The Amiga home computer is set to enjoy an exciting comeback, as OSNews reports that a new iteration of the popular machine is in the works, twenty five years after Commodore launched the A1000.
Known as the AmigaOne X1000, the PowerPC computer will feature a custom motherboard called 'Nemo' and a new innovation for tech-heads – fully customisable processors, allowing coders to dedicate resources according to software needs. It will run AmigaOS 4.
Announced by A-eon, the X1000 was shrouded in mystery when a website appeared providing hints to an Amiga revival. Clues were slowly trickled out to tease the inevitable reveal, including a replication of the classic black and red 'Software Failure' screen.
For Amiga fans, this news is like music to the ears. Ever since Commodore filed for bankruptcy in 1994, there have been several failed attempts to pick up the slack as ownership of Commodore's assets were sold to different companies.
The Commodore brand name itself has changed hands several times, with the recent Commodore Gaming company formed to re-release old C64 games on Wii's Virtual Console and launch a brand of gaming PCs. The Amiga operating system now belongs to Belgium company Hyperion Entertainment following a four-way lawsuit which concluded last year.
A-eon's approach marks the first step towards reviving the Amiga as its own custom platform, mirroring Commodore's original A1000 series for the first time in twenty five years. The company has high hopes for its customisable 'Xena' chip and 'Xorro' interface.
“For custom hardware control from robotics to theatrical lighting, for hobbyist creativity, for hardware hacking and for a multitude of applications we haven't even imagined yet, the X1000 is a dream platform - and therein lies another meaning of 'X', the unknown. It is you, not us, who will define the future.”
The computer is due for launch in 2010. Can this mark a rise in the Amiga brand once again? Probably not, but dammit us hardened fans at SPOnG have a right to dream. We still get funny about playing Alien Breed '92 in the dark.
Known as the AmigaOne X1000, the PowerPC computer will feature a custom motherboard called 'Nemo' and a new innovation for tech-heads – fully customisable processors, allowing coders to dedicate resources according to software needs. It will run AmigaOS 4.
Announced by A-eon, the X1000 was shrouded in mystery when a website appeared providing hints to an Amiga revival. Clues were slowly trickled out to tease the inevitable reveal, including a replication of the classic black and red 'Software Failure' screen.
For Amiga fans, this news is like music to the ears. Ever since Commodore filed for bankruptcy in 1994, there have been several failed attempts to pick up the slack as ownership of Commodore's assets were sold to different companies.
The Commodore brand name itself has changed hands several times, with the recent Commodore Gaming company formed to re-release old C64 games on Wii's Virtual Console and launch a brand of gaming PCs. The Amiga operating system now belongs to Belgium company Hyperion Entertainment following a four-way lawsuit which concluded last year.
A-eon's approach marks the first step towards reviving the Amiga as its own custom platform, mirroring Commodore's original A1000 series for the first time in twenty five years. The company has high hopes for its customisable 'Xena' chip and 'Xorro' interface.
“For custom hardware control from robotics to theatrical lighting, for hobbyist creativity, for hardware hacking and for a multitude of applications we haven't even imagined yet, the X1000 is a dream platform - and therein lies another meaning of 'X', the unknown. It is you, not us, who will define the future.”
The computer is due for launch in 2010. Can this mark a rise in the Amiga brand once again? Probably not, but dammit us hardened fans at SPOnG have a right to dream. We still get funny about playing Alien Breed '92 in the dark.
Companies:
Commodore
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Comments
Joji 6 Jan 2010 13:22
1/11
Can't say I'm excited, but it sound interesting. PC and Macs are enough to deal with, as far as PCs go.
X-1000, equals awful name. I wonder if this will be at E3?
X-1000, equals awful name. I wonder if this will be at E3?
Joji 6 Jan 2010 13:22
2/11
Can't say I'm excited, but it sound interesting. PC and Macs are enough to deal with, as far as PCs go.
X-1000, equals awful name. I wonder if this will be at E3?
X-1000, equals awful name. I wonder if this will be at E3?
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george 6 Jan 2010 20:59
3/11
LOL, yet more hoax amiga hardware!
myself 6 Jan 2010 22:50
4/11
@george
Hoax hardware? Funny how i have one of those so called hoax hardware at home. Hardware for Amiga OS4.1 has been available for nearly a year now.
Hoax hardware? Funny how i have one of those so called hoax hardware at home. Hardware for Amiga OS4.1 has been available for nearly a year now.
Darren 7 Jan 2010 00:21
5/11
Quite interesting way to get out of the boring computing days we are in. Ohh I miss the 80s!
I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
I'll be keeping an eye on this one.
Paul 7 Jan 2010 17:01
6/11
I've run OS 4 for about six years now on what has proved to be very reliable PPC hardware (not a hoax). I updated to 4.1 when it came out. . . anxious for the soon-to-be-released OS update to 4.1.1 which is to include a greatly improved USB stack.
AmigaOne 12 Jan 2010 22:42
7/11
This is an AmigaOne, the brand name Amiga belongs to another company....
optimslsupreme 21 May 2010 08:38
8/11
x1000 is a little better then the orgnal a1 still not as good as the org amiga.n this is north and southbrdige design does not allow for multitasking or real-time -its parrell processing -nit at good as the orginal amiga-graphics are now 8bit org amiga 48bit of superiror rgbe.
this basically is a old mac clone. so its a pos amikit is way better
this basically is a old mac clone. so its a pos amikit is way better
HoaxWatcher 10 Aug 2010 19:59
9/11
Turns out this whole thing was a hoax.
scam buster 31 Aug 2010 15:34
10/11
Now A-eon is trying to sell beta boards for over $1100 USD. That's JUST the boards with some RAM. The final system will probably cost over $3000 USD and still has no support for the vaunted XMOS co-processor or the second CPU core. This is worse than a hoax, just a fly-by-night trying to make a quick buck off a few remaining fanatics.
Greg H 9 Sep 2010 13:44
11/11
myself wrote:
@george
Hoax hardware? Funny how i have one of those so called hoax hardware at home. Hardware for Amiga OS4.1 has been available for nearly a year now.
Hoax hardware? Funny how i have one of those so called hoax hardware at home. Hardware for Amiga OS4.1 has been available for nearly a year now.
Except in this case the X1000 really is turning out to be a hoax.