From: RADAR9999_at_aol.com
Date: Thu Feb 13 2003 - 04:14:23 PST
In a message dated 2/12/03 10:32:32 PM, newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net writes:
>From: ben mccorkle <mccorkle.12_at_osu.edu>
>
>> Reply-To: newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net
>
>> Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 19:19:21 -0500
>
>> To: newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net
>
>> Subject: [NTLK] a provocation...
>
>>
>
>> "One of the early PDAs, Apple's Newton, failed just after its introduction.
>
>> Rightfully so. Its designers did not understand how it was to be used.
>
>> They failed to provide utility to real people doing real work.
>
>
>
><snip>
>
>I think it's a reasonably fair assessment. One of the reasons the Palm
>succeeded was that it did a few things - which people understood - well.
>Conceptually, it was easy to grasp... it was an electronic day timer that
>gave users access to crucial information that was normally left on their
>desktop.
>In contrast, the Newton could (and did) do so much that it was harder to
>grasp. It fell in between a simple electronic organizer and a laptop
>computer. So what was it and how should it be used? It was an ill defined
>product.
>John
SNIP
Also the Price point of $1000 was way too high for the common man to risk on
a device of unknown utility. IE even if they all knew it could be a rolodex
and datebook, back then there $1000 was waaaay tooo much for all but the most
dedicated road warriors. $500 or so and I sincerely think Apple would
conquored the Market. Yes $500 is still more than Palm, but many could see
the advanced possibilities in the unit, even if they could not figure out how
to use it immediately.
Ed Johnson
"The genius of you Americans is that you never make clear-cut stupid moves,
only complicated stupid moves which make us wonder at the possibility that
there may be something to them [which] we are missing."
- Gamel Nasser
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