Phoebe (computer)

The Phoebe 2100 (or "Risc PC 2") was to be Acorn Computers' next generation Risc PC, slated for release in late 1998. On September 17, 1998, Acorn announced the end of the workstations division (responsible for the RISC OS computers) and cancelled the Phoebe despite thousands of pre-release orders.

Components

:233 MHz StrongARM (multiple StrongARMs support included) CPU:Upgradable daughter board:Four EIDE devices (6.4 GB unit supplied):IOMD2 and VIDC20+ chipsets:64 MHz front side bus:up to 512 MiB of SDRAM:4 MiB of VRAM:Monitor (1280 by 1024 pixels with 32,000 colours):Two serial ports:Tower case (NLX specification; yellow curved front panel):Trayless CD-ROM drive:5.25" drive bays:4 PCI sockets:3 Acorn expansion sockets:230 W PSU unit.

It was to run RISC OS 4 which was being updated by Acorn; a beta version, 3.8, was released to developers, and that code eventually became RISCOS Ltd's RISC OS 4 and Castle Technology's RISC OS 5.

Only two prototypes were ever made.

After the cancellation about 400 of the yellow cases were sold by [http://www.ctadirect.co.uk CTA]

Since then a few other companies have built compatible machines such as the Iyonix PC.

Trivia

* Phoebe's operating system was codenamed "Ursula". Ursula is the 'evil' twin of the character Phoebe in the U.S. TV show "Friends".
* The Phoebe's yellow case actually came in two different variants; one with a 'matte' finish, and the other with a 'gloss' finish to the plastic.

External links

* [http://www.houseofmabel.com/puters/Phoebe/ Phoebe information]