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Commodore Amiga celebrates its 25th birthday, Andy Warhol still dead
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.
Google replaces hints of Chrome OS hardware from Acer, Dell, and HP with even better hints
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.
Commodore USA unveiling Eee Keyboard rival?
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 Gaming disavows Commodore USA (and its decals)
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.
The Commodore name licensed again for a line of keyboard PCs
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?
iPhone Commodore 64 app removed from App Store
Were you happy to hear that C64, the iPhone Commodore 64 emulator app, had been approved by Apple and finally seen release? We were too. Try to remember that feeling, then, as we tell you that after having been rejected, and then finally accepted, it's been pulled from the App Store.When developer Manomio learned that the C64's BASIC interpreter was the problem the first time, it removed obvious access, but left the interpreter in the software so it could be re-enabled later if Apple changed its mind. However, some users discovered how to access BASIC. Apple found out and removed it before anyone could use the C64's incredible computing power to blow the iPhone platform wide open.Manomio has (re)re-submitted the app, so hopefully it'll actually make it to the App Store and stay there this time.[Via Engadget]
Apple pulls C64 App after Manomio shenanigans revealed
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 hackRead -- Manomio's plea for mercy
C64 emulator ready, running on iPhone
Earlier this summer, developer Manomio's officially-licensed Commodore 64 emulator app for iPhone hit the news -- not because it was released then, but rather because it wasn't. Apple rejected the app because it "launched other executable code," specifically, C64 games. Now, Apple Insider reports that the app has been given a second chance. Apple approved it, now that the 3.0 SDK allows in-app purchases -- and therefore, we supposed keeps the emulator part, and the ROMS, closed and inaccessible. Now we just have to wait for the official release of the app! Oh, except it's already in the App Store right now for five bucks, with included copies of Dragons Den, Le Mans, Jupiter Lander, Arctic Shipwreck, and Jack Attack.C64 (Manomio, $5.99) [Via Engadget]
Commodore64 iPhone app finished, denied by Apple
If you're hoping to see a few text-filled blue screens or play a few games that have reached the American legal drinking age on your iPhone, you're going to have to wait -- perhaps indefinitely. Mobile developer Manomio (of iPhone Flashback fame), together with Danish studio Kiloo Aps have crafted an eerily accurate simulacrum of the keyboard-equipped hardware on Apple's cellular device -- unfortunately, their submission of the app was recently shot down by the fruit-themed hardware juggernaut.The legally licensed project (which has been in development for over a year) was denied due to a clause in the iPhone SDK agreement which states, "an Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means." As the program would allow users to "boot" C64 disks, it violates this clause -- then again, as mobile gaming news site Touch Arcade points out, a few iPhone apps do the same thing, such as Frotz, an app which loads and runs interactive novels.Will the Commodore rise again? Or will the man continue to keep it down? Only time will tell.
Ben Heck's Commodore 64 laptop mod: like 1982 without the feathered hair
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]
Commodore knocks a home run with MLB-themed gaming rigs
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.
Commodore refuses to be left out, offers Core i7-based gaming rigs
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.
Born for Wii: Lemmings
If you're a gamer, chances are you've heard of it, played it, loved it. While not quite as ubiquitous as Pac-Man or Tetris, which have spread like wildfire across practically every platform known to gamingkind, Lemmings is one of the most recognizable franchises of gaming history, thanks to the endearing titular characters, inventive design, and brain-straining puzzles.Before the proliferation of real-time strategy games in the mid 1990s, DMA Designs (who would later assume the name Rockstar North and go on to develop a little-known game named Grand Theft Auto) unleashed the irresistibly cutesy lemmings onto the unprepared gaming scene. Their target? The Amiga. And from there the tide surged forth onto a dizzying number of platforms. Nintendo's systems have played host to the lemmings many times, but never before has a console offered the series a perfect control setup. Lemmings is this week's pick for the series that deserves a restorative breath of life courtesy of the Nintendo Wii. #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } NEXT >> %Gallery-32991% Every week, Born for Wii digs into gaming's sordid past to unearth a new treasure fit for revival on the Nintendo Wii. Be sure to check out last week's entry in the series, Mega Man Legends, and for more great titles that deserve your attention, take a look at Virtually Overlooked.
Commodore impresses with prototypes at IFA, really
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
Commodore hops on the netbook bandwagon with UMMD 8010/F
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]
Commodore Gaming offers EVE Online themed desktop PCs
Commodore Gaming and CCP have teamed up to produce EVE Online themed, gaming-focused desktop computers. There's not much to them; you get a case with some EVE artwork, and you choose between a pre-built system (which features an Intel Core 2 Quad processor and an NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX video card) and a custom system with components you determine.Official case-mod deals make up a chunk of Commodore's strategy to compete with the big boys of enthusiast gaming PC sales -- like Alienware (now owned by Dell) and VoodooPC (now owned by Hewlett-Packard). Given the prestige of the old Commodore brand, this new iteration has a long way to go.If you're a really hardcore EVE player in the market for a new computer, going this route couldn't hurt; you can even configure the case to match your faction of choice. Then again, do you really need a 9800 GTX to play EVE Online? Not so much, but it's up to you!
Wii Warm Up: Through rose-tinted glasses
The appeal of the Virtual Console is obvious: nostalgia. The VC is jam-packed with memories from yesteryear, spilling over with wonderful software that defined our childhoods. But it isn't all lollipops and puppy dogs. Nostalgia can also be very misleading, and some of those packets of data you download from Nintendo's service can end up souring childhood memories. Personally speaking -- and this will probably sound like heresy in some quarters, so brace yourselves -- I was left disappointed by Mega Man 2, a game I adored as an eleven-year-old, but one that now seems slightly dated, with its repeated leaps of faith and enemies that like to spawn directly beneath you. On the other hand, a game such as Super Mario Bros. 3 still feels like a breath of fresh air, almost two decades after it was released. Thinking about this some more, we have three questions for you. One: which Virtual Console games don't hold the same magic for you as they once did? Two: have any titles aged better than you suspected they would? And three: have you ever held off from downloading a certain game, concerned that it may ruin one of those precious childhood memories?
EVE PCs offered to eager pilots
Just in case owning a future proof rig that also makes you breakfast is not enough, CCP has announced an offer through Commodore Gaming to purchase customized EVE computers. Even if you don't play EVE, the custom schemes that Commodore has created are mighty impressive. These cases feature scenes from the game universe and motifs representing the four playable races. If your system is already enough to have you popping ships in nanoseconds, you may purchase the case by itself. For those of you in need of a new rig, Commodore offers a gaming setup with the following configuration: Intel® Core™2 Quad processor Q6600: 2.4 GHz 8MB Cache 500GB 7200 RPM 16 MB Cache SATA hard drive 2GB Corsair™ XMS2 Twin2x2048-6400C4 memory NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800 GT 512MB graphics card Choice of 1 out of 6 EVE Online C-kins 2 year warranty Commodore is offering their artwork for a limited time only. Only five hundred pieces are available, so if you plan to get one, warp over their fast! Those cases are bound to find a happy home in the hands of some enthusiastic space pirates relatively quickly.
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XLV: Amiga head says new AmigaOS 5 "better than OS X"
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]
Commodore unveils Gravel C200 media player
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]
