software guaranteed to surprise and thrill the technology community at large, mostly (we suspect) due to the fact that no one even knew the company was still in business. Sure, some of the detractors say they haven't released a product in seven years, but what's seven years when you've got that pile of platinum that is OS 5? Exactly.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Desktops

CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XLV: Amiga head says new AmigaOS 5 "better than OS X" originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore unveils Gravel C200 media player

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:45:00 EST

Commodore, a company which had long been considered dead and gone, continues to mount its inexplicable return to the spotlight with its latest offering, the Gravel C200 media player. As excited as we are that the C64-makers are back on the scene, it's hard to get too jazzed about this media-player, which is about as rote as you can get. The HTC Touch look-alike rocks a 1.8-inch color screen, comes in 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB storage varieties, and plays back all sorts of file formats like MP3, WAV, WMA, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, DivX, XviD, and WMV. Although the form-factor is nice and utilitarian, Commodore is going to have to do something really special to entice a purchase out of us... like, maybe add C64 emulation?

[Via Tech Digest]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Commodore unveils Gravel C200 media player originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore's flagship XX gaming rig gets reviewed

Darren Murph — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:17:00 EST

Those looking to relive a hint of their childhood in a big way need look no further than Commodore's high-end gaming PC lineup, as the vintage logo and unmistakable name will certainly be found on its newest rigs. 'Course, all this mushy razzmatazz doesn't mean much if it won't perform, and considering the £3,000 ($6,153) or so that the flagship XX will set you back, we're sure you'd like to know how this beast stacks up before you pull that trigger. TrustedReviews was able to get ahold of a finalized unit and put it through the standard 2D, 3D, and other speed-related paces, and while it wasn't up to the same level as an Alienware or Dell XPS in terms of noise, build quality, and case design, the actual performance seemed to be right on target. Overall, the XX was deemed a solid buy for those who didn't mind the far-out artwork and less-than-stellar construction, but since you'd be saving some £500 ($1,026) over a similar offering from Alienware, that sacrifice may be one worth making.

[Thanks, Andy]

Filed under: Desktops

Commodore's flagship XX gaming rig gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore unveils lineup of US-bound gaming desktops

Darren Murph — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:31:00 EST

Unlike some companies we've seen, it appears that Commodore Gaming is actually keeping its word, as the company has just now released the final details on its lineup of flashy US-bound gaming rigs. The Cg, Cgs, Cgx, and Cxx machines progress gradually from least extreme to highly 1337, and all four can be customized to suit your every fantasy. To give you an idea of what's on tap (if you've got the coin), the Cxx packs a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6800 processor, twin 500GB 7,200RPM hard drives in a RAID 0 array, 2GB of Corsair RAM, DVD-RW optical drive, an 850-watt power supply, Creative's Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer sound card, Windows Vista, and dual 768MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800 Ultra GPUs to boot. As far as pricing goes, word on the street is that the base system will start out around $1,700, but we'll know for sure when these come stateside in Q3.

[Via CNET]

Filed under: Desktops

Commodore unveils lineup of US-bound gaming desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore debuts horrendously overpriced XX and GX PCs

Paul Miller — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 07:01:00 EST

Those of you pining to blow $3500-$5800 or more on an semi-overspecced and definitely-overpriced PC need look no further: Commodore is offering its GX and XX gamer PCs online now. With quad-core Intel processors, GeForce 8800 GTX SLI graphics and those utterly frilly "C-kin" paint jobs, you can know your cash is going to sort-of good use. Or if those two pricetags are too steep, you can hold out for the GS and G models, which should be hitting retail right about now -- though we're guessing this whole shady operation is going to be UK only for the time being.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

Commodore debuts horrendously overpriced XX and GX PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Commodore ecosystem spreads to GPS and widescreen video

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:01:00 EST

If you try, we mean really try, then you might recall the absurdly named Gravel in Pocket and Gravel in Home devices which connect to Commodore's PlaysForSure ~~obstructed~~ protected CommodoreWorld content delivery service. A trifecta of media access announced at IFA way, way back in August -- seven months and some half-dozen major trade shows gone by. Today, Commodore is rounding out their offerings by introducing the Gravel Personal C-PE-6000 series of 4-inch, QVGA movie and music players in addition to their 3.5-inch Gravel in Car C-IC-8000 series of personal entertainment and navigation systems. They didn't stop there, however, as they also brought a few mockups under glass of their upcoming "luxurious" (uh... yeah) series of In Pocket WiFi devices: the C-IP-300 flash audio and video player, the C-IP-1000 widescreen video-centric player, and the C-IP-3000 SiRF Star III GPS navigator. Call us unwashed, but that angular design metaphor just doesn't make us sprockets want to dance. All the media devices feature a 2GB max of on-board flash -- enough (we guess) considering the central role that streaming data (music, video, and "live TV") plays on these devices. They also feature an interesting rear-mounted joystick for navigation and a common user interface spread across all the players. The GPS products do away with the rear-mounted joystick but still connect to CommodoreWorld over WiFi. So yeah, they've developed an entire ecosystem of gear and services instead of just making a single hot device which would be so like, 90s dontchaknow.

Gallery: The Commodore ecosystem spreads to GPS and widescreen video

Filed under: GPS, Home Entertainment, Portable Audio, Portable Video

The Commodore ecosystem spreads to GPS and widescreen video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Commodore's gaming rigs

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:41:00 EST

We had a chance to get hands-on with Commodor's new gaming rigs in their booth here at CeBIT. As you'd expect, they played the part with ease during the canned-and-cached demonstrations. But we'll have to wait for some hard working reviews before passing judgment on something so potentially life consuming as a gaming PC. Still, they had a flood of skinned rigs to ogle and even provided us with a peek at their new "C-kin" personalization (aka, painting) software. Check all the action in the gallery below including a freshly skinned laptop which, according to Commodore, is "a hint at things to come."

Gallery: Hands-on with Commodore's gaming rigs

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

Hands-on with Commodore's gaming rigs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore unveils boutique gaming rigs at CeBIT

Evan Blass — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 08:33:00 EST

While it's certainly tempting to wax philosophically about how Commodore has finally made the transition from 64KB of memory to 64-bit operating systems, the truth is that the company which just announced a line of boutique gaming PC's at CeBIT is far removed from the one that ruled the 80's and enhanced our droll elementary school days with some therapeutic Rampage. Still, the four BTO gaming rigs unveiled by the latest iteration of Commodore -- the XX, GX, GS, and G -- seem to stand on their own as solid machines, offering anywhere from a 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6320 to a 2.66GHz QX6700 Core 2 Extreme CPU, a single NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS all they way up to dual 8800 GTX cards, between 2GB and 4GB of RAM, and hard drive capacities up to 750GB in an array of RAID configurations. Besides the top-of-the-line specs, these new workhorses give gamers the chance to personalize their paint jobs through a "revolutionary painting process" that may help you forget that your tower isn't shaped like the head of an alien. The revived company's online store will begin taking orders in April, and though pricing structures have yet to be revealed, expect to pay a significant premium for the privilege of bringing Commodore back into your home.

[Photo courtesy of Pocket Lint]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

Commodore unveils boutique gaming rigs at CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore set to introduce high-end gaming PCs

Donald Melanson — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:33:00 EST

Commodore's big beige glory days may be long past, but the familiar name is still out there kicking (such as it is), lending its considerable cachet to an array of otherwise unremarkable devices. Now the company appears to have decided to bring things back a little closer to its roots, prepping a new line of Commodore-branded PCs aimed at gamers, pitting them against the well-established likes of Alienware and VoodooPC. Unfortunately, there's been no other details whatsoever announced, with Commodore Gaming CEO Bala Keilman only going so far as to say that the PCs will deliver "what gamers need and want." It looks like we won't have to wait too long for the complete rundown, however, with the company promising to reveal everything (including playable systems) at CeBIT on March 15th.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

Commodore set to introduce high-end gaming PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore's Gravel In Home and In Public MediaTower

Cyrus Farivar — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:02:00 EST

Just in case one Commodore product wasn't enough, the company will announce two other new hardware products at IFA. As a sister item to the Gravel In Pocket, Commodore will also demo the Commodore In Home, and like the name says, it's for the casa. The Gravel In Home comes with an 80GB drive to give you access to video on demand, Replay TV and streaming music services. Like the Gravel In Pocket, it too will be available in a few months. The Los Angeles-based company also announced the Commodore In Public MediaTower, a kiosk to download music, ringtones, games and the like from "high traffic public areas" via USB, WAP or Bluetooth -- something we're surprised that Apple didn't come out with first. Then again, maybe Stevie J.'s already got one in the pipeline. [Warning: PDF link!]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

Commodore's Gravel In Home and In Public MediaTower originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commodore announces Gravel In Pocket device

Cyrus Farivar — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:11:00 EST

Tomorrow at IFA in Berlin, Commodore will show off its new personal media player, called the Gravel In Pocket (yeah, great name). The new personal media player sports a 2.8-inch screen, WiFi support, and plays DivX, Xvid, WMV, MP3, WAV files. It's got 1GB (or optionally 2GB) of internal flash storage, but also has an SD card slot. Commodore also announced its new site, CommodoreWorld, to provide content for the little Gravel, which will be available no later than November. We may have to erm, grovel, to get our hands on a Gravel sooner than that. [Warning: PDF link!]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Commodore announces Gravel In Pocket device originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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