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Sakoman Returns to Apple

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Apr 12, 2001
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CNet reports that Steve Sakoman is returning to Apple:

Sakoman, who recently left his post as chief product officer at Palm software unit PalmSource, will report to Apple Senior Vice President Avie Tevanian, an Apple representative confirmed Tuesday. Sakoman, who most recently helped lead development of the Palm operating system, worked on the Newton handheld project, among other things during his previous stint at Apple.
Click to expand...

This Geek.com article details Sakoman's contributions at Apple previously:

Sakoman first stepped into the techie limelight when working at Apple as manager of several hardware groups responsible for such Apple gear as the Apple II, the Macintosh, the Newton, and many of the processor designs from 1984-'87.
Click to expand...

Sakoman was also a co-founder of Be, Inc. and later joined Palm after Palm acquired Be in August of 2001. No details are provided as to Sakoman's future role at Apple.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2003/03/05/sakoman-returns-to-apple/
umm, WOW

The rebirth of the Newton? (don't flame me!)...or could it be the Apple brand tablet....geez...apple just opened a can of worms on us rumormongers

It would be extremely welcome (at least to me) to see the Newton brought back.
 
The obvious thing to say is Apple's going to make a PDA, but I doubt it. I don't think a handwriting-recognizing iPod is out of the question though. It will, however, remain first and foremost a music player, I think.
 
I think Apple is very conscious of the amount of devices in our pockets these days... Consolidating these dedicated devices into a simple and easy to use device (or 2) would be a very good idea.

On any given day I cannot find enough pockets for:

1. a PDA
2. an iPod
3. a CellPhone
4. a Wallet

That's 4 pockets! Instead of 1,000 songs in your pocket, it should be 1,000 songs, my business, my communicator...

My .02 cents :p
 
I get stuck with a pocket for the iPod, a pocket for the cell phone, a pocket for the wallet, and a pocket for the keys. That's why my PDA sits in my desk drawer collecting dust. That or that fact that it runs CE and erases all my data when the battery runs out.
 
I am glad to see this growth at Apple. I remember the days where I could not go a week without hearing a story about another executive at Apple leaving. Now it seems to be just the opposite, a sign of the times I would believe. Good times.
 
maybe not....

Sure, GeeYouEye is right. Lets not all say "ALL HAIL iTABLET" right off. I bet they brought him on to figure out what the next big pocket device is going to be. I can almost say that it's something we all need, but just dont know it yet.

Pre-iPod, I didn't know I needed 2000 MP3s with me for where ever I go. But guess what, I can't live without it now.

Apple! Tell me what I need!!!!
 
word

I gotta say that an iPod with a little extra dimension to it would be nice. If could just make playlists, add contacts and maybe plug a keyboard in, it would be an infinitely more dynamic contraption. If Sakky can get that together for me, I might just be friends with him.

word
 
I haven't heard of this guy before, but does he even still make hardware designs? I mean that stuff he made for Apple was a long time ago... He might just take some sort of hands-off executive job.
 
saruman ;)

funny - I read 'Saruman is returning to Apple'

I probably watched too much of lord of the rings...

"I come back to you now - at the turn of the tide" fits nicely here though...

;)
 
Executive movement TO Apple can only be a good thing, with the guy (or is it girl) from Adobe coming on board also it bades well for strong, experienced, creative management... but also throws aviation fuel on the smoking rumor fires, like they need it.

Please wake me when the new iPod is released and not before....:p

Do not even mention the newton, oops, sorry.


------
weev
 
For those about to jump all over iPDA, please remember that Sakoman was at Apple prior to when Newton turned into a PDA. It was still a semi-desktop computer when he left!
 
What is so wrong with wanting a Newton ?
The way Apple is conceiving new ideas this Newton surely would outshine and outlast the competition ?
 
It sure has

Originally posted by Trimix
What is so wrong with wanting a Newton ?
The way Apple is conceiving new ideas this Newton surely would outshine and outlast the competition ?
Click to expand...

I still have my 130 at still runs circles around the Palm/mini-winblows PDAs the only thing is missing is the usb port to talk to osx. Please apple make new newton.:D
 
My guess is he's been wanting out since Palm bought Be. I never understood that acquisition; I suppose Palm wanted to make Be into PalmOS 5. Steve's probably had almost nothing to do since the acquisition.

It's probably not logical to infer anything about a PDA here. Steve's a talented manager who wanted a job where he could accomplish something.

If I wanted to surmise that his going to Apple had anything to do with any particular product strategy or vision, it would be a highly enhanced C++ version of the Carbon API, somewhat like Be's C++ API. Programmers are not enthusiastic about Cocoa because of Objective-C, and Carbon looks old and clunky.
 
I maintain the stance that a PDA would be a bad idea, so would
a phone. But if they make one of those, I hope they make the
phone. :eek: :rolleyes: ;)
 
In reply to scem0

Had we had the same discussion two years ago and we had heard a rumor of an i-pod I would have taken your stance and would be eating my words now -
however Apple can make us go WOW, and I feel, were they to bring out a pda, the Apple UEBER-pda, there would be a market.
I just recently bought a new mobile phone and I am amazed how they are moving closer and closer to becoming useable pdas.
Apple seem to be active in a lot of areas that when destilled into a product could really result in a device which could combine the best of an i-pod, a mobile phone and a Newton. Why would that be bad for Apple ? Do you feel there is no market ?
 
It's Coming

I was talking about this before MacWorld rather almost insisting that there would be an iPad sort of thing in the works for Jan. Alas I was wrong about the timing but I tell you it's coming. A hybrid of the Newton / iPod / tablet thingie!
 
Lets take a closer look at this...

1 - Sakoman worked for Be, NOT Palm... He didn't work for Palm until they purchased Be's assets... So don't look at him as a Palm employee, look at his as a Be employee that was displaced for a while at Palm.

2 - Apple has clearly stated that they do not believe in the PDA market, and to be honest, I think they are right. If you want a PDA, go get yourself a Sony Ericsson P800 phone/camera/PDA combo.

3 - Has anyone noticed that Apple is snatching up all the old Be employees? BeOS had some very, very advanced features that were years ahead of their time. If Apple can get those features into OS X we will have a beautiful work of art that will push Windows even closer to the ice age.

Just my $0.02
 
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