p2pnet.net News:- Commodore is not only still alive, it’s better than ever, states its new owner, Holland’s Tulip Computers NV.

“In fact, a kind of secondary industry of support and distribution emerged to exclusively cater to this market,” it says here.

“On the Internet, Commodore users run web sites, chat groups and technical support lines. There are even on-line computer museums where users can reminisce about their old models.”

Now, new C64 products, some based on the old technologies, some new, but all “fitting perfectly with the C64 image” are on the way, promises Tulip.

In the beginning …
In 1954 Jack Trameil started the Commodore typewriter repair service, moving to Ontario, Canada, a year later.

In 1976, close to insolvency, he borrowed three million dollars and bought MOS Technologies, an American semi-conductor manufacturer, incorporated Commodore International in the Bahamas and soon after, unveiled the Personal Electronic Transactor which became famous as the PET. Then in 1981, Commodore launched the VIC 20, a color computer selling for about $300

In 1982 the Commodore 64 became the best selling computer in history. But in 1984 Trameil resigned as President of Commodore International and sold off his controlling shares.

The new owner, Irving Gould who’d initially financed commodore, took over and bought Amiga Inc to introduced the world’s first multi-media computer, the Amiga 1000.

However, by 1994 Commodore was “unable to meet its loan obligations,” it says on its site. “The doors were closed …”

Enter the new Commodore 64
Germany’s ESCOM AG, a large PC retailer based in Bensheim, bought Commodore International’s rights and patents, including Amiga and two years later, Tulip became the new owner.

This time, however, it’s into a lot more than computers. As well as hardware, Commodore is marketing games, music and movies, as well as a line of media products for computer product wholesalers, distributors and retailers.

But, says Tulip, it’ll also be picking up the C64 up where it left off.

“We as Commodore today, intend to grow the Commodore 64 community both by supporting the existing loyal user base and developing new ways to bring the enjoyment of the Commodore 64 experience to an even wider global audience,” it states.

“We recognise and applaud the tremendous achievement of the existing Commodore 64 community and the web sites that have allowed it to flourish. Consequently it is our wish to work with and support these sites and it is not our intention to stifle any of the current activities that support the Commodore 64 community.

“We will not compromise the values that have made Commodore 64 the tremendous and enduring success it has been in the past and will build on these strengths to take them forward into the future.”

The first of the new C64s is a mini game console with C64 Direct-to-TV.

An entertainment system for videogames, it’s based on the famous Commodore 64 home PC and with it, users can play 30 popular C64 games, says Tulip, adding:

“This will be the first of a whole series of entertainment products on the market using the Commodore name and label.”

This entry was posted on Friday, July 2nd, 2004 at 4:52 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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