Author: Nick Bales (thames.storetek.com)
Date: 05-02-2000 23:16
The machine was never finished. There was supposed to be a proto, but noone has ever seen it. The problem was that Centek was designing their own OS, Dolmen, but didn't get very far.
You must understand that Centek was not a large company, with only 3 or 4 people. Rodolphe, who did the hardware got pretty annoyed with the 2 software guys and decided to quit, emigrate to the US, and start work on the RioRed machine.
So, Centek is no more. The web site is obsolete.
The problem is that the Atari market is so small, and designing a whole machine on your own is a huge task. There are no large companies with R&D labs, marketing support, industrial design, manufacturing and stuff, only a few guys in their garages. Heck, the iMac was Hollywood or bust even for Apple Corp!!! The Milan guys managed to pull it off (not sure if they're making money with it though!), but Centek, Newtronic, and half dozen other clone builders didn't.
Flash wrote:
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Hm, why don´t they tell us about that on their webpage?? They´re still proudly showing up the Phenix with all the super specs on that site.
This was just too bad news :( cause I really wanted/needed a computer of that kind...
OK, then we´ll have to build our own computers, then at least we can be sure that we´ll get what we want, right?
We´re trying to put something together here, but there´s loads of different chips and interfaces to choose from. Can´t have them all, even if we want to... and we have three demands hanging over us on this project. This gizmo has to be:
1: cheap ( ok, unexpensive)
2: flexible, and handle most standard interfaces
3: still as powerful as possible (no, really? ;)
An not too easy combination, but it´s very fun, working with. We´ll see what comes out of this...
Too bad, they cancelled the Phenix 260, I just can´t understand WHY, if the machine was finished, and potential buyers (like me) just can´t wait to grab it. Have you heared of any re....
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