They're bringing back the Commodore 64 keyboard computer. It looks like the same keyboard computer released 29 years ago as the big brother of the Commodore Vic-20. However, the retro look is only skin deep because the new C64 sports an updated hardware set. When it is finally released, expect to see an Intel Atom 525 CPU with Nvidia Ion2 graphics, 4 GB of DDR3 memory, a 1 TB HDD, HDMI output, a DVD/CD optical drive (Blu-ray optional), dual-link DVI, six USB ports, integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 6-in-1 media card reader.

It will be able to run Windows as well as the Commodore OS with the latter essentially ensuring that end users can still run Commodore's vast library of games from the 1980s.

Initially announced for an Q4 2010 release, Commodore USA has not announced a new release schedule.

The original C64 was launched in 1981 and it soon became the biggest selling PC in the world even beating IBM PCs and Apple IIs. At one point, as many as 400,000 units of the device rolled off Commodore's assembly lines each month. Almost 17 million units of the C64 were sold during this long production run and from 1983 to 1986, to held court over the PC market with a market share that ranged from 30% to 40%. Its annual sales of 2 million units was the envy of every other computer manufacturers then.

Unlike the new C64 with innards supplied from various sources, the 1980s era C64 had major components all made by Commodore in-house. The MOS 6510 CPU is made by a subsidiary along with the graphics chips. Commodore made the C64 appear simple enough to be sold not just in electronics stores but even in general retail outlets and this contributed to much of its sales success.

Even the 16-color graphics capability of the old C64 was unrivaled for several years and in a world devoid of Sony Playstations, Nintendo Wii, and XBoxes, it was the gaming console of choice. To this date, C64 emulators are available even for smartphones such as the iPhone 4 to allow nerdy nostalgia buffs to continue playing such games as International Ninja, Uridium, and Pitstop II although those stiff arthritic fingers may not be as fast anymore.