Win an A9home at Wakefield 2005 - RISC OS News, Software and Information

Win an A9home at Wakefield 2005

Published: 19th May 2005, 01:17:39GMT Source: drobe.co.uk
By Chris Williams

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Makes that journey to Yorkshire all the more worthwhile

One lucky punter attending this weekend's Wakefield 2005 show will win an A9home, AdvantageSix have confirmed. Earlier this month, the show's organisers hinted that a special prize is on offer in this year's prize draw, although tonight's statement puts the rumours surrounding the event to rest.

"Wear your lucky pants, socks and baseball cap and you could be walking away with a new machine," said Matt Edgar, of Ad6. The company say they will be demonstrating a A9home machine, as well as other machines from the A9 range. We understand that advance orders will not be taken on the A9home.

The anonymous retail partner for AdvantageSix, who will look after end user sales and support for the eventual A9home product, is also set to make a public announcement at the show. Sources say that all eyes are on CJE Micros, although AdvantageSix couldn't confirm or deny these rumours.

The tight lipped company have decided against announcing further details of the machine, and instead invited people to see the machine for itself at Wakefield. Matt earlier explained to us that he wants desktop users to see the machine as something more than a set of specifications, preferably as an affordable and new machine running a 32bit RISC OS Adjust to replace the now extinct RiscPC and A7000 range. Sources have further claimed that the machine will be competitively priced against existing native hardware - allowing users who wish to upgrade or otherwise buy a new RISC OS system to opt for a more cost effective computer.

An example A9home system was demonstrated earlier this year to the public and selected press, although the machine that will be shown at Wakefield is believed to be an advanced version of this initial model. The A9home is said to be powered by an ARM9 processor, of which several varieties exist, including: the round about 200-400MHz ARM920T, which is aimed at multimedia and PDA embedded applications and the ARM940T, which is used for digital cameras and printers and other such devices. Semiconductor manufacturers such as Samsung usually license processor cores from ARM and build additional features around the processor - from USB and Ethernet to digital camera support.

In 2003, the top prize in the Wakefield show's raffle was an Omega, famously won by The ARM Club and subsequently reviewed by their club magazine despite MicroDigital's attempts to stop members of the press from winning the machine.

Links
A9home in the public spotlight
Lifting the lid on the A9

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Sawadee 19/5/05 1:27AM	Nice news. What is the meaning (if any) of its unusual name "A9home"? I assume A = Advantage, 9 = model range, home = home computer?
jc 19/5/05 1:36AM	All the Advantage Six/STD computers seem to have an A prefix: A5, A6, A75, A9 and the A9 range use the ARM9 processor. Most of the A9 range are OEM machines for industry and the A9home is the retail version from that series. And VERY nice news for Wakefield. It's not every show that has a release of a new computer.
diomus 19/5/05 1:36AM	The A9home is a supposedly a desktop machine - see the articles in the Links section for more details
sa110 19/5/05 8:11AM	Wow, this is FAB news. Before now I was questioning my decision to go to his years show. But not anymore.
Spriteman 19/5/05 8:46AM	So, is Jymbob going to Wakefield? -- Spriteman
Hertzsprung 19/5/05 5:10PM	*In reply to Sawadee:* Maybe it's the road on which ST travels to get to where he lives
fylfot 19/5/05 5:29PM	Good news indeed about the new machine. But why oh why are they still calling it the A9home? For anyone not familiar with their naming conventions, it's just so difficult to remember! Oh well, RISC OS bobs never did know anything much about marketting.
AMS 19/5/05 7:45PM	*In reply to fylfot:* Actually A9Home is not the worst name I've ever heard a computer christened. The other thing is at least it's a RISC OS machine aimed at the home (rather than it would have been in Acorn's day where one darent speak about their gear being used anywhere* else other than schools - which probably did ultimately more harm than good). The presence of A9Home is welcome (and a distinct improvement over the continual roll out of VA on yet another box). It also has introduced a bit of competition (I note from iconbar (sorry...) that Castle have kept on their 350 quid discount on for the show, and are even offering a DVD Writer burning kit as an upgrade and a new Iyonix that incorporates these). So lots to see at the show (which I unfortunately won't make (darn gosh)). Still I am sure there'll be plenty of informed histrionics here on Drobe to keep me going (really, it'll almost be like being there....*)
Sawadee 20/5/05 10:43AM	I'm undecided about my likes or dislikes of the A9home name. I would agree it is not the worst name I've ever seen for a computer. As "jc" says it means the ARM9 processor range home computer, so the meaning now makes sense. It does leave me wondering what on earth a non RISC OS or new RISC OS user would ask before considering buying... "Excuse me sir, does this computer prints A4 paper at work as well?" But then ARM9 is just as confusing to most computer users who have never seen RISC OS, ARM9 doesn't cost an "arm and a leg" to buy (expensive).
jymbob 21/5/05 8:51AM	It's a real shame I can't make Wakefield this year. I was feeling lucky again... (o:
druck 24/5/05 9:24AM	I think the best name for it would be the "A9 Home and Away" After all its so small you can use at home then take it in to work or on holiday (to Australia of course) and plug it in to any monitor and keyboard there might be around.