Re: [NTLK] SER001 & Case Bulge/Cracking

I beg to differ. Almost all of the older powerbook laptops came with
an IR port of some sort, only with the second revision Titanium G4
powerbook and newer models of powerbook has Apple left off the IR port.

I personally used my Powerbook G3 to bootstrap my newton, and from os
9, one doesn't need ANY tools on their newton to do so - it just works.

As for Windows based laptops, I've seen plenty that don't have an IR
port. Regardless of which OS one prefers, one's hardware may or may
not actually have an IR port, to give a blanket statement that "they
all pretty much have the ir port" is incorrect and misleading.

FInally, while IR provides a useful connection for bootstrapping /
installing packages from a laptop, I don't know of any peripherals
that the newton can use via IR. If I need a keyboard or a gps
receiver on my newton, I have to use a serial cable - and in that
case the SER-001 is very necessary. I've used my newton as a serial
terminal for interrogating 'headless' servers and other computers,
which don't often provide for making such a connection via IR. In
short, people use serial connections for more than just syncing /
bootstrapping / installing packages from a PC, so IR doesn't always
cut it.

Tyler

On May 22, 2006, at 4:53 AM, Paul Curtis wrote:

> All said, there really is no need for the SER-001 if you have a Win
> laptop
> as they all pretty much have the Ir port standard, too bad Mac/
> Apple didn't
> have the same design considerations for their equipment...
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Paul Curtis
> Home ProT Savings Director

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