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Information about Newton
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kansir
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Jun 8, 2001, 10:22 AM
 
I join the Mac family for about one year only.
I have not heard about Newton before, but I saw many people talk about this in this forum. It seems to be the best PDA.
Anyone can give me more information about it?
Thanks!
Kansir
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usedmac
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Jun 8, 2001, 10:56 PM
 


The Newton was the first PDA ever. It is more powerful and versitle than anything on the market now. The only problem is its lack of a color screen. It was discontinues by Steve Jobs in 1997 in an effort to bring Apple back into the black.

[ 06-08-2001: Message edited by: usedmac ]
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imacaholic
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Jun 9, 2001, 01:12 AM
 
Apple always has, and always will be ahead of the times. Innovation and not stagnation. Check out this link for informaion on the entire lineage of Newton. It will bring a tear to your eye.

http://www.msu.edu/~luckie/newtgal.htm
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<WL2100>
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Jun 9, 2001, 02:20 AM
 
Check this thread... smaller.com.
     
kansir  (op)
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Jun 9, 2001, 03:37 AM
 
Do you think that Newton will re-born on MacWorld at July?
Kansir
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sine -''-..-
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Jun 9, 2001, 08:48 AM
 
no. it wont be.

to quote steve 'apple makes computers, and computers have keyboards'
hence some newt 2x00s coming with a keyboard, unlike the previous models which it was a rather expensive option.

i dont think the new jobs'ed apple will make another pda, especially not the newton. i would like to be proved wrong tho...
sine -''-..-

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bugs
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Jun 10, 2001, 06:22 PM
 
Andy Ihnatko addresses the Newton and future Apple PDAs in the current issue of Macworld magazine. His article should also be available on the macworld web site in a month or so.

It's an excellent article that helps people to understand why Apple products generate enthusiasm beyond reason.
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TimmyDee51
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Jun 10, 2001, 11:28 PM
 
I don't think that the Newton was a product that generated "enthusiasm beyond reason." In fact, your stating so leads me to believe that you have never used a Newton. The Newton was and is the best PDA out there for a whole variety of reasons from usable screen size, speed, and real HWR. Please don't call our recognition of a good product unfounded enthusiasm.
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kansir  (op)
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Jun 11, 2001, 06:16 AM
 
If Newton is the best PDA, why don't Apple just put it back to the market?
With today's technology, improve Newton to more better is easy, right?
Kansir
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TimmyDee51
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Jun 12, 2001, 12:27 AM
 
I think the main reason why the Newton isn't around today is because of corporate politics. Jobs' doesn't like Scully's brainchild, plain and simple.

Additionally, I think he felt it would detract from the focus of the company. To some extent, this is true. However, I think Apple's position is changing. With OS X out, a huge weight has been lifted off their shoulders. I think a Newton re-introduction would be feasible in a year or so if they can gain solid profitability in their core markets, desktops and laptops. Whether that happens or not is another question. . .
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Skywalkers new Hand
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Jun 12, 2001, 01:14 AM
 
Originally posted by usedmac:
<STRONG>The only problem is its lack of a color screen. It was discontinues by Steve Jobs in 1997 in an effort to bring Apple back into the black.</STRONG>
The only problem???!!! How about it was HUGE and cost a ton.
Then it got even bigger and cost even more.

I owned the original Newton, the 130 and now the 2000.
I do love my Newton but it is more cool then a PDA that you can take with you anywhere.

If the hardware was the size of the Palm V with the Newton OS it would be perfect.

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<Daed>
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Jun 16, 2001, 04:10 PM
 
I think the Newton's larger size is a big advantage, actually! It has a large, usable screen size, which works great for fieldwork or taking notes. This is why Newton really did well in hospitals and insurance companies, where professionals needed a full-fledged very mobile computer to keep track of patient/client information.

Why did the Newton fail? Definitely cost. Palm got it right in that people didn't want to spend $500-$1,000 on a handheld, and instead made theirs in the $150-$400 range. Second, all most people wanted was a small organizer computer that literally fits in a pocket--the Newton never delivered on this small size. It's larger screen size made the Newton much more capable (and allowed its software to be much more elegant) as a computer, but this larger size limited it largely to vertical markets instead of the general public. The third reason the Newton failed was that after Apple flubbed the initial introduction (the original Newtons were widely criticized for being expensive and not delivering the functionality that Apple promissed), Apple never marketed the Newton again! It's immensely difficult for a product to be successful if there is no marketing money being put behind it.

Although it is beginning to slow down somewhat, the Newton still has a strong following of dedicated users, and software is still being written for it by a couple handfuls of individuals (a driver for ATA flash memory came out a few months ago and is still under development, and a software driver for an 802.11 wireless card finally came out this past week--although its very, very preliminary and only supports one brand of card). The big problem, of course is hardware--no new hardware is being made. This will never change.

Still, the Newton community will keep chugging along for years to come. If you want to keep up on what is currently going on in the Newton community, go to:
http://www.newtontalk.net/

Go to the "List Archives" section and you can see what's occupying the time of us Newton users.
     
sine -''-..-
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Jun 17, 2001, 07:47 PM
 
i hate to correct you. but there is new hardware being made for newt.
http://members.tripod.com/mrpcbman/mini-din.htm

the thing we've all been waiting for since the 2100 was released, an internal mini-din serial port card has been produced and is being sold right now. i would get one but im a student and have no money

[ 06-17-2001: Message edited by: sine -''-..- ]
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Jun 18, 2001, 11:33 AM
 
Ah, well yes, you are right. There are some hardware components still being created (I think there's still a guy who will upgrade the 162 MHz strongARM processor in MessagePad 2000/2100s to a 220 MHz strongARM processor, for example). But what I meant by my hardware comment was that no new Newton computers (as a whole) are being produced. This essentially means that the Newton community won't be around forever, and perhaps 5-10 years from now there won't be enough working Newton's left out there to really form an effective community. It's the lack of hardware that will eventually drag the platform down, but software is still going fairly strong.

I'll be using my Newtons until they stop working, that's for certain! They really are amazing little machines!
     
sine -''-..-
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Jun 18, 2001, 02:49 PM
 
*cough cough* the 220mhz strongarm is just an overclock.

yea i kno wat u mean bout the hardware but we dont really have to worry at the moment. firstly, since the newt was released in '98, we have till about 2005 to get new parts from apple. as i beleive they support their machines for seven years. plus theres a good chance they are making new newtons, as paul guyot had received a replacment that apperently was shipped from japan and was brand new. this would make sense seeing as there is a few organizations that still require newton hardware, being disney, nascar and theyres a possibility that the navy also uses them. of course you cant get your hands on these units, as they are probably made under private contracts, and may be new generation hardware. ive heard rumors about a newer 2100 type newt, that is thinner and has a silver case labeled as a newton. of course its probably in area 51 used by interstellar exchange students.

anyhow, i expect to depend on newts for long to come.
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cbr600f4
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Jun 18, 2001, 09:56 PM
 
My old HS had left there Newtons on shelves and I got my hand on one of um this month. I love the little thing, but just wish it could do a little more!

Anyway, I think that it may have a chance to be reborn. I am hopeful of this, perhaps they are even working on it right now. In fact I bet they are...we all know that they have so many secret projects online just in case. OSX and 9 run on Intel...there is a set top...so there probably is still a small Newton team.

Anyway...best of luck to you Newton...from someone in Newton, IA!

Nick
     
<a7777777a>
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Jun 21, 2001, 08:38 AM
 
The newton weighed more than any pda now. To use a newton with the computer you would have to use a origanal apple mostlikely.
If you want something that works with new macs like the iMac,G4 cube,G4 tportable, or the iBook you should look at the handspring visors.check them out at Handsprings web page i have noticed that with my visor delux you can hook up to any mac with a usb port , a visor, a sync cradle, and the software.

Any questions email me at [email protected]
     
<Daed>
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Jun 21, 2001, 11:53 AM
 
Actually, you can fairly easily hook up Newtons to current Macs. You'll just need a USB-to-serial converter (the Newton uses serial cables to connect with Macs), or, like myself, just buy an ethernet card for your Newton (all the new Macs have ethernet built in). (I should also point out that Newtons connect to Windows PCs as well.) I'm not sure if you can link up a Newt with MacOS X, however (anyone know for certain?).

The main problem with the Newton is that while connecting to computers is easy (for downloading/uploading software or backing up the info on your Newton), it does not have the great synching ability that Palms have. I personally don't do much synching between applications on my Mac and Newts anyway, so this really isn't an issue for me. The Newt CAN synch some applications--there's a program called Newtourage (I think) that can synch info between your Newton and Entourage, there's a program to synch Newton databases with desktop FileMaker databases, Pocket Quicken could synch with the desktop versions of Quicken (at least at one point), just for a few examples.
     
sine -''-..-
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Jun 21, 2001, 05:17 PM
 
Originally posted by &lt;a7777777a&gt;:
<STRONG>The newton weighed more than any pda now. To use a newton with the computer you would have to use a origanal apple mostlikely.
If you want something that works with new macs like the iMac,G4 cube,G4 tportable, or the iBook you should look at the handspring visors.check them out at Handsprings web page i have noticed that with my visor delux you can hook up to any mac with a usb port , a visor, a sync cradle, and the software.

Any questions email me at [email protected] </STRONG>
dont try and inform people about somthing you know nothing about. your post pisses me off, you didnt even answer anyone's question.
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<MacBoy>
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Jun 26, 2001, 11:39 AM
 
Please read this article! Looks like we are getting a PDA!
http://www.visorcentral.com/page/0-2-935-2.htm
     
<JRD>
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Jun 26, 2001, 12:22 PM
 
You are a moron.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by &lt;MacBoy&gt;:
[QB]Please read this article! Looks like we are getting a PDA!
     
   
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