Commodore USA
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | April 2010 |
| Founder | Barry S. Altman |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Fate | Ceased operations; trademark license invalidated by court decision |
| Headquarters | Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale , United States |
Key people | Barry S. Altman (founder), Leo Nigro (Chief Technical Officer) |
| Products | Commodore 64x, Phoenix, Vic Slim, Vic Pro, Amiga Mini, Amiga Mio, Commodore OS |
Commodore USA, LLC was a computer manufacturer based in Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, established in April 2010. The company sought to revive the iconic Commodore and Amiga PC brands by securing exclusive licensing agreements from Commodore Licensing BV on August 25, 2010, and from Amiga, Inc. on August 31, 2010.
After Commodore USA ceased operations in 2012, a court decision in 2013 invalidated its license to use the Commodore brand. The ruling clarified that C=Holdings BV owned the trademarks, while Asiarim Corporation and its subsidiary Commodore Licensing BV did not have the authority to grant those rights. Asiarim was found responsible for trademark infringement. Additionally, the Amiga brand license faced legal challenges from Hyperion Entertainment, citing a previous settlement agreement.
The company’s final official communication occurred in March 2012. Barry S. Altman, the founder and principal executive, died of cancer in December 2012. Following his passing, Leo Nigro, the Chief Technical Officer, made the last forum entry concerning the Amiga product line later that same month.
Phoenix
The Commodore Phoenix was a compact keyboard computer designed as a modern reinterpretation of the Commodore 64. Originally created and produced by Cybernet, it served as a space-efficient workstation solution.
Commodore 64x
The flagship offering from Commodore USA was the Commodore 64x, which featured a partially revamped version of the classic Commodore 64 chassis with an upgraded keyboard and power supply unit. The entry-level model came equipped with an Intel Atom processor alongside an NVIDIA Ion 2 graphics card. On August 13, 2011, the higher-end "C64x Extreme" was launched, boasting an Intel Core i7 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 3 TB hard drive based on the Intel Sandy Bridge platform. A barebones edition encouraged enthusiasts to install their own Mini-ATX motherboards.
VIC
The redesigned Vic series consisted of keyboard computers preserving the original Commodore function keys. The Vic Slim model featured a full-sized keyboard but utilized a lower-powered Intel Atom CPU. Meanwhile, the Vic Pro included enhancements such as an integrated touchpad, memory card slot, and dual cooling fans, targeting users desiring improved features within a compact device.
Amiga
The Amiga lineup consisted of x86-based computers built around the Intel Core i7 chipset and incorporated native emulation capabilities for classic Amiga systems. The sole released model was the barebones Amiga Mini. A later iteration called the Amiga Mio was discontinued on November 4, 2013.
Commodore OS
In November 2011, Commodore USA introduced a beta version of Commodore OS, an operating system derived from Linux Mint, tailored for media center applications and bundled with open-source software packages. Full releases were exclusively available on Commodore USA hardware. This OS supported emulation of legacy Commodore operating systems.
History
Commodore USA’s business approach centered on offering systems preloaded with alternative operating systems, predominantly Linux distributions. Their products were marketed as compatible with multiple OS platforms such as Ubuntu and Windows but did not support Mac OS X. While Windows was sold separately, Linux came pre-installed on their keyboard computers. Initially endorsing AROS, the company later transitioned to developing Commodore OS, abandoning earlier ambitions for an Amiga-like user interface due to legal complications.
Several planned products including Invictus and Amigo were ultimately cancelled. The company revamped its website and launched an interactive forum while sharing designs for high-performance Amiga PCs. The licensing agreements for the Commodore brand were secured from Commodore Licensing BV on August 25, 2010, and for the Amiga brand from Amiga, Inc. on August 31.
Following Barry Altman’s death on December 8, 2012, molds and inventory related to the Commodore C64x were sold to My Retro Computer Ltd in the United Kingdom. This company continues to produce updated versions of these units in various colors and configurations.
Controversy
Commodore USA encountered backlash for deviating from its initially declared plans, threatening legal proceedings against a writer from OS News, and pursuing licensing agreements with an unauthorized Commodore license holder. The company also faced allegations of utilizing images, artwork, and design elements without obtaining proper authorization, often due to difficulties in reaching the original creators. Further dispute emerged when pictures claimed to depict the C64x production line in China were exposed as outdated promotional photographs of a Fujitsu plant located in Augsburg.
Multiple planned products were ultimately discontinued amid intellectual property conflicts, particularly concerning Amiga Inc.'s control over AROS for upcoming Amiga hardware. Other product cancellations reflected adjustments aligned with the company’s shifting business objectives.
Reception
Lance Ulanoff of PCMag described the new Commodore 64 as an "unconvincing and overpriced replica," emphasizing its reliance on contemporary hardware components. In rebuttal, Commodore USA pointed out the substantial expenses involved in creating proprietary chipsets and noted the limited availability of software compatible with alternative CPU platforms such as Power ISA or the Motorola 68000 series.
To mitigate these issues, Commodore USA introduced Commodore OS to be included with their systems. Nevertheless, their Amiga line was not compatible with original Amiga hardware or AmigaOS, which is maintained by an independent company. Initially, Commodore USA intended to ship AROS alongside their Amiga products but ultimately abandoned this plan following leadership changes under CEO Barry Altman.