#Samsung buys Amiga
56 messages in this thread
We heard from a reliable source today that the following has occured:
1. The rights to produce the Amiga has been purchased by
Samsung Electronics.
2. All rights to CD32 have been purchased by Phillips. We
understand that an official announcement will be made within the next few days.
Please understand that (of course) until we see this in an official statement
from the parties involved, we will only take it for what it's
worth…information from a source that has been correct up to now. Stay
tuned…
Hi Chuck! Thanks for the info.
>>All rights to CD32 have been purchased by Phillips.<<
It's Philips (unless Larry really did end up with it)
Hehehe, Larry has been popular here the last few days!
Hey! Whattya mean, the last few days??? 🙂
-larry
Chuck,
Obviously before there is any "rejoicing", there needs to be an official
statement made to that effect and, if this is indeed true, just exactly what it
means for both the Amiga computer line and CD32.
On Thursday and today there were meetings and a "technology demonstration" at
West Chester with a potential buyer (Samsung). I'm not suprised by the rumored
outcome but wouldn't bet on ANY outcome until an announcement is made.
Samsung! Wow! All right! Go for it! beat the shit out of NEC and the other
Japanese firms! Korea will rule the home electronics market! (Well, maybe not,
but it would be fun to see it happen).
—————————— Hiroo YAMAGATA, a non-patriotic Japanese
Are you saying that the same technology has been purchased
by two separate parties or that each has been licensed to use it?
Okay, so I lied about Philips…hehehe….Rumormongering is so fun…
For what it's worth, I've heard the Samsung one also…is it true? Maybe
the rumor is spontaneously generated by Compuserve when e0\-mail volume
gets too high…sheesh look at all the messages…
Grant Boucher – Amblin Imaging
"The Death of Commodore is surely one of the signs of the Apocalypse."
>sheesh look at all the messages
Yeah, no kidding…. I've been out here three times today already, and
every time I tell AutoPilot to post my outgoing, I see "You have <more>
messages waiting"….
… Life? What'za life?…
> "…sheesh look at all the messages…"
No doubt! There hasn't been this much Amiga noise since the AGA machines
were introduced. Just imagine the traffic we'll endure if something
magical happens in the next few weeks and one of these rumors proves true.
Grant –
> "The Death of Commodore is surely one of the signs of the Apocalypse."
"Thing fall apart, the center cannot hold,
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the land.
Surely some revelation is at hand…
Surely the Second Coming is at hand!
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born…
William Butler Yeats
. . . . JimDoc, on AutoPilot
JimDoc,
Also how weird that your Yeats quote was a centerpiece to the plot of
Stevn King's The Stand, on Sunday night!
Gary
on AutoPilot from Charlotte, NC
Now, will Philips continue CD32 or kill it (with a possible trade-in deal
for current CD32 owners to "trade up" to CD-I) only to have it reappear as
a commercial set-top box device in the interactive TV arena?
Hmmm more fun.
wmc – via Autopilot!
Hi Chuck and anyone elsein AmigaLand,
In a dutch computer newspaper was an article on multimedia, interactive TV &
CD-rom.
There's an interesting alinea in it about Philips and Samsung.
Here's my translation of it
"
A building along Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, not far from where the
moviestars live in Beverly Hills. This is residence of Pkilips Interactive
Media of America (Pima), ……….
But they work hard here. Sitting behind COMMODORE AMIGA'S, Unix-workstations
and ordinary PC's ten's of programmer's, drawing artist …. new titels for
interactive compact disc's en since recently also movies.
………
Despite recent publicity on the "electronic highway" Philips sees CD-I as a
very good Multimedia-system. De player is easy to use which can be connected
directly to the TV. The system has not the connectivity/configuration-problems
of CD-Rom-player for PC's.
Added to that, a CD-i_machine can easily be adapted for interactive program's.
The adaption is not much more than developing a programm and putting it into a
memory-chip for the multitasking-system OS/9. Philips has a model without the
CD-part that can be used as plug-in-box for interactive TV. The machine has
been ordered by Bell Atlantic for a try-out-project.
………
The technology for CD-Interactive has been developed some years ago with the
help of Sony and Matsushita and has been accepted as "world-standard", but
since then Philips has been on it's own. Most Japanese companies have no real
faith in it.
Still Philips is not totally left alone. Some big Korean companies, SAMSUNG and
Daewoo, will bring interactieve CD-players to the market soon.
"
Well, the question is, did Philips and Samsung buy our Amiga to use the
technology to make the CD-interactive finally succesfull, or did they buy it to
finish it? I like to believe that the last option is out of the question, but
i'm not sure. As the CD32 was doing very well, and is a full competitor on
CD-Audio,CD-Video and Photo-CD, why not get it out of the way.
Why Samsung bought the Amiga? Won't be to get it out of the way? Was it to help
Philips? Did they make some kind of deal? As described in the article above
indicates, they're supporting the same platform.
What could be, let's hope so, is that the OS/9 is not good enough, so they've
decided to use the Amiga-OS/CD32 for the next version of their CD-I players.
Why not, just add some software to run the old CD-games and of we go.
Let's cross fingers. This could be the total end of Amiga, or the start of a
great carreer.
Hans Keesom Amsterdam
Keesom,
Remember, the rumored buy in (buy out?) of Samsung is just that … RUMOR.
Also, ask yourself, if Commodore is in such bad financial shape that it is
liquidating, why would anyone pay for a technology just to kill it when all
they have to do is to let it die along with the parent?
"Remember, the rumored buy in (buy out?) of Samsung is just that …
RUMOR."
An employee of C= holland told me today that the name Commodore and Amiga
are sold separately. Now we have to search for 2 companies 🙂
Herman
* Samsung is _really_ discussing with C= for a buy-out.
* I. Gould did buy the AAA technology while 'loaning' about $10M, so the
eventual buyer would have to buy the past and present Amiga & the future
of the Amiga, which are now different.
Fred.
Frederic Botton from Paris, France
fbotton@cix.compulink.co.uk
That's the first I've heard of the AAA technology being "bought" by Gould.
Where did you hear this?
There's been a lot of talk everywhere out there on the phone lines
about …"I can't say who but somebody's trying to get the rights to make the
1200" … that sort of thing. That some entity might buy the Amiga to bury out
of reach of other ambitous hands it is an unlikely but possible outcome – if
not in the USA/Japan/EU spheres then perhaps in the Bahamas.
Word about the Bahamas – my lawyer tells me that although they
certainly have laws that favor the establishment of foreign corporate HQ's
(taxes for one reason), there's not as much underhandedness as I had thought
previously. They have many odd laws to protect themselves against
overly-aggressive foreign investment, such as coerced local partnerships, but
that's merely a way to prevent companies from siphoning all their profits out
with a minimum of investment. If Irv had wanted to sell Amigas to Bahamians
(I'm sure the thought never crossed his mind) he'd have trouble doing it
directly. Of course, he's have trouble anywhere, wouldn't he?
"NTSC-Not Terribly Sophisticated Circuitry"
-Vree in South Carolina
JMV >>"NTSC-Not Terribly Sophisticated Circuitry"<<
Also,
"NTSC – Never The Same Color"
Ron.
– ap'ing with AP. (Eagles may fly, but weasels aren't sucked
into jet engines.)
Sorry, Ron, the correct term for NTSC is
"Never _Twice_ Same Color" ;^)
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ still on AutoPilot 1.061….
>Remember, the rumored buy in (buy out?) of Samsung is just that …
>RUMOR.
>Also, ask yourself, if Commodore is in such bad financial shape that it
>is liquidating, why would anyone pay for a technology just to kill it
>when all they have to do is to let it die along with the parent?
To prevent others from buying it? If the Amiga were to fall into the hands of
a real computer company — one that advertises, for example — it could be one
of the most devastating forces in human history. Apple/Microsoft/IBM/etc.
would be destroyed!
Oops! [religeous fantasy mode off]
— John
What you said is not only possible but the truth.
I don't think I could stand having the 'in' computer… well, maybe 🙂
After all these years of _NOT_ having the "in" computer, i think i could
bring myself to adapt quite easily! <g>
Chris – Fast and Low on my '020!
"Are we having fun yet?!?" -Anonymous A1200 User
I have an 'in'-computer at the moment ('386) and I _hate_ it!! 🙂 (don't
worry: I also have an A2000 and an A1200!)
MaRiO. -= MoToRoLa RuLeZ, InTeL FooLZ! =- ///
68o2o aGa OnBoarD …///\\\///
I don't know about that the Amiga would destroy the market.
I think if Amiga had half the advertising Apple did back in the mid-80's there
might not be an Apple right now.
However, there are A LOT OF PCs out there. And people, in general, are a hard
bunch to dissuade from whatever they currently own.
That depends on their investment. I develop software and hardware and so have
a large investment in PC and Amiga. Instead of buying a new PC every two
years, I re-build / upgrade my own. I also try to buy SCSI and now IDE disk /
tape / CD-ROM so that these items are useable on both platforms. Many people
will either keep their computer for several years and do things like word
processing, other people will expand their use of computers and want to
upgrade. The people who wish to upgrade may be the likely candidates for
switching platforms. HarryM
John,
JM>If the Amiga were to fall into the hands of a real computer company —
JM>one that advertises, for example — it could be one of the most
JM>devastating forces in human history.
JM>Oops! [religeous fantasy mode off]
Through the history of technology, there is a common thread which USUALLY
tends to eventually meld diversity for the advantage of all (one very
notable exception which touches many is the BETA – VHS flap, an aberration
or just a time-out?)
It is time for the beginning of the melding (tho not necessarily to be
confused with the Vulcan mind variety) of computer systems so that any
properly written software can run equally well on any machine. This is
shortly to be a fact with the Emplant and the Amiga. If a heads-up company
were to recognize that this meld will come eventually anyway, and see the
great chance which is now presenting itself, they would bust their humps
to acquire Amiga technology and make a bee line to Jim Drew (Emplant) to
put all into their camp.
We can only hope that this is what we are witnessing. A moment, please,
of silent prayer for Gould, Ali, Haig to find green pastures elsewhere.
Hi,
CD-i title developers have always used the tools which their programmers
wanted/needed to use… that includes Macs for cartoon development and for
mapping out timelines, PC's for video digitizers, Unix boxes for disc
emulation and cross-compilation, and yep, Amiga/Toaster combos for motion video
layout.
In other words, the best tools for each job.
Lately there have been speculations about Samsung buying Amiga technology. I
think it is a possibility, but I think that its not Samsung who is buying
Amiga, its not even Philips. My feeling is that Hitachi is buying the
technology. How did I come to this conclusion?, simple! Have you noticed lately
how many comercials Hitachi is running. Just last night I saw three of them on
two different networks. Tehy are advertising phones, chips printers, and I
thing in copule more weeks they will be advertising computers, Amiga that is. I
could be wrong, but then again [D
I don't know…
Proctor and Gamble has been advertising a lot lately too…
<g,d&r>
>> I don't know…
>> Proctor and Gamble has been advertising a lot lately too…
You could be right….
Proctor and Gamble is rumored to be introducing the Colgate 4000. A new
toothpaste that comes in over 4096 colors. <g>
I guess I would feel better about Hitachi than Samsung.
Richard -> AutoPilot on the A1000
Richard,
Why? Samsung is a $54B (as in billion) a year company, heavily involved in
the set top field, heavily involved with laser printers, has a joint venture
with HP, and a LOT more. They are the 18th largest company in the world.
I guess Hitachi is into consumer electronics too … they made my rice cooker.
The term "Rice Rocket" was sorta affectionately or not applied to Mazda RX7's.
Maybe that term will apply to the AMIGA soon.
…Looking for the elusive 4000T HarryM…
> I guess Hitachi is into consumer electronics too … they made my rice >
cooker.
…..they have been moving into scientific instrumentation for some time
too, not much presence, not much marketing but good value for money
equipment. Could be a natural to take over the reins 🙂
regards, Lu on AutoPilot downunder
Steve,
While I agree Samsung is big, and both them and Hitachi are into both
industrial and consumer electronics. Hitachi at least from my limited
view, does advertise at least more than Samsung seems to (at least here in
the US). If they buy the Amiga, it will need advertising more than it ever
has before, and I am not sure Samsung will come through with that needed
marketing. Of course they really can't do worse than no marketing which is
what were used to, I just hope they realize the potential and commit to
"selling" the Amiga, not just using the technology. It's entirely possible
I can be way off base, and I hope I am wrong if Samsung does end up buying
it. It's just the view I have.
Richard -> AutoPilot on the A1000
What's a rice cooker?
Does it run Windows?
"NTSC-Not Terribly Sophisticated Circuitry"
-Vree in South Carolina
You don't have rice cookers in SC? Dang.
Rice cookers are great — you throw in water and rice and 15 minutes after
it rings a bell, you have perfect rice. Well, almost. The Tassahara
Cookbook has a better recepie, but most people don't seem willing to spare
the 45 minutes for meditation.
And, if BG has his way, rice cookers will be running Windows soon.
—
Dale L. Larson, Intangible Assets Manufacturing
>>I guess I would feel better about Hitachi than Samsung.<<
Why is that?
This is sort what I told Steve when he asked me:
While I agree Samsung is big, and both them and Hitachi are into both
industrial and consumer electronics. Hitachi at least from my limited view,
does advertise at least more than Samsung seems to (at least here in the US).
If they buy the Amiga, it will need advertising more than it ever has before,
and I am not sure Samsung will come through with that needed marketing. Of
course they really can't do worse than no marketing which is what we're used
to. I just hope they realize the potential and commit to "SELLING" the Amiga,
not just selling another computer. It's entirely possible I can be way off
base, and I hope I am wrong if Samsung does end up buying it. That's not to say
Hitachi would do any better, but what is needed is a company that is going to
get aggressive.
Richard -> AutoPilot on the A1000
>>…what is needed is a company that is going to get aggressive.<<
Richard,
You are amking the huge and most likely erroneous assumption that any
company purchasing the Amiga or its technology would have any plans at all
for actually marketing the computer platform. That's highly unlikely. If
anything, a company will use the technology in various ways to enhance
both existing and future products already under development.
At best, we can hope that a buyer recognizes that there is an existing
market for Amiga computers, parts, software, etc and decide to devote some
resources to continue the production of the computer as a byproduct of the
development that would need to be done anyway.
I hope that doesn't sound too negative…
I know you are mistaken.
Stay tuned Michael. There are some very positive announcements about to be
made.
Great!
I hope what you say is true, we good use some good news after the past few
weeks.
Richard -> AutoPilot on the A1000
Michael,
Well it sounds some negative, but I am afraid it might also sound a little
realistic. In buying the Amiga there are problems to be overcome. Like
migrating to a different processor, finishing AAA, shrinking
market share in the Amiga's strong areas, etc. I am just hoping they see
the potential past the problems. I can't help it, I want to see the Amiga
continue on, and not just as chips in some set top box.
Richard -> AutoPilot on the A1000
Richard,
Waddayamean with 'migrating to a different processor'? A 604 or something like
that?
MaRiO. -= MoToRoLa RuLeZ, InTeL FooLZ! =- ///
68o2o aGa OnBoarD …///\\\///
Why do people think that migrating to another processor is going to be better??
The current 680XX series is terrific..especially the new 68060. Are they
thinking that PowerPC is the way to go? NAH! RISC is the way too go in the
future, HP or DEC.
Ray
Neeeaaahh….
MaRiO. -= MoToRoLa RuLeZ, InTeL FooLZ! =- ///
68o2o aGa OnBoarD …///\\\///
Gee, 4096 colors and 4 8-bit voices for my microwave oven. <WOW> HArryM
A little off the subject, but…
I'm pretty sure that "Sandy's Circus" artwork was created and animated
using an Amiga. There may be other CD-i titles that also use ami for
artwork other than video clips.