Re: [NTLK] Considering Newton as eBook Reader

Yes I agree using the 2100 to make the book then send it to the 100
series will work, but then you need 2 Newtons. I would suggest (if you
really want to just go with a 120 or 130 and not get a 2100) you make a
Newtonbook on your desktop with Press. It is fairly simple procedure,
but it will require conversion to say .rtf first as Press won't take
HTML directly. Also depending on OS you are using on your desktop it
can have problems. For example it does not work in OSX if I remember
correctly. I don't have any problems with the windows version though.

Another method would be to use Bookmaker, but that has limitations on
what screen size you can set the text for. It will work on newtons with
a larger screen but you will have a "window" rather than the book using
all of the Newton's screen space. Also this method will require you to
add "markup" text to the original document (which should be RTF or TXT
format) with such information as book name, where to put the table of
contents (if you want one) etc. This method will take longer the first
time you do a book or two, but after words I find it faster to use
Bookmaker than Press if I want a Table of Contents. Otherwise Press is
the fastest by far. You might also want to take a look at the tutorial
I wrote on making books in unna at:

http://www.unna.org/unna/windows/NewtonBookmaking101/NewtonBookmaking101-files.zip

Both of these programs will create package files you then download to
your Newton (which can be done over a network). The method Woody
suggests is sending the HTML file directly to a 2100, having that create
a Newtonbook then reading it there or sending it to a 120 by sending the
book back to your Desktop then to a 120 or by beaming it directly (which
would be the slower of the two methods). Either I am sure will work, it
is just a matter of which you want to do.

-Dan

On 12/5/2006 8:54 AM, Woody Smith wrote:
> The Newton 2100 can do what you propose, it can convert an HTML
> document into a Newton book via NewtsCape and ethernet. NewtsCape
> can format the book to be read on newtons other than the one that
> created it so you could use the 100 series as the reader. Though it
> is possible to do more, try to keep the document size down to 100 to
> 125 pages for the sake of speed. Large documents and images can be
> quite perplexing to the Newton so practice with smaller documents.
> For plain text or word processing documents use Newton Press
>
> NewtsCape is capable of connecting to the web directly or to your Mac
> (using personal web sharing), via ethernet.
>
> You will need to get the Newton ethernet ready.
>
> See wikiwikinewt link at the bottom of each ntlk email for
>
> "newton book"
> "Macos connection"
>
>
>
> Woody
>
> On Dec 4, 2006, at 10:59 PM, Ivan Kowalenko wrote:
>
>> Hello.
>>
>
>
>
>> One of my possibilities is a Newton. I'm considering maybe using a
>> 100 Series MessagePad with NewtCape to convert HTML to NewtonBook
>> formats, possibly just over ethernet (I already have a PCMCIA 3Com
>> Ethernet XJack Card). I'm not choosing this for PDA purposes, web
>> browsing, just as an eBook reader. Any possibly limitations to this,
>> recommendations on how to make this work with a PowerPC iBook (OS X
>> 10.4.8) (like Serial adaptors and such), or suggestions where to buy
>> a cheap (reliable) MessagePad? Batteries nor keyboard are required.
>> I've got AA's aplenty, and plan to nab a rechargeable set as soon as
>> possible.
>

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