Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!think.com!yale.edu!cmcl2!uupsi!mpoint!ritz From: ritz@msb.com (Chris Mauritz) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc Subject: Re: A new Amiga needed...and soon! Message-ID: <1991Jun27.133605.15482@msb.com> Date: 27 Jun 91 13:36:05 GMT References: <1991Jun24.223616.16742@crash.cts.com> Organization: Meetpoint Station BBS Lines: 96 In article <1991Jun24.223616.16742@crash.cts.com> seanc@pro-party.cts.com (Sean Cunningham) writes: > > >I sure hope C= has some neat tricks up their sleeve...I've just heard three >pseudo-rumors that have me worried. I'm not trying to play -MB- here, but >I think they're cause for general concern. Not to be -MB- either...(I only do that on the ST board hehe...)... >1. The discussions betw-_en IBM and Apple involve the exchange of Apple's > software and interface technology for POWER RISC chips. Well, this might be a threat to CBU in a minor way. Let's face it, Commodore does not have the resources to compete with Apple or IBM in the high end. The 3000 UX is a low-end unix box with a not-so-low price (have you seen the educational pricing on the NextStation). It is much like the Atari TT in that is is competative with hardware Apple had out the door a while ago, yet the pricing isn't low enough to detract much from Apple's market. A more serious threat to CBU would be an apple 68030 box with a low price tag, sort of like the Mac LC (though that is a 68020). >2. On October 21st Apple will unveil three new CPUs: an '040 tower, an '040 > desktop, and an '030 based Classic. Their new laptops, or palmtops are > due in the next couple of months, maybe sooner. The 68030 Classic would be a veritable A3000 killer. Since CBU doesn't have any 68040 boxes, these higher-end Macs won't bite into CBU too much. If CBU wants to get any market share in this "war" they'll have to do it by using aggressive pricing. Very few consumers are going to choose a relatively unknown brand (Amiga) over a household word (Macintosh) if the prices of the machines are remotely close (within $1K or so for similarly configured machines). This isn't a statement about the quality of the Amiga versus the Mac, it is just marketing reality. >3. NeXT is accquiring MC88000 family RISC chips for the next generation > of their workstations. So? Do you really think that CBU has the resources to develop/market a RISC machine? Do you think anyone would buy one? I'm not trying to be facetious, but I think CBU would have an impossible time breaking into this market. I'd be happy to listen to anyone who can argue otherwise. >The A3000T is supposed to come out at the end of the summer, but if it has >the standard 25mHz '030 Apple's new machines will steal its thunder...an >A2500-like configuration could fill the gap for a while ('040 accelerator >pre-installed as an option on A3000 desktop and tower systems). But the >RISC threat is different. Well, if it is a 25mhz 68030, the technology will already be dated. I think Commodore should try to establish a niche in the video market in the same manner in which the ST grabbed the MIDI market. Trying to keep up with the "big boys" in the techno-battle will probably wind up being futile. > >NeXT is a threat for the UX systems since Commodore is now a low-end UNIX >workstation vendor. They've already got the jump on the A3000UX because of >the '040, and RISC workstations are what's making headlines right now (and >probubly in the future as well). NeXT will also be more price competitive >with Commodore than Apple (the price of the IIfx just went down to a mere >$8K for 4M and an 80M disc w/o keyboard or moniter...gimme a break!) But >Apple will gain more clout if it's aligned with IBM in releasing a POWER >based Macintosh. Yep. >The new Macs will also more than likely come with 24bit >hardware on the motherboard (probably by integrating the 8*24GC >hardware...why reinvent the wheel?). Doubtful. How many people, other than us techno-snobs , really want/need/are willing to pay for 24-bit video? If only a small segment of the market meets this criteria, than it doesn't make sense to bump up your costs by making it a "standard feature." Don't you think so? >I think it'd be great for an '040 UNIX based tower setup to combat >Apple...they could even play on the name in their >advertising: The Amiga 3000 TUX now there's a classy sounding machine, >don't ya think? :) I think it would be great too! Hell, I'd even buy one if the price was competetive. I just don't see it happening. Cheers, Chris p.s. Personally, I'd love to see CBU give Apple a kick in the ass. I hope they pull it off. -- ------------------------------------+--------------------------------------- Chris Mauritz |People are strange ritz@msb.com |when you're a stranger. Copyright (C) 1991 |The Doors-