Commodore Introduces The Amiga Personnel Computer

Commodore Introduces The Amiga Personnel Computer

NEW YORK, July 23, 1985 -- PRNewswire -- Commodore Business Machines Inc. today introduced the Amiga(TM), widely hailed as "the most important new microcomputer of 1985."

Prior to the development of the Amiga, users were forced to choose between the creative, audio-visual world and the text and numeric oriented business world. Now for the first time, the Amiga allows users to inhabit both worlds to produce more powerful, imaginative, colorful and multi-dimensional work. The Amiga combines the capabilities of the most powerful business microcomputers with the ease of use of mouse and icon based user interfaces to produce a personal computer that is both powerful and non-intimidating.

"The Amiga combines the best features of the two most popular business microcomputers currently on the market," commented Thomas J. Rattigan, president of Commodore Business Inc. North America Group, "and at the same time goes far beyond them to create a new standard for our industry in speed, power, graphics and sound capability.

"This is the first microcomputer system to offer such an impressive range and depth of leading edge functionality at a price which makes it affordable to a broad base of consumers in the home, school and office," he said.

The Amiga, which will retail for $1,295, is built around the 16/32-bit Motorola 68000 microprocessor and a revolutionary microchip set developed by Commodore-Amiga Inc. The two-button mouse, icon interface and multiple windows allows Amiga users in professional, residential and educational environments to tailor this flexible system to their needs with no prior computer experience required. A conventional Command Language Interface also is available on the Amiga, making the system comfortable for sophisticated users who prefer direct access to DOS.

Moreover, the Amiga will be available with an available option permitting it to run IBM(R) PC-compatible programs like Lotus 1-2-3(TM), D Base III(TM) and WordStar(R), directly off the shelf.

With the largest installed base of personal computers in the world, Commodore has the experience and resources to ensure that the Amiga will play a vital role in the computer marketplace. Commodore has arranged distribution for the Amiga through computer specialty stores and has launched a broad-based marketing campaign, Rattigan said. "The many features and options of the Amiga make it a best buy in the market today," he explained. "In order to fully communicate this value to the consumer, we needed to sell through those dealers who are most qualified to demonstrate and service such a system."

Extensive sales and marketing support will include national television advertising, co-op advertising, print and radio ad campaigns. Commodore also will offer an Amiga credit card program and has established more than 1,000 service locations nationwide to ensure speedy and reliable maintenance.

"We recognize that in today's market," said Rattigan, "it's the manufacturer, working with the retailer, who must ultimately make the sale. We are taking full responsibility for positioning, marketing and servicing our new system in a manner that is consistent with the excellence of the product itself.

"Commodore is the undisputed world leader in providing low-cost microcomputers," Rattigan continued. "The introduction of this system is one of the ways in which Commodore is responding to the market's demand for more powerful, versatile and rewarding machines. The Amiga is an unprecendented tool for users whose primary interest is in a broad range of conventional and newly developing business applications, as well as for those seeking new programming in the areas of education, entertainment and the arts."

Rattigan said the Amiga would permit many creative jobs to be inexpensively computerized for the first time, particularly in the design, art, entertainment and education fields. The Amiga's professional quality sound and graphics, for example, make it the system of choice for anyone involved in visual presentations. Widespread acceptance is expected in fields such as architecture, motion picture and television production, computer-aided design and instruction, typesetting, technical documentation and video animation. Other vertical markets include fashion and textile design, landscaping, interior design, map and chart production, engineering and personal service industries such as hairstyling.

Rattigan also emphasized that the Amiga is a multitasking system, capable of working on several chores simultaneously. By making meximally efficient use of the system's 68000 microprocessor, the Amiga can display multiple windows, each with its own task, as well as simultaneously displaying multiple screens with different graphics resolution modes.

Another new feature is the system's bundled text-to-speech capability, with an unlimited vocabulary. The user can set the parameters for a range of pitches for both male and female voices.

Features like text-to-speech and the Amiga's unique genlock interface, which permits integration of video images with computer sound and graphics, enable Commodore to position the new system as the most advanced personal computer available for applications at both professional and consumer levels.

More than any other system yet marketed, the Amiga from Commodore encourages the user to explore his or her productivity and creativity.

NOTE:

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp.

Lotus 1-2-3 is a trademark of Lotus Development Corp.

D Base III is a trademark of Ashton-Tate.

WordStar is a registered trademark of MicroPro International.

/CONTACT: Alan Penchansky of Geltzer & Co., 212-575-1976, for Commodore Business Machines/