papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) (11/18/88)
The latest issue of Computer & Software news, in its Comdex Product News section, devotes almost an entire page to the Amiga in an article entitled "Commodore adds three computer models". I won't report all of it, but only the "juicy" parts. Note that most of this of the type "sources say that...", BUT C&SN has been very reliable lately so, in the interest of information, here are a few lifted excerpts: "... Commodore is expanding its Amiga line with three new versions including the Amiga 3000, a 68030-based unit, which some sources believe will include an 80386 processor. While the Amiga will reportedly be shown behind the scenes at COMDEX, the Amiga 2000 HD and Amiga 2500 and Commodore AT market entry, the PC-40-3 will be spotlighted publicly at the show [I saw them].... Both the Amiga 2000 HD and 2500 will be shipped to Commodore's dealer base of 1,200 resellers by year end. To stimulate sales of the new machines, Toy [Commodore's President] explained that Commodore is extending its Commodore Trade-In Policy through Dec. 31. Commodore is offering $100 for every Commodore CPU traded-in toward the purchase of an Amiga. Although Toy declined to discuss the Amiga 3000, sources said that the unit will be a 68030-based machine equipped with a 68882 math coprocessor and, some believe, an 80386 on the motherboard [InfoWorld reported a similar rumor]. It is expected to have the same footprint as the Amiga 2000, but will offer built-in desktop video capabilities and more powerful versions of the Amiga's proprietary sound and graphics chips. An optional eight-channel stereo sound board with MIDI port may be offered for around $299.... The Amiga's new floppy drive is expected to be a new standard: a 1.44 Mbyte 3.5 -in. floppy disk drive similar to the Apple SmartDrive. While the SmartDrive reads both Apple abd DOS software, the new drive will read Amiga and DOS applications. The Amiga 3000 will offer 2 Mbytes of RAM, expandable to 16 Mbytes on the motherboard using 1Mbyte SIMM chips, sources noted. Additional memory can be added using any number of 10 expansion slots. According to sources, five of the expansion slots are available for Amiga add-in boards, and the other five accomodate Industry Standard Architecture [read PC/XT and PC/AT] add-in boards. In addition to the new 3.5-in. drive the Amiga 3000 will also sport up to three new resolution modes, which can be shown on the new $1,100 8608 color monitor. The new resolution modes are expected to include non-interlaced 1024 by 1024 pixels with four colors, and interlaced 1024 by 1024 pixels with as many as 4,096 colors. Unix will be offered as an option. The Amiga 3000, industry sources said, is expected to be able to run AmigaDOS, MS-DOS and UNIX applications simultaneously with the help of additional add-in cards. The Amiga 3000 though not ready for shipment anytime this year, is expected to be priced at $3,600 without a monitor or hard drive; $3,900 with a 40-Mbyte hard disk and no monitor; and $5,000 with the 40-Mbyte hard disk and 8608 monitor". -- end of quote Count how many "sources say" and you get the picture that a lot of this might be just plain conjecture. But then there's no fun without rumors :-) -- Marco Papa 'Doc' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= uucp:...!pollux!papa BIX:papa ARPAnet:pollux!papa@oberon.usc.edu "There's Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Diga!" -- Leo Schwab [quoting Rick Unland] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) (11/20/88)
In article <13509@oberon.USC.EDU> papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa) writes: >"... Commodore is expanding its Amiga line with three new versions including >the Amiga 3000, a 68030-based unit, which some sources believe will include an >80386 processor. [ ... ] >The Amiga 3000 will offer 2 Mbytes of RAM, expandable to 16 Mbytes on the >motherboard using 1Mbyte SIMM chips, sources noted. [ ... ] > ^^^^^^^^^^ Does anyone have any projections on what kind of volumes these chips are available in now, and in the future? Is it anticipated that there will be enough of these out so that they will be cheap? >In addition to the new 3.5-in. drive the Amiga 3000 will also sport up to >three new resolution modes, which can be shown on the new $1,100 8608 color >monitor. ^^^^^^ Whoof! Actually, isn't this cheap for a 1K x 1K non-interlaced color monitor? In fact, isn't this *too* cheap? >The new resolution modes are expected to include non-interlaced >1024 by 1024 pixels with four colors, and interlaced 1024 by 1024 pixels >with as many as 4,096 colors. > Neat. However, given that this will more or less directly compete with the Mac IIx, will facilities be provided to expand the graphics capabilities beyond this? You can get 16M colors out of a Mac IIx by dropping in the appropriate (expensive) display card, and ColorQuickDraw will (or rather, purports to) support it. Graphics expandability would be a nice win. You're going to need $#!+loads of CHIP RAM, though.... >The Amiga 3000 [ ... ] is expected to be priced at >$3,600 without a monitor or hard drive; $3,900 with a 40-Mbyte hard disk and no >monitor; and $5,000 with the 40-Mbyte hard disk and 8608 monitor". > >-- end of quote > >Count how many "sources say" and you get the picture that a lot of this might >be just plain conjecture. But then there's no fun without rumors :-) > Well, *I'd* buy one. NOTE TO C.A.T.S., AND ANYONE ELSE AT COMMODORE WHO'S LOOKING IN: You're going to need demos written for this puppy at some point. Also, Onion running on a 1K x 1K monitor would be Real Neat. Yes, this is a hint. It's also an open offer. Please think about it. Thanks. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Leo L. Schwab -- The Guy in The Cape INET: well!ewhac@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU \_ -_ Recumbent Bikes: UUCP: pacbell > !{well,unicom}!ewhac O----^o The Only Way To Fly. hplabs / (pronounced "AE-wack") "Work FOR? I don't work FOR anybody! I'm just having fun." -- The Doctor