╙ERVICE ═ERCHANDISE, A DISCOUNT STORE IN THIS AREA, SET OFF THE 1987 ROUND OF HOME COMPUTER WARS OFFERING ├OMMODORE'S NEW ╨├-10-2 ╔┬═ COMPATIBLE AT $599, $100 OFF THE USUAL PRICE, FOR TWO WEEKS IN ┴UGUST. ╘HE SALE, PROBABLY INTENDED TO TEST THE MARKET FOR THE ALL IMPORTANT ├HRISTMAS SELLING SEASON, WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. ╙UPPLYS WERE SOLD OUT IN LESS THAN 10 DAYS.
╘HE ╨├-10-2 IS A VERY POWERFUL COMPATIBLE. ╔T IS EQUIPPED WITH 640╦ ╥┴═, DUAL 5-1/4 IN FLOPPY DRIVES, 4.77 ═╚Z 8088 PROCESSOR, AND INCLUDES ═╙ ─╧╙, ╟╫ ┬ASIC AND UTILITY SOFTWARE, BUT WITHOUT MONITOR.
├OMMODORE IS THE FIRST TO RETAIL A POWERFUL COMPATIBLE IN THE VERY CROWDED, $500-1000 SYSTEM RANGE, THE CORE OF THE HOME COMPUTER MARKET. ╠AST YEAR ╔╘╘ ╪TRA AND ┬LUE ─OT OFFERED ╔┬═ COMPATIBLES IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE, BUT THEY WERE STRIPPED DOWN MODELS, TYPICALLY 256╦ WITH SINGLE DRIVE, OFTEN WITH ─╧╙ AND BASIC EXTRA. ┴T THOSE PRICES, THE ╠EADING ┼DGE DUAL DRIVE MODEL, THE LEADING DEALER COMPATIBLE IN THIS AREA, WAS A BETTER BUY AT $1100-1200.
╠EADING ┼DGE DEALERS HAVE ALREADY RESPONDED TO THE ╨├-10-2 DROPPING THE CORPORATE DISCOUNT PRICE ON DUAL DRIVE MODELS TO ABOUT $900 WITH ┬╫ MONITOR AND WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE. ═AIL ORDER HOUSES SEEM TO BE DISCONTINUING THEIR ADS FOR 4.77 ═╚Z MACHINES. ╔╘╘ ╪TRA AND ┬LUE ─OT SO FAR HAVEN'T RESPONDED. ┴TARI IS ALSO REPORTED TO BE READYING A LOW COST COMPATIBLE. ├OMMODORE HAS LEFT THEM AN OPENING BY NOT OFFERING A HARD DRIVE MODEL. ╠OOK FOR A $700 HARD DRIVE MODEL WITHIN A YEAR.
╘HE ╨├-10-2 HAS TO BE A THREAT TO HOME MARKET COMPETITORS. ╔T PROBABLY MEANS THE END OF ├OMMODORE'S OWN ├╨/═ MODEL, THE ├-128. ╫HO WILL PAY $500 FOR 128╦ AND A SINGLE FLOPPY WHEN 640╦ AND DUAL FLOPPIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR $600? ├OMMODORE'S VERY SUCCESSFUL ├OMMODORE 64, WHICH STILL DOMINATES THE UNDER $500 MARKET, AT $350/SYSTEM MAY BE THREATENED. ╘HE ╨├-10-2 SHOULD MEAN THE END OF THE ┴PPLE ╔╔, PARTICULARLY IN ITS KEY EDUCATIONAL MARKET. ┼DUCATORS MUST BE READY TO CONVERT TO ╔┬═ COMPATIBLES, ESPECIALLY AT ╨├-10-2 PRICES.
├OMMODORE'S NEW GRAPHICS MODEL, THE ┴MIGA 500, IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY. ╘HE ┴TARI ╙╘ SERIES, AND ╦AYPRO ╔┬═ COMPATIBLES COULD BE CHALLENGED.
├OMMODORE ALSO HAS A SINGLE FLOPPY ╔┬═ COMPATIBLE ON THE MARKET. ╔T IS CALLED THE ╨├-10-1, BUT DISTRIBUTION SEEMS TO BE WEAK. ╔T IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THIS AREA. ╘HE PRICING STRATEGY IS UNCLEAR, BUT COULD ALSO BE AGGRESSIVE.
╥EVIEWS USUALLY RATE THE ├OMMODORE COMPATIBLES, (HERETOFORE MARKETED ONLY IN ├ANADA AND ┼UROPE) AS "UNEXCITING." ╘HE ╨├-10-2'S PRICING AND POWER HAS TO BE RATED EXCITING. ╔T IS INTERESTING TO CONTRAST IT WITH THE ├OMMODORE 64 INTRODUCED IN 1982. ╔N THE ╨├-10-2, ├OMMODORE IS OFFERING 10 TIMES THE ╥┴═, NEARLY FIVE TIMES THE SPEED, AND TWO FREE FLOPPY DRIVES FOR ABOUT THE $595 INTRODUCTORY PRICE OF THE ├-64 FIVE YEARS AGO. ╘HAT'S PROGRESS.
╘HE ╨├-10-2 LOOKS LIKE A WINNER FOR THE ├HRISTMAS SEASON THIS YEAR, A PERIOD THAT USUALLY GENERATES TWO-THIRDS OF HOME COMPUTER SALES. ├OMMODORE WILL PROBABLY SELL ALL THE ╨├-10-2'S IT CAN PRODUCE. ╨OSSIBLY THIS WILL BE ├OMMODORE'S FIRST MILLION UNIT ├HRISTMAS SINCE 1983. ╘HINK ABOUT BUYING ├OMMODORE STOCK IF YOU BELIEVE A $600 ╨├-10-2 CAN BE PROFITABLE.
╘HE ═╙─ ╔NFORMATION ┼XCHANGE IS A MAIL BASED USER GROUP FOR THE ORPHANED ├OMMODORE 64 COMPATIBLE DISK DRIVES MADE BY ═╙─ ╙YSTEMS ╔NC OF ─ALLAS.
