Commodore USA to revive PC64 with Atom processor

Commodore USA announced on Wednesday that it will be launching an all-in-one keyboard computer, branded as the PC64, that should be on sale before Christmas.

The device will feature an exact replica of the original beige Commodore C64 chassis, but under the bonnet it will house more modern specifications that include a dual-core Intel Atom 525 CPU with Nvidia Ion2 graphics, 4GB DDR3 memory, 1TB hard drive and a CD/DVD drive. A Blu-ray drive is available as an optional extra.

On the connectivity front, the PC64 offers HDMI-out, dual-link DVI, six USB ports, integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 6-in-1 media card reader. Pricing has not yet been disclosed.

Commodore USA announced in March that it was reviving the much-loved Commodore brand, but ran into problems when it transpired that company chief executive Barry Altman had negotiated a licensing agreement with a company — Commodore Gaming — that was itself a licensee of the brand. The actual holder of the rights to the brand was Commodore Licensing BV, itself a subsidiary of Asiarim Corp.

"We are ecstatic to be partnering with Commodore Licensing BV in this new, exciting product launch," Altman said in a statement on Wednesday. "The legacy of the Commodore C64, which sold over 30 million units, making it the best-selling computer of all time, and our reintroduction of this legendary form factor, combined with the world's most recognisable consumer electronics brand, is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Commodore Licensing BV was formed from Commodore International, but not from the original company that declared itself bankrupt in 1994. Since that point, the Commodore brand has passed through a number of companies' hands, including Escom and Tulip Computers, before being picked up by Yeahronimo Media Ventures — which subsequently changed its name to Commodore International Corporation.