Re: My Dream new Apple computer

[alawther@spammenot.mac.com (Anthony Lawther)]

magnusfalkirk <dean.phares@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Jan 13, 12:18 am, "Jayson Smith"
> <ihatespamratguynospample...@insightbb.spamsucks.com> wrote:
> > Okay, I know people have, from time to time, said "Let's build a new Apple
> > II with these features!" While I have no idea if any such project would ever
> > actually get done, here's my vision of a system I'd love to see.
> > It could emulate any Apple II system you needed at the moment, and all known
> > ROMs for each of these systems would be available. It would have a built-in
> > controller for 5.25 and 3.5 drives, if not some built-in disk hardware of
> > its own. It would have a built-in CF reader. In my wildest dreams, it would
> > have built-in Echo speech synthesizer emulation, but that's just because I'm
> > blind and would find that feature useful. In any event, it would still have
> > slots, so if you had an Echo or any other off-the-wall hardware you wanted
> > to install, you could. It would have cassette in and out ports. Again in my
> > wildest dreams, the output could be switched between mic level and line
> > level. There would be as much memory as the latest and greatest GS could
> > handle, possibly more, which could be used as virtual ram disks and whatnot.
> > It would have serial ports that could be switched between SSC-compatible and
> > GS-compatible. In any slot that wasn't being used for some mass-storage
> > purpose, you could install any number of virtual disk images. That way, you
> > could have, say, a DOS 3.3 system master, a ProDos master disk, GS/OS, etc.
> > all at your fingertips, all part of the firmware. Speaking of which, the
> > firmware would be flash upgradeable.
> >      Well, that probably just about does it. Now is this system ever likely
> > to be built? Probably not. But it's fun to dream...
> > Jayson
> 
> I agree it's fun to dream, it would be nice if someone, somewhere were
> to produce a "new" Apple II computer. I was looking around the
> comp.sys.cbm group, since I recently acquired a Commodore 128 system
> (heresy for an Apple II user I know), and you should see the "dream"
> post about the latest system from Commodore Business Systems. The
> title of the post is "Greetings from an alternate universe":
> 
> Commodore Business Machines Unveils New Computer
> 
> WESTCHESTER, PA—January 7, 2010—Commodore Business Machines® today
> unveiled an all new all-in-one Compadre C900® personal computer
> featuring a 20-inch widescreen display encased in an elegant and
> professional aluminum and glass enclosure. The entire new Compadre
> line features the latest Zilog Z8500 dual core processor and a new,
> ultra-thin wireless aluminum Commodore Keyboard, Bluetooth wireless
> KoalaPad, built-in Commodore DynamicTotalVision® video camera for
> video conferencing, and the JaneWorx® office suite, making it the
> ultimate desktop computer for both consumers and professionals.
> 
> "This new Compadre is the most incredible desktop computer we've ever
> made," said Thomas J. Rattigan Jr., Commodore's CEO. "Our new design
> features the innovative use of materials, including professional-grade
> materials manufactured at our own MOS Technology factory, that are
> highly recyclable and environmentally friendly."
> 
> Packing professional performance into the convenience of an all-in-one
> design, the new C900 includes the latest Zilog processor running at up
> to 2.8 GHz with 4MB of shared L2 cache and up to 4GB of 667 MHz DDR2
> SDRAM memory. The line features MOS Technology's next generation of
> graphics with the Hombre VIC-9600 with 256MB of GDDR3 memory.
> 
> Providing the latest in high-performance connectivity options to
> quickly and conveniently transfer digital photos, music and video, the
> C900 includes built-in Sana-IV® 802.11n Wi-Fi networking, delivering
> up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g;*
> Coaxial Ethernet; a total of five CommodoreSerial 3.0 ports (including
> two on the new Commodore Keyboard); and one IEEE-Fiber488® port.
> 
> Every Compadre also includes JaneWorx 4.0, the most significant update
> ever to Commodore's award-winning suite of productivity applications,
> featuring a major new version of JaneWrite® and a completely
> reinvented JaneCalc®, both seamlessly integrated with the new
> DeluxePresent X® for professional presentations. The new C900 also
> comes with the world's most advanced operating system, Digital
> Research's CP/GEM version 10.9, including iBrowse™, YamMail,
> JaneDate®, Q-Link AV, and 40 hours free on CompuServe GENIE.
> 
> Additional specifications include:
> 
> a slot-loading 8x CBM-1751® SuperWORM drive with HD-DVD Support;
> 250GB Serial-MFM hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
> built-in stereo speakers and microphone;
> eight programmable function keys; and
> BLAZEMONGER 3, the award winning game from Grin & Barrett
> SoftwareArts®
> 
> Commodore Business Machines ignited the personal computer revolution
> in the 1970s with the PET 2001 and reinvented the personal computer in
> the 1980s with the Amiga 1000. Today, Commodore continues to lead the
> industry in innovation with its award-winning computers and
> spearheading the digital media revolution with its sidPlay portable
> music players and online media store, and has entered the mobile phone
> market with its revolutionary vicPhone.

This looks like an extreme case of "shoulda woulda coulda" envy of the
whole industry in general, but Apple specifically.

I wonder how many other vintage computer platforms adherents have these
sorts of dreams of world domination that didn't happen?

Regards,
Anthony.