they are still produced, actually. acube just did another run a few months ago and they sold out quickly. if any were available (!) you could pick them up new, with warranty, for under $350. but... that doesn't include the OS license.
Yeah, but with the license, the 733mhz SAM440 mobo is still over 500$. I can build a low-end PC for that. Once again, it's all about demand. The demand is for CHEAPER hardware. I get the X1000 and it was a great system, but I truly feel that A-EON's money, not to mention the 100k a year for "development" would have been more cost-effective to reduce the price of the entry level boards. My gigabyte board with my 8 core 4 Ghz AM3+ 8350 cost less than the sole price of the SAM mobo. Since I can't demo OS4, I HAVE to buy the license with the board to get any use. Otherwise, it's just wasted silicon. I'm starting to wonder if we should start hounding Hyperion about making downloadable demo ISOs of OS4, but I'm pretty sure it will fall on deaf ears.
i can only say that i and others have had occasion to return hardware to either acube or amigakit, and the items were repaired or replaced. acube is/was selling SAM440ep-flex systems complete with graphics card, storage, DVD drive, etc., fully assembled for around $700USD. and with a two-year warranty. i believe they also allow the systems to be returned. but, yes, you would have to pay for return shipping.
That does make me feel better. I never got reimbursed for the 50$ coupon I purchased for the early bird scheme. I bought into Big Mac's "buy Amiga" back in 2000 and purchased a NOS A1200 from SoftHut, to get stuck with shoddy workbench disks and it took near two months, finally emailing Big Mac himself about it, to even get replacement copies sent. I was one of the fools that pre-ordered a Boxer back in 1997 from Anti-Gravity. That's not even the tip of my Amiga troubles in the past.
i don't think you are trolling. i think you are an example of several people i have talked with since being an active 'next-gen' amigan. lots of people would love to try an AOS4-based computer, but the cost of entry is too high. as for things being 'overpriced,' that's in the eye of the beholder. i was very worried my SAM would be too underpowered for much of anything, but in reality it was much more performant than i expected. the X1000 did say 'gotta have it' to me, but i ended up spending the money on something else after waiting so long to get an order link.
the good news is that the systems that are coming should be both more performant and cheaper than what we have now. but, as always in amiga-land, we're waiting. if you were in the tri-state area, i'd drive over with one of my machines so you could check it out. but that's not really something people should have to do. the VNC idea mentioned earlier seems something they should offer on request for interested parties.
if you do go for it, i think you'll be pleased with your purchase. it's just a shame there isn't a way for you to try before you buy. i don't suppose i could tempt you into joining us at amiwest this fall? there are tons of next-gen and classic amigas on display, with lots of nice people to chat with, including some of the principal movers and shakers these days. just something to keep in the back of your mind.
-- eliyahu
It's not that it's "overpriced." It's more price comparison. I'm trying to rationalize and justify the expenditure, especially in the current economy. Here's a simple analogy to sum up my issues.
If you could buy your favorite car maker's new automobile, but it was only available with bicycle pedals, meaning you had to do all the work, or would you buy a generic, new automobile that had an automatic transmission, 40mpg city, power everything, when they both cost the same price?
Unfortunately, I won't be to Amiwest any time soon, much to my dismay. Have a fiancee and a step-kid now, so my traveling isn't like what it used to be. :knuddel: