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Apple Newton in 2014 ?
- Thread starter J232022
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I can't think of why you'd want to use a Newton in this decade. Who's to say you can't be productive with it, though? If you want to use one badly enough, I say go for it.
I have a 130 that I power up once in a while to play with. Considering its age, and specs, the handwriting recognition still is impressive (though the Egg Freckle Easter Egg is still very funny - attached is photo my 130 display).
With minimal support for even basic data transfers on current OS X, it's a bit hard to get stuff moved to a Mac or iOS device. Of course, if you also have a vintage Mac and Newton support software, you could use it as a go-between with a modern Mac.
With minimal support for even basic data transfers on current OS X, it's a bit hard to get stuff moved to a Mac or iOS device. Of course, if you also have a vintage Mac and Newton support software, you could use it as a go-between with a modern Mac.
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They're such cool devices, I wish I could use mine more. In college I used mine for notes A LOT and it has some good features like ambient temperature and a remote control that can be used with a few TVs and VCRs. Best use for a Newton now would be about the same. Great for taking notes and as an address book. I keep my MP2000 in the laptop bag, just cuz its fun to keep nearby in case I can fabricate a use for it, and I have some fun games too.
When it first came out, my dad got one, and I got to play with it a bit (including bringing it to high school a few times - the envy of the nerd brigade.)
I later got one of my own, after they were obsolete, and used it as a "primary hand-held computer" up until 2006 or so. (I have always been a fan of ultra-small computing, having bought an HP 200 LX palmtop PC in college.) Could it be used today? Sure. A Newton MP 2100 can handle Bluetooth and WiFi cards! There are apps to sync with modern OS X systems. NCX is the main current one. Sadly, the best app for it stopped active development long before the Intel transition, so Intel Macs can't use it. (It would sync contacts, calendars, and more, with the OS X equivalents. NCX is mostly for app install and backups.)
I later got one of my own, after they were obsolete, and used it as a "primary hand-held computer" up until 2006 or so. (I have always been a fan of ultra-small computing, having bought an HP 200 LX palmtop PC in college.) Could it be used today? Sure. A Newton MP 2100 can handle Bluetooth and WiFi cards! There are apps to sync with modern OS X systems. NCX is the main current one. Sadly, the best app for it stopped active development long before the Intel transition, so Intel Macs can't use it. (It would sync contacts, calendars, and more, with the OS X equivalents. NCX is mostly for app install and backups.)
If you do get a Newton, you will likely have to apply a patch for the Year 2010 bug if you want it to have the correct time & date.
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There is a new patch if interested which you can find information on it here:
And one for the eMate:
There is a German Newton patch as well, just not quite sure where that one is.
Stay green everyone (and just in time for St. Patrick's Day)
And one for the eMate:
There is a German Newton patch as well, just not quite sure where that one is.
Stay green everyone (and just in time for St. Patrick's Day)
A response 11 years later - I love it!
I hope the OP gets a notification alert as well.
I hope the OP gets a notification alert as well.
Had both the Newton and the MessagePad 2000.
Enjoyed both immensely.
Can’t remember if it was built-in or an app, but I created a form with fields that could be filled in. I used it all the time when picking up new projects from my clients.
I consider these early devices to be the grandfathers of the iPad.
Enjoyed both immensely.
Can’t remember if it was built-in or an app, but I created a form with fields that could be filled in. I used it all the time when picking up new projects from my clients.
I consider these early devices to be the grandfathers of the iPad.
I had a Newton when they first came out — a bunch of us got them at work to see if we could develop a killer app for the platform.
The truth is, they were terrible devices then, and they’re hopelessly obsolete now. They never got handwriting recognition to work well or quickly. But they couldn’t even handle very basic tasks, like sorting a contact list of 25 or 50 contacts. Ordinarily, a list sort should take a fraction of a second, but Newton would just hourglass on even a simple task like that. So I can’t say that Newton was ahead of its time — it was simply implemented very poorly.
The truth is, they were terrible devices then, and they’re hopelessly obsolete now. They never got handwriting recognition to work well or quickly. But they couldn’t even handle very basic tasks, like sorting a contact list of 25 or 50 contacts. Ordinarily, a list sort should take a fraction of a second, but Newton would just hourglass on even a simple task like that. So I can’t say that Newton was ahead of its time — it was simply implemented very poorly.