Criteria
Comments
Rating
- Features No comments
- Display No comments
- Battery life No comments
- Ease of use No comments
- Storage capacity No comments
- Design and form factor No comments
- Portability (size / weight) No comments
- Durability No comments
Detailed review
MessagePad MP2000/2100 (Newton, Inc.) referenced as Newton through this review.
I won't say that there are not some short comings to this device, but what I can say is that most often many (if not most) are due to the technology present during it's run that prevented the Newton from doing what a user would want.
SIZE: the Newton is a bit hefty compared to what others in the market provided. However the size of it's screen and frame are one of the benefits which I enjoy. The size allows for a great viewing area where you can see whatever it's displaying clearly.
BATTERY LIFE: the Newton uses readily available AA Alkaline batteries (AA NiMH are also usable) The higher capacity cells(ex. 2700mAh AA NiMH) can allow for weeks of usage depending on your personal usage. My configuration can be use for almost a month before charging at its' best.
SCREEN: the Newton screen besides it's size has been configured to energy efficient, clear and anti-glare. With the available technology back then this was the best compromise especially going with the Green backlight which provided the best contrast.
DATA: the Newton was the first to use Flash RAM which protected one's data from erasure even when faced with the loss of power. This was a major concern to Palm PDA's and even Pocket PC's. I've used both and if I happen to not charge them I'd find my PDA and have to ask myself did I do a recent back up or not. Very disappointing and frustrating. I've powered up my prior daily Newton after 5 years plus of non-use and I was gratifyingly greeted with access to ALL my old data.
DATA2: the Newton had one thing that always amazed me. It's data was accessible by any app if programmed properly. If you had a name in Names and created an Event in Dates it would offer you a selection for the name you wrote if there were more than one. In today's technology this type of accessibility is not really present.
APPS: the Newton apps if properly programmed were very satisfying. I used many apps of which Quicken for Newton was my trust checking ledgerbook. i++ was a nice app which provided many features and access to apps for lose familiar with Windows. I use The Message with the KJV, RSV and NIV for my bible reading on my trusty Newton. Often I really didn't need many apps beyond the built-in Names, Notes, Dates, To Do, and Newton Works.
WAY TO DO THINGS: the Newton here still out shines the Palm and Pocket PC to name the two I've used the most beside it. The most important feature is the Newton Assist. If you tapped on Assist and then wrote down, 'meet Sonny at 12pm for lunch on Wednesday', it would then create an event in Dates on the next Wednesday at 12pm listing indicating 'lunch with Sonny. Now on the Palm or Pocket PC you would have to take a multitude of steps to do the same thing.
EXPANSION: teh Newton had possible internal and external expansion if one were to take advantage of it. Modem and Memory were the most common forms of expansion. Besides those Serial ports and Bard Code Readers were items that were manufactured back then. Beyond that we have Bluetooth, ATA Storage and WiFi which were all created by members of the Newton Community. * These are things that weren't even in existence when the Newton was around. And addition item which is of important note is the creation of a server software where the Newton could actually server pages on the internet and even is currently doing so now.
POSSIBILITIES: what I've discovered is that the Newton could have been so much more. Yeah new technologies can do many of the things that Newton could do and even more, but back in the day there were many things that people were not aware of that the Newton was being used for.
Here are some links of what was or could have been back then.
Pre-MP2000/2100
NotePhone:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759405954...
SeaHorse:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759430215...
Tarpon:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759430323...
SuperTech 2000:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759405940...
MP2000/2100
Watson - Medical Field
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759406111...
Access Device:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759405940...
Access Device (Wireline):
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759448470...
Messenotizen (NotePhone2000):
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759406132...
Petrosian: (* this is still and active museum exhibit running on MP2x00's)
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759449524...
There are numerous other things that could be listed here but I have no details other than sighting and stories from those who were there. US Army, Disney and I think the Smithsonian also.
The interface (GUI) employed with it's software and flexibility were it's strength and what drew many users to it. Yes some of the implementation was not so well received, but I loved the HWR because it worked well. The Battery life was excellent. The instant on was to die for with Windows PC now taking longer and longer to boot up.
I won't say that there are not some short comings to this device, but what I can say is that most often many (if not most) are due to the technology present during it's run that prevented the Newton from doing what a user would want.
SIZE: the Newton is a bit hefty compared to what others in the market provided. However the size of it's screen and frame are one of the benefits which I enjoy. The size allows for a great viewing area where you can see whatever it's displaying clearly.
BATTERY LIFE: the Newton uses readily available AA Alkaline batteries (AA NiMH are also usable) The higher capacity cells(ex. 2700mAh AA NiMH) can allow for weeks of usage depending on your personal usage. My configuration can be use for almost a month before charging at its' best.
SCREEN: the Newton screen besides it's size has been configured to energy efficient, clear and anti-glare. With the available technology back then this was the best compromise especially going with the Green backlight which provided the best contrast.
DATA: the Newton was the first to use Flash RAM which protected one's data from erasure even when faced with the loss of power. This was a major concern to Palm PDA's and even Pocket PC's. I've used both and if I happen to not charge them I'd find my PDA and have to ask myself did I do a recent back up or not. Very disappointing and frustrating. I've powered up my prior daily Newton after 5 years plus of non-use and I was gratifyingly greeted with access to ALL my old data.
DATA2: the Newton had one thing that always amazed me. It's data was accessible by any app if programmed properly. If you had a name in Names and created an Event in Dates it would offer you a selection for the name you wrote if there were more than one. In today's technology this type of accessibility is not really present.
APPS: the Newton apps if properly programmed were very satisfying. I used many apps of which Quicken for Newton was my trust checking ledgerbook. i++ was a nice app which provided many features and access to apps for lose familiar with Windows. I use The Message with the KJV, RSV and NIV for my bible reading on my trusty Newton. Often I really didn't need many apps beyond the built-in Names, Notes, Dates, To Do, and Newton Works.
WAY TO DO THINGS: the Newton here still out shines the Palm and Pocket PC to name the two I've used the most beside it. The most important feature is the Newton Assist. If you tapped on Assist and then wrote down, 'meet Sonny at 12pm for lunch on Wednesday', it would then create an event in Dates on the next Wednesday at 12pm listing indicating 'lunch with Sonny. Now on the Palm or Pocket PC you would have to take a multitude of steps to do the same thing.
EXPANSION: teh Newton had possible internal and external expansion if one were to take advantage of it. Modem and Memory were the most common forms of expansion. Besides those Serial ports and Bard Code Readers were items that were manufactured back then. Beyond that we have Bluetooth, ATA Storage and WiFi which were all created by members of the Newton Community. * These are things that weren't even in existence when the Newton was around. And addition item which is of important note is the creation of a server software where the Newton could actually server pages on the internet and even is currently doing so now.
POSSIBILITIES: what I've discovered is that the Newton could have been so much more. Yeah new technologies can do many of the things that Newton could do and even more, but back in the day there were many things that people were not aware of that the Newton was being used for.
Here are some links of what was or could have been back then.
Pre-MP2000/2100
NotePhone:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759405954...
SeaHorse:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759430215...
Tarpon:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759430323...
SuperTech 2000:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759405940...
MP2000/2100
Watson - Medical Field
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759406111...
Access Device:
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759405940...
Access Device (Wireline):
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759448470...
Messenotizen (NotePhone2000):
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7205759406132...
Petrosian: (* this is still and active museum exhibit running on MP2x00's)
www.flickr.com/photos/sonnyhung/sets/7215759449524...
There are numerous other things that could be listed here but I have no details other than sighting and stories from those who were there. US Army, Disney and I think the Smithsonian also.
The interface (GUI) employed with it's software and flexibility were it's strength and what drew many users to it. Yes some of the implementation was not so well received, but I loved the HWR because it worked well. The Battery life was excellent. The instant on was to die for with Windows PC now taking longer and longer to boot up.
good review!
1 person found this review helpful