I really enjoyed this! I learned a ton of stuff by watching your series on the Amiga ownership line...just great stuff and no doubt a ton of research on your part. Super work...I hope we get more series like this from you in the future!
This was really interesting Ravi. I knew Gateway owned the name/IP for a while but I never knew they actually had plans, and dare I say, exciting plans, to actually do something with it. This has really filled in some blanks for me. I always assumed that really, Amiga died with ESCOM, but there really were signs of new life here.
Well, my first Amiga Computer was an A500 in 1989.. in the late 1990's i own many Amiga Magazines here in Germany and storys like this in the Video..unfortunally nothing happened later, the same with pOS for the Amiga.. many greetings from Brunswick in Germany :)
Great research and material. Looking back at all the amiga merch and how it was treated, it was more than just a computer. It was a community of enthusiasts.
It's just a Ping-Pong ball modulated in height by an air compressor controlled by an IR Video CCD data captured inside of the tube. I Inked the PPBals Boing Ball pattern with a RED permanent marker to pass time on flights, and gave them away later to folks we got to meet at the shows.
As an Amiga user back in the good old days and now a Linux user I would have loved it if Amiga OS was ported over to Linux. One of the great things about Linux is the fact that it doesn't suck resources and you can run it on lower end hardware.
Joining the Linux / Unix ecosystem (and leaving all those chipsets developed ten years prior behind) would have probably granted the Amiga a chance for survival in computing. Easy to see why now, with all the user friendly Linux distros that are around.
At the end of the day they spent three years toying with eccentric ideas and released absolutely nothing. Forward looking ideas for sure but let's be honest: in 1997 it was clear that it was either Windows PCs or Macs as far as personal computing was concerned. There were niche machines and operating systems, but the Amiga was expected to be mainstream.
I remember that in 1998 there was an announcement made by Jeff Schindler about a new revolutionary chip that was chosen as the new CPU but it was pretty secret and none ever said what was the producer of such a CPU and what it become through the years. A lot of time passed and i guess all the NDA expired by now, i'm still very curious about it, does anyone have any reliable information about it?
I remember reading stories from employees after the bankruptcy stating they had working PCI and AAA chipset dev boards and they just tossed in the dumpster when they got the pink slips… total shame.
I listened to a 21st century interview with Jim Collas recently and his whole idea for Amiga was basically what Steve Jobs did in his second stint at Apple, before Apple started on that path. If Gateway had backed Jim’s team they could now be called Amiga and be bigger than Apple and I would probably be typing this on an Amiga iPhone rather than an Apple one. Isn’t Apple just that company that made computers with one button mouses!
I actually liked that tune. But that was because I was young and everybody in the 90s liked crappy dance music. But I'm glad I didn't get to see that dance. Sheesh.
Thanks Ravi, this was great. Interesting to learn about the last days of corporate Amiga. It seems there's no danger of getting a copyright hit on "Back from the Future" either.. ha.. ah well. :D
To put it simply: Amiga technology was overestimated and unfortunately not further developed. In fact, they only bought the name and wanted to turn it into money.
All that dancng and mincing about (approx 9'00") couldn't have done the brand's reputation much good - it looks more in keeping for a cosmetic company, or Wowcher - I can't imagine how much they cost ot why it was even done more than once. Great video though.
@@joeteejoetee That might be true (I don't agree) but it had very little relevance to a tech product. I can't imagine Jack Tramiel putting up with them - there would definitely have been a "Jack Attack" if somebody had suggested it over at Atari
Very nice video :D I read somewhere something about a connection between gateway and and xbox. That we could have had an amiga xbox, but I cant find that information again.
I think it might be the person who previously learned on Amigas, who then invented the way for the owner of the hardware to enhance their consumer and user experience.
Sounds like updating the HW and SW to an Amiga Linux machine would have been a cool. Too bad it didn't take. The Amiga still lives on in some various forms thanks to a strong community.
As an Ex-Employee of Gateway EMEA I found this really interesting. Great Video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
6 year old me would have LOVED to see a IRL lemming!
haha me 2
I really enjoyed this! I learned a ton of stuff by watching your series on the Amiga ownership line...just great stuff and no doubt a ton of research on your part. Super work...I hope we get more series like this from you in the future!
Thanks man glad you enjoyed it. More to come and trust me it gets weirder lol
This was really interesting Ravi. I knew Gateway owned the name/IP for a while but I never knew they actually had plans, and dare I say, exciting plans, to actually do something with it. This has really filled in some blanks for me. I always assumed that really, Amiga died with ESCOM, but there really were signs of new life here.
Yeh it was a last glimmer of hope at the last minute. Glad you enjoyed it
Great episode Ravi I really enjoy these. That song though, wow.
we need to make a hoffman remix
Bit of an abrupt end there Ravi! BTW was that Terl just towards the end? (Far left below the Theatre sign)
Well, my first Amiga Computer was an A500 in 1989.. in the late 1990's i own many Amiga Magazines here in Germany and storys like this in the Video..unfortunally nothing happened later, the same with pOS for the Amiga.. many greetings from Brunswick in Germany :)
9:35 crowd goes wild
Great research and material. Looking back at all the amiga merch and how it was treated, it was more than just a computer. It was a community of enthusiasts.
Totally, glad you enjoyed the video
Imagine spending money on marketing that makes your brand seem utterly cringeworthy and deeply uncool? That Amiga MCC case looked lovely, very 3D0.
@ 16:25 is a video clip of the "Boing Ball Levitator©" that I made to show-off at the trade-shows we went to - including showing it at the Amiga 30th™ celebration.
It's just a Ping-Pong ball modulated in height by an air compressor controlled by an IR Video CCD data captured inside of the tube. I Inked the PPBals Boing Ball pattern with a RED permanent marker to pass time on flights, and gave them away later to folks we got to meet at the shows.
@@joeteejoetee i love it. smart idea
As an Amiga user back in the good old days and now a Linux user I would have loved it if Amiga OS was ported over to Linux. One of the great things about Linux is the fact that it doesn't suck resources and you can run it on lower end hardware.
Joining the Linux / Unix ecosystem (and leaving all those chipsets developed ten years prior behind) would have probably granted the Amiga a chance for survival in computing. Easy to see why now, with all the user friendly Linux distros that are around.
Very well researched! 👍
thanks!
Great video Ravi
A great video thanks Ravi, do you plan to do a video on current day Amiga developments? That would be fascinating too.
Great job, man! Very much enjoyed
I played with QNX Neutrino during this time and thought it was a great OS.
At the end of the day they spent three years toying with eccentric ideas and released absolutely nothing. Forward looking ideas for sure but let's be honest: in 1997 it was clear that it was either Windows PCs or Macs as far as personal computing was concerned. There were niche machines and operating systems, but the Amiga was expected to be mainstream.
I remember that in 1998 there was an announcement made by Jeff Schindler about a new revolutionary chip that was chosen as the new CPU but it was pretty secret and none ever said what was the producer of such a CPU and what it become through the years. A lot of time passed and i guess all the NDA expired by now, i'm still very curious about it, does anyone have any reliable information about it?
Amiga, the best computer ever. Amiga Forever.
I still want to know: Who owns the AAA design and (they must surely have been done in an HDL) does anyone have the files for it?
I remember reading stories from employees after the bankruptcy stating they had working PCI and AAA chipset dev boards and they just tossed in the dumpster when they got the pink slips… total shame.
couple of mitsis and that tune would of been a banger
Perchance do you have a reasonable quality rip of the Gateway Amiga promo you feature in here? The one set to ANNEX Back to the future.
I listened to a 21st century interview with Jim Collas recently and his whole idea for Amiga was basically what Steve Jobs did in his second stint at Apple, before Apple started on that path. If Gateway had backed Jim’s team they could now be called Amiga and be bigger than Apple and I would probably be typing this on an Amiga iPhone rather than an Apple one. Isn’t Apple just that company that made computers with one button mouses!
"One button: So you always know what to press." they bragged !
Do you think you'll be performing the Amiga dance at some point?
I actually liked that tune. But that was because I was young and everybody in the 90s liked crappy dance music. But I'm glad I didn't get to see that dance. Sheesh.
Thanks Ravi, this was great. Interesting to learn about the last days of corporate Amiga. It seems there's no danger of getting a copyright hit on "Back from the Future" either.. ha.. ah well. :D
To put it simply: Amiga technology was overestimated and unfortunately not further developed. In fact, they only bought the name and wanted to turn it into money.
All that dancng and mincing about (approx 9'00") couldn't have done the brand's reputation much good - it looks more in keeping for a cosmetic company, or Wowcher - I can't imagine how much they cost ot why it was even done more than once. Great video though.
The band was extremely professional, and a great break from the Computer Shows.
@@joeteejoetee That might be true (I don't agree) but it had very little relevance to a tech product. I can't imagine Jack Tramiel putting up with them - there would definitely have been a "Jack Attack" if somebody had suggested it over at Atari
Very nice video :D I read somewhere something about a connection between gateway and and xbox. That we could have had an amiga xbox, but I cant find that information again.
I think it might be the person who previously learned on Amigas, who then invented the way for the owner of the hardware to enhance their consumer and user experience.
yeh i did hear about somekindof xbox connection at somepoint
Amiga DE was too far ahead of its time.
...or we have been held back 20 years in tech, and clever modular devices would already be old fashioned.
Sounds like updating the HW and SW to an Amiga Linux machine would have been a cool. Too bad it didn't take. The Amiga still lives on in some various forms thanks to a strong community.
So sick of Apple, who cares, many other better alternatives!!