More "New Newton" rumors
What's more annoying than Chocolate Rain and the pointless Kid Nation uproar? The incessant "Apple is coming out with a new Newton" rumors.Here's one from 2003:
"...There's good reason to believe that a jazzy new Newton II will be forthcoming, perhaps in January" (Yup, that's our good friend John Dvorak).
Another from 2004:
"...[A US company] 'approached Apple willing to buy [the] Newton and relaunch it. They are in ... negotiations with Apple...'"
I think we all remember - and would like to forget - the iWalk.
Today, AppleInsider is beating this decrepit, old horse. According to their "well-respected sources," a team has been very busy at Apple building a multi-touch handheld successor to the Newton. Sure. In other news, everyone who paid $7500 for a Twentieth Anniversary Mac will receive $100 Apple Store credit, OJ Simpson is Steve Job's personal hitman and the next AppleTV will play Pippin games.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Martin (GGDF) said 1:55PM on 9-26-2007
Do you have some personal vendetta against a new Newton? You are one moody mofo.
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geochick said 1:59PM on 9-26-2007
Oh good grief not again... I thought the iPhone already does pretty much what the Newton did plus all the music and video and phone goodness. What's the point? Maybe someone saw a Mactouch/Mactablet prototype and just thought Newton for some reason.
No clue what's in the Apple design labs these days or ever but maybe there is a product coming that is starting these rumors up again.
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yacoub said 2:04PM on 9-26-2007
It WOULD explain why they're whoring iPod touch (and soon iPhone) users by locking them down so hard.
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required said 2:10PM on 9-26-2007
So if I understand this correctly, the iPhone is a cellphone, the iPod a media player so the Newton would be their handheld computer.
That is some wacky nomenclature but if memory serves, Apple has always had product naming problems (quadra, centris, etc).
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Cory said 2:12PM on 9-26-2007
I don't understand Apple here.
Let's just cut the bull and add some features to the iPhone and iPod Touch and get it over with. I don't want to have a gizzillion things in my pocket, so this PDA better have a phone in it.
Apple could develop a bigger screened iPhone and then have 3 PDA/iPhones/iPod touch models. Why not make a mini-Pages app (mini Numbers too), make the Calendar program useful on the iPod Touch by enabling adds and edits, add an email program. Why not allow third party software to be installed.
If Apple did this - they'd clean up on the PDA market with the products they currently have. I have no idea why they want to lock these down - they are cannibalizing their own sales by continuing to do so. The iPhone network excuse doesn't hold any water with the iPod Touch - I just don't get it. Open it UP and they'll score a HUGE win here.
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jtd said 2:33PM on 9-26-2007
There is no PDA market anymore. People have come to realize that PDAs are kind of stupid without telephony built in. This is why the iPhone IS the "new Newton."
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harrywolf said 2:49PM on 9-26-2007
I thought you might mention the iWok, which was going to be the most amazing device/pda/microwave replacement etc.
I still thnk Jobs and co. are cooking something up in Cupertino....
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niclet said 3:09PM on 9-26-2007
Zzzzz!
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Frank said 3:19PM on 9-26-2007
am i the only one hoping this is true?
well, i need to clarify what i'm hoping here before i get beat upon, i guess: i don't think a multi-touch PDA is worthwhile, but i DO think a multi-touch tablet/ebook reader would be AWESOME. i've been wanting such a thing for years now. i was hoping the iphone would work for reading electronic documents (like PDF), but it's not quite there because of the size. but a dedicated electronic document reader would be kickazz -- NOT a music player/phone/ebook reading device combo, mind you, JUST something for reading ebooks and electronic documents, that you could compose and alter files with, and possible email them. that's it. please oh please oh please apple, make it so...!
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Iain said 3:25PM on 9-26-2007
Knowing the new 'Apple' this will turn into another one of those locked down hellpot devices. Much like what the iPod Touch has come to resemble (the iPhone being one step away from itself).
Now onto the most important questions. What happened to the old Apple and how the frack can I get them back?!
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Whiplash said 3:36PM on 9-26-2007
I don't see how there would be any market for a Newton now that the iPhone is out. What else on earth do you REALLY need to do on a portable device?
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FlimFlamMan said 3:48PM on 9-26-2007
Lead-in commentary on this rumor is idiocy in the extreme. A new tablet would be a perfect fit with the devices now being sold. Seems to me that at this point, it wouldn't take much development effort to bring a larger touchscreen device to market; the OS is done. So all that remains is going after another the market segment.
Want a cellphone/PDA with email, web browsing, & media playback? - get an iPhone.
Don't need or want cellphone capabilities? - get an iPod for a little less
Want or need a larger screen than can be provided by a pocketable device? - the iToldYouSo!
I would only suggest that Apple stop crippling the devices as they are doing at present. Let the customer decide which device meets their requirements and differentiate by hardware capabilites.
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TheDukester said 3:57PM on 9-26-2007
Lots of writers can successfully pull off snarky humor. You, Dave, are not one of them.
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Greg G said 4:13PM on 9-26-2007
Actually, I love the idea. An ultra portable Mac? Hell yeah.
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Cory said 4:30PM on 9-26-2007
They're already here Greg - Apple just needs to unlock them and we'll be happier. A bigger iPhone could work, a smaller one too (nano size) - 3 sizes of iPhone, an iPod Touch (iTouch) - JUST UNLOCK them Apple.
Touch screens on an iMac and MacBook - now were talking.
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dhaasgob said 4:41PM on 9-26-2007
I so wish we could play Pippin games on the ATV... that'd be cool (kinda retro, but not really). I know it wont happen though...
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DM said 4:49PM on 9-26-2007
Does anyone think Apple is so dumb as to resurrect any product with a Newton name? Or form factor? Get a grip. Not as long as Steve Jobs is alive.
Is Ford coming out with a redesigned Edsel too?
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Tom said 6:01PM on 9-26-2007
"a team has been very busy at Apple building a multi-touch handheld successor to the Newton."
Uh, you mean the iPhone and iPod touch?
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Brian S said 6:53PM on 9-26-2007
I don't think this is a half bad idea, though they should still provide the ability to use 3rd party apps on the iPhone/touch. A device this size would be a great alternative for watching movies while traveling, as it's a good medium between a small laptop and the iPhone/touch as far as screen size. Full DVD resolution? Heck yes! Provided it has enough storage, that is.
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Cycomachead said 7:54PM on 9-26-2007
What a new Newton? Ahh crap! My dad's friend is giving me his old one soon.
Oh well, still nothing wrong with a 10yr old PDA with an Apple logo.
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