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Castle Technology Limited
Company typePrivate
IndustryComputer hardware
Computer software
FoundedJune 4, 1993 (1993-06-04)
Colchester, England
FounderJohn Ballance
Jack Lillingston
Peter Wild
Headquarters
Cambridge
,
England
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Jack Lillingston, Managing Director
Peter Wild, Operations Director
John Ballance, Technology Director
ProductsIyonix PC
RISC OS
RISC PC
DivisionsTematic
WebsiteCastle-Technology.co.uk

Castle Technology Limited, named after Framlingham Castle,[1] is a British computer company based in Cambridge, England.[2] It began as a producer of ARM computers and manufactured the Acorn-branded range of desktop computers that run RISC OS.[3]

Following the break-up of Acorn in 1998, Castle Technology bought the rights to continue production of the RISC PC and A7000+ computers under the Acorn brand.[4] Castle Technology later released the Iyonix PC in November 2002,[5] the first desktop computer to use the Intel XScale microarchitecture and then bought the rights to the RISC OS Technology from Pace in July 2003.[6]

History

Early history

See also: Acorn Computers

After Acorn withdrew from the desktop computer industry in 1998, Castle Technology acquired the rights to produce the A7000, A7000+ and RISC PC using the Acorn brand.[7]

2001-2008: Iyonix PC

The Iyonix PC (codenamed Tungsten) was developed as a set-top unit (STU) in secret by engineers at Pace's Shipley campus along with a 32-bit version of RISC OS 4 (known as RISC OS 5). When management discovered the project the campus was closed.[8]

Castle Technology acquired the proposed designs and the original engineers from Pace to further develop the Tungsten into a desktop computer. Robert Sprowson, the original hardware designer, declined to join Castle Technology and so Peter Wild was recruited.[8]

The Iyonix PC was released six months later. Although it was well received, it was not designed for long-term production and therefore used some components that were near obsolete when it was released.[8]

A problem for the Iyonix PC was that it used leaded components which were outlawed with the adoption of Directive 2002/95/EC in February 2003 by the European Union. However, by this time Castle Technology was financially troubled and could not afforded to re-engineer the Iyonix PC without the leaded components.[8] The remaining Iyonix stock were passed to Iyonix Limited which stopped distribution on 30 September 2008.[9]

Divisions

Tematic

In 2004, Castle Technology acquired Tematic to further development of RISC OS in embedded systems.[10]

Corporate affairs

Locations

In December 2005, Castle Technology moved its main office to the former premises of its software development division,[2] following the migration of Tematic to a neighbouring premises in Signet Court, Cambridge.[11]

References

  1. ^ Bailey, Alasdair. "Interview: Castle Technology". Foundation RISCWorld. Archimedes Public Domain Library. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b Williams, Chris (5 December 2005). "Castle confirms move to Tematic office". Drobe. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  3. ^ Cole, George (12 February 1999). "Apple's bigger bite". TES. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  4. ^ "Acorn announces distribution deal with Castle Technology for RISC based products" (Press release). Acorn Computers. 12 October 1998. Archived from the original on 6 May 1999. Retrieved 6 January 2011. {{cite press release}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ http://www.drobe.co.uk/extra/PR04_5.txt
  6. ^ http://www.drobe.co.uk/features/article.php?id=736
  7. ^ "Castle Technology". Chris's Acorns. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b c d "Iyonix R.I.P." Foundation RISCWorld. Archimedes Public Domain Library. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  9. ^ "Iyonix Press Release" (Press release). Iyonix. 25 September 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2012. {{cite press release}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)[dead link‍]
  10. ^ Williams, Chris (10 January 2004). "Castle merges with Tematic". Drobe. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  11. ^ Williams, Chris (7 April 2005). "Coy Castle expands development team". Drobe. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
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