Contiki v2.40 (a small but modern operating system) is available since 16th February 2010. A previous version has been compiled for Amstrad CPC with the Small Device C Compiler.

Marlene Johansen, one of the 2 members of LuBlu Entertainment (authors of the Amstrad CPC game Sort'Em), has drawn a nice picture on Amstrad CPC (mode 1, 4 colors) that you can see below, you will also find 2 others Amstrad CPC pictures on her web site.

Following news arent exactly new (2007 and 2008 when I wasnt very active). I am still doing them for those who wouldnt know it, and to add the files on the site. It's also a prelude for new features on this site.

The web site of Institut national de l'Audiovisuel (its goal is to keep archives of french television and radio) got a lifting. They also now have 200.000 televsion ads from 1968 to today. I invite you to go see ads about Amstrad products.

I just added a new PCW link : PcW16ers - Reloaded - which is of course about the PcW16.

For the 25 years of the Amstrad CPC in 2009, Amstradeus (bilingual site, choose language at upper left of the page) is organizing a graphic contest till the 30th May 2009. You must send an image about the quarter of century of the Amstrad CPC in JPG or PNG to win a CPC 464 firmware book (in english).

The Real Sir Alan is a 60 minute show by Fiona bruce shown on BBC Two (11th January 2009) and BBC One (24th January 2009). It cant be seen anymore with the BBC iPlayer, but it seems to be on Youtube :

• The Real Sir Alan part 1
• The Real Sir Alan part 2
• The Real Sir Alan part 3
• The Real Sir Alan part 4
• The Real Sir Alan part 5
• The Real Sir Alan part 6

Also for the 5th year in a row, The apprentice show with Alan Michael Sugar is on the waves.

And for the end, if you still dont have read Alan Michael Sugar biography, I recommend it personally, I did read it and liked it.

As news doesnt appear as often as before, you now have a RSS flux to be informed when the site is updated.

It's never too late, well I hope.

Thanks to MiguelSky, the spanish FAQ has been updated to the latest version (from 2005, some updating work needing to be done).

It's a bit late for wishing you a merry christmas, so I will wish you a happy good year 2008 instead, and much CPCing.

FutureOS documentation (new OS for the Amstrad CPC) is available now in german AND english on the web site.

Symbos v2.0 is out :

• SymbOS has been ported completely to the Amstrad PCW/Joyce (screensaver works now, too).
• 1024KB support on all platforms; 24 applications can be loaded and executed now at the same time.
• "SymbOS extensions": This module can optionally be loaded during the booting process and adds new functions like the "Security" dialogue to the operating system.
• Richtext support and additional 16 colour controls
• SymbOS supports the handling of shared services. These are processes, which run in the background and provide their functions like accessing external hardware and other things to multiple applications at the same time.
• The file selection, info and confirm windows have been enhanced with several new options.
• SymShell includes new control codes for better VT100, VT52 and ANSI terminal emulation.
• The CPC version includes an optimized Mode2 screen driver and now operates nearly as fast in 640x200x2 as in 320x200x4.

Read allnews here, and PCW/Joyce screenshots here.

Rupert Murdoch owner of the U.K. media group BskyB has launched an amical OPA on Amstrad for 185 millions €, it will permit to BskyB to lower its costs, as it was buying satellit numerical video decoders from Amstrad. Alan Michael Sugar will stil be the manager at Amstrad, and will still keep 28% Amstrad actions d'Amstrad after selling a part of his actions for 34,5 millions of pounds. Alan Michael Sugar is now 60 years old.

I wish you all a happy christmas.