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Publisher Arnoldo Mondadori – Mondadori’s Company Archive
Magazine…. Pc Week
Publication Date…. 17/11/1988
Publication Number…. 0040
Page Number…. 0001
Section…. NEWS
Subheading…. PREVIEW
Title …. OLIVETTI: TWO 386 PC’s AND TWO MICROCHANNEL SYSTEMS
Author…. Roberto Mazzoni
Topics….Computer Industry
Type…. News
Location …. Ivrea TO Piedmont Italy, northern Italy
Subject …. Olivetti
Creation Date…. 08/04/1989


Description

New models of personal computers.

Main Article Text

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It is now in the air, the announcement of four new personal computers by Olivetti ,two of which will be based on MicroChannel architecture and two will, however, have a traditional bus , but will have an internal Intel 80386microprocessor with a clock frequency of 33 MHz . According to reports gathered within the heart of the company, the prototypes are ready for their launch, originally scheduled for the end of year, the launch will move to the beginning of next year, because of problems with the start of the production chain and because of considerations regarding the opportunity of the period. In this way, Olivetti will beat the timing of Compaq ,by first presenting a pair of 386 systems at 33 MHz, which are the most powerful offerings amongst those available on the market. Ivrea is preparing to propose, to the national audience, an offer of a three-pronged system: machines with the standard architecture, including the M290, the M380 and the two new micro’s at 33 MHz ; systems with Eisa architecture (Extended industry standard architecture), which will see the light of day by the end of 1989, and two computers with MicroChannel architecture. The latter, in particular, will be equipped respectively with an Intel 386SX microprocessor (the economic standard at 16 MHz) and a 80386 microprocessor (probably at 25 MHz). The two MicroChannel systems are probably evolution of the first MicroChannel prototype by Olivetti presented to Enel at the beginning of the year, and to other users over the past nine months. The choice of maintaining three different ranges of personal computers is not shared unanimously internally at Olivetti since it raises issues of clarity for both customers and the sales force.

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Finally it’s still poorly defined, what the agreements are, that were reached with IBM, for the sale rights regarding the manufacturing of a bus that meets MicrChannel specifications. There are some that claim that IBM is interested in technological exchange with Olivetti. This opinion seems credible only in part since the information on the new multiprocessor architecture Eisa, in which Olivetti is participating together with Compaq on its development along with seven other suppliers, are publicly available, subject to the payment of a few thousand dollars.

Roberto Mazzoni