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| Author | Commodore Back On Track (Read 166429 times) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cashed
128 MB  Posts: 192 System 7 Newcomer! 
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Reply #15 on: August 26, 2025, 22:23
Wouldn’t mind a calculator at all -if it also functions as a notepad for memos, ideas and grocery lists, had a tiny E-Ink display and was a portable SID player 
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #16 on: August 27, 2025, 01:39
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I do have a C= calculator from before they were a computer company or maybe they were just getting in electronics. It uses the red wires(?) for the display and uses a 9v battery, but the battery does not last very long. It adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides. You need to keep track of the decimal point yourself and it only has seven characters. Although now it seems like a silly pointless device, when purchased new ($200?) it seemed like magic in the box. Of course the lack of a decimal point, the few characters, and short battery life kept it from being as useful as was hoped. No eInk, for stylus input you can poke the buttons with a small stick if you are looking for the tablet feel. Oh, it also came with a very cheesy faux leather carrying pouch. 01134 makes hello upside down if you are really looking for a limited note taking experience. 
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB  Posts: 2023
Reply #17 on: August 27, 2025, 09:56
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@wove That's a fun story! Commodore used to do all kinds of (weird at times) stuff - I heard they were also making desks and cabinets before they eventually settled on computers. So you could have your Commodore computer sitting on top of your Commodore desk and keep your manuals in the Commodore cabinet behind you :-D @all - Commodore just received their 9000th paid-in-advance pre-order for a new-in-box C64 Ultimate. I have to say, that's quite impressive.
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ClassicHasClass
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32 MB Posts: 39
Reply #18 on: August 27, 2025, 23:54
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I've got a Commodore AM radio myself. Its case is a tiny model of their desktop calculators, of which I also have several. It's not bad sound considering. (And, just a few of their computers, too. ;-)
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #19 on: August 28, 2025, 01:47
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Just out of curiosity does it have the "chicken lips" on it. In the 1960s there was the "Commodre Import Co. which imported consumer electronics made in Japan and Hong Kong and sold in the US branded as Commodore. Some of the earlier units were still built with tubes. I have no idea if that was a Jack Tramiel company or not, although I lean toward not, but Tramiel was in business at the time.
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ClassicHasClass
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32 MB Posts: 39
Reply #20 on: August 28, 2025, 22:48
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Yes, it has the "traditional" C= logo. The story is that it was a promotional item, though Commodore seems to have produced it in some numbers. Here is someone else's picture (I have a boxed example but I'm away on business today): https://monochromeeffect.org/wp/en/2018/10/20/commodore-am-radio-2/
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #21 on: August 29, 2025, 02:34
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Thanks for posting the picture. Commodore first imported and rebranded typewriters from Italy, they sold well enough that the Italian company decided to bring them to the US on their own and pushed Commodore out. Commodore then began importing mechanical calculators from Japan and the same thing happened; the Japanese company began bringing them to the US on their own pushing Commodre out. Commodore then started making electronic calculators using TI chips (that is the calculator that I have). TI seeing how well they were selling decided to make their own calculators using their own chips bypassing Commodore. Which probably lead Jack to decide Commodore was not going to make anything where they did not control the supply chain and the whole process. Sounds a lot like Tim Cook and Apple doesn't it That is just my recollection along with bits and pieces gleaned from perhaps/probably flawed web pieces, so sorry no citations for anything I have stated.
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lauland
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512 MB Posts: 674 Symtes 7 Mewconer!
Reply #22 on: August 29, 2025, 18:09
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Yes, in his own way Jack Tramiel was the "Steve Jobs" of Commodore. Things got REALLY bizarre when Commodore decided to move beyond 8 bits. In a similar situation to Jobs and Apple, the founder clashed with the business suits. Jack angrily left Commodore, bought Atari and did the Atari ST's. Would the world have been different if he hadn't left, or, would we have gotten better Amigas if he had a "second coming" ala Jobs? Would I be typing this on an ARM based Amiga laptop instead of Mac? We'll never know. Wikipedia about this (modern browser)
Last Edit: August 29, 2025, 18:11 by lauland
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Cashed
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128 MB Posts: 192 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #23 on: September 02, 2025, 00:09
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Really interesting read, thank you for sharing that @lauland Jack Tramiel -I'll just go my own way. Commodore's story in Argentina is unique -it never ended. It has been thriving ever since. Watched, A brief history of the Drean Commodore 64 in Argentina - By Jorge Abreu, 3 weeks ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGX5Iujb-Eo Prolog takes around 8 minutes -be patient
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Cashed
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128 MB Posts: 192 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #24 on: October 05, 2025, 20:41
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Bye bye Internet —Hello off-grid comms. Meet / /\ESHT/\ST/C 64
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #25 on: October 06, 2025, 08:35
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The creativity and ingenuity of the C64 community is truly inspiring, I have to admit that. If we had only a share of that with the Mac and its capabilities ... :-)
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #26 on: December 29, 2025, 06:39
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So, it really happened. The "new" (?) Commodore Inc. shipped their updated Commodore64 machines. I've received mine, a C64U in a transparent case with LEDs (blinking according to the chiptune playing). Disco C64 :-) Overall, I'm very satisfied, if not surprised. The fact they managed to not only get the company going, but produce and sell this machine within half a year is remarkable. Before Christmas, they've upgraded all shipping from standard to priority in order to get the machines to the people before Christmas. They know how to score points with the community :-) I've been playing around with my machine. It is so much more limited then even a 128k Mac if you ask me, but then software for it has been so incredibly optimized and plentiful that it makes up for that. Tried some demos and some games, definitely entertaining. Thanks to the onboard WiFi, I've connected to a C64 BBS and chatted with folks on there, playing the mainframe version of Oregon Trail and downloading some chiptune music into the flash memory of my C64 Ultimate. It's a great enthusiast computer and in a way, I'm very sad we'll never get a "Mac IIci Ultimate" (or else), because that would be my personal dream machine. Anyway, in case you're thinking it might be a nice thing to play with a C64U, they're still selling them. As of 01-01-2026 prices will increase by 50$ across models, so ideally grab yours before that.
Last Edit: December 29, 2025, 06:45 by Bolkonskij
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68kmac
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32 MB Posts: 51 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #27 on: December 29, 2025, 15:12
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Well, there are some quality issues with Keyboards and other Things. I've bought my C64U Elite in 2023 or so together with a New C64C Case, Keyboard is the original one. No, c64(U) isnt limited. It contains a 16MB REU (RAM Expansion with DMA), a Turbo Mode with up to 64 (48 on my Ultimate) MHz, WiFi/LAN and so on. And C64 Graphic System is more than a Displaybuffer. It provides 8 Sprites with collision detection, scrolling, line Interrupts,... Yeah, some Mac Addons would be nice. A DOS Card for LCs or other cards :-)
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #28 on: December 30, 2025, 18:12
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My impression is that the supposed quality issues have been blown out of proportion. I've received one of the supposedly affected Starlight Editions and all is fine with mine. That doesn't mean others haven't been affected, but given more than 17.000 units have been ordered to date and some 8000-9000 received (?) with about 10 people complaining online ... it's a low rate if you ask me ... (but don't tell that to the naysayers, who have been looking for something to complain and tell everybody why this is a scam and will never materialize since the beginning and can't admit that they've been wrong ...)
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wove
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1024 MB Posts: 1363
Reply #29 on: December 31, 2025, 03:09
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I have read one review of the. new Commodore and their assement was very similar to @Bolkonskij's. Their feeling was that it beat their expectations. They specifically brought up the keyboard saying that it was very nice. The firmware/software was very capable and very bug free. They had added two of the original SID chips and remarked that it was an improvement over the emulated SID chips. I started with a Commodore PET CBM 8032 which died from a fire extinguisher level power supply failure. I moved on to a Commodore 128c and eventually picked up the 128d. Both still work flawless, so from design and build standpoint they have been operational for 40 years. So I can understand someone who has had a Commodore computer for 40 years, grumbling about the quality of newly built hardware. I imagine buyer's remorse would drive a bit of grousing as well. Spending a good amount of money on something desirable, but clearly non-essential always leaves me a bit cranky with my extravagant tastes.
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