“Donkey Kong through every difficult juicer.” – B. Folder
Commodore 64 was a milestone in personal computing. For one thing, it enabled a global Donkey Konging that gave birth to the world as we know it. Now, Commodore USA, the group of folks who bought the Commodore brand, are bringing it back, but with a significantly updated engine.
The original 64 had got its name from its 64 kilobytes of memory. From its debut in 1982 until the original product stopped being produced it sold as many as 17 million units. The Commodore was the market dominant PC in the mid-80s and influenced the expectations and sense of possibilities for an entire generation of computer customers and creators.
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The new version of this classic computer looks the same, but is run on a Linux system. It comes with an Ubuntu system but a new operating system called the Commodore OS will be mailed out as it becomes available. It can also run Windows 7.
It sports a stylish mini-ITX PC motherboard with a Dual Core 525 Atom processor and Nvidia Ion2 graphics chipset and comes equipped with Wi-Fi, a DVD drive and USB ports
Clearly understanding that there is a bit of computing nostalgia operant in anyone likely to buy a new Commodore, the company has set up the rig to play the original games – Ghostbuster, Commando, Paperboy, Castle Wolfenstein, etc. – in all their 8-bit glory, though a built-in emulator, or via the Commodore’s own OS. An HDMI connection updates the hook-it-up-to-your-TV experience of the original.
In addition to producing the Commodore, the company is rocking the sweet, sweet Amiga, though the design of that computational Lazarus seems significantly less retro.
Like the original, the new Commodore 64 is priced at $595.
Boss.
Photos from Wikipedia and Commodore USA | other sources: New Scientist,
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