abg1@sphinx.UUCP (06/05/87)
I've received several replies to my query about posting a mini-review of CES, and considering how short and easy it is (at least concerning the Amiga), I thought I'd whip one out. Dull. Dull. Dull. There is a 'newspaper' called CES Today put out every day of CES. Its cover story on the last day dealt with a lack of excitement and lack of important announcements at this years CES. That's an understatement. Video Games abounded. In the North Building, where they stick all us computer- types, there were video games everywhere. Nintendo and Sega had the two biggestbooths in the computer-section. ATT only showed off phones-- no computers anywhere. Atari had a fairly large booth with -- you guessed it- *lots* of neat video games. The had lots of 1040's-- playing video games. They had one IBM compatible, doing absoloutely nothing. But more about ATARI later. Commodore wasn't there. Apple wasn't there. IBM wasn't there. In fact, Franklin, Laser, and Bluechip were about the only other computer manufacturers there. Anyway, on to the amiga (yawn). Progressive Peripherals and Software was there, showing off Viziwrite and there (still not released) Superbase. They had a few A1000's, an A500, and an A2000. Speaking of A500's and A2000's, there were a grandtotal of 2 A2000's that I saw (and I really doubt I missed any). The other one was in the electronic arts boothe (their entire display consisted of it and one IIGS running dpaint) playing Earl Weaver Baseball. However, I saw over a half a dozen A500's. I did not see any new Amiga Software, though God Knows I looked and asked everywhere. There were several midi-companies there. None of them had amigas. All of them (that I saw) had at least one ST, and I think all of them had Mac+'s. All together, the total number of Amiga's at CES could not have surpassed two dozen. On the bright side, the total number of Macs couldn't have surpassed that, either. I mean, computer wise, this show was *dead*. Probably the most exciting thing at the show was running at the Atari boothe. They had a dozen or so TV's running commercials from their *$10 million* ad campaign that is being launched soon. A lot of the commercials dealt with their new XE video game system. But on one of the TV's... 4 commercials promoting the 1040ST. And not just promoting it, but taking dead aim at the Mac+ and IBM AT. They were pretty good, folks. One of them in particular was cute. It shows a Mac and AT, and starts out saying something about how ATARI wanted to show us how computer manufactureres did business. "They buy chips" (show computer chips) "We buy chips" (show more chips) "They buy plastic" (show both keyboards) "We buy plastic" (show 1040 keyboard) "They buy circuit boards..." ETC. "But THEY have these expensive attatchments" (show IBM Logo and small, colorful apple logo. Show man's hand putting the IBM sticker on a fully assembled AT) "The 1040 ST. 4 times the memory of the standard AT, the same memory as the Macintosh Plus... at less than half the price of either" This is very rough of course, but you get the idea. It looked like a really aggressive, organized campaign. It might do some good, especially since it keeps hammering home the dollars/memory issue in all 4 commercials. Oh, and for those that are interested, DAT will be available by midsummer, in the $800 price range. It sounded *good*. And yes, I do own an amiga, and no, I don't own an ST. It's just that I thought you would want to know. ______________________________________________________________________________ 'The time has come,' the Walrus said, Andrew Gross 'To talk of many things: University of Chicago Of shoes-- and ships-- and sealing wax-- ihnp4!gargoyle!sphinx!abg1 Of cabbages-- and-- kings-- And why the sea is boiling hot-- "I don't think we're in And whether pigs have wings.' Kansas anymore, Toto" _______________________________________________________________________________