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Petah
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[POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 14:53:47
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Regular Member |
Joined: 10-Mar-2003 Posts: 432
From: EU <3 ❤️ | | |
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| The Italian company ACube is, among others, known for their line of PowerPC-based Amiga computers. The product family includes the Sam 460cr, equipped with a 1 GHz CPU, onboard Ethernet, NAND storage, an optional GSM module. The moderate asking price of €469 includes, of course, a full license of AmigaOS.
The 460cr has been out of production for a while, and ACube offers no alternative Amiga computers. In fact, a brief stop at their online store reveals that every single Amiga PowerPC-based Amiga is out of stock. It can be argued that all software and hardware developers could benefit from the recent surge of interest in brand new Amigas. In that respect, it can be seen as strange that the market doesn't meet the demand.
Is this AmigaWorld.net Special Saturday Poll, you are kindly asked to raise your voice and explain why you think this is, and what ACube's end game is. Last edited by Petah on 09-Nov-2019 at 03:12 PM.
_________________ That'll Put Marzipan In Your Pie Plate, Bingo 💻 Pro-Amiga, 🌍 Pro-Globalism, 🍅 Pro-Vegan, 🛦 Pro-NATO & 🇪🇺 Pro-Joint EU Defense Intervention Initiative |
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bison
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 15:19:14
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Elite Member |
Joined: 18-Dec-2007 Posts: 2112
From: N-Space | | |
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| @Petah
A couple (probably rhetorical) questions:
1. Does ACube still have the rights to use the AmigaOne name?
2. Is ACube still able to obtain licenses for AmigaOS4? _________________ "Unix is supposed to fix that." -- Jay Miner |
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number6
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 15:22:43
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Elite Member |
Joined: 25-Mar-2005 Posts: 11587
From: In the village | | |
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| @bison
Also to consider:
their involvement
#6 _________________ This posting, in its entirety, represents solely the perspective of the author. *Secrecy has served us so well* |
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bison
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 15:52:16
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Joined: 18-Dec-2007 Posts: 2112
From: N-Space | | |
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| @number6
Yeah, I don't know what to make of that. They're making a PPC laptop, but beyond that their website is mostly a collection of random bits of information, and I'm not sure how they all fit together. From what I can tell the end product will be a laptop running Debian and using FS-UAE for emulation. I can't get excited about that, since I've already had that for years. Last edited by bison on 09-Nov-2019 at 03:53 PM.
_________________ "Unix is supposed to fix that." -- Jay Miner |
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AmeegaGuy
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 15:59:48
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Member |
Joined: 23-Feb-2018 Posts: 95
From: Unknown | | |
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| @Petah
Quote:
you are kindly asked to raise your voice and explain why you think this is |
ACUBE is done with Amiga NG market and moving on to other things. I do not think the "A" in ACUBE stands for "Amiga".
Honestly I do not understand why any company would be involved with Amiga NG hardware market especially in these times.
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K-L
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 17:27:57
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Joined: 3-Mar-2006 Posts: 1411
From: Oullins, France | | |
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g0blin
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 18:12:41
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Cult Member |
Joined: 31-Mar-2009 Posts: 666
From: Unknown | | |
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| @K-L Yes, they are still there and I am trying to support them with a new game in production, after The Secret of Middle City.
@Petah At the moment they are totally focused on the PPC.
@bison I don't know about rights, but their contract with Hyperion is still in place, for good or worse I have no visibility at the moment. Also, while the laptop was born under the Italian Linux community I don't think ACube plane is to release the AOS under a "simple" emulation, but there is still a long way to go.
@AmeegaGuy As K-L already said, they are here to stay.
Kind regards g0blin
_________________ GDG Entertainment
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simplex
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 18:17:08
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Joined: 5-Oct-2003 Posts: 896
From: Hattiesburg, MS | | |
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| @Petah
Combination of "out of components" (for older machines) and "busy developing new, announced machine" and "limited resources in a small market mean people need to adjust their expectations to reality". _________________ I've decided to follow an awful lot of people I respect and leave AmigaWorld. If for some reason you want to talk to me, it shouldn't take much effort to find me. |
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mcbone
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 18:35:57
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Cult Member |
Joined: 24-May-2013 Posts: 535
From: Unknown | | |
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| @Petah
copyright that what stop new amiga comeing out _________________ maybe i am dyslexia
An Apple a day keep bill gates away |
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billt
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 21:34:07
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Joined: 24-Oct-2003 Posts: 3205
From: Maryland, USA | | |
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| @bison
I think the intention, is that once there is a "modern" PPC laptop with sufficient documentation (to avoid any excuses that PPC Macs were not adequately documented for proper OS4 support in the past) , then it becomes a suitable target for a native OS4 port - no UAE or QEMU etc... Just OS4 directly on the hardware. Acube got involved as the PPC Notebook primary people are in Italy and sought out experienced PPC designers in Italy, and Acube was interested enough to sign on. Also, the PPC notebook nonprofit is not allowed by their local law to sell things, and so there is a need for some other organization to manufacture and sell the result. Acube can fill that role... _________________ All glory to the Hypnotoad! |
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billt
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 21:38:04
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Elite Member |
Joined: 24-Oct-2003 Posts: 3205
From: Maryland, USA | | |
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| @Petah
If there was sufficient demand that Acube would profit, then surely they would be doing so. If the demand has faltered, or if components have disappearred and it is not worth the investment to refresh the design with replacement parts, then it may not be profitable to make more.
Without knowing if they truly were involved or not, the rumors were that Acube was part of the Tabor project, and perhaps there are some agreements in place to instead move on with that product... https://forum.amiga.org/index.php?topic=69914.0 _________________ All glory to the Hypnotoad! |
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redfox
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 22:01:13
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Elite Member |
Joined: 7-Mar-2003 Posts: 2066
From: Canada | | |
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| @Petah
Perhaps this is a somewhat pessimistic view, but I think ACube was deliberately cut out of the pie sometime after the decision was made to go with the X-5000. I am not aware of any actual technical issues with the ACube SAM440, SAM440 Flex or SAM460 products. Did ACube have production issues? Did they miss deadlines? No idea. Just no stock, as if they were requested to quit production. My opinion, my theory.
Please note that I am still using my MicroA1 from 2004. I waited too long to jump on the ACube bandwagon and cannot justify purchasing the X-5000.
--- redfox MicroA1 running AmigaOS 4.1 Final Edition Update 1
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redfox
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 9-Nov-2019 22:08:13
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Joined: 7-Mar-2003 Posts: 2066
From: Canada | | |
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| @billt
That would be nice if ACube were involved with the Tabor project.
--- redfox
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smartroad
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 9:08:12
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Joined: 13-Feb-2005 Posts: 215
From: United Kingdom | | |
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| @redfox
Quote:
redfox wrote: @Petah
I waited too long to jump on the ACube bandwagon and cannot justify purchasing the X-5000.
--- redfox MicroA1 running AmigaOS 4.1 Final Edition Update 1
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I had a similar thing. Didnt have the disposable income to buy back then and now the X5000 is just way to expensive. Wish they still made them as I'd probably have an NG amiga now but oh well. |
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NutsAboutAmiga
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 9:28:18
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Joined: 9-Jun-2004 Posts: 12817
From: Norway | | |
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| @smartroad
I liked the Sam460 it was almost the right thing for the Amiga community, Sam440 too old technology and too slow.
A lot of hype about emulating Sam460 might have hurth ACube-System, but you can emulate 1Ghz system on PC, you get like 200-300Mhz speed in emulation, unless you have G5 PPC, and use hardware virtualization.
On the other hand I'm sure they sold more copies of AmigaOS4.1 for Sam460 then if it was only sold to peaple with real hardware. (I'm not sure what the cut is, but they wrote a lot of the drivers, and as far I know the only company selling the version for Sam460) Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 10-Nov-2019 at 09:32 AM. Last edited by NutsAboutAmiga on 10-Nov-2019 at 09:30 AM.
_________________ http://lifeofliveforit.blogspot.no/ Facebook::LiveForIt Software for AmigaOS |
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OneTimer1
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 9:43:10
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Cult Member |
Joined: 3-Aug-2015 Posts: 973
From: Unknown | | |
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| @Petah
The Sam460 became obsolete with the announcement of Tabor.
ACube may have been able selling it during the last years, if they where not pushed out of the marked by AEons vapour ware announcement.
A better Sam would have needed a new development cycle, it should have been in a price range of (or below) the Tabor, something very problematic if you don't know if there will be a multicore support or if not.
With close bindings between Hyperion and their competitor (remember Ben Hermans was a part of AEon) it seems a bad idea to stay in this market. |
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Everblue
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 9:49:50
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Cult Member |
Joined: 24-Sep-2006 Posts: 678
From: Amigaland | | |
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| The Tabor was announced roughly 5 years ago. If they kept making SAM boards for another 5 years they would have kept the market covered for so many years, as most people find the X1000/5000 machines too expensive. Most probably they are still in time to make a few more, wouldn't be surprised if Tabor was delayed for another 2 years, if ever released at all.
_________________
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Kronos
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 10:18:55
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Elite Member |
Joined: 8-Mar-2003 Posts: 2561
From: Unknown | | |
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| @redfox
Quote:
redfox wrote: @Petah
Perhaps this is a somewhat pessimistic view, but I think ACube was deliberately cut out of the pie sometime after the decision was made to go with the X-5000. I am not aware of any actual technical issues with the ACube SAM440, SAM440 Flex or SAM460 products. Did ACube have production issues?
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ACube's product were based on SoCs from (fabless) AMCC a company that stopped PPC development years ago and was sold a few times since (not that different from Motorola/FreeScale/NameOfTheDay).
So unless there is enough demand for for SAMs to justify another production run of these SoCs......_________________ - We don't need good ideas, we haven't run out on bad ones yet - blame Canada |
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OneTimer1
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 12:25:29
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Cult Member |
Joined: 3-Aug-2015 Posts: 973
From: Unknown | | |
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| @Everblue
Quote:
If they kept making SAM boards for another 5 years they would have kept the market covered for so many years, ...
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It's not about
'keeping the market covered'
it's about
'finding customers for Sam when Tabor is around the corner'
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Rob
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Re: [POLL] What's stopping ACube from selling their Amiga computers? Posted on 10-Nov-2019 15:18:31
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Elite Member |
Joined: 20-Mar-2003 Posts: 6349
From: S.Wales | | |
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| @Petah
I think that the Sam460 got osbourned by proxy when A-EON announced Tabor far too early. Tabor has been in a perpetual state of possibly being just around the corner for the last 4 years, dealers have not likely been keen to place orders for Sam460 for fear of being financially tied to less desirable stock when Tabor hits.
If A-EON had kept Tabor under wraps until it was genuinely close to release then I'm sure at least a few hundred more Sam460's could have been sold by now.
I hope that when Tabor finally goes on sale it doesn't trundle out to customers in piecemeal fashion like the with the X5000 when it first went on sale. |
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