Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: Lurch on July 17, 2015, 12:58:44 AM
-
"Well, i got the rights to use the walker design. Say hello to the walker mini powered by aeros , amicloud and indieGO! AppStore : ) 2 month to go. We will produce only 400 cases at max. But I plan to offer a configurator where you can chose between different stacks (floppy, sound card/midi stack, and more)."
https://www.facebook.com/indiegoretro
-
No details on HOW these are made? 3D printers aren't expensive, and all I have seen thus far are modelling mock ups and promises of AROS this and that, some goofy $5 for all you can eat cloud storage project, some "quantum computer Pi thing", various proprietary store solutions and various obscure Bitcoin clones. Hey, if you're asking for people to open their wallets, we got the right to ask such questions about your past KS projects and how many projects you have going. Kickstarter, despite contrary beliefs, isn't a place to make mock ups of dream projects with a 3D modeller and promo videos if said projects never end up going anywhere.
Can someone point me in the direction of where I can see a live version or the Walker repro case that isn't just a mock up and a flog for some other silly project that isn't likely to happen?
May I ask how many current Kickstarter campaigns this person has, and how many, if any, have ever met end stage?
-
Looks like they've somehow cobbled a screen into the top of it. What the...? Oh well, if the finished item doesn't turn out totally hideous, the Amiga market is suddenly becoming awash with interesting things to spend one's money on. ;)
-
Why would you need rights to produce a case ?
-
Why would you need rights to produce a case ?
*cough cough* Merlancia (http://www.amigahistory.plus.com/press/merlanciabuywalker.html) *cough cough* :rolleyes:
-
*cough cough* Merlancia (http://www.amigahistory.plus.com/press/merlanciabuywalker.html) *cough cough* :rolleyes:
Really ? Do they even exist anymore ? A quick google shows them listed as "defunct" - http://www.zoominfo.com/c/Merlancia-Industries-Inc/34276702
I wonder what copyright they have on the design, guess no-one has the registration documents anymore.
-
Oh well, if the finished item doesn't turn out totally hideous
It's a Walker case. It, by definition, is totally hideous.
-
*cough cough* Merlancia (http://www.amigahistory.plus.com/press/merlanciabuywalker.html) *cough cough* :rolleyes:
http://justinvaughan4.wix.com/justinsamigastuff#!Amiga-Walker-case-design-rights/c2011/559eb3600cf286eab01ece1c
-
But Raspberry PI?!?!?
-
It's a Walker case. It, by definition, is totally hideous.
This... just this! It's freaking hideous, probably one of the ugliest cases ever made.
-
luckily it has never become a real product, damaging amga image even further and ending up as a total failure anyway.
-
This... just this! It's freaking hideous, probably one of the ugliest cases ever made.
What do you mean ... " ONE of..." :-)
-
What do you mean ... " ONE of..." :-)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/61994932345899474/
....Trust me, it's got some competition.
-
This... just this! It's freaking hideous, probably one of the ugliest cases ever made.
It would have to improve a thousand percent to just only be hideous ;)
further proof they must of all been on drugs while designing this.
-
http://justinvaughan4.wix.com/justinsamigastuff#!Amiga-Walker-case-design-rights/c2011/559eb3600cf286eab01ece1c
Great link, thanks!
You know, the Walker's grown on me over the years. I think it would look pretty neat sitting on my desk. I like the gloss-black of the one in that link. Totally impractical still, and probably more of a b**ch to work on than even an A3000 case, but still. It'd be a conversation piece. ;-)
-
Under 15 seconds of an almost 7 minute video pushing this Walker case, the rest of the video is demos of other things and pushing other ailing Kickstarters.
Where can we see pics of the actual Walker case, finished product? 15 seconds of flipping through poor res 3D models isn't going to get you end goal on the project.
We don't even know what they are made of, how they are made, etc.
Little more info, please?
-
@Duce
pascal doesn't post here anymore. he ragequit sometime last year. :(
-- eliyahu
-
It's a Walker case. It, by definition, is totally hideous.
Bingo! Hideous, impractical, badly laid out. Only something an Amiga fanatic would want or recognize.
-
The case could be a Raspberry Pi's dream home with lots of add-on's stacked on it . . . Or maybe not. . . :)
-
Bingo! Hideous, impractical, badly laid out. Only something an Amiga fanatic would want or recognize.
The design makes me think that it is trying to burrow into the ground to escape the stares of horrified people.
-
Great link, thanks!
You know, the Walker's grown on me over the years. I think it would look pretty neat sitting on my desk. I like the gloss-black of the one in that link. Totally impractical still, and probably more of a b**ch to work on than even an A3000 case, but still. It'd be a conversation piece. ;-)
Seem to be getting 404, what was there? :-/
-
This... just this! It's freaking hideous, probably one of the ugliest cases ever made.
I agree with you, but this was a product of its time.
Without giving anything away, I was present when the case was first unveiled at Amiga Technologies GmbH by Stefan Domeyer. The reasons given for going with this case design was to (1) make it stand out next to other computer models, and (2) increase focus on a different kind of market, in which design aspects drove sales. Turn the clock forward a couple of years and you'd see how this could have played out: set top boxes!
One aspect of the case design is not exactly obvious: it was intended to be used not just as a housing for an A1200 type of computer, but also for A4000T type of machines. The casing would not enclose the entire machine (A1200 type), but the upper and lower parts of the casing would sandwich the "middle part" in which plugin-cards and drive slots would sit. At least, that was how the design was presented. My best guess is that to work as a tower casing design, more work would have been needed.
As things turned out to be, the only case design which housed working hardware was shown at the same CeBIT fair during which Amiga Technologies GmbH parent ESCOM AG was announced to be in financial difficulties.
So we're sort of stuck with an historic artefact which leans towards "styling" rather than functionality. Personally, I would have much preferred Hans Ruedi Giger's take on the Amiga case design, but he probably did not get the job because he would have been too expensive ;)
-
@Duce
pascal doesn't post here anymore. he ragequit sometime last year. :(
-- eliyahu
Thank God! So we are save from crappy computer cases like this and his idea to sell a raspi for 190 bucks to amigans to convert videos at lousy bitrates, while same rpi can play them in best quality. There might be users adoring him for boxing their ears, but for me, i'm grateful for his absence.
The case is ugly, useless junk. Any Amiga(n) deserves better than this.
-
So, so ugly. Produced at a time when competing with Apple was inexplicably believed to be possible.
If development of the Amiga platform had continued along its original path, I imagine a modern Amiga would resemble a Nintendo Wii U with a novel input device.
-
Seem to be getting 404, what was there? :-/
Still working fine here. Maybe a temporary DNS error or something on your end? It's a blog post with pictures from the original Walker designers, clearing a few things up. :)
-
So, so ugly. Produced at a time when competing with Apple was inexplicably believed to be possible.
In key European markets such as Germany, Amiga print magazines still outsold monthly Mac publications by a large margin in 1995 / 1996.
-
I agree with you, but this was a product of its time.
Indeed, the Walker is now roughly 20 years old which is a ridiculously long time for anything related to computer case design. Even though I did not find it particularly pretty myself, due to its unique look the Walker received a fair amount of attention from the media with pictures being printed in mainstream PC magazines, for instance. Even though not all coverage was entirely positive, for any computer brand aiming to crawl its way back into the eye of the masses a small public controversy is usually a godsend.
The Walker could have been for Amiga what the iMac became for Apple, which too received a lot more attention for its unconventional design than for it its technical specifications. (I can´t say I liked the iMac case when it was introduced either, for the record.)
Without giving anything away, I was present when the case was first unveiled at Amiga Technologies GmbH by Stefan Domeyer. The reasons given for going with this case design was to (1) make it stand out next to other computer models, and (2) increase focus on a different kind of market, in which design aspects drove sales. Turn the clock forward a couple of years and you'd see how this could have played out: set top boxes!
Has there been any computer company who managed to successfully penetrate the market for settop boxes in the 90s and early 00s? Despite all the talk about rise of the settop boxes back then, it seems to have largely remained a mirage for many years.
-
Indeed, the Walker is now roughly 20 years old which is a ridiculously long time for anything related to computer case design. Even though I did not find it particularly pretty myself, due to its unique look the Walker received a fair amount of attention from the media with pictures being printed in mainstream PC magazines, for instance. Even though not all coverage was entirely positive, for any computer brand aiming to crawl its way back into the eye of the masses a small public controversy is usually a godsend.
The Walker could have been for Amiga what the iMac became for Apple, which too received a lot more attention for its unconventional design than for it its technical specifications. (I can´t say I liked the iMac case when it was introduced either, for the record.)
Has there been any computer company who managed to successfully penetrate the market for settop boxes in the 90s and early 00s? Despite all the talk about rise of the settop boxes back then, it seems to have largely remained a mirage for many years.
Given your mention of Stefan Domeyer, it seems appropriate to mention this here:
http://188.122.70.211/
#6
-
While the concept does have its merits, such as the "stackability" of different modules, the design itself is (even thinking back 20 years ago) quite horrid, with an almost uncomfortably crustacean critter feel to it.
Not sure what the original designers were thinking, but it'd be good to get an interview with them and see what they were thinking at the time.
-
In key European markets such as Germany, Amiga print magazines still outsold monthly Mac publications by a large margin in 1995 / 1996.
You're right, of course. Jobs hadn't returned to Apple yet. 1995 was a big year for technology, but Apple wasn't among the leaders. Why am I thinking of the Walker as something made closer to the new millennium?
-
Has there been any computer company who managed to successfully penetrate the market for settop boxes in the 90s and early 00s? Despite all the talk about rise of the settop boxes back then, it seems to have largely remained a mirage for many years.
Sony? They were already producing components for the living room, of course, but the Playstation (and the Xbox) has become nearly what everyone imagined STBs to be in the 90's.
-
http://188.122.70.211/
Wait, what? Met@box? Good sir, you can't just drop a link and not provide any details! :p
-
What's with Android being put on set top boxes anyhow? It's horrible enough to deal with them on touch screen devices that it was designed for.
Now if they'd take something small like that and slap SteamOS on it, and integrate Amiga emulation into it, that'd be pretty sweet.
slaapliedje
-
Sony? They were already producing components for the living room, of course, but the Playstation (and the Xbox) has become nearly what everyone imagined STBs to be in the 90's.
If I remember correctly what a set-top box was supposed to deliver, its functionality was restricted to small, limited tasks: give you access to satellite/cable TV programming. It would sit next to your TV set, plugged into the AV port.
Limited functionality, because back then more sophisticated features would have cost more money.
The typical customer for set-top boxes was not necessarily the end-user. For example, hotels would buy them (the customer), and the guest (the end-user) would use them. As a developer you could do well selling your set-top boxes to those customers, if the price was right, and even if to the end-user the product really sucked.
The PS3, XBOX360, AppleTV etc. don't really fall into the set-top box category of old because the customer is the end-user, and the devices are much more powerful. Also, the medium which the set-top box allows you to access is no longer necessarily analogue, but digital. Things have changed so much, probably for the better.
-
I'd always equated STBs with convergence "in the living room." Was the industry of the time really just focused on single-purpose devices? My memories of the late 1900's are those of a teenager and twenty-something; I would have been much less conservative with my hopes for technology.
EDIT: And hotel systems still suck. What's up with that?
-
Only something an Amiga fanatic would want or recognize.
Speak for yourself. I love the Amiga, but I would not go that far. The case should never have been brought to light of day, even as a prototype.
-
Any case upon which you cannot stack a pile of discs, external hdd and at least 3 coffee mugs is an abomination!
-
This is what I think of walker case:
(http://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/vomiting.gif)
-
This is what I think of walker case:
(http://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/vomiting.gif)
Go on then, tell us how you really feel! :roflmao:
-
Nothing wrong with the modern Android set top boxes. Despite the Amazon-centric experience of the Fire TV, I had a pretty good experience with it, and with 6 million units sold last year, I wouldn't consider the sales weak on 'em.
-
Any case upon which you cannot stack a pile of discs, external hdd and at least 3 coffee mugs is an abomination!
Seriously, I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's not as ugly and ridiculous as people make out. At the time I thought it looked quite interesting and futuristic. An added bonus is that it can also deflect both coffee spills and radar.
-
The original Walker isn't too hard on the eyes, keeping in mind the era it's from - these remakes with the screen on them are abhorrent, though.
That's a $40 screen (Adafruit) and the Pi 2 (available anywhere) is another $50 bucks or so, so think about that before shelling out 300 euros on this.
-
Message from Phoenixconsole on Amigaworld.net :
http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=40405&forum=8&start=40&viewmode=flat&order=0#764802
The Walker costs in the Kickstarter campaign 300euros as full system:
Let's calculate roughly
Pi 2 40euros
Aeros premium 30euros
AmigaOS 3.1 10euros
Pi-tft 40euros
Sata to USB adapter 30euros
Dvd-rw slim 30euros
Ups with battery 40euros
Flatband gpio and other cables (power/hdmi) 10euros
And there is a case made of PLA and some screws.
I am not sure if you work for free either.
Edited by TrevorD
Removed the personal insults.
-
Always thought C64 case wasn't the best looking design in the world
and remember my Frankenamiga with addition of AT tower from long time
ago.
Walker being part of Amiga history project has right to be as hideous
as they come but c'mon if someone is making one how much bashing
is really needed ?
Not to mention that Intel motherboard with integrated everything from
the present has more in common with original Amiga-All-In-One design
than NG solutions that use add-on card and risers instead and to top
it all are supplied in most common cases you can imagine.
-
Edited by TrevorD
Removed the personal insults.
Thanks but I think you missed one (after "@amiga.org").
-
Thanks but I think you missed one (after "@amiga.org").
Aye.
-
So a guy points out effectively the same numbers in regards to component costs as the maker does, and an entire site gets called "braindeads", among other things? Marketing 101 at work right there... Sigh..
Only point I was trying to make is that you might be able to get a bare case from this fellow and build it yourself for cheaper. He'd still make money selling the bare case, and you'd have a neat little PC at a decent price with perhaps some personal custom touches applied to.
Some people (me included) may have zero interest in included "AEROS" for 30E or some obscure cloud service and may want to buy just the bare case and build it up themselves, which can be done cheaper if you're willing to dig a bit. For those that simply wanted to buy the whole PC pre-built off the gentlemen, he offers that as well. I don't see a problem nor need for the "vendor" to be ignorant. Were I to buy one - and I may if I can ever see an actual physical hard copy of the thing rather than just a 3d render, I'd prefer to buy it barebones and build it myself using my own components, anyways. None of the included components look proprietary in the least. I don't pay for things I won't use, and I certainly wouldn't use several things included on the full build version like Amicloud, AEROS, UPS battery pack, slim optical drive, etc.
Fellow has one heck of a way of "promoting a product". You'd think his time would be better served by getting a real copy of the case printed up and photographed/advertised vs. slinging insults at the community if they dare ask questions.
-
@Duce
The master of guerilla marketing is back on track with a hot deal for you, only 80 bucks for this hand-crafted little indulgence. From the metrics i guess it costs 160 to 240 bucks ordering it from a 3d printing service.
Of course this offer is garnished with the usual cusses and insults.
I wonder why this underestimated beauty isn't advertised on amiga-news.de
Maybe he is using explicit language a bit too often there as well.
Calculating 70.000 $ on kickstarter needs 233 backers pledging 300 bucks
Pledges of 20 $, erm, needs around 3500 backers. I doubt he'll get enough to buy the printer and materials.
Good luck in getting one
-
All I am asking the guy for is some pics of a real, live version of it. Not some 3d rendering, you know, just so people can be assured he actually has the ability and equipment to make a real, live version? You know, so people can see the print quality, etc? Guess that makes me the bad guy, lol.
He'll really blow a gasket when anyone that does buy one just releases the stl files on the web anyways, lol.
It won't go anywhere anyways, just like the rest of the "projects". Not trying to brow beat the gentleman, but it's not too much to ask to see something more than a 3d rendering if you're asking for peoples' money, is it? It's not standard practice to buy expensive items based on what is effectively a drawing on the back of a cocktail napkin.
I mean, I don't have the Ford Motor Company hammering on my door, trying to sell me concept cars and shouting "BUT LOOK, it's a 3D rendering!!!!" and not having anything really to show for it.
I'm honestly surprised the other sites haven't put the kibosh on things.