Yes I did it. Most of The Mac 512's readers already knew that. They know I have been looking for a Newton MessagePad replacement and until now could never find one that "fit" me like the Newton MessagePad did.

Is part of it knowing that it is an Apple product? Yes, the quality of Apple's products has amazed me and still thrive in my household. To be more specific that is 46 unique Macintosh models and 10 duplicate Macintosh models for parts); Newton Message Pads 100, 2000 (with 2100 software), and eMate 300; Next Cube and Turbo Color Workstation; Apple Lisa, and the iPod Touch (1st Gen and 2nd Gen). All of these work as good as they day they were made. At one point in time I did have almost all of them networked together. That was a pretty warm room.

Now that my pre-order is in process at the Apple Online Stores opening today, let me explain why a tablet form factor will work for me. The model I pre-ordered is the 32GB model with 3G capability. The only accessory I ordered is the black case as my reasoning is that I could get a dock later depending if I wanted one with a keyboard or not.

Graduate School

I went back to school again for my Master of Business Administration (MBA) and have classes and homework to complete weekly. As I am in an accelerated MBA program I have no breaks at all. This will add to my student loans since I decided to start back in school 5 years ago to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree and my Master in Information Systems degree.

Where iPad fits in for school: The iPad will help me carry my eBooks (PDF format) around. All of my interaction when I am not at my local campus is done on the school's website which acts as a way to collaborate with my fellow classmates too. Lectures and other resources are also found online. The school library is found online. At any downtime I can now study and complete my schoolwork anywhere. The 3G makes that possible. Pages looks like a capable word processor for my papers.


Full time Job

My current job involves Agile project work, software developing, and analysis of the Quality Assurance processes.

Where iPad fits in for my full time job: The iPad will be my new notetaker, schedule keeper, and all around Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). With a few apps and a stylus I will be able to sketch any idea or jot down any thought. Keep myself organized in the process.


Leisure Time

I like to listen to music, watch movies, watch music videos, and check up on new trends on the Internet. Video games is something I have not really done on my iPod Touch but will look into it on the iPad.

Where iPad fits in for my leisure time: The iPad will become my hub of the majority of my digital life. I still have my 46" LCD HDTV for major movie and TV watching. But with the right tools I can continue watching any movie or TV show I did not finish on the move.


What the iPad to me is

• Knowing the 3G was my extra expense ($129) with the benefits outweighing the price made sense to me.
• I could of chosen a Windows Tablet or just used a smartphone with the pricey data/voice plans. None of these products would really help me out.
• I want a secure device and Windows cannot offer that due to the number of malware and viruses our there waiting to disable my tablet or steal my personal data.
• I want a voice plan that is real cheap for my phone use. AT&T has expensive iPhone plans which does not fit into my budget. Now AT&T's $29 unlimited data only plan for the iPad does fit in my budget.
• I also want a large screen but not as large as a laptop, yet much larger than a netbook's screen.
• I want a fast system with little waits between applications and fast games.

The iPad will give me exactly what I want. The Apple philosophy of the App Store will help protect me and my personal data while giving me access to many applications. I will be able to live without handwriting recognition until a company decides to make a wow application using it or until Apple implements it in the OS.

Did you pre-order an iPad. If so, what will you use it for? The Mac 512 would like to know.

I have been an advocate of using a computer-based tablet since 1993. I have three Newtons and they are still very useful except you cannot go past the year 2009, unless you patched the device with an unofficial patch. Watching and participating in the pen-computing arena as an end user waiting until another breakthrough emerges has been rather interesting. I tried the Personal Digital Assistants from Palm and Microsoft over the years but never really topped the usefulness of the Newton MessagePad. For me handwriting recognition on the Newton MessagePad is the utopia on how a personal computer can become personal. (Your mileage may vary on that issue.)

Enter 2010 - the year the tablet pc really takes off?

Apple iPad

I was stoked about the possibility of a real Newton MessagePad replacement when Apple announced their tablet computer. Eagerly waiting until I can hold one for myself. I started a discussion on LinkedIn about using an iPad for my graduate studies and there has been a lot of talk about how great or how bad that idea is. Most of the people who think it is a bad idea either don't get how a tablet PC will help them or are really anti-Apple with their comments about a "high tax". Some think the iPad is only a eBook reader, others think because it does not run Windows 7 it cannot be good.

What I like from the iPad is the ability to use a large screen as your window to the world. Using the finger is a newer way of using the pen metaphor for personal computing. In many ways I like it that I cannot loose my finger like a stylus. Yet it is natural to use a stylus for writing down notes or drawing. Since you can put any application on it (from Apple's App Store) the unit is ultra customizable. Being able to use your finger for writing would be a +1 for me. We need an application that will allow the user to write in ink or draw with their finger on the same "page" for starters. That would be really useful for when you don't want to use the on-screen or external keyboard to quickly jot down a note. So the Pogo stylus may be of use if the iPad has a killer application that mimics the pen-computing of the Newton. This app could be built into the operating system too. (hint , hint Apple.)

By now we all know the capabilities of the iPad so I don't have to really go into the full detail. See my "Does the iPad trump the Newton MP 2000 / 2100?" blog posting for more on what the iPad has and can do (from the announcement, not a shipping device). Being expandable is really one of the powerful features of the iPad that most people overlook. You cannot never have too much choice, in my opinion.

One thing that most people don't consider with a personal digital assistant is security. Having Apple oversee all applications means no nasty viruses or malware trying to steal your information. This is a good thing and a good feature.

Apple iPad - http://www.apple.com/ipad/
Pogo Stylus for the iPhone / iPod Touch - http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus.php

Microsoft Courier

Microsoft has been talking about a tablet pc through a "leaked" video about a new device called the Microsoft Courier since September 2009 (from my research). Engadget has the computer generated animation video on their web site about a Gen Researcher working on a furniture design project who uses the Courier as a personal digital assistant (PDA). After watching the video it brought me back to 1993. A PDA with contacts, notepaper, and connectivity with the outside world through faxing or through a modem. The Courier is not limited to a modem or faxing but most likely the device will have wifi and 3G, but I really don't know.

The first time I saw a picture of the Microsoft Courier I thought Microsoft was entering in the portable game market to beat out the Nintendo DS series.

Since I could not find any real technical specs I will stay more on the functionality of the device. According to Engadget the device is about 5" x 7" closed. So the dual screen will give you about the same size as a single 8-8.5" screen. Since the hinge is in the middle separating the screens, the device will not be good at some things like movies or a larger ebook reader. The device may be good for having a personal journal and that is it. Limiting the device like this will appeal to certain people but may cost potential customers in the long run. We don't know what limitations the device will have other other features until more information comes forth.

The video shows a home page on the Courier that includes: the web, contacts, journal, and a camera area. There applications are integrated by using your finger and the stylus to navigate and interact with the device. Using the stylus allows easy note taking, but at times I would like to use a on-screen keyboard instead. I have to give the device a +1 for the pen enabled computing but a -1 for the lack of an on-screen keyboard. Remember when the Newton MessagePad arrived? Many times the handwriting recognition was error prone and gave weird results until the device learned your writing style. This should appear again unless the device cannot convert ink into editable text. This feature of the Newton was really useful and made the device more useful than any other pen-computing device back then. If the Courier does not have this capability, it will be limited if the device cannot accurately find information or pull up web sites based on someone's poor handwriting.

Being able to collaborate with other people over the web on your "special journal website" is actually a nice touch. Their updates allow back-to-back communication on the pages you give other people access to. This will most likely tie into Microsoft's Live web hosting platform making instant customers. Some people say putting too much faith in a company like Microsoft or Apple in their product offering that don't allow you to have a choice is bad. I don't know if this is really bad, but if Microsoft had to make this component work with every web server our there that capability may not exist then.

The Courier may work out for some but if history continues as it has in the past. Most people will not purchase this device and insist a laptop or netbook is the best of both worlds yet. Getting over this misconception of most people may work against the Courier and its fans.

Microsoft Courier at Engadget - http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microsofts-courier-digital-journal-exclusive-pictures-and-de/


Stay tuned for the second part where I look at my needs and figure out my checklist to help determine which will I want to purchase.

Ongoing series looking at the iPad and the Newton MessagePad 2000 / 2100 in comparison.

iPad Platform
The iPad has a 9.7" diagonal screen with multi-touch capability. The whole size of the unit is just a bit less than a regular 8.5" x 11" notepad from looking at the specs. Is this the sweet spot in size? For a tablet that could be used in business and even the health care industry I believe it is. Since you can have a carry case to protect the iPad this case must be around 8.5" x 11" or a tad larger like a regular portfolio, I am expecting. The 9.7" screen is the size of the popular netbooks in a handheld unit.

The multitouch capability lets the unit tell how much pressure and how many fingers are touching the screen. Away is the external Watcom pressure pads that you can add on to your Macintosh PC. Seeing where you can draw like a pencil on paper makes a strong advantage indeed. Seperate companies make a stylus that you can use on the iPod Touch and iPhone, and most likely will work with the iPad. So handwriting recognition is a possibility through software alone. Knowing that the iPhone OS is Mac OS X based. Using the same handwriting recognition software (Inkwell) that comes with Mac OS X should be a no-brainer to port. From my research that handwriting recognition program was originally ported from the Newton and was available in some versions of Mac OS X.

iPad comes with all of the iPod Touch / iPhone applications (Mail, Safari, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Stocks, Maps, Weather, Clock, Calculator, iTunes, YouTube, App Store, Music, Videos, and Photos). The only information we have is release photos of the iPad so don't quote me on this as I won't know until the unit ships in another month. I am hoping for an advanced painting/drawing application is built-in. I can always buy one from software developers later through the App Store and may be the way Apple wants to distribute their software from now on.

Wifi and 3G access makes the iPad a strong candidate for today's world where easy to access information is necessary. I find myself as an iPod Touch only owner the I tend to go to places I know have free Wifi service since I have no 3G cell tower capability. If I lived in a large metropolitian area like New York City that task would not be that tough (my basis is when I was in NYC in September 2009 my iPod Touch could hook to some public Wifi hotspot no matter where I was). In my local area free Wifi is only at some restaurants or businesses, most establishments in my area don't provide this.

Expandability of the iPad is limited to a few devices at the introduction: keyboard dock, camera adapter, and a SD Card reader. More accessories will follow.

The need of a printer should be coming forth based on the rumors on many Mac rumor web sites where developers who downloaded the SDK mentions there are OS level print drivers in the latest SDK. (AppleInside forums). This will open the iPad to a new market like my parents. Using the touch capability will benefit my parents who are pretty much computer-illiterate. The mouse and the GUI confuses them. So the touch capability to navigate a few applcations (50 would put them over the top), surf the web easily with their finger, and print their annual Christmas letter from Pages = BAM. That is all they need.

Does the iPad answer my question?

My original question was "Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table?" If the iPad was new to the point where no iPod Touch / or iPhone existed, YES would be the quick answer. Since most of the capability had existed for 3 years already, my thoughts are the iPad does extend that existing capability with a larger screen and 3G access. I will not be the first person to admit that the iPad is not perfect. But I will say this device will be the turning point where a personal computer is personal again.

For me, handwriting recognition would made it of mostly perfect in my opinion. I will enjoy the larger screen for photos of my trips, internet surfing, movies, music videos, and drawing. Taking notes with a small keyboard on the iPad Touch really limited my desire to use this for note taking at work. It could be done but was a pain as I often hit the wrong key while in my groove and had to backspace or try to move the cursor with my finger to correct the problem. I have the same problem with my Samsung phone's keyboard. I don't know if your iPod Touch or iPhone can sync notes to a Macintosh PC, I cannot with my unit. (I am still running iPhone/iPod Touch OS 2.2.X.) This lack of syncing is the other problem for using the notes application as a business tool. The calendar and address book is fully usable as a business tool. So will the Pages component of iWork sync? I hope so. Since the keyboard is close to the size of a regular MacBook Pro keyboard I should be able to take notes with ease. The true test is once I get my unit in my hands about 1 month from now.

With this taken into account the full answer to my question "Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table?" is still a YES to me. Why? The interface is more user friendly and capable than the Newton was. The stylus of the Newton could tap and control the unit like a mouse. The iPad will have multitouch and pressure sensitive capabilities. So the iPad with its larger screen, anywhere capability for information (3G and Wifi), and control mechanisms (multitouch screen and accelerometer) is the wow factors the iPad has. This sets the iPad apart since the world now expects this in a handheld unit.

Was this a fair question? Not really. Taking devicing that debuted about 17 years apart is like comparing a car from 2000 and a car from 1960. Too much time as passed and technology has really improved quite a bit. It was fun to compare and contrast the capabilities to see how far we have come. I believe this is the start of when people really take the tablet computing metaphor into a reality. Not just a fad that some of us embraced in the 1990s. But a serious push towards how we can use a personal computer and make the computer personal again. Just like 1993.

I look forward in using my iPad with 3G capabilities to extend my world.

The third part will be after I test a iPad in my hands and see what the shipping unit compares to my original thoughts and how can we extend the unit. Expect this after the unit ships.

I have been a Newton user since 1993 when the MessagePad was released. Later the MessagePad was dubbed with the model 100 tag when the 110 and 120 models were released. What I loved was the business aspects of this little device and the handwriting recognition. Eventually as time went on and Mac OS X was released syncing became a problem and I retired the Newton from use in my life. I have the hardware to backup, restore, and sync to my Newton but was waiting for that Macintosh tablet which never came out. Often I pull out my Newton and show people what was available 12 years ago when only a handful of people willing to invest into the future of computing.

Enter 2010 with the iPad. Not a Macintosh tablet that I was wanting exactly. But a larger iPhone without the voice call capability. Is the iPad something that will work for me? Does the iPad even measure to the level that the Newton brought to the table? The Mac 512 will answer that question in a series of postings.

What the iPad brings is the ability for Apple to provide a larger personal experience almost the same way the Newton did back 17 years ago. Both the Newton and iPad platforms are based on a separate operating system and cannot run Macintosh-based software.

Newton platform
I will admit that the original Newton MP 100 was very cool and usable back in 1993. The screen is perfect in size, however the unit was too thick to put in a pocket. The weight alone will sag the strongest pocket. The Newton MP 2000/2100 was the almost perfect size for carrying around like a tablet. This is due to the thickness being matched with a larger screen. The screen size for the original MessagePad was 336x240and the MessagePad 2000/2100 was 480x320.

Using the larger screen made the Newton MP 2000/2100 more enjoyable to use. A main reason was when writing down notes in ink the more room meant less scrolling down. The ability to convert any ink into real editable text is the main bonus of the Newton series. Eventually other PDA units came out from other manufacturers. None of these units were even close to the personal aspect of the Newton. If I was in a hurry I would scribble and draw out my notes and convert the text later. Talk about a timesaver.

The original Newton MessagePad had Notes, Dates (calendar) and Names(address book) applications. The Newton MessagePad 2000/2100 added an NetHopper (Web browser), Inbox (Email) applications, QuickFigure Works (spreadsheet), and Newton Works (word processor). Both had connection software to sync with a Macintosh or Windows. I used the Internet and email programs with the dial-up ISP Earthlink years ago. This worked pretty well with the ability to store all outgoing email until I could connect. The only shortfall with the Internet is the Newton would dial up your ISP, grab a web page or send/receive email, and disconnect the connection. It was workable back then, nowadays this would be unbearable.

Handwriting recognition and drawing support built in gave all Newtons the "wow" factor and usability. The ability to store the "ink" and convert it into real text later (or at that moment) put the Newton MessagePad into a portable device with real power for business people.

An Apple Newton 2000 / 2100:

Do you use Google's web services (gmail, gapps, etc)? A recent email to all Google users of those web apps received an email stating on March 1, 2010 with Google apps onward to the end of 2010 with Gmail and other Google web services will need to upgrade. A message will be shown when you connect to Google's apps when they are upgraded.

Supported by Google:
Google Apps will continue to support Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Macintosh Browser list:
Camino 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://caminobrowser.org/
Camino 1.6 supports OS X 10.3.9; http://caminobrowser.org/download/
Classilla supports Mac OS 9; http://classilla.org/
Firefox 3.6, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.mozilla.com/
Flock, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.flock.com/
Google Chrome, Intel only, OS X 10.5 and later, http://www.google.com/chrome?platform=mac
Opera 10, OS X 10.3 and later; http://www.opera.com/
SeaMonkey 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
Shiira 2.0, OS X 10.4 and later; http://shiira.jp/en

I use this external hard drive adapter to recover any files from any IDE or SATA internal hard drive with my MacBook Pro over USB 2.0. This unit is made from Sabrent and it works out great. Many times have I rescued the data from my friends Windows hard drives when Windows decided to go into the "black screen / white writing reboot loop" problem. If Windows cannot fix itself and does not Blue screen this "loop of death" is just as bad as Windows is corrupt and needs to be reloaded or recovered from a Recovery Disc.

Thank goodness that Apple includes a Mac OS X disc in every Macintosh sold as many of my Windows friends did not create their Recovery Discs and are forced to pay their computer manafacturer $35-$50 for a set. You get what you pay for and with my Macs I get the recovery disc with reliable hardware that lasts. Just ask my Macintosh 128K from 1984, he still runs!

This tip can be added to any Macintosh (or any other computer) that has an USB port. This fan is made from Ativa and cost me about $5 at Office Depot. I added both an Ethernet card and a FireWire/USB card to my Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh which blocked the internal fan. Adding on the fat back only made matters worse since it trapped the hot air inside.

The USB fan is a bit noisy but not as noisy as a full larger fan.
+ Upside: You can position the fan anywhere with the flexible metal cord.
- Downside: You need to keep part of your computer case off. This lets heat disapate faster since the heat won't be trapped in the case.
- Downside: Extra dust can collect on the electronic parts. Make sure you swiffer that dust off perodically.

Keeping your Mac cooler is one important step to make sure that your Macintosh lasts and lasts. Because I added a fan to the top of my Mac 128K (from 1984), this Mac is still working stong (and cool).

The USB fan that I can position anywhere I want to cool down with the adjustable metal cord:

Today (1/18/2010), Apple sent out an invitation for January 27th for a special announcement of their new product release in San Francisco. Could it be the much hyped and anticipated Mac Tablet? Looking at the invitation is special as it indicates something creative. Perhaps a new iWork with MacPaint and MacDraw being reintroduced for the next generation? Knowing how much people love their Watcom Bamboo tablet having a Mac Tablet with that capability of touch gestures and pen input/drawing would be something special indeed.

MacPaint and MacDraw had subsequent versions that had color, yet here at The Mac 512 we remember the impact of the original versions. These original versions brought out the Mac 128K's power and capability. The ability back in 1984 to create vector-based drawings in MacDraw or pixel perfect paintings in MacPaint was able to be merged with MacWrite meant that anything you could create could be merged together and printed out.

The Mac 512 cannot wait to see if the MacTablet with possible handwritting recognition software from the Newton will appear?

Here is a copy of the invitation Apple sent out:


A sample of the original Mac Print and Mac Draw:

A new year means a new way of looking how can you be more productive with your Macintosh.

Macintosh Keyboard shortcuts I use a lot:
Option key = During startup lets you choose the boot volume
C key - During startup lets you boot from the CD/DVD drive
Command+Tab = Cycle through open Applications
Command+I = Get info (in the Finder only)
Command+W = Close active window
Option+Eject = Eject 2nd CD/DVD drive
Option+Command+Eject = Puts Mac to sleep
Command+Shift+3 = Print screen to the Clipboard
Command+Shift+4= Print screen Range to the Clipboard

If you are forced to use Windows (like I am for my favorite online game and a few Graduate course requrements like MS Access, Visio, and Project) knowing a few shortcuts helps. Some of the Windows 7 shortcuts I use include (Windows Logo Key (aka WK)):
WK+D = See the Desktop/Again to hide the Desktop
WK+Left/Right = Move the windows to either the left or right side of the monitor
WK+(+/-) = Zoom in or out
WK+Up/Down = Maximize or Minimize the active window
WK+Tab = Cycle between open windows
WK+E = Open Computer
CTRL + Tab = cycle through tabs in a window
Alt-Tab = Cycle between open applications

My favorite Windows shortcut is - quickly getting back into my beloved Mac OS X through Boot Camp's Applet (right click).

After trying out a few other discussion forums that were attacked with lots of bogus accounts or bogus messages. The Mac 512 has decided to host a fan page on Facebook. We are simply The Mac 512 (if you search), or click on this link http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mac-512/269196500863. We are excited to provide an area that you the discriminating Macintosh collector can use to find your next gem or simply share pictures or discuss problems or your favorite Macintosh.