Below the navel there is neither religion nor truth - Italian proverb
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Commodore 64 will ship again next week
UPDATED AND REVAMPED, the Commodore 64 (C64) is nearly upon us once more and will start shipping again next week.
A classic from computer history is nearly back from the dead with a more powerful and modern twist. A Youtube video of the Commodore USA facility in Fort Lauderdale shows the latest version being built.
The video's blurb has the statement, "We have almost completed our initial pre-order production run of the new C64 which begins shipping next week. We thank you for your patience."
This reincarnation of the C64 comes with a modern set of hardware including a 1.8GHz Intel Atom D525 processor, space for up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM and Nvidia Ion graphics.
All this is packed into a spitting image of the original C64 from the 1980s, including the traditional beige coloured plastic and chunky black keys.
There are an Ethernet port, multiple USB ports, a card reader, WiFi, optional Blu-ray drive and the ability to output full HD 1080p video to a TV or monitor. You can relive 8-bit games and install Windows or an alternative operating system and keep the C64 operating system as well.
The C64 is priced between $250 and $895 ranging between the barebones and an ultimate system that includes Blu-ray, a 1TB hard drive and the full 4GB of RAM. µ
Tags: Hardware
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Now if they only remade Below the Root and revisit the old IPs that made the c64 a great system will help on the sales. I would love to see the return of Archon and Pitfall.
Let's hope for another 12 years of success.
THE ORIGINAL C64 HAD THAT QUASI FRENCH LAYOUT WHERE YOU PRESS SHIFT-2 FOR ". THIS THING HAS THE ENGLISH LAYOUT WHERE YOU PRESS SHIFT-2 FOR @.
$250 FOR AN EMPTY SHELL - UM?
THIS ISN'T A SERIOUS PRODUCT. TO CALL IT A C64 IT SHOULD BE 64 BIT AT LEAST.
IT WOULD BE OKAY IF IT USED WIRELESS HDMI AND HAD A LAPTOP BATTERY IN IT, THEN IT WOULD MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE AS A LIVING ROOM HOME THEATER COMPUTER.
SORRY GUYS - $500 BUYS TOO MUCH PROPER COMPUTER TODAY. I'D RATHER HAVE AN IPAD 2 FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE.
GOOD TRY THOUGH.. I CAN'T SHAKE THE IDEA OF JACK TRAMIEL PROFITING OFF THIS SOMEHOW. THANKS FOR KILLING ATARI, JACK!
(I JUST READ ON WIKIPEDIA THAT THE ORIGINAL C64 HAD ABOUT $135 OF CONTENT IN IT THAT THEY WERE SELLING FOR $595 - SAME AS THIS THING. UH UH.)
This is so far from a real C-64, it hurts. It's like a bad joke.
The keyboard: there is no Run-Stop key, no Restore key. None of the keys have the graphics symbols on them.
Look, I know we won't get anybody making "original" hardware, but the concept has to at least fit. This is just a Mini-ITX board crammed into a look-alike case.
I have a *real* C-64 at home.
Are they kidding? A Blu-Ray writer drive is $100, and a simple reader is less. For that money I can have a much more powerful PC.
On the other hand, I would buy a collection of Commodore games if they are bundled with a good emulator and they work on Windows 7 (or XP) and the price is decent.
...just an ordinary PC.
If you want the real thing, go get your self a sam440ep or sam460ep board and a copy of AmigaOS 4.1 (yes AmigaOS 4.1 is still maintained)