Domain: everchanging.com
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Comments · 4
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get an emate
it has a standard PCMCIA slot which will accept an ethernet or wireless card - drivers available online, but you'll likely still need a machine that can connect over serial to do the initial install. there's a number of shareware and open source apps for pc, mac and linux that you can use to sync data, contacts, etc. links below
i have a 2100 that i sync up over my 802.11 network at home.
for that matter, you may be able to save your documents on the a pc flash card, and pop that into your laptop or other device that accepts such cards. i'm doubtful of this, tho, since the newton os stores everything in "soups" instead of a traditional filesystem - built from the ground up to use flash memory instead of spinning media.
anyhoo, specs for the emate are here:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/messagepad/s tats/emate_300.html
emates for $50 here:
http://macsruscomputers.com/apple-newton.html
nsync software here:
http://homepage.mac.com/nowhereman77/hacks/newton/
another similar package here (tho it may be defunct now)
http://www.everchanging.com/newton/
if you've got one, subscribe to newtontalk for a very active and helpful community of newt users:
http://www.newtontalk.net/
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The more I use my Newton......the more I realize how crappy the Palm is.
First off, the handwriting recognition is fabulous. And the assistant is just too cool for words. Write "lunch next Wednesday with Connie" and it'll ask you to pick which Connie is in your address book if there's more than one, then schedule an appointment next Wednesday from noon to 1pm with her. Make a long to-do list of things like "Call Jim". As you're going through your list ticking things off, highlight "Call Jim" and activate the Assistant, which will ask which Jim you want to call from your address book and dial the number through the built-in speaker or PCMCIA modem card, then pull up a call log app with call timer and notepad. Speech synthesis. Audio recording and playback. I've got my Newt MP2100 synced to OS X's iCal and Address Book already. (My wife has her's synced to Outlook at work.) I can connect it into any network (via ethernet or WiFi) and print directly to any networked printer, surf the net, or send an email. I can swap the network card for a modem card and fax or dial in to an ISP. The only problem with the Newton is its size: too big when you're not using it but just right when you are. I have a Palm Vx that I carry with me so I have quick access to phone numbers and (most importantly) my checkbook. But if it wasn't for the checkbook software, I would have ditched the Palm completely in favor of the Newt.
If anyone out there is looking for the best in PDAs, look into getting a MP2100 off eBay... they're only about $100. Once you add a WiFi card, ethernet card, modem card, large-capacity storage card, and a couple pieces of shareware, you'll spend about $250 total, and you'll never regret it. Matter of fact, you'll be wondering why the Newt -- which the last model, the MessagePad 2100, came out in 1997 -- can do so many things that Palms and PocketPCs can't, even today.
FWIW the Newton community is very active and passionate, and there's a lot of support for OS X and iApps, as well as loads of software. Oh, and if you want developer tools, there's plenty to pick from.
True, it's not easy being green. But after using both a Palm Vx and a Newton MessagePad 2100, while it's a bigger thing to cary around, there's no comparison... the Newton rocks.
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Re:The CIS majors must know something the CS don't
Actually, the Newton did have a Windows Connection Kit. Can't say how well it worked though (I, too, had no reason to try it).
Personally, I still love my Newton 2001 a lot more than my Palm Vx. That said, my Palm is what I carry around with me (I used my Newt' as a desktop replacement anyways - I was too poor for a laptop at the time). I think that even with the latest spate of Palm devices, the Newton still does a better job in those particular tasks. I just wish that they had developed a smaller form factor. One of these days I'll have to try the OS X connection kit.
I guess the "poof" gleaned from the NewtonOS and put into OS X when removing stuff from the Dock will have to do... -
Newton rulesWe have long have an alternative to the palm. It is called the newton. I recently acquired a used on, to replace one I broke a few years ago. I look forward to upgrading to Jaguar and running nSync to synch the address book.
As it is now, the the NCU works fine through my network(network connected syncing, that is what I miss most) on Mac OX 10.1.5. I use Newton works for writing and exchange via RTF.