Now that the Efika costs €75....

[hooligan]

Darrin wrote:


After all these years of flying the "red flag", I can't believe that I'm (most probably) going to end up running MorphOS on my Efika before getting a chance to run OS4.

I wonder what sort of reception I'll get on "Blue" sites?  :-o

Warm and kind? ;-)

[amigadave]

Perhaps I am not aware of all the features of the Efika that make it a desirable product.  Yes, the price is not too high, but the performance is not too good to match the low price.  Am I mistaken, or would it not be better to buy a used G4 1gHz PegII than a brand new Efika, to run MorphOS on?  I know that MorphOS is the "Lightning" OS and does not need much resources to run on, but I don't think the Efika is the best solution, just the only new solution (when they finish the port of MOS to it).

Some one with more knowledge about the Efika and MorphOS please explain all the pros and cons of this choice.

[jj]

If you can find a used peg 2 for £50 let me know and I will buy it  :-)

[Everblue]

While are all EU sites selling the Efika for €200 when it costs 99 bucks

[McVenco]

Everblue wrote:
While are all EU sites selling the Efika for €200 when it costs 99 bucks

I think they just haven't updated their prices yet. Can't you order directly from Genesi on their website?

[Everblue]

Thats outside EU. Import taxes + high postage (especially if they use courier) would make it expensive. Anyway I emailed Vesalia and Amigakit asking when they are going to adjust their prices. The first to do so well get my custom.

[Everblue]

Update:

(from amigakit)
Unfortunately we cannot reduce the price to match the US price.  If we did this, we would make a large loss on every Efika.  We are reviewing the situation though.

Meh...

[Zac67]

They ask $70 for P&P to Germany - I don't understand why they don't offer more options. Adding postage and taxes to the great price makes it rather uninteresting. I've asked Genesi about this and they said they're 'looking into further possibilities of distribution". I guess the candidates for that are stocked with old price Efikas and are not willing to order more.

If you are from the EU and willing to order for ~100€, please post here or PM me. I hope we can setup a collective order.

[takemehomegrandma]

@Everblue

Unfortunately we cannot reduce the price to match the US price.

They probably bought a batch to the "old" price, and didn't get rid of it before the price drop?

[McVenco]

(from amigakit)
Unfortunately we cannot reduce the price to match the US price.  If we did this, we would make a large loss on every Efika.  We are reviewing the situation though.

Can't they just ask for a refund from Genesi? I mean, they let the price drop while they must have known that there were some shops selling it still at old prices.

But I guess that's how doing business works....

[Everblue]

Two quick updates:

1. I talked to Vesalia, they said they cannot drop the price (just like amigakit)

2. I tried to buy an Efika from the PegasosPPC store, and the shipping to Malta is US$150 - that means that once I get it I would have to pay an extra 18% VAT on top - no thanks.

So hopefully we can make a big order or something for EU members.

[amigadave]

What good is Efika at the moment?  Running PPC Linux?  It does not yet run AmigaOS 4 or MorphOS 1.4, or 1.5, right?  It is significantly slower than the Pegasos I or Pegasos II, right?

I just don't understand the advantages of buying it now or in the future, even if it does eventually run AmigaOS 4, or MorphOS.

Maybe someone can enlighten me about its advantages and highlights that make it a desirable platform and what uses it is good for.

I am not trying to talk it down, I just have not seen anything about it that seems exciting or new and must admit that I have not taken the time to research the Efika's specifications and advantages (if any).

I have more than enough computers and need a reason to buy another.  What can the Efika do that my other computers can't, or what can it do better and faster than the computers that I already have?

[humppa]

1. I talked to Vesalia, they said they cannot drop the price (just like amigakit)

Fair enough. If they weren't informed of the price-drop in advance, nobody can blame them for not selling the Efika below wholesale price.

What I just don't understand is why the Efika case is not available as a completely separate item? You can only buy a complete bundle with everything or just the board.
And no, I don't want to order just the case from the States.

[Colani1200]

takemehomegrandma wrote:

They probably bought a batch to the "old" price, and didn't get rid of it before the price drop?

Well, they never will unless they drop the price too, I guess...!?

[McVenco]

What good is Efika at the moment? It does not yet run AmigaOS 4 or MorphOS 1.4, or 1.5, right?

It runs MorphOS 2.0, it's just not available yet (only developing stage atm)

It is significantly slower than the Pegasos I or Pegasos II, right?

True.

Maybe someone can enlighten me about its advantages and highlights that make it a desirable platform and what uses it is good for.

It's very small. It's very cheap. You will have a factory new board, instead of used ones that are several years old (Peg & A1). It's versatile (as soon as it runs more OSes than just Linux).

True, it's also limited (no RAM to be added, only one PCI slot etc.) and slow (compared to Peg and A1 boards), but if you don't think of it as a high-end end-user machine you'll see it's worth while (imho).

What can the Efika do that my other computers can't, or what can it do better and faster than the computers that I already have?

Probably nothing. It's either the geek factor to have one, or to have a serious use for it (some embedded small form factor system running a specific task).

And like I said 2 lines above here: don't see it as the new high-end (or low-end even) Amiga or Pegasos. It's a pretty nice board to do embedded stuff, just like the SAM board. And if you are looking for a non-mainstream board to do little nifty things, it just might be the system for you :-)

[dammy]

AROS is also coming to EFIKA.

Dammy
TeamAROS