Xorg@cup.portal.com (Peter Ted Szymonik) (11/19/88)
FROM COMPUSERVE:
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#: 1487 S1/Forum Business
18-Nov-88 00:24:08
Sb: #1363-#COMDEX REPORT
Fm: SYSOP*Dave Groves 76703,4223
To: SYSOP*Dave Groves 76703,4223 (X)
DATELINE: Las Vegas, NV November 16, 1988
A rather spontaneous but well attended conference with over 300 ATARI
ST Developers was held at COMDEX tonight. Sam Tramiel made several
announcements that are most encouraging:
1. The DRAM shortage is officially over at Atari. Production of
MEGAs is now 50,000 to 75,000 units per month. Although 90% of
previous production runs had been designated for the European Markets,
Sam indicates that this will change drastically and soon.
2. The Atari INFLATABLE (aka the STACY [and boy will that make my
daughter Stacey tough to live with till she gets one]) will be shipping
in the late first quarter of 1989 (that's March on my calendar). The
STACY machine (so-called for the specialty chips it uses) is the Atari
laptop that is showing in prototype at the show. Jokingly called the
"Inflatable" because the model is made from special designers sponge,
the machine will be a powerful laptop ST with 520-1040 ram, a choice of
floppies, a minimum (right _minimum) of 20meg HD, and a choice between
two blue LCD screens. Target price for the base unit is $1,500. The
prototype screen shown is a real dazzler, and the keyboard will be
solid and nearly full size. Again, target US release is late 1st
quarter.
3. The Atari TT (Tramiel Twins, Thirty-two, Thirty-two/Thirty-two) a
68030 Atari Unix box will be released 2nd quarter 1989. The Unix box
will be TOS compatible and operate under Unix 5.x (probably 5.31).
Atari anticipates having an abundant supply for interested developers
in the 1st quarter of 1989.
This is all great news, and the public statements on MEGA production
are very encouraging. Hope that all the Atari community is as
encouraged as the assembled developers were. Additionally
encouraging was the large number of German and other European
Developers in attendance. Apparently the sagging dollar has not
quenched their thirst for the American market, so domestic software
production will likely be augmented by substantially broadened
continental support!