“Rumor sites have long been atwitter about Apple resurrecting the Newton MessagePad. While officially dead for nearly a decade, those rumors got a boost this year when Steve Jobs rolled out the iPhone as a combination ‘mobile phone, iPod, and breakthrough Internet device,'”‘ Daniel Eran Dilger writes for RoughlyDrafted. “The iPhone first appeared to be Jobs’ version of the Newton, but after the iPod Touch revealed Apple’s long term plans for targeting a wider range of devices, the idea of a tablet assistant gained new credence as a realistic possibility. What does Apple’s past reveal about its future?”
Dilger explores whether Apple CEO Steve Jobs really is “anti-Newton” as some has surmised, the history of the Newton, the many reasons why Jobs killed the Newton, Newton’s offspring (iPod and iPhone) and the future possibilities in his full article here.
” . . . a next-gen Newton MessagePad?”
Yeah, go fig.
Jobs probably detested the Newton because it was not only Sculley’s pet project but also because Apple sunk about a billion dollars into its R & D with little ROI.
‘Still have my Newton and it works just fine…
I loved the Newton. Had Apple kept developing it over the past 15 or so years, it would be a heckuva machine now.
The iPhone IS the Newton, folks…now a 9 to 11 inch touch-screen Macbook type tablet under a grand would be a much better alternative and a new definition of a subnotebook. It would need to be thin, though, which means flash and exteral DVD for those who still need it. They’re cheap, y’know.
Bought a few more shares today. All the 200 AAPL talk is old newz…anyone wanna discuss 300 by next year?
Sure, build a neo-Newton, but running OS X, not the Newton OS. Make it not weigh 20 lbs or have stylus input. Make it smaller than a hardcover book. Make it actually sync with a Mac. Yes I loved the Newton MP2100 I had, but really, those old machines were pretty crappy by today’s standards. I’m sure Apple will knock it out of the park if they build it. Until then, I love my iPhone like a brand new puppy.
“The iPhone IS the Newton, folks..”
Except for having a different processor, display, operating system, no handwriting recognition, and input system?
No, the iPhone is not the Newton. What’s left of the Newton is the “ink” input method on the Mac.
-jcr
” . . . anyone wanna discuss 300 by next year?”
January 1st, 2008? Nah. I’ll give it until at least June before the next WWDC.
” . . . anyone wanna discuss 300 by next year?”
“January 1st, 2008? Nah. I’ll give it until at least June before the next WWDC.”
Ampar, you knew what he meant. Why are you and TowerTone such cocky dipsh!ts?
It was intended as harmless sarcasm, asshole. Bite me coward.
Somebody seems to be a bit itchy…! Ampar took that typo and turned it into a joke, suggesting that AAPL would arrive at the $300 target in half the suggested time, with which I tend to agree.
I would say there is nothing fundamentally different this year, compared to last year this time, which implies there is nothing to prevent AAPL re-doubling in the next 12 months (thereby eclipsing MSFT market cap by a comfortable margin of 10%).
@ John C. Randolph
By that logic, a Mac is no longer a Mac.
Seems to me, Macs are sporting a different processor, display, operating system la dee da than we were in 1984, too.
I hate this headline. It makes me mad.
“Is Dell’s next Latitude XT Dell’s device a next-gen Newton MessagePad?”
Do you see my point? No matter what you put in that sentence, the answer is “NO”. It’s always “no”, so never post it again.
@Ampar… some people have no sense of humor
It isn’t a typo Predrag, you cross-dresser. Ampar DID know what I meant — unless he’s a retard.
And he is smarmy, just like that cocksure TowerTone and his band of misfits, including ChrissyOne The Lesbian.
Last time I post something innocent on this Mac board, you douchebags. Take your little clique and SHOVE it.
You can ALL blow me.
I was accused of blowing a guy once.
Once.
Jobs hated the “Newton” It will never happy.
oops..happen
Ampar, I’m getting sick of your cocky dipshittedness. You and that TowerTone guy.
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Georgy, mommy said go take your meds.
The movie ‘Once’ is awesome!!!
Now children, stop bickering!
Lighten up, Francis.
Thorin:
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I want to know why Apple could program such a fantastic To Do list in the Newton more than a decade ago, but could not build the same functionality into Leopard’s new To Do list. On the Newton, when you checked off the To Do item it remained on that day’s list as checked off, but only non-checked items carried over to the next day. The ToDo lists today carry over checked off items forever until they are deleted. The act of deleting is not only and “Extra” step, but it also eliminates the record of when the task was completed. The Newton was perfect for efficiency and record keeping.
@Georgy Porgy (a.k.a. “Thorin”)
You (both of you?) should just take a chill pill or something. Life is too short to get so worked up over so little.
I have noticed that the MDN forum can be rather hostile at times.
Everybody relax and be friends.