Two versions costing $300 and $365.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Commodore International introduced its first personal computer, the PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) in 1977 and significantly helped usher in the personal computer revolution.
In 2015, the company is at it again, albeit this time it’s hitting the market with an Android phone.
As an homage to the iconic computer, the new phone is also called the PET and in addition to the latest Android build, will house two emulators with which owners can enjoy retro Commodore C64 and Amiga games.Follow @ambazaarmag
According to Ars Technica:
The 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display sits behind a sturdy slab of Gorilla Glass 3, and is powered by a 1.7 GHz Mediatek 64-bit octa-core processor with ARM Mali T760 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and a large 3000mAh battery. There’s a rear-facing camera complete with a 13-megapixel Sony sensor and bright f/2.0 aperture, while the front-facing 8-megapixel camera is equipped with an 80-degree wide-angle lens. The PET even supports dual-SIM 4G connectivity.
Commodore’s foray into the smartphone market is the brainchild of Italian entrepreneurs Massimo Canigiani and Carlo Scattolini, who were able to register Commodore Business Machines Limited in the U.K. after many years of trademark disputes, according to PC Magazine. The original iteration of Commodore went bankrupt in 1994 after helping usher in the age of the PC.
The pseudo-throwback of a smartphone is slated for launch this week in Italy, France, Germany, and Poland with color options of white, black, or “classic biscuit-beige.”
Buyers will be able to choose between a $300 light version with 16GB of storage and 2GB RAM, or a $365 regular model with 32GB of memory and 3GB RAM. Both include a 32GB microSD card slot, with support for up to 64GB.