CNET
Apple’s Newton Was Ahead of Its Time — and Flopped. Will History Repeat Itself?
It’s been 25 years since Apple discontinued the Newton, a handheld computer with a stylus. Apple is once again about to launch into a new product category, but has it learned lessons from Newton? 0:00 Apple Discontinues the Newton 25 Years Ago 1:18 The History of The Apple Newton MessagePad 3:29 Hands On with the…
Stephen Kong
March 5, 2023 at 11:29 am
I see the VR headset as a ‘transition’ technology (much like the Newton) where future enhanced reality will directly project information into our eyes through simply glasses, or implants. Once we have the tech ready (simple glasses or implant), then killer apps will take off.
Promote Plus
March 5, 2023 at 12:23 pm
Back to the future ❤
Galaxy Note 😢 hello 😅
Fish Ball
March 5, 2023 at 12:32 pm
Failure or not, it was part of the journey that made the iphone possible.
Ahmad Rafey
March 5, 2023 at 12:44 pm
I don’t understand why they are moving ahead with such a design for the VR headset. Ideally it should be something where the design looks like a pair or normal glasses rather than the ski goggles design.
Eric Sarjeant
March 5, 2023 at 1:12 pm
I used a Newton 110 until I replaced it with a much smaller Palm Pilot. The handwriting could be augmented using Graffiti on the Newton, which was essentially the same as the Palm writing system.
PCMCIA on the Newton was brilliant but underutilized and the IR transceiver could control various infrared devices such as TVs, VCRs, stereos, etc. Most of my use was around notes, calendar and contacts — which is pretty much the same today on my iPhone. For most people at this time, the Day-Timer or a full sized calendar was the only way to track appointments – and your contacts were invariably on paper or in a Rolodex if you had the time… the Newton and it’s predecessor (Psion?) revolutionized this space.
Matthew Harrold
March 5, 2023 at 1:28 pm
$3000 to blind yourself to reality? It’s bad enough that people deafen themselves to reality with noise cancelling headphones. Wrong way … go back! $0.02
ljacobs357
March 5, 2023 at 2:37 pm
Palm pilot was ahead of its time.
Paolo Di Rezze
March 5, 2023 at 2:38 pm
Historically, it probably wasn’t the first time apple was too early with an underpowered, overpriced product. See the Lisa computer by Apple before the macintosh.
These days it’s kinda like a cable company
Tony Martin
March 5, 2023 at 3:12 pm
I remember Newton OS won the best OS category at Comdex 95. Yes, it beat out Windows 95.
doctorSpoc
March 5, 2023 at 4:34 pm
Products are not “ahead of their time” they are suited for user at time.. or not.. so fails or not fails.. in product design there is a MAYA (Most Advanced Yet Acceptable) principle.. nascent products don’t adhere to this principle are DOOMED to failure.. deluded designer that don’t quickly learn this are doomed to repeated failures!
twitte0king
March 5, 2023 at 5:00 pm
I think the product testing segment was entertaining enough on its own, there is no need for the drum loop, that’s too distracting
Jason Wade
March 5, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Your newton has so much software on it. Wish mine had all that software. Sadly mine were factory reset back in the day.
Mike
March 5, 2023 at 5:19 pm
So, the Newton had a calculator app, but the iPad….
ESL ZACK
March 5, 2023 at 7:22 pm
I’m very happy CNET hasn’t replaced you with AI…. Yet. I appreciate all your content.
Reuben Brasil
March 5, 2023 at 8:26 pm
Try psion 5 mx that was one of the best keyboard of alltimes
Thiago Benazzi Maia
March 5, 2023 at 8:36 pm
I use to have a Palm, and I guess it worked in a similar way. The handwriting recognition didn’t mean you could write in any way. In the manual came the way you should write the letters to get recognized. Once you learned how to write in the way you suppose to, it recognize well. although was very time consuming
B Adams
March 5, 2023 at 11:47 pm
I love my Palm Pilots, I still have a few. My favorites were the Palm IIIxe and the M515. The Tungsten series is okay, but the M515 was colored and thin and had a professional look. But the Palm IIIxe was the best as it still works today. I could easily use it to replace a planner if I wanted a digital writing tool. I took it everywhere.
Kevin Talbot
March 6, 2023 at 1:44 am
I still own Palm Pilot IIIxe , I used it for work to store contacts and take notes. Purchased in May 2001 for $150.
Ed Chow
March 6, 2023 at 2:01 am
I remember buying a Newton at Circuit City…now I really feel old.
Kevin Talbot
March 6, 2023 at 2:26 am
Palm Pilot IIIxe also used for Outlook email.
Stephen Lovatt
March 6, 2023 at 2:31 am
Well, I’ve learned something new. I had never heard of a newton or its existence! I should have done, I was 32 in 1993! Anyway, I don’t think this headset thing Apple are imminently going to launch will be a success. Think it will not suit many people because of the nature of it covering the head like that. Ok, there’s the obvious ones like people who suffer from claustrophobia and all that, but I think it will cause fits and seizures in a lot of unexpected people! People that wouldn’t normally be aware of a problem! No, I think Apple are opening a can of worms here with Jonny public, more trouble and law suits they anticipate and can handle! Well, that’s my opinion anyway for what it’s worth! Have fun xx
Andrés González
March 6, 2023 at 3:45 am
OMG, Bridget is forever young, she looks stunning.
R E U
March 6, 2023 at 4:56 am
I can’t believe the Newton had a calculator, and the new iPad Pro M2 doesn’t…
Kermit Beahan
March 6, 2023 at 5:26 am
I have one in the back Closet….still works…I love the Flip Cover.. Kinda the First Flip Phone…. but not… K
Stories by Prem
March 6, 2023 at 7:13 am
It’s amazing how a 25 year old product just charges and turns on . Wish I could say this for some recent products from some brands
Louis Martini
March 6, 2023 at 11:44 am
What an awesome step back in the past. Great Video Bridget!
Vinny Sivaraman
March 6, 2023 at 1:37 pm
Only had a palm pilot. I thought it was so cool especially since it was sold as a bundle at the shopping mall with the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Ron Alcasid
March 6, 2023 at 4:55 pm
Is this the real Bridget Carey or AI?
David Grimaldos
March 6, 2023 at 9:38 pm
Do you remember the Treo Phone Adapter for Palm (waaay before Palm-Treo appears). It was like a translucent orange adapter very similar to the colored iMacs of that time (intentionally similar) and that “phone” adapter connected to the Palm of that time and turned it into a phone. In fact “Treo” was the direct competitor of Palm and then came its merger. Does anyone remember? I do. The brand was simply Trēo…please CNET search for it, I can’t find it…
David Grimaldos
March 6, 2023 at 9:43 pm
and…Windows Mobile phone? do you remeber the brand? I can’t…and Nokia Communicator. My palm m105 is still working and my Gameboy DMG is working nice and my…hp 48s scientific calculator still working
Youtube Experiment
March 6, 2023 at 11:02 pm
Price probably killed it from the star damn….
Omar Morales
March 6, 2023 at 11:06 pm
The Newton handwriting was as good as Siri is today 🤣
victor utomo
March 7, 2023 at 2:02 am
The Simpsons makes a joke about Apple product while Steve Jobs not around?
But, of course.
Dr. Robert Garmong
March 7, 2023 at 4:35 am
I had a Newton 2100, and loved it. On a cross-country bicycle trip (New York to Toronto), it was an indispensable computer substitute. I could write emails and a trip journal at night in my tent, then hopefully find somewhere to send the emails during the ride.
Some of the criticism was warranted, of course, though not this snarky tone. It was considerably larger than a Palm Pilot, but also massively more useful. The handwriting recognition was amazing. There were a limited number of apps, but of course no one had conceived of an online App Store in its day.
One thing I don’t understand is why you use this as a vehicle to ask if Apple has “learned its lesson” about introducing new product categories. I don’t see that the Newton was all that more of a radical innovation than, say, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple Watch…
yaya2006
March 7, 2023 at 8:21 am
Come on now, Apple copy it from Palm and Palm came to existence on 1992, 31 years ago. I used palm pilot III till the end palm TX. The credit for handheld gadgets goes to Palm. We used to even hook it up to internet because it has its own modem.
CNET do you homework well please and give credit to the one who deserve it, it is Palm Inc
Music Theory 4u
March 7, 2023 at 9:39 am
The killer feature is a seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem and being “in there”.
Mark
March 7, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Bridget might have discovered the fountain of youth.
Travis Garnett
March 7, 2023 at 12:50 pm
@5:03 – 👋💨, Bridget Carey!!
Alan Eddy
March 7, 2023 at 7:23 pm
It did not flop. Itr was developed over several versions, the first few of which were works in progress, but the last one before Steve Jobs killed it worked. Apple could have ruled the pda revolution which came before the smartphone revolution. Shame really as I think it could have evolved into something really interesting. Like an Apple e-ink device.
Alan Eddy
March 7, 2023 at 7:26 pm
The handwriting to text feature flakiness was mostly resolved by the final model.
C O
March 7, 2023 at 7:28 pm
Mixed reality headset = idiocy
Janne Wolterbeek
March 7, 2023 at 7:46 pm
My mother still has one in the attic somewhere, want to dig it up now.
Mace onYT
March 7, 2023 at 8:25 pm
PDAs were pretty cool, but most ppl just didn’t get it.