Re: [NTLK] Newly Joined

From: Lord Groundhog <LordGroundhog_at_gmail.com>
Date: Thu Feb 28 2008 - 06:32:10 EST

~~~ On 2008/02/28 03:33, V. Lee at earthyfemme@earthlink.net wrote ~~~

> Hello Listers.
>
> I'm new to the list, and the reasons are:
>
> I am a writer looking for a means to increase productivity and not use so much
> paper. I want to write in my own handwriting using a stylus (don't type very
> fast all the time), convert the writing to a .txt or something and upload it
> to a desktop or laptop so I can print it at a later time.
>
> Is this a good idea to seek the Newton as a possible solution?
>
> Vivian Lee
>

Vivian,

Welcome to the wonderful world of NewtonTalk!

Others have already mentioned that getting your text off the Newton and onto
your computer can be a little challenging, so I won't repeat that. And
Fraser's message is invaluable in so many ways.

My advice is a little different. If there is a Newton User Group (NUG) near
you great, but in any case, see if there's a Newton-user near you who will
let you "test-drive" it for an hour or so (they can turn on "configure to
guest-user" if they're afraid of manking up the settings of their HWR --
Handwriting Recognition) and see how straightforward it is for Newt to
recognize your handwriting. Since you want to use your handwriting, that
should be a part of your decision-making process if possible.

I say this because I bought my first Newton solely because an opportunity
was afforded me by a friend to try out his MP2100. That allowed me to
discover to my delight that Newton was happy to read my handwriting (unlike
all of my teachers and bosses, and most of my girlfriends, down the years).
After a couple of hours it was as if we'd known each other all our lives.
Now, in over 2 years of using my Newtons (I now have more than one, each
doing different jobs), I wouldn't dream of typing. With the exception of
the double quotation-marks, the error rate for my Newtons' HWR is
practically nil, and I can go half-an-hour or more without needing to
correct anything. It's an awesome experience: I scribble, and Newt turns
it into real words.

Likewise, the son of a friend tried mine this last Christmas, and within
about 20 minutes he'd made friends with it.

since I've joined NewtonTalk though, I've discovered that some people needed
a fair amount of time to train their Newton to work with them (yes, on top
of all its other amazing features, the Newton's HWR seems able to learn your
handwriting), and others have been unable to get the Newton's HWR to work
for them no matter what they do. I don't know why that happens: some
irreconcilable infelicity of their penmanship? -- bad luck at finding the
right settings in "Handwriting" preferences? -- lack of free time to persist
with it? I have no idea. All I'm sure about is that something I take for
granted is not the universal experience.

Because I can count on the HWR, my Newt goes everywhere with me: I write
down ideas for my work or for private writing: outlines, the texts of
lectures and presentations, all my appointments, maps and diagrammes (it has
the ability to do that too), my expenses, and so much more, all as easily as
using a notepad, but without the hassle of losing the papers. I can be
standing in a queue, sitting on a bus or train, or sitting in a meeting or
seminar, and if I want to write something down, voila! I still own a paper
ringbound diary and notepad because I'm like that (my love-affair with
fountain-pens and real ink), but it often gets left at home or on my desk.
By contrast, my Newton is always with me.

So, by all means, test-drive a Newton if at all possible. When you buy, I
really would recommend the MP2000 **with the upgrade** or the MP2100 for
your purposes (with the upgrade, the MP2000 is the equal of the MP2100).
Connectivity is marginally better over earlier models, and as far as I can
tell the HWR is at its best.

If you can't get a test-drive, you probably are safe to buy anyway -- if
your handwriting is reasonably "standard" even if it's sloppy, there's a
strong chance that the Newton will learn it. Then, if you're really
disappointed after a trial period you could probably expect to resell it --
there seem always to be people lurking here who are up for adding another
Newton in their collections! ;)

My 2 cents.

 
Shalom.
Christian

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

łAny sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from a Newton.˛
            -- what Arthur C. Clarke meant

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1ZzpdPJ7Zr4
(With thanks to Chod Lang)
http://tinyurl.com/29y2dl

~~~ ~~~ ~~~
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Received on Thu Feb 28 06:32:22 2008

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