Apple PDA?

MacRumors · 09:55 AM

While it may simply be speculation, one columnist claims "there's good reason to believe that a jazzy new Newton II will be forthcoming, perhaps in January" from Apple.

The original Newton was created by Apple in the early 90's and represented the first Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The early Newtons were met with substantial criticism for its handwriting recognition. This technology was significantly improved in later revisions and later became integrated into Mac OS X as "Inkwell".

Quicktime movies of a Newton 2000 in action:

Say Hello to Newton
Newton Assistant
Newton Trash

Rumors of an Apple-branded tablet resurfaced last year from traditionally accurate sources. (eWeek, ThinkSecret) However, Jobs has been publicly skeptical of the concept of tablets:

Quote:

We're not sure the tablet PC will be successful. It's turned into a notebook that you can write on. Do you want to handwrite all your e-mail? We have all the technology ourselves to do that - we just don't know whether it will be successful.

punter · 10:27 AM

AGAIN?!

This author has nothing, he's just guessing. Maybe he is right, but it's nothing to get your (or my) hopes up about.

I would like an Apple phone, but listening to Jobs talk at that investors conference makes me rule that one out.

the_mole1314 · Nov 10, 2003, 09:52 AM

The 'columnist' that said this was Devorak, the same guy who hates Apple and wants them to drop out.

Yeah, that's going to happen.

Xero · Nov 10, 2003, 09:52 AM

i agree this seems super unlikely. and if it were any decent small size, it would probably screw over a lot of iPod sales...

hm..

azdude · Nov 10, 2003, 09:58 AM

Yuk. Apple creates new markets... re-entering a horribly super-saturated one would be bad.

revenuee · Nov 10, 2003, 09:59 AM

One of these comes out like once a year.... people are still talking about the iPod becoming a PDA soon, or having a video screen .... i would wait till january to get exited

Hemingray · Nov 10, 2003, 10:01 AM

Unfortunately, that's gotta be complete and utter shash, but if they did make a new Newton, I'd buy one in a flat second.

innervision · Nov 10, 2003, 10:04 AM

this rumor just won't die!! i don't see it happening though, esp. given Jobs' public statements against PDA's

cr2sh · Nov 10, 2003, 10:19 AM

Why would Apple release such a product in January? That'd be a perfect Christmas gift..

PGant · Nov 10, 2003, 10:22 AM

Unsubstantiated claims and idle speculation amounts to little more than lazy reporting or tripe-like filler to satisfy an editor requested word-count for a column.

Sorry, but this guy has zero credibility in my books. When I see his columns, in don't even stop to read the headline before I turn the page.

revenuee · Nov 10, 2003, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cr2sh
Why would Apple release such a product in January? That'd be a perfect Christmas gift..

Because with it's crappie shipping these days , it would never get here on Christmas

punter · Nov 10, 2003, 10:24 AM

what is newton 2000? Those (newly posted) movies look cool, even if they are black and white.

Nice editing on my previous post arn

Sorry!

snahabed · Nov 10, 2003, 10:28 AM

Jobs knows that the future is smartphones. It was only a matter of time before the right form factor came along... the Treo 600 is about as good as it comes in that area. Once technology is cheaper and more advanced, products like it will take off.

Standalones are dying off. Jobs has predicted that for years.

As cool as it would be to have an Apple smartphone with OS X Lite, it ainnnnt gonna happen.

revenuee · Nov 10, 2003, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by punter
what is newton 2000? Those (newly posted) movies look cool, even if they are black and white.

Nice editing on my previous post arn Sorry!

i'm pretty sure this is an older product that apple tried doing... i recall those were commercials or advertisements of some sort.

arn · Nov 10, 2003, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by revenuee
i'm pretty sure this is an older product that apple tried doing... i recall those were commercials or advertisements of some sort.

The Newton 2000 was the last revision of the Newton. Released in 1997 or so.

Those are videos I recorded myself.

arn

Photorun · Nov 10, 2003, 10:33 AM

After Jobs said to a guy in 97 at a conference "I'll tell you what you can do with that Newton" [as in up his arse] when a guy asked what he can do for continued support, I find it incredibly improbable Jobs would ever resurrect something that wasn't created during his tenure. He's repeatedly said that the PDA market is saturated and he doesn't feel that it'd be wise to enter a field that currently is having financial pains. File the rumor with the dry ice cooled G6 Powerbooks due next week running at 4.7 TBs.

SiliconAddict · Nov 10, 2003, 10:40 AM

I wish. I think we already had our hell freeze over event for the millennium.

My Messagepad 2100 is starting to show its age. I would kill for an update. When I look at my Jornada Pocket PC and consider what would have happened if the Messsagepad never got the Ax it makes me want to break down and cry.

Damn Jobs for killing my baby

Damn him and his arrogant attitude. One of three things will need to happen before the Newton returns.
1. Jobs dies.
2. Jobs retires.
3. A massive coup by all the Newton fans still out there.

DGFan · Nov 10, 2003, 10:42 AM

LOL

John Dvorak....the historical fountain of wisdom for all things Apple.

Spock · Nov 10, 2003, 10:43 AM

I would like it if Apple made the Newton OS Open source. I would love to put Newton OS 2.1 on my Palm Tungsten.

SiliconAddict · Nov 10, 2003, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DGFan
LOL

John Dvorak....the historical fountain of wisdom for all things Apple.

This was from John Dvorak?!?!?

Arn you need a Page 3.

whooleytoo · Nov 10, 2003, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by snahabed
Jobs knows that the future is smartphones. It was only a matter of time before the right form factor came along... the Treo 600 is about as good as it comes in that area. Once technology is cheaper and more advanced, products like it will take off.

Standalones are dying off. Jobs has predicted that for years.

Yup, the thing about smartphones is they already have a killer app (telephony!) which people really need, are used to paying for, and willing to pay for. The extra functions are nice, but not enough on their own to sell the device.

Similarly the iPod has it's killer app - music playing - so there is plenty scope there for it to move into the "PDA" domain if Apple want (more like "when Apple want" if you ask me).

ejb190 · Nov 10, 2003, 10:52 AM

I realize Apple probably won't enter the PDA market anytime soon. But let's play "what if?"

What if Apple did decde to get back into the PDA market? Apple has a tradition of re-inventing how a particular product functions, is perceived, and even how it functions. If instance, the iMac changed the notion of an entry level computer being boring and unfunctional. iLife brought "professional" tasks like video editing to a point where anyone could do it. And the iPod is, well, it's the iPod.

So how can the PDA be reinvented? What function or task is missing from the current crop of devices? What would make a PDA the next "must have" device?

iEric · Nov 10, 2003, 10:54 AM

I would buy one if they came out with one. But it must have iPod capabilities!..

cubist · Nov 10, 2003, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SiliconAddict
This was from John Dvorak?!?!?

Arn you need a Page 3.

Right. The same guy who predicted, just before the G5's came out, that the new systems would be based on the Intel Itanic. Not even out in left field - he's in the wrong stadium.

Marble · Nov 10, 2003, 10:59 AM

Dvorak strikes again.

Nov 10, 2003, 09:45 AM	#2
punter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Australia	AGAIN?! This author has nothing, he's just guessing. Maybe he is right, but it's nothing to get your (or my) hopes up about. I would like an Apple phone, but listening to Jobs talk at that investors conference makes me rule that one out. Last edited by punter : Nov 10, 2003 at 10:27 AM.

Nov 10, 2003, 09:52 AM	#4
Xero macrumors 6502 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Madison, WI	i agree this seems super unlikely. and if it were any decent small size, it would probably screw over a lot of iPod sales... hm.. __________________ beep boop beep! "f*X0r 1.0 - just ... junples ub text, reolly"

Nov 10, 2003, 09:59 AM	#6
revenuee macrumors 68020 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: A place where i am supreme emporer	One of these comes out like once a year.... people are still talking about the iPod becoming a PDA soon, or having a video screen .... i would wait till january to get exited __________________ "I trust blindly, but the hell I will unleash when i get crossed is like nothing you have ever seen" - ME "Girls Girls Girls" - Motley Crue

Nov 10, 2003, 10:04 AM	#8
innervision macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: californ-i-a	this rumor just won't die!! i don't see it happening though, esp. given Jobs' public statements against PDA's __________________ 'i'd rather die for a cause than die just because'

Nov 10, 2003, 10:19 AM	#9
cr2sh macrumors 68020 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Dayton, Ohio	Why would Apple release such a product in January? That'd be a perfect Christmas gift.. __________________ Search before you post: MRoogle

Nov 10, 2003, 09:52 AM	#3
the_mole1314 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Dayton, OH	The 'columnist' that said this was Devorak, the same guy who hates Apple and wants them to drop out. Yeah, that's going to happen.

Nov 10, 2003, 09:58 AM	#5
azdude macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2003	Yuk. Apple creates new markets... re-entering a horribly super-saturated one would be bad.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:01 AM	#7
Hemingray macrumors 68030 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ha ha haaa!	Unfortunately, that's gotta be complete and utter shash, but if they did make a new Newton, I'd buy one in a flat second.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:22 AM	#10
PGant As Seen on TV (apple.com/switch) Join Date: Jun 2002	Re: Dvorak's postualtions Unsubstantiated claims and idle speculation amounts to little more than lazy reporting or tripe-like filler to satisfy an editor requested word-count for a column. Sorry, but this guy has zero credibility in my books. When I see his columns, in don't even stop to read the headline before I turn the page.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:24 AM	#12
punter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Australia	what is newton 2000? Those (newly posted) movies look cool, even if they are black and white. Nice editing on my previous post arn Sorry!

Nov 10, 2003, 10:28 AM	#13
snahabed macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: New York, NY	Jobs knows that the future is smartphones. It was only a matter of time before the right form factor came along... the Treo 600 is about as good as it comes in that area. Once technology is cheaper and more advanced, products like it will take off. Standalones are dying off. Jobs has predicted that for years. As cool as it would be to have an Apple smartphone with OS X Lite, it ainnnnt gonna happen.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:33 AM	#16
Photorun Banned Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NYC	After Jobs said to a guy in 97 at a conference "I'll tell you what you can do with that Newton" [as in up his arse] when a guy asked what he can do for continued support, I find it incredibly improbable Jobs would ever resurrect something that wasn't created during his tenure. He's repeatedly said that the PDA market is saturated and he doesn't feel that it'd be wise to enter a field that currently is having financial pains. File the rumor with the dry ice cooled G6 Powerbooks due next week running at 4.7 TBs.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:40 AM	#17
SiliconAddict macrumors 601 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Burnsville, Minnesota, USA	Hell Freezing over II I wish. I think we already had our hell freeze over event for the millennium. My Messagepad 2100 is starting to show its age. I would kill for an update. When I look at my Jornada Pocket PC and consider what would have happened if the Messsagepad never got the Ax it makes me want to break down and cry. Damn Jobs for killing my baby Damn him and his arrogant attitude. One of three things will need to happen before the Newton returns. 1. Jobs dies. 2. Jobs retires. 3. A massive coup by all the Newton fans still out there. __________________ -iPod Video 160GB -MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.33Ghz/3GB RAM/250GB -Newton 4700 (a.k.a iPaq 4700) -Dell 2405FPW 24" Widescreen

Nov 10, 2003, 10:42 AM	#18
DGFan macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2003	LOL John Dvorak....the historical fountain of wisdom for all things Apple.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:43 AM	#19
Spock macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Vulcan	I would like it if Apple made the Newton OS Open source. I would love to put Newton OS 2.1 on my Palm Tungsten.

Nov 10, 2003, 10:52 AM	#22
ejb190 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: I know I'm in Indiana somewhere...	I realize Apple probably won't enter the PDA market anytime soon. But let's play "what if?" What if Apple did decde to get back into the PDA market? Apple has a tradition of re-inventing how a particular product functions, is perceived, and even how it functions. If instance, the iMac changed the notion of an entry level computer being boring and unfunctional. iLife brought "professional" tasks like video editing to a point where anyone could do it. And the iPod is, well, it's the iPod. So how can the PDA be reinvented? What function or task is missing from the current crop of devices? What would make a PDA the next "must have" device?

Nov 10, 2003, 10:54 AM	#23
iEric macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada	I would buy one if they came out with one. But it must have iPod capabilities!.. __________________ 20" iMac G5 2.0 Ghz, 15" MPB 2.0 Ghz, 8GB iPod nano

Nov 10, 2003, 10:59 AM	#25
Marble macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2003 Location: Norwich, Norfolk	Dvorak strikes again.

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