PenLite

The PenLite is a early tablet based on the PowerBook Duo chassis that was prototyped in 1992, but cancelled by management at Apple Computer due to potential market competition with the Newton.

Development
Early development prototypes, codenamed Scribe, were ready as early as 1989. A small number of near-final pre-production units, codenamed PenMac, were sent to Japan in Fall 1992 for testing. The test units ran System 7.1 and used input from a stylus similar to that from a Wacom tablet. The near-final prototypes were compatible with existing Apple peripherals, such as the Duo MiniDock. The design engineer was Gary Embler. After the project was cancelled, the technology was licensed to Assistive Technology under the Macintosh clone licensing program and evolved into the PowerPC-based Freestyle tablet.

Articles

 * Apple Has Been Struggling with the Stylus for 20 Years by Ernie Smith at Vice (2017-06-30)