New Risc OS Portable from IMSFinally, after many years since the original A4 portable from Acorn it looks very likely that a new Risc OS portable will finally be available on general sale - but not from Acorn themselves.Instead, IMS (Innovative Media Solutions) have collaborated with Interconnnex UK Ltd, using licensed Risc OS technology from Acorn and built their own portable around it. The machine, shown for the first time to the general public, was unveiled at the recent Wakefield Acorn show on Saturday 16th May. The heart of the system is the ARM 7500FE processor, as used in the A7000+, also, as with the A7000+ the operating system is Risc OS 3.71. Some facts and figures...
Here's a small picture of the prototype Peanut, taken from the display model shown on the IMS stand at Wakefield. It is hoped that the Peanut will be available to buy at Acorn World 1998, although this date may slip if further technical problems are encountered.
Stuart Marshall (17-05-1998)
Acorn goes on tour!The strength of the Acorn Network Computer is now fully established with a series of cyber cafes running in six major shopping centres throughout the next six weeks. The Cyber Cafes, organised and operated by the Ideal Home Roadshow, will be visiting Bracknell, Thurrock Lakeside, Luton, Guildford, Maidstone and Cambridge from May 27th until July 5th.The roadshow is designed to allow shoppers the chance to browse the Internet under expert tuition and guidance from several Cyber Guide staff. All visitors will be invited to sit down with a free soft drink and be introduced to the Acorn Network Computer and the world wide web. Each Cafe will be set up for a week at a time and is equipped with 24 Acorn Network Computers. In addition, for consumers who want to understand more about the concept of the network computer, a seminar section is run twice a day at 11am and 1pm.
A list of cyber cafe dates are as follows:-
ART announce second generation Risc PCAt Acorn World 1996 (Saturday 2nd November), Peter Bondar announced there would be a second generation Risc PC. This new unit is scheduled for release towards the end of 1997, although nothing is set in stone yet.Obviously at this early stage it is unsure what specifications the new machine would have, but it is believed that the machine would contain between 2 and 4 high end StrongARM processors. (It is likely that Digital will have a 300Mhz versions available by then). A new VIDC controller is being developed, and it is likely there would be multiple VIDC controllers on the new board. Getting the screen refresh rate up would enable the clock rate to be increased dramatically, this would in turn also allow for additional VRAM to be introduced - which obviously means higher resolutions and even more colours. The case which will house the new machine has yet to be designed, however Peter Bondar has assured the Acorn community that it will NOT be a PC style case. As to whether the present Risc PC case will be used - that is also undecided. An obvious advantage of using the existing case is that ART would perhaps be able to make a new motherboard available, enabling existing Risc PC users to simply switch boards, rather than their whole machine.
Stuart Marshall (17-11-1996)
ART begins shipping StrongARM cardsOn the 23rd September 1996, the first StrongARM cards were shipped to Clan members as promised many months earlier by ART.
ART expected to ship the first 2,000 units of the new super chip by the end of October 1996 - meaning all backlogs would be cleared in time for Acorn World. A huge promotion of the processor would take place at Acorn World and beyond with special StrongARM roadshows planned.
Stuart Marshall (22-09-1996)
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