A MessagePad 2000 with stylus and keyboard.
The MessagePad was a series of touchscreen mobile devices and the very first tablet computer released by Apple Computer as part of its Newton platform.
History
Development
Three Newton models were originally planned for release: a large 9 x 12 inch version codenamed Senior, a mid-sized 6 x 9 inch version that was quickly cancelled, and a small 4.5 x 7 inch version codenamed Junior which would go on to become the MessagePad.[1]
Release
On May 29, 1992, Apple CEO John Sculley unveiled the first device, tentatively called the Newton NotePad,[2] during the keynote address of the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Illinois.[3][4] However, it was still beset by thousands of bugs when 4,000 prototype units went into production on May 26, 1993 for use at point-of-purchase displays at retail stores. The first MessagePad finally began shipping on August 3, 1993 at Macworld Expo Boston for the base price of US$699.[1] It ran a monochrome version of Newton OS, which was advanced for its day, and came with a stylus similar to the Nintendo DS.[5] By 1995, tepid sales of the MessagePad 120 forced Apple to resort to rebates to help move inventory of devices and accessories.[6] The MessagePad 2000 and eMate 300 introduced grayscale support in March 1997. Though this helped improve sales,[7] the Newton platform was discontinued on February 27, 1998.[5] Around 200,000 units had been sold.[8]
Legacy
The iPhone and iPad, released in 2007 and 2010 respectively, are considered to be spiritual successors to the MessagePad.[9] A similar stylus did not appear from Apple until 2015 with the Apple Pencil for the iPad Pro.[10] In 2020, iPadOS 14 introduced handwriting recognition for Apple's iPad line.[11]
Models
| Model | Processor | Memory | Newton OS | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MessagePad H1000 |
20 MHz ARM 610 |
640 KB static RAM | 1.0 to 1.1.1 | 1993-08-03 to 1994-03-04 |
also known as "Original MessagePad" or "OMP"[12] |
| MessagePad 100 |
20 MHz ARM 610 |
640 KB static RAM | 1.2 to 1.3 | 1994-03-04 to 1995-04-01 |
same hardware as "OMP"[12] |
| MessagePad 110 |
20 MHz ARM 610 |
1 MB static RAM | 1.2 to 1.3 | 1994-03-04 to 1995-04-01 |
second form factor[13] |
| MessagePad 120 |
20 MHz ARM 610 |
1 or 2 MB static RAM | 1.3 to 2.0 | 1994-10-01 to 1996-06-01 |
improved display[14] |
| MessagePad 130 |
20 MHz ARM 610 |
2.5 MB static RAM | 2.0 | 1996-03-25 to 1997-04-01 |
added backlighting[15] |
| eMate 300 | 25 MHz ARM 710a |
1 MB dynamic RAM 2 MB flash RAM |
2.1 | 1997-03-07 to 1998-02-27 |
mini-laptop form factor[16] |
| MessagePad 2000 |
162 MHz StrongARM 110 |
1 MB dynamic RAM 4 MB flash RAM |
2.1 | 1997-03-24 to 1998-02-27 |
final form factor[17] |
| MessagePad 2100 |
162 MHz StrongARM 110 |
4 MB dynamic RAM 4 MB flash RAM |
2.1 | 1997-11-07 to 1998-02-27 |
final model[17] |
Gallery
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Story Behind Apple’s Newton by Tom Hormby, Low End Mac. 2013-08-06.
- ↑ Apple gets to the core of a consumer division by Mark Potts, The Washington Post. 1993-01-17.
- ↑ On this day in 1992: Apple CEO John Sculley unveils the Newton, Apple's personal digital assistant, at CES in Chicago by Jon Erlichman, Twitter. 2017-05-29.
- ↑ Happy 25th birthday, Apple Newton, you beautiful failure by Stan Schroeder, Yahoo! Finance. 2017-05-29.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Why did Apple kill the Newton? by David MacNeill, Pen Computing Magazine. 1998-06.
- ↑ Apple Announces Nationwide Rebate Program for MessagePad 120s, Apple Computer. 1995-05-10. Archived 1999-01-16.
- ↑ The Fallen Apple by Owen W. Linzmayer, Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company p.200. 2004.
- ↑ Apple Drops Hand-Held Newton Line, Abandoning Plans to Spin Off the Unit by Jim Carlton, The Wall Street Journal. 1998-03-02.
- ↑ Remembering the Newton MessagePad, 20 years later by Benj Edwards, Macworld. 2013-08-27.
- ↑ Review: Apple Pencil is the best iPad writing tool yet … if you can handle the Pro’s size by Zac Hall, 9to5Mac. 2015-11-24.
- ↑ iPadOS 14 introduces new features designed specifically for iPad, Apple Inc. 2020-06-22.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Luckie, Douglas. Newton MessagePad. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2014-02-26.
- ↑ Luckie, Douglas. Newton MessagePad 110. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2014-03-23.
- ↑ Luckie, Douglas. Newton MessagePad 120 (with OS 1.3 or 2.0). Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2014-03-23.
- ↑ Luckie, Douglas. MessagePad 130 with Newton 2.0 Operating System. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2014-03-23.
- ↑ Luckie, Douglas. Apple eMate 300. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2014-03-23.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Luckie, Douglas. MessagePad 2100/2000 with OS 2.1. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2014-03-23.
See also
- eMate 300, a Newton device in a mini-laptop form factor.
External links
- Newton Products at Apple (archived 1997-07-07, 1998-02-04)
- MessagePad 120 (archived 1997-07-07)
- MessagePad 130 (archived 1997-07-07)
- MessagePad 2000 (archived 1997-07-07)
- MessagePad 2100 (archived 1998-02-04)
- Newton MessagePad Center at the Apple Company Store (archived 1997-07-15)
- Newtons and iPods at Apple Repair Manuals
- Newton Hardware at Chuma.org
- Newton MessagePad / eMate (NewtonOS) at EveryMac
- Message-Pad.net news, info, tech, and tutorials
- MessagePad at the Newton Glossary
- MessagePads at Newtonhonk
- General Specifications for Newtons and Clones at Newton Resurrection (mirrored 2009-10)
- Newton Hardware at PDA Soft
- MessagePad at Wikipedia
Articles
- A Guide to the Apple Newton by Stephen Hackett at 512 Pixels (2015-08-18)
- Retro Apple: The Apple Newton MessagePad was well ahead of its time by Steve Sande at Rocket Yard (2020-08-21, archived 2020-10-21)
