I've been fairly active on
eBay recently, snapping up cut-price redundant technologies such as Philips CDi players, 8mm cine projectors and Apple Newtons. These have all played a major part in my life at some point and I've really enjoyed tracking them down.
Apple Computer's pioneering handheld computer 'the Newton' created a real stir when I took it into the office, with Mac die-hards lining up to touch this ugly green monster, with its embossed, rainbow-coloured Apple motif and strange rubbery skin. 'I think we could start a bit of a retro-trend with these things' someone said.
Joking aside, natural handwriting recognition on the Newton 2000 is still pretty impressive and beats modern day pretenders like the Palm Pilot. Frankly I couldn't be bothered to learn the quirky caligraphy demanded by these devices and that's why I've stuck with an old Psion organiser with its miniature keyboard.
The Newton is fun though, there's lots of software out there on the net for the taking and when I've actually been able to prise it out of my daughters fingers, I've found it pretty useful to have around. Not bad for a six-year old machine.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs was mad not to have realised the potential of this device when he abandoned the technology in 1998.
Links:
Planet Newton
Newton Links
Newton Tech Guy
Old School Software
Now all I need to do is find time to resurrect my old clockwork Newton scam which did the rounds on the net some years ago ;-)
posted by Paul Fillingham at 10:22 AM
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