iPad 2: half the size of a Newton.

[nagromme]

I know you were wondering.

MessagePad 2000: 42.9 cubic inches
iPad 2: 23.6 cubic inches
The iPad 2 is even slightly lighter: 1.33 lbs. vs. 1.4 lbs.

That’s the second-gen MessagePad. The original 336x240-pixel Newton model was almost as small as an iPad 2: 24.5 cu. in. (And a mere .9 lbs.)
And the original iPad was in between the two Newtons: 37.7 cu. in.

(These are bounding box volumes. All these devices are actually smaller because they’re not squared off. The original iPad, especially, is smaller if that’s taken into account. Drop it into a graduated container of water to see )

Specs courtesy of everymac.
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/messagepad/index.html

I never owned a Newton, but I was curious to compare to Apple’s FIRST tablet product. (Which had an ARM chip, like the iPad 2... at 20MHz.) It even had a removable cover hinged at the left, and a dock of icons at the bottom:

 

[vincenz]

Makes you wonder how technology wouldve played out if tablets had gotten popular instead of pcs back then.

 

[Alaerian]

I miss old Apple tech. I <3 that stuff!

 

[goMac]

I actually own an original Newton Messagepad (with original box and all materials). Pretty cool piece of tech.

 

[thesiren]

I thought you meant a fig newton.


I feel let down.

 

[TheFarmer]

I love Newton's. I was just a kid back in the day when they came out, it was my dream piece to own. I even like Steven Seagal, especially when he used one in Under Siege 2!

 

[urkel]

 

[mullman]

I have a few Newtons around here, I nearly wore my original MessagePad out.
IIRC it was $500 in 1994. The iPad 2 seems like such a deal compared to the Newtons I bought 'back in the day'

I highly recommend this book if you can find it...pretty easy to locate in '94

EDIT: looks like Amazon has a few

 

[nagromme]

I only played with a Newton once, but I have terrible penmanship and it recognized my writing quite well. I was impressed.

I miss old Apple tech. I <3 that stuff!

You’ll love this then:


From http://osxdaily.com/2011/03/13/macintosh-portable-vs-ipad-2

iPad 2 next to Apple’s first portable machine... from 1989! It had nearly the same screen size as the iPad. 9.8” vs. the iPad’s 9.7” (but only 640x400). 16 lbs.!