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mbperk · May 24, 2002, 02:59 PM

[/URL]Powerpage Apple PDA Rumor Link

Apple Secretly Working on Handheld Devices
Fri, 24 May 2002, 13:14
from the Rumor dept.
jdog

It has been rumored, for almost as long as rumors have existed, that Apple is secretly developing a handheld computer to augment their product lineup and to round out the "digital hub" that Steve Jobs has been vigorously promoting for the past few years.

Every few months there is a flare up of the age-old "Apple is making a PDA" rumor with critics quickly pointing out that Phil Schiller (Apple's VP of Worldwide Marketing) said "We are focused on the personal computer space, not the handheld space, and that's that" in a now-infamous May 2000 SJ Mercury News interview during WWDC. Other nay-sayers remind us that, even though he tried to purchase Palm (twice), Steve Jobs "hates" PDAs.

Despite the words to the contrary (which could simply be mis-information to keep us off the scent) PowerPage sources have spotted a number of small handheld devices in and around Apple's Cupertino campus. The devices have been field tested by various staff members over the past few months. It is important to realize that these aren't simply re-badged Palms or Palms with silly clear enclosures - they are real Apple iron.

It should also be noted that these devices are most likely one-offs, hand-built to test a particular industrial design or form-factor, they still appear to far from ready for mass production.

Following are some of these interesting points from PowerPage sources on the topic of the Apple PDA:

I must emphasize that I DO NOT know what the hell the device is, (could be a TV clicker!) but I can say that the pda's I have seen, remind me very strongly of the fake on Spymac last year, and it's very close to that picture, except, the one's that I have seen, do not have any chrome knobs, like the spymac version has.

I am still seeing many handheld devices around here in varying Apple plastics, some looking like the images of the purported "iWalk" that spymac posted last fall, minus the chrome knobs. And for a fact they are not "Palm OS" systems in Apple fabric. It seems to be a project that the engineers are working on, the camera in the top of it reminds me of the new sony clie type of hardware. Can't yet say if it will ever be released, just know that it is happening, and they are walking around the campus using them.

...

I'm not sure if it's really true, but there are a few more of those handheld computers roaming around the campus in Cupertino. They are black, and without chrome buttons on the outside, just as previously described...the one I saw was a color screen that was REALLY sharp, not the same old PDA in 256 color or grey. The case of the one I saw was black and the Apple dial was white.

...

I think that there are a some other elements to the system as well, I think a GPS antenna plugs into the top, and I think it could be a phone as well, I'm just not sure of that cause I have seen a few of them in different configurations. The phone feature plays the audio though the headphone jack on top of the device, there is no speaker inside.

I thought that there were 4 ports on top, Audio, PCI (type of thing), and USB, and one other that looks like an audio out, but I couldn't tell.I think that they also had a camera that sort of plugs into the top, that's flat and thinner than the box itself.

it looked like it wasn't ready for prime time yet, might just be an experiment, sometimes the plastic is custom made, and sometimes the stuff I see isn't for release at all. I must say though, this particular device looks like something I have seen them working on for the last year or so, so maybe it's ready.

What's your take?

[ 05-24-2002: Message edited by: mbperk ]

Nebrie · May 24, 2002, 05:26 PM

Apple employees field testing a new product? Not one but many? In broad daylight? And they let people examine the device? I don't have to read anymore to know that this is bogus. Probably sent in by SpyMac themselves to try to vindicate their design. They're probably gonna have a new iWalk video without a knob in time for MWNY.

Maneki Neko · May 24, 2002, 05:58 PM

Wah? PCI type thing?

<sarcasm> HOORAY FOR RUMOR SITES </sarcasm>

mbperk · May 24, 2002, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by Nebrie:
They're probably gonna have a new iWalk video without a knob in time for MWNY.

ROFL

SupahCoolX · May 25, 2002, 12:50 AM

Watch out, though. OGrady has been surprisingly accurate recently about new products (the recent Powerbook and iBook updates spring to mind)...

keekeeree · May 25, 2002, 03:47 AM

While I don't know if it'll be sooner than later, I do believe that Apple will produce a PDA of some sort. Having owned a Visor (first the basic, then the Prism), I know how easily it become integrated into my digital lifestyle. They are not a passing fad...at some point I believe they will become as popular as microwaves and cell phones. Sure nobody needs them, but once you've used them and become accustomed to them, you wonder how you lived without them.

Jobs, in pushing the "digital hub" would have to be blind to miss this huge spoke in an ideal Apple hub.

ambush · May 25, 2002, 09:01 PM

Mmmm I dont think InkWell is a coincidence..

MWNY..

May 26, 2002, 04:30 PM

Since no one really uses drawing tablets, Inkwell, coupled with a PDA, could be a very interesting way to input information. The PDA screen could act as a mini-Tablet.

Ideas spring forth from my head and run into the walls.

Jackonicko · May 28, 2002, 04:33 AM

Doubtless Mac could produce an extremely sophisticated and versatile handheld computer which could almost function as a replacement for a laptop, and which would be a very �high end� PDA.

But a handheld doesn't have to be a PDA and I�m not convinced that there�s much point in Apple making a PDA, however cool looking it might be.

If you want to predict what an Apple handheld might be, maybe you need to Think Different. And that rules out another electronic rolodex and diary, like most existing PDAs.

If you look at the iPod, maybe it offers further clues � a device with no real autonomous functionality, reliant on the user having a Mac laptop or desktop. A real world replacement for existing technology alternatives (the Walkman) which are popular and accepted. At the end of the day the iPod is an Apple computer-reliant music player.

I�d see a potentially huge market a firewire based note-pad, broadly equivalent to the iPod, but with text files rather than MP3 music tracks.

This would be a device which would take what you scribble on it, convert it to simple text and then squirt it down the firewire cable into a new application on your computer (let�s call it 'iNotes'), from where you could export it into an e-mail, or MS word, or Works, or Quark, or Publisher, or Entourage, or whatever. You should also be able to import MS word and simple text documents into 'iNotes' to then be worked on using the device - perhaps as you commute to work on a crowded train. Maybe you could have a facility to draw pictures or graphs on it which would be stored as GIFs, maybe not. Maybe you could have some facility for linking to a phone so that you could send SMS text messages or even eMails, maybe not. Perhaps Bluetooth would help here? Maybe (like the iPod) it could double as a hard drive? Crucially, because nothing like it exists, it would be a powerful reason for buying a Mac rather than a PC, just as the iPod is. And it would replace a real world existing technology alternative � the paper notebook!!

Who'd use it? Journos, secretaries, teachers, doctors, even school kids. (Even my wife, doing the shopping list!). In short anyone who ever has to write a note on a piece of paper, a notebook, or an exercise book and then work with that data on a computer.

It would have to have great natural handwriting recognition, since using graffiti makes the Palms unuseable for any more than 'single sentence notes'. It wouldn�t need and shouldn�t have a diary, an address book, or a calculator. It should have no extraneous bull$hit at all. It would just be an electronic jotter and it would be cheap enough to be a must-have.

It would have to be light, cheap, and portable, yet with a big enough screen and writing area to be useful. It would have to be small enough to be carried anywhere, in a big pocket. It would be like a thin Newton, perhaps, and probably with a separate screen and writing area.

Proudest Monkey · May 28, 2002, 11:49 AM

an apple branded pda-like device may become very useful ... something that syncs with Inkwell as well as Address Book would be handy. little bit larger than the ipod, able to fit in the pocket, creates a grocery list, keeps address' and phone numbers , email address', etc. or, perhaps a wireless email pad that syncs with address book, all possibilities. guess we will have to wait and see. just my 2cents, i read on another site that a user suggested the name iGo, which i like.

and perhaps with a warranty longer than 90 days, it would be nice for apple to actually back up this product in the long run. test the firewire ports a lot, make sure they are as durable as they are suppose to be.

[ 05-28-2002, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: Proudest Monkey ]

jblakeh1 · May 28, 2002, 12:45 PM

No one has any long term memory anymore.

O'Grady got his info on both iBooks (P29 and Son of Pismo) from articles quoting the Taiwanese manufacturing companies who build the units. He was accurate on both accounts, as much as 6 months in advance.

Not even a year ago there was a similar article about an upcoming iPod that also had PDA functionality - but it led me to believe it was Palm-based, not an Apple OS. Surely this is what we will see in July.

M�lum · May 28, 2002, 01:32 PM

For Inkwell Apple may develop something that can function as a pen input device, maybe via Bluetooth, but can also funtion seperately as a pda kind device.

jeffs7364 · May 28, 2002, 01:56 PM

I think this might be a use for the bluetooth USB adapter. Something to make connecting the new handheld to your mac easy and cable-free. I already sync/backup my Newton via airport so I know how great this can be ;-)

NDBounce · May 29, 2002, 12:02 AM

While I am very interested in an Apple PDA, I was wondering if someone could tell me what Inkwell is. I see it mentioned a lot, but am completely clueless.

red rocket · May 29, 2002, 05:38 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by NDBounce:
While I am very interested in an Apple PDA, I was wondering if someone could tell me what Inkwell is. I see it mentioned a lot, but am completely clueless.<hr /></blockquote>Apparently Inkwell refers to the handwriting recognition technology behind Apple's Ink.app, which is going to come with OS X Jaguar.

Whether it's just this new and improved HWR that's called Inkwell, or also the original version on the Newton handhelds, that I can't tell.

vmpaul · May 29, 2002, 01:46 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by jeffs7364:
I think this might be a use for the bluetooth USB adapter. Something to make connecting the new handheld to your mac easy and cable-free. I already sync/backup my Newton via airport so I know how great this can be ;-)<hr /></blockquote>You don't sync in OS X do you? I 'd love to be able to use my Newt again.

If so, can you point me to the info on how to do this?

Thanks.

jeffs7364 · May 29, 2002, 03:30 PM

nope, sorry it's only to OS9 and NCU at the moment...but there's already package installer for OS X and syncing is being worked on I think.

jblakeh1 · May 29, 2002, 03:59 PM

<a href="http://www.insanely-great.com/news/01/1481.html" target="_blank">http://www.insanely-great.com/news/01/1481.html</a>

found it.

Group51 · May 29, 2002, 04:22 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by red rocket:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by NDBounce:
While I am very interested in an Apple PDA, I was wondering if someone could tell me what Inkwell is. I see it mentioned a lot, but am completely clueless.<hr /></blockquote>Apparently Inkwell refers to the handwriting recognition technology behind Apple's Ink.app, which is going to come with OS X Jaguar.

Whether it's just this new and improved HWR that's called Inkwell, or also the original version on the Newton handhelds, that I can't tell.<hr /></blockquote>Inkwell is the OS X implementation of Rosetta, the 'printed' handwriting recogniser from the Newton OS 2.0. It has very high accuracy, and uses natural writing, rather than an special alphabet (Grafitti).

gumby5647 · Jun 2, 2002, 01:25 AM

i would love to buy an Apple branded PDA, but sadly i don't think it will be what i really want.

Here's what i really want. Pure and simple.

128MB RAM
a Simple Palm style OS (nothing fancy, just basic address, to do list, calander, type of stuff...)
firewire port
integrated Airport
Audio out port
thin and lightweight.

Basically i want a Palm m100 that doubles as an MP3 player. (iPod way overkill for me). and i want to be able to update it from my couch (airport).

all for 249.99

vmpaul · Jun 3, 2002, 06:55 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by gumby5647:
i would love to buy an Apple branded PDA, but sadly i don't think it will be what i really want.

Here's what i really want. Pure and simple.

128MB RAM
a Simple Palm style OS (nothing fancy, just basic address, to do list, calander, type of stuff...)
firewire port
integrated Airport
Audio out port
thin and lightweight.

Basically i want a Palm m100 that doubles as an MP3 player. (iPod way overkill for me). and i want to be able to update it from my couch (airport). all for 249.99<hr /></blockquote>I like that spec. The only think I would add is having a variety of sizes available. One Palm-size and the other Newton -size or larger. I used to use my Newton all the time for taking notes in meetings. The form factor was almost perfect. palm-size is too small for taking notes.

Handwriting recognition as well.

Jun 5, 2002, 04:27 AM

I have a palm that doubles as an MP3 player with 128mb of flash mem, and it blows. I haven't used the mp3 feature in months. It's way too much of a hassle for so few songs. It would be just about impossible to make a pda that doubles as a music player with nearly the ease of use of the ipod, although if anyone could do it, it would be apple.

I'd recommend you just get an m100 and a cheap flash mp3 player if that's what you want. Much more convenient, and even cheaper than $249. (If you really really need 802.11b you can get a handspring visor and a wifi springboard, but it'll cost you)

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by gumby5647:
i would love to buy an Apple branded PDA, but sadly i don't think it will be what i really want.

Here's what i really want. Pure and simple.

128MB RAM
a Simple Palm style OS (nothing fancy, just basic address, to do list, calander, type of stuff...)
firewire port
integrated Airport
Audio out port
thin and lightweight.

Basically i want a Palm m100 that doubles as an MP3 player. (iPod way overkill for me). and i want to be able to update it from my couch (airport).

all for 249.99<hr /></blockquote>