Before CES started, Apple was already grabbing headlines with the rumored release of a new tablet device. Speculation is that a scheduled press conference for January 27 will showcase the iPad/iTablet/iSlate/i-something-or-other. The big reveal is believed to be a handheld computer with the processing power of a mid-range desktop. Pretty cool if you’re a techie or someone on the Apple-bandwagon. It got me thinking, though, does anyone remember the original tablet computing device from Apple – the Newton platform or MessagePad? These were early entries into the world of mobile computing or personal digital assistants (PDA). My first memory of seeing this futuristic device is in the 5th grade. My friend, Nathan, had been given a MessagePad as a holiday/birthday gift and he brought it to school for show-and-tell. Our eyes opened with amazement as he used some sort of pointer device to scribble words on the screen and have them be recognized as readable text. Being his friend, I had an opportunity to hold the device and, of course, play a few games of BrickBreaker or Pong (my memory is not that clear). We all knew this “cool toy” was well ahead of its time.
As the TechoBuffalo blog recalls: in the early 90′s, “…people were clamoring for electronic calendars and addresses books, but Apple delivered so much more than just a standard PDA…It gave consumers advanced handwriting recognition, mobile FAX compatibility, peripheral expansion ports, audio recording, and a genuinely advanced OS…” The Newton platform and related devices remained in production for nearly a decade. By then, cell phones had started to become more prevalent and new companies like Palm (then a division of US Robotics) introduced lighter, cheaper, smaller, and faster solutions for mobile computing. Then came an influx of new technology including lightweight laptops, powerful PC’s, PDA-based phones, mp3 players, the iPod, and eventually the iPhone.
Now, as Apple prepares to introduce the newest addition to its product line, we can certainly expect to be in awe. But, we should also begin questioning “What’s next?” Advances in technology have a short shelf life if not refined and kept current with our more agressively changing expectations. While Apple has proven itself in recent years to be in tune with market interests, someone is certain to come up with the ‘next best thing’ before too long.
Tags: apple, newton, Technology
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