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This months “the Readers Voice” comes from Craig Cox, with a letter in response to the publishers comments on the Newton Message Pad in last months section, “A Few Words”.
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I was very surprised to see you refer to the Newton Message Pad as, “…a neat note taker. But that’s all it really ever was.” At that point, your statement “Although, I haven’t owned one…” was painfully obvious.
About a year ago I drafted a column on the Newton MP2000 for a magazine. Before I had a chance to finalize it, Pen Computing published an article which was so similar to mine that it would have appeared I had plagarized from Pen Computing. Oh well.
My opinion, and that of Pen Computing (which covers all handheld computers) was that for about any task except graphics, an MP2K is a replacement for a laptop computer. Let me assure you that many business travelers would kill for a device this small that does this much. A few years ago, I spent about half my time travelling on aircraft. Many of these trips were a week or longer in duration, often overseas.
After a few of those trips, your main priority becomes weight and cube. That is how little weight and how small the cubic dimensions. Everything else is relegated to a much lower priority.
This “notepad” I’m using to write and send this email, can surf the net, send/receive email, and send/receive faxes. It comes with a MS Word compatible word processor and an Excel compatible spread sheet. There is an unbelievable amount of software available for the Newton, including Pocket Quicken and software that will let you hook the trusty MP2K to a very small Global Positioning System (GPS) set.
As a writer, I doubt that a more superior machine for creative work will come along for at least another decade. The MP2K slips neatly into the cargo pocket on my pants or shorts. (Or the inside pocket of my denim jacket, albeit a very tight fit.) Imagine this — I can put a backpack with a lunch and other goodies and bike into the woods. Pull up by a stream in a secluded corner of a park. Eat lunch and pop the top on a Pete’s Wicked Ale.
What could possibly get the creative juices flowing more freely than to be surrounded by nature, totally removed from the mind-numbing influences of city life? In my case, nothing. And therein lies the beauty of the Newton. Limited only by access to a cell-phone tower, the world is your office.
Write your article from the inspiring realm of nature, run a spell-checker, plug into the cell-phone and email it to your editor. Need to do a little research for you article? Search the World Wide Web for info.
Here’s one other example. Lost in a strange place? Can’t find the office you’re supposed to go to? Call and have them fax a map to you. OK, here’s another. Late getting to your meeting? Fax the info into them.
Note pad? I think not.
With a few exceptions, the Newton is basically limited by one’s imagination. Every journalist that I know of that tried one loved it. Perhaps Apple’s biggest mistake with the MP2K and 2100 was not handing them out like buttons at trade fairs. I guarantee they’d have worked it into nearly every article.
Advertising from there on out would have been free.
It’s that damn good. I’m sure what follows will be golly gee whiz as well. But, if it’s in the e-Mate form factor, it cannot replace the Newton. Not now. Not ever.
•Craig Cox•
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