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[International Radio and TV Exhibition at Berlin, Germany]
In his keynote for the St. Louis Show, Bill McEwen mentioned that AMIGA Inc. at this year's "Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA)" will be represented by Sharp. And there the AmigaDE would be shown on an SL5000 (codename "Zaurus"). Because the Amiga Club Berlin & Brandenburg is on the spot, we agreed upon a common visit to the IFA.
On August 26, 2001 at 11 o'clock three members of the ACBB (A4k, Trion and Gojira) met to storm the Sharp booth at the IFA. Over a cup of coffee (as usual for the fabulously opportunistic show price of only DM 5.-) it was decided, that we would not leave without having been permitted to see the SL5000 (Zaurus).
At Sharp (Hall 3.2a) we were surprised to see not only one, but altogether six of them! Unfortunately on most of them ran only the standard software (calendar, addresses, memos etc.), made by Sharp. On one there was a route-planner (Made in Germany), and there was another one showing MP3. Because it was not overcrowded, we were able to pose several questions about the device. Asking, where the AmigaDE software could be seen, the answer was "Amiga???"! (Somehow I felt, that those temporary student helpers should have gotten a better training ... :-) ). He did not know anything about, that there is Amiga software supposed to run on the SL5000! And to the questions, if there was anybody around knowing it, and where AMIGA Inc. could be found, only a helpless shaking of his head was the answer. Frustrated we retreated to discuss the situation. What to do, for we firmly were determined, not to leave ... Far and wide not a single hint to AMIGA Inc., which disappointed us quite heavily. :-(
So up and away to the Information for Distributors and Press! Just for a try! A quick question about a competent contact person for the SL5000, and lo, there was Mrs. Boxberg (Product Manager Sharp Germany) and pleased to meet us! Already the first sentences showed to us that this lady knew what she was talking about, and "Amiga" did not seem to be a foreign word to her :-) : Of course there was an SL5000 with AmigaDE on hand and we could see and hold it.
She told us, too, that Sharp is interested in contacting German (European) Amiga programmers! In this case just amiga-news.de (because it is translated to many languages) comes to the mind of the Amiga freak as first address! Then she led us to the mystery of the day: A prototype of the SL5000, with several AmigaDE games running on it (Linea and Batty by Titan Computer, Boxikon by Epic, Convex by NeoNeo and Sol [exact descriptions and screenshots of the games in the AmigaDE range at http://www.amiga.com]). A short view of the Elate shell, and we are convinced that all AMIGA Inc. had promised, was pure truth. The Zaurus is alive and on hand! (Unfortunately due to the narrowness, the three people and the fact, that the SL5000 only ran with mains power supply connected, a more detailed test was not possible.)
Our question, why AMIGA Inc. was not present, Mrs. Boxberg answered with difficulties in scheduling, but emphasized, that she quite often had phoned AMIGA Inc. I came to the belief, that Sharp did not fully know, where and how to range AMIGA (press policy AMIGA Inc.???).
The SL5000 feels good in the hand, and the keyboard can be used comfortably. Because we only had come because of the AmigaDE, we did not care for additional features of the SL5000.
During the talk suddenly someone stood behind me - and what did I see: A BoingBall on the shirt! :-)) It was Sanjay Menon (Vice President Engineering) of AMIGA Inc. (VK at the web-gallery ACBB)! He was excited that Amiga users troubled and he was surprised that we were so interested. Our questions he answered as competently and objectively as Mrs. Boxberg. Furthermore he showed us his personal SL5000, running an additional game, a slotmachine.
Considering all this, we really were contented and very politely said Good Bye. But one thing we had to get rid of: "Too bad, that Sharp did not make any billings for AMIGA, say nothing of an own AMIGA booth." Mrs. Boxberg answered: They are setting about this, but they cannot promise anything for the IFA.
Unfortunately the variety of programs only had shown part of the possibilities. But if they transfer all we had seen to the desktop, we will have a rosy future ahead of us.
We, the ACBB, are content and proud to have seen as the first German Amiga club the SL5000 with AmigaDE.
So let's be curious for the CeBIT 2002, then and there hopefully with the Sharp SL5000 (powered by AmigaDE)!
Thomas Nosutta <Nosutta@t-online.de>
