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New Atari Console that Ataribox?


Goochman

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In one corner, we have someone saying it's all a mystery and none of your guesses are remotely correct about the colossal cock up.

 

In another corner, we have people saying Atari's incompetence caused the failure.

 

In another corner we have people saying the thing failed from lack of support.

 

In another corner we have people saying wait and see.

In one corner we have a bunch of anonymous people online calling it a scam because they either a) don't like crowdfunding, b)they don't trust the people involved, or c) they think it's still 1977 and Atari should still develop and market a console the way you did back then

 

In the other corner we had AMD announcing Ataribox as a design win.

 

I really doubt AMD would claim something as a custom design win if they hadn't, you know, been involved in the custom design process with Atari.

 

I believe they really intend to release this thing. I don't think it's a scam-- if it fails it will probably be due to incompetence

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In one corner we have a bunch of anonymous people online calling it a scam because they either a) don't like crowdfunding, b)they don't trust the people involved, or c) they think it's still 1977 and Atari should still develop and market a console the way you did back then

 

In the other corner we had AMD announcing Ataribox as a design win.

 

I really doubt AMD would claim something as a custom design win if they hadn't, you know, been involved in the custom design process with Atari.

 

I believe they really intend to release this thing. I don't think it's a scam-- if it fails it will probably be due to incompetence

 

I'd love to see a REAL AMD claim, not some armchair internet "professional", posting hypothetical AMD claims as facts.

 

A real AMD press release. Got a link?

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In one corner we have a bunch of anonymous people online calling it a scam because they either a) don't like crowdfunding, b)they don't trust the people involved, or c) they think it's still 1977 and Atari should still develop and market a console the way you did back then

 

In the other corner we had AMD announcing Ataribox as a design win.

 

I really doubt AMD would claim something as a custom design win if they hadn't, you know, been involved in the custom design process with Atari.

 

I believe they really intend to release this thing. I don't think it's a scam-- if it fails it will probably be due to incompetence

 

Disagreed.

 

All that happened was that the CEO of AMD sent out a tweet involving Atariboxcorp, Inc., and Atariboxcorp, Inc., didn't follow through on their end.

 

Happens all the time. Everyone is so desperate to put their brand in front of consumers' eyes that all semblance of rational thought concerning the ramifications of doing so based on available evidence has gone straight down the toilet.

 

(Found Lisa Su's Atari tweet; edited to reflect.)

Edited by x=usr(1536)
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Plot twist: Atari is the good guy in this and cancelled the moment they found there was no prototype.

 

Of course, that's speculation and we may never find out what really happened.

Am expecting Feargal Mac to suddenly announce he needs time to focus on Gameband, though.

It's an interesting theory, and I'd like to know more. Whether incompetence or a scam, it has always smacked of a house of cards that sought to sell something that didn't really exist as they have done with the gameband and storm fly. Maybe someone with half a clue saw they really had dick and put a stop to things, or they saw enough about what's really going on with the watch and said Whoa Nelly! Regardless, the house of cards scenario where some might call them overly ambitious, I call them fruadulent scammers. It takes a lot more work to be credible marketing something that doesn't exist than it does to sell something real while you refine it. The fact that they can never say anything about it says they are hiding plenty which the will never say anything about. It's understandable not to say everything you're planning or thinking, but if you can't or won't say anything about it at all, you ain't got s#!t. People can't resist bragging on their accomplishments. They had none.

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Catching up... busy day at work. This is what happens when you skip reading this thread for a few hours.

Launch Delay

The countdown to the Ataribox launch on Indiegogo has been officially paused.
Because of one key element on our checklist, it is taking more time to create the platform and ecosystem the Atari community deserves.
Building Ataribox is incredibly important to us and we will do whatever it takes to be sure it is worth the wait.
An updated launch plan is underway and more detailed information will be available soon.
We will be keeping you, our community, informed every step of the way. Thank you again for your support of Ataribox.

-The Ataribox Team


I suppose I should've been surprised by this... but I'm actually not. What I am surprised by, is how closely this is paralleling the Coleco Chameleon. Right down the line. It's incredible to think "Atari" learned nothing from that fiasco. Admittedly, that's kind of a long thread to read, but there are some videos which sum it all up. They had to be aware of it, right?

The "one key element" line is incredibly telling. They don't have a platform or ecosystem. It's not there. It doesn't exist. You could try qualifying it with a "yet", but they admit that they have not created it. They haven't figured it out. Neither the platform itself, nor the ecosystem to support it. The one key element missing from their checklist is, apparently, an actual product. Whatever they might have, is so far from being ready for public consumption, they have yet to show any video of it. Even a fake one. They've never shown a development system. They've never shown us the inside of the Ataribox "prototype". Or a half-assembled prototype board on a kitchen table. Nothing. Nada. Anyone with minimal know-how and a 3D printer could have shown everything that they have up until this point.

I'm not buying the line that they will keep us "informed every step of the way" either. They haven't kept us informed any step of the way.

I totally understand that, but my hands are tied and I'm gagged. Any business endeavor is complex and... shit happens.

I've carefully chosen what I've said to stay within the legal bounds of my NDA, but given as much as I can. And will continue to do so. This means that I know information I cannot share. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


For what it's worth - I appreciate the fact that you've been willing to post here at all, considering the kind of anger flung your way. I think it's misdirected, since you're not Atari. What if one of us were asked to be an "insider"? Wouldn't we jump at the chance to just maybe help Atari get back in the spotlight again? I hope we can hear the full story at some point. I don't know what I'd have done in your shoes - except I think I probably would've been yelling at Atari a lot. Especially today. They're clearly idiots. Either that, or they were so ignorant as to what they were getting into, and so far in over their heads, that they never should have attempted this in the first place. So... yeah... still idiots.

I understand your need to honor an NDA. I've been under NDAs before, and even if the company is a complete joke, you only harm your own reputation by violating it. Plus, Atari has proven they're one thing - they are litigious.

That said...

The case was real, not rendered; I never saw inside it. The joystick is real and functional.


Did you see the case in person, and was it ever actually hooked up to a TV, actually running some sort of software? Or was it literally just an Atari box? (I don't doubt a case existed - again, see my note above about 3D printing. I just don't believe for an instant that it had anything inside it even remotely resembling what Atari claimed they were going to sell.)

Did you see and/or handle the joystick in person? (I actually don't doubt it was real and functional. Ben Heck makes controllers all the time. I've made one-off controllers, for that matter.)

What I'm getting at - was any of your contact with them in person? Just wondering if you ever got any behind-the-scenes look at them actually working on anything? If so, was this at "Atari"? Or was it at Feargal Mac's garage/workshop/kitchen/wherever?

 

And what is Atari? Physically - what is it? Is it an office in a building with one guy sitting at a laptop, looking for IP violations? Do they actually have an office?

I am choosing to continue to work with Feargal on GameBand.


I laughed at this at first, thinking, "Hey - that's a pretty-good joke!" But then I thought, "Oh... he's serious."

 

But it does bring up an interesting question. Since Feargal is going to be working on the GameBand... is he off of the Ataribox project? Or is he just "paused"?

 

I'm sure you can't directly answer most of those. Again - looking forward to hearing the story behind the story. Someday.

 

But then, I'm still looking forward to hearing the story behind the RetroVGS/Chameleon too. And I know I never will.

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Did you see the case in person, and was it ever actually hooked up to a TV, actually running some sort of software? Or was it literally just an Atari box? (I don't doubt a case existed - again, see my note above about 3D printing. I just don't believe for an instant that it had anything inside it even remotely resembling what Atari claimed they were going to sell.)

No, never in person. However I have seen video that hasn't been shown that puts real humans in the vicinity of the case and joystick. But the case. Sure it could be CGI, but based on what I've seen I do not think it was.

 

Did you see and/or handle the joystick in person? (I actually don't doubt it was real and functional. Ben Heck makes controllers all the time. I've made one-off controllers, for that matter.)

No. And again there are additional videos and images that I've seen that would go a long way to prove its existence. I've asked if I can share some of these.

 

What I'm getting at - was any of your contact with them in person? Just wondering if you ever got any behind-the-scenes look at them actually working on anything? If so, was this at "Atari"? Or was it at Feargal Mac's garage/workshop/kitchen/wherever?

 

Not in person. Phone calls, yes. Feargal and I talk about once a week.

 

And what is Atari? Physically - what is it? Is it an office in a building with one guy sitting at a laptop, looking for IP violations? Do they actually have an office?

I don't know about Atari SA. They have an office in NY.

 

I laughed at this at first, thinking, "Hey - that's a pretty-good joke!" But then I thought, "Oh... he's serious."

Yup, very serious.

 

But it does bring up an interesting question. Since Feargal is going to be working on the GameBand... is he off of the Ataribox project? Or is he just "paused"?

I cannot speak on his behalf.

 

I'm sure you can't directly answer most of those. Again - looking forward to hearing the story behind the story. Someday.

 

But then, I'm still looking forward to hearing the story behind the RetroVGS/Chameleon too. And I know I never will.

I'm sure I will be able to tell it at some point.

Edited by The Historian
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I suppose I should've been surprised by this... but I'm actually not. What I am surprised by, is how closely this is paralleling the Coleco Chameleon.

I wasn't surprised either, and yes, the similarities are quite striking. Despite the fact that I would probably never buy this thing, I really don't want it to be just another Coleco Chameleon.

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Disagreed.

 

All that happened was that the CEO of AMD sent out a tweet involving Atariboxcorp, Inc., and Atariboxcorp, Inc., didn't follow through on their end.

 

Happens all the time. Everyone is so desperate to put their brand in front of consumers' eyes that all semblance of rational thought concerning the ramifications of doing so based on available evidence has gone straight down the toilet.

 

(Found Lisa Su's Atari tweet; edited to reflect.)

The AMD mention was in a quarterly earnings report:

 

http://www.amd.com/en-us/press-releases/Pages/press-release-2017oct24.aspx

 

 

Atari disclosed that a customized AMD processor featuring Radeon™ graphics technology will power the upcoming Ataribox game console, which is targeted for global launch in spring 2018.

 

Interesting, last time I did a search on amd.com and found that, it was only that link. Now I see a Benchmarking link, that lists the Atari Mega ST. http://support.amd.com/TechDocs/bmark186.pdf#search=atari

 

 

189 Atari Mega ST 4 MiNT/TOS1.04 68030 25.0 2.2 2.6 40
190 Atari Mega ST 4 MiNT/TOS1.04 68030 25.0 2.2 2.6 40

 

68030 with TOS 1.04/MiNT? Interesting.

Edited by leech
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I keep seeing his word atari come up when I should be reading more about tacos.

 

Atari as a kid collector/fan died in the late 80s to me. Probably 87 or 89. Never will be again.

 

Atariage and all the homebrew people keep the spirit of Atari alive.

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As I figured. Essentially just a public relations gunman for hire. Got it.

 

-Thom

So you believe he alone is a powerhouse to bring back Atari with his stylish glasses.

Got it.

 

PS. I used to have a patch like that under my lip in 2003. I grew it long and put brylcreem on it. Drove the ladies cray-Z!

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As I figured. Essentially just a public relations gunman for hire. Got it.

 

-Thom

 

For hire? Pfft... they can't afford me. And god help them if I was going PR … I mean I kind of suck at PR wouldn't you say? It truly isn't in my skill set and I would never claim it was. I don't even claim to do marketing.

 

Call me an over invested Fan? A zealot maybe? Come to AtariBox we might have Tacos...

 

It's cool. I'm an easily available target, so fire away.

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