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From: mykes@3comvax.UUCP (Mike Schwartz)
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga
Subject: Re: save your money
Message-ID: <325@3comvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Jan-86 15:08:54 EST
Article-I.D.: 3comvax.325
Posted: Fri Jan  3 15:08:54 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Jan-86 01:58:28 EST
References: <297@3comvax.UUCP> <5814@fortune.UUCP>
Reply-To: mykes@3comvax.UUCP (Mike Schwartz)
Distribution: net
Organization: 3Com Corp; Mountain View, CA
Lines: 62

In previous articles, some people may have thought my raving about the
Tecmar prices was crazy, but....

I spoke to David Matthews at MicroForge in Winston GA by phone this 
morning.  You will be seeing ads for MicroForge in the next AmigaWorld
Magazine.  Anyway, here is the scoop:

MicroForge is going to be releasing (or already is ready to take orders
for) the following:

Developer	Non-Developer		Item
$500		$716			5 slot expansion board with case
					and power supply.
$70		$100			Same as above, but 1 slot
$1000		$1400			1st 10MB Hard disk system
$1050		$1500			1st 20MB Hard disk system
$1275		$1800			1st 40MB Hard disk system
$947		???			2nd 40MB hard disk system
$280		$400			Stereo Sound Digitizer w/software
$25		$18			RamDisk software that works with
					workbench.
$70		$50			Full function editor with full
					macro capabilities
$700		$1000			2MB Ram expansion board

These prices are much better than Tecmar's, so you CAN REALLY SAVE
MONEY.  Just to refresh your memories, Tecmar wants $1000 for 1MB of
RAM, and $2500 for a 20MB hard disk (plus 1MB of RAM).  Tecmar does
give you some real useful other features with their RAM board, though,
like another serial and parallel port, battery backed up clock, and
the SASI controller required for the disk.  I realize you folks can add,
but I will add it up for you anyway.  

For $2500, you can get 1MB of RAM and 20MB of hard disk from Tecmar.  For
developers, $2500 will buy the 5-slot bus extension, power supply, 2MB of
RAM, and a 40MB hard disk.  My opinion that the best route to go is to
buy the 1 slot adapter ($70), power supply ($150), and 40MB hard disk
($1275) for a reasonable $1500 (approx.) price tag.

David Matthews is very enthusiastic about the Amiga, and is a good person
to talk with.  MicroForge makes products for the Macintosh, so they
apparently know a little about making peripherals for 68K machines.
I have no experience with their products, but I am very impressed
with Mr. Matthews, and he seemed to be quite knowledgeable about
the Amiga internals required to make these products.  IN MY OPINION,
he is really doing the universe a favor by not taking advantage of
a lack of competition for hardware products in the Amiga marketplace,
and he will get my business.  I hope he gets yours, too.

AVAILABILITY:
MicroForge will be ready to take VISA orders in about a week (1/10/86),
but not all of the above mentioned products are ready.  As of this 
posting, the 5-slot expander will not be ready until mid-to-end of
February (they have had to juggle their designs because the conventions
for putting things on the Amiga bus is not quite finalized).  The 2MB
RAM expansion will be available around the same time.  He also has no
40MB disks in stock, but he has been told he will get them before next
week.  Everything else is available NOW!!!

PS:
	Has anyone ever seen a Tecmar product (that works) for the
Amiga that is available?  (I am just curious)