Apple Newton: The 1990's iPad
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
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The Newton is a series of personal digital assistants (PDA) developed and marketed by Apple Computer, Inc from 1993. An early device in the PDA category - the Newton originated the term "personal digital assistant" - it was the first to feature handwriting recognition. Was it really as bad as everyone makes out? I try out the Apple Newton MessagePad 130.
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General Magic - The Retro Hour Podcast: theretrohour.c...
Sources used in this video:
General Magic The Movie: www.generalmag...
Apple Newton Commercial - "Intelligence by Newton": • Video
Apple Newton Commercial Collection: • Apple Newton Commercia...
The Computer Chronicles PDAs (1993): archive.org/de...
The Computer Chronicles Buying a New Computer: archive.org/de...
Your World, Your Newton - '90s Apple Promo Video: • Your World, Your Newto...
Newton Connection Utility: www.macintoshr...
Einstein Emulator: www.macintoshr...
applenewton.co.uk/
UNNA Backup Server: unna.applenewto...
I was involved in a trial project using the Newton Message pad with Derbyshire Police in 1995 - we designed a system which allowed them to do PNC vehicle checks using the Newton connected to a Nokia 2110 GSM phone - my mate worked on developing the Newton software and I did the comms software which then talked to PNC (Police National Computer). The project was never widely rolled out, but was modestly successful as a trial. The Newton/Nokia 2110 combination was later superceded by the Nokia 9000. Our company (based in Belper, Derbs) was one of the 1st in the UK to get a working Nokia 9000 - the first GSM Phone/PDA combined in one package. The Newton development faded away as the Windows CE devices came in. However, the Newton was used on other projects - in a very similar way to how field workers today use phones, tablets etc to download and upload jobs and so on. We used it successfully for about 2 years and used to supply the Newtons, styluses, cases, battery covers etc...
Great to hear that, so the newton did had some hardly but little success in the police department,now if apple only knew this, they could,ve developed special software for the police in the hopes to sell out their newton.
PDAs in the mid to late 90s was blowing my mind. I thought it was so cool to have a small computer in your pocket to do productivity and play some shitty games. But I could never afford it. Now it’s funny looking back at my fascination and how I used to go to a local computer store to try it out, since we all have a way more powerful computer in our pockets now. Pretty much a supercomputer in comparison.
I was freaking obsessed with PDAs too, hah :D and those personal IM devices from late 90s early 00s.
My mom’s work provided all the upper management with these. I remember her getting so frustrated with the handwriting recognition, and the “beam” feature you had to be perfectly lined up to the person you were “beaming” a message to.
"Eat up Martha" I love these videos. I don't remember seeing Newton's back in the day but Psion and Palm pilots I do.
Good to seeing you do more videos Dan - this was another great one :)
Even though the Newton came first, I think the Palm Pilot was much more iconic. Handwriting that actually worked, actually pocket sized, a huge software library. I had been a Palm device user for many years, and tried many other competitors. Up through early smartphones, Palm was always my favorite. I even really liked WebOS, its just a shame that never took off.
Back in the day, it felt like the Palm Pilot was the Newton _made_ _right_ . It had a less powerful CPU, but that meant that more people could afford it.
@@FindecanorNotGmail How much CPU power did you actually need to take notes, write emails, and play simple stylus games? I am sure that 90% of users would never be able to tell the difference.
@@Mikeywil0003 Lots, to do the handwriting recognition.
webOS is still around in LG TVs
Great video, it was recommended for me, hope it goes viral for you! I love finding cool channels, thanks RUclips
I've got a box full of Newton gear in storage. I've got a few 120s. My original 130 which I bought for college back in 1997, a couple 2000s, one with the 2100 upgrade card, and an eMate 300, as well as manuals and a bunch of accessories. I loved the Newton, and wish that the interface had been allowed to mature over the years. iOS might have turned out very differently had Jobs not cancelled the project. Thanks for the video :)
Keep the ads at the end of the video or don't use them at all. Mid-video ads are an invasive advertising practice because you don't see them coming. You're less likely to skip them and that's exactly why the practice should be banned. No company is entitled to tricking people into seeing their manipulative advertising bullshit.
Can’t see this technology ever catching on.
Sent from John’s iPad.
I remember vividly using one of these back in the days... Later a palm pilot took its place, then a psion series 5, and the a windows ce system with a keyboard in a miniature form factor. Some of the devices are still in a drawer here...those where the days.
Nice vid Danny Boy! 👍🕹️
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Sent from my Newton
Maybe the rx and tx parts of the serial port are inverted. Try configuring the cable like if it was a null modem cable
Lol i had a PDA Phone in high school and remember other kids teasing me about the size of my phone and saying "Why would you want to draw on your phone?" oh how I knew the future and its funny that now I hate it.
I remember wanting one of these pretty bad. Never owned one sadly. I remember them being expensive (at least, for my teenage self).I did end up getting a Palm Pilot around 97-98. Not quite the same... but :D.
Regarding the rainbow apple logo, I really miss how logos were done before the 2000s. Everything is so plain and flat these days. I miss the days when everyone wanted to stand out of the crowd and really strut their stuff.
@@henmanchow9045 What?
Whatever the newton is outdated or not regardless it’s technology, i still does see lots of potential in this device, it just looks sooo cool it just looks sooo appealing ,i got to have one, now if werehouses still own a bunch of them, they now could take rid of them on ebay to target diehard retro & apple fans!!!
I had one of these...and I never used it.
I've been going through The Simpsons lately and in E0608 they ask a bully to make a note to beat up Martin in his "Newton". It got me curious since I didn't remember the tech, but was alive around then. It's impressive for the time honestly looking back on it.
Kept watching the video: 5:01
PS Love the suprise amiga running Mac Os
Good to see you back on YT again!
Cool vid dude
Fantastic video love these old pdas
I wrote one of the first commercial games for the Newton, Lunar Lander from Landware
I still have my Newton, I really need to dig it out and see if it still works.
You can do the one hand "open the tricorder" Star Trek move with that flip cover. According to a news article I once read it was designed that way just to make that move possible.
Now I finally know more about the Newton, awesome! Glad to hear more videos are coming. Is one about the Acorn Archimedes in the pipeline? (Yes, I’m the one who keeps asking about that... 😆)
So glad you're making more videos Dan. I still blame you for getting me back into Amiga lol. And even today I was looking up how to get ADF onto AMIGA floppy and who's old video did I find most helpful? Lol
I bought one of these in December of 1993 at Circuit City for over $1,000 after tax. As of today in 2021 this product was the biggest waste of money I have ever spent. It was black and white no color, the hand writing recognition was a joke and worked about 30% of the time. The load times were so slow I would forget I asked it to do something. The product was discontinued in 1997. Garbage!
I bought an original Newton as soon as they were released in the UK, complete in box with the VHS tape! Can't say the Newton itself was a lot of actual use, but it was a fantastic gadget for the time and a good talking point. I wish I still had it, I am a hoarder by nature but for some reason sold my Newton back in the early 2000s.
Ah, that EL turquoise backlight. My first ever digital watch had that same type of backlight, too. It's hard, if not impossible, to replicate that particular hue with RGB LEDs. I don't even know if anyone makes a monochrome LED in the right hue either.
I had the original Newton. The writing interface with it's gestures and drawing was really not that bad thanks to the stylus. It's a technology that we lost in today's devices apart from the Samsung Note series. I remember building my own cable based on a schematic I found online but I didn't have much else to connect it to which was probably the downfall of it in general. Too early for the normal end users. The PCMCIA cards always reminded me of the memory chips they used in Star Trek :-).
I never owned one, but I did get to play around with a few. I didn't really have problems with the handwriting recognition, but maybe I had neater handwriting than others who skewer it over that. I thought it was kinda cool, but didn't have a need for one, especially considering the price. PalmOS devices were more enticing for me.
Jobs never wanted a smartphone, he did not just "imagine" iPhone. His team kept working on it secretly and only later convinced Jobs to go with it.
I wanted one of these. Never got one but I did get the pocket mail device that did email only.
Now when combat trowsers would be very useful, to store our giant smartphones, nobody wears them. Strange world.
really -_-
2020 the year of having two minutes ads written into all my videos
I really hope someone comes up with a browser extension that auto-recognises words such as "skillshare", "squarespace", "raid shadow legends" and such, and automatically advances the video.
I had (and still have somewhere) the Palm Pilot which sported somewhat same featureset.. However I don't recall it lasting 30 hours .. it was only really useful as an electronic calender (synced w. outlook) to me and occasional notetaking.. learning to "type" on it was quite a task.. wonder if it were worse or better than Newton in that regard tbh
I'm guessing that the Newton's serial port could use RS-422, which Apple used for its own printers. Macs also had a RS-232 port for modems, which I suppose is what the cable is for -- and why you need a gender changer.
what’s messed up what you did dude puttin an ad in the middle of the best part
I can't imagine this thing providing any advantage to have.
hi, i just bought Amiga forever... watched your video about it, but still waiting for a video about config. it?
I dont know how to play hard drive files for examp. thanks
I’m in the uk
It has a PCMIA slot, put in a USB3 connector card and smack a iPhone 12 on it :þ
So basically, it was expensive Etch A Sketch
My dad had a Newton:)
My god half the video is a commercial.
Gender changing morphing from guru meditation, you're a very strange man Dan
โอ้ว
and already then was a copy cat..
Watch the movie about Newton: vimeo.com/ondemand/newtfilm/265556912