PowerUp - The Next Generation:

"We will continue to give our full support to the Amiga idea because as we were among the first Amiga users we continue to believe in the advantages and superior concepts of the Amiga", says Wolf Dietrich, Managing Director of phase 5 digital products. "However, it is high time for a radical leap forwards in technology that needs to be borne by a vision of a computer for the next millennium. We have seen too many half-hearted efforts in the last few years."

In the view of Gerald Carda, Technical Director at phase 5, it is necessary to take a step towards complete innovation in order to realise such a vision. "Concepts that build up on the standard components of the PC world never offer the scope that give a computer system the lead that the Amiga 1000 had over other systems 12 years ago."

In line with this philosophy, the new computer will be based on a highly integrated Custom Chip design which, as a central functional unit, will enable the system to achieve a hitherto unknown performance. "We will demonstrate the possibilities that are inherent in the resolute and single-minded pursuit of a new development that does not become submerged in the mainstream of adaptation to the Wintel world and the general tendency towards economy in the PC mass market which more or less throttles innovation for the sake of saving one single dollar", continues Gerald Carda. Despite this, the system now being announced is not intended to become a dream machine in the high price category. In the words of Wolf Dietrich: "On the basis of our current price calculation we will be able to offer unusually good value for money for which our products for the Amiga market are already renowned."

It is actually true that the extremely high degree of integration and the realisation of novel concepts will make it possible to achieve a performance that explodes existing bounds. Based on the PowerPC as the main processor, the new computer, in addition to the high performance of the processor, offers hardware support for multimedia (MPEG) and 3D functions, while even the basic system offers a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels at 24-bit color depth and a refresh rate of 72 Hz. At the same time special functions for image and video effects have been implemented in the hardware. In addition there are audio inputs and outputs in stereo CD quality, a video-compatible and Genlock-capable 24-bit video output and an FBAS/S-VHS video input. Along with the usual interfaces, the system is rounded off by a Fast SCSI-II controller, a network interface and an ISDN interface. With these features a complete system with a 120 MHz 603e PowerPC, 16 MByte memory, a SCSI hard disk of 1 GB and a quad-speed CD ROM will be available for a purchase price of around 3,000 DM (1,400 £ or 2,000 US$, respectively) on the basis of the present market prices for the components. "We hope that in just about one year from now we will even be able to offer a 150 to 166 MHz 603e-processor at this price", anticipates Wolf Dietrich. "In terms of performance the processor has no problems in keeping up with a Pentium processor with an equally fast clock. However, there is no sign of any comparable graphic performance anywhere the PC field and the features of our systems will be difficult to match." There will be a similar system available with a PowerPC 604-e processor and 150 MHz for about 4,000 DM (1,800 £ or 2,700 US$, respectively).

Although phase 5 digital products state that the total concept for the system has already been under development for quite some time and has practically been concluded, it is not possible to publish a more exact description of the system features at the present point in time. "At the moment we are intensively concerned with looking into whether it would be worth applying for a patent for any of the concepts we have developed and, if so, for which. So unfortunately we are not able to publish more precise details of the concept until after this process has been concluded and we have possibly applied for protection by patent", says Gerald Carda. For this reason we cannot reckon with any publication of the full system specifications until the end of June.

Not only the hardware concept of phase 5, but also the software approach comes as a surprise. The new computer system will be supplied with a completely new operating system written in Native PowerPC code, but with binary compatibility with Amiga-OS 3.x. Here Gerald Carda has the following comments: "As we are already developing an Amiga-compatible PowerPC-Exec with an expansion library and a PowerPC CyberGraphX version in the context of the PowerUp developments, it is the logical consequence that the next step will be the innovative development of the other components. An operating system that is compatible with Amiga-OS 3.x makes it possible for the user to continue to use the existing software that can run under CyberGraphX, while developers who already give massive support to CyberGraphX will be able to continue to maintain and develop their products at the present level. In this way we will be enabling Amiga users to switch to the new system without any problems." "In addition", continues Gerald Carda, "we will be opening up ways of making considerable improvements in the internal structure and extensive additions to the scope of functions". Besides the 24-bit support which has already become a standard due to CyberGraphX, Gerald Carda names the coming CyberGraphX 3D and multimedia interface as an example. There will also be an optimisation of the system's performance and a revision and adaptation of the user interface in line with the functional and optical state of the art. "For years Amiga-OS has represented the conceptual realisation of ideas that today are propagated by many to be special innovations. This means that reprogramming will make it possible to achieve a really highly powered and modern OS. Of course our system will also be open for other operating systems or emulations, such as MacOS or an X-Windows link-up. The discussion concerning so-called new operating systems, however, was intended more as marketing hype than as a realistic alternative."

The commitment with which phase 5 digital products will force forward this project is reflected not least in the considerable volume of investment that has been made in the development. "By the middle of 1997 we will have invested seven-digit figures in this project", says Wolf Dietrich. "We have the know-how, the development team, the technical equipment, the support from third parties (especially Motorola) and the financial basis for this project. The only thing that we still need is massive and positive support from the Amiga user basis. With this early disclosure of our objectives we expect to receive the anticipated response from the users, for, after all, such a project only makes sense if there is still a large number of convinced Amiga fans. We therefore appeal to all Amiga fans to write to us, to send us faxes or to contact us via E-mail (under the address specially set up for this purpose: aproject@phase5.de ). Every positive reaction will strengthen this forward-looking project."

The support for external developers in the PowerUp program is now complete. More than 250 developers - including practically all noted commercial software suppliers in the Amiga field - are registered and their numbers are growing every day. This alone is evidence of the strong support for the future Amiga-compatible PowerPC platform. As from the second half of May, the registered users will now be able to order the PowerPC Beta developer boards from phase 5 which mean the green light for the hot phase of the world-wide software development.

Also note Motorola's latest announcement about 200 MHz PowerPC's and other informations on Motorola's PowerPC site.

In the opinion of phase 5 a takeover of Amiga Technologies by VIScorp does not awaken hope of any major innovations or any strengthening of the Amiga system. "So far we have heard nothing from VIScorp that would cause us to assume that anything different is being planned than the exploitation of the Amiga technology in a settop box. Nor do we see why this company, which must certainly concentrate all its efforts on realising its settop projects, should be interested in further pursuing the primary aim of continuing with the Amiga system. If this had been the case, it would already have been quite feasible for VIScorp to initiate such a project as a licensee of the Amiga technology." phase 5 sees this critical opinion confirmed by current events. "The actions of VIScorp do not convince us that they are serious in continuing with the Amiga. So far, for example, VIScorp has not directly spoken to the developers who were the last to support the Amiga. Nor was there any reaction when we tried to make contact. The VIScorp meeting in Toulouse that has now been announced lacks any kind of organisation and was called without there being any recognisable concept behind it. For this reason it is more than doubtful whether even a sign of any constructive result can be expected to come out of it, so that in our view it would be a pure waste of time to attend, as we have repeatedly found in the recent year at ESCOM meetings. We don't need a repeat of that." Let it be mentioned in passing that the hope often expressed in the general discussion, i.e. that in VIScorp Amiga will find itself taken over by a company that will finance the development of a new generation of Amiga products more or less from the petty cash, is something that Wolf Dietrich considers to be very optimistic. "For a start we had exactly the same expectations a year ago when everyone thought that the giant ESCOM would get things moving at Amiga from a standing position and quickly produce a new generation of Amiga computers for a more competitive price. Secondly we should first wait and see whether the figures that have been bandied about in the discussion concerning VIScorp's takeover of AT have any sort of real fundament."