[NTLK] How much would you pay for...

[James Fraser]

Hello,

--- On Sun, 1/3/10, Leendert De Cae <leendert at dest-unreach.be> wrote:

> A friend of mine and I are about to buy an Apple Newton, so
> we searched and came on this 2 Newtons (first one and the
> other ). It is a MP2000 and the (I think) original MP. They
> are never used, all accessories, documentation and so on and
> so forth are delivered with them, boxed in the original
> boxes.

> The question is, how much do you think they are worth?
> Thanks in advance

The perceived value of something is going to vary widely from person to person.  I've seen MessagePads go for Silly Money (i.e. ridiculously high prices) on eBay simply because the particular people bidding on the units offered perceived them as having a very high value (and bid accordingly).
The problem is that my "ridiculous" price is someone else's "perfectly reasonable" price, do you see?

(I have a Scottish last name, too, which doesn't exactly help.) :(

Perhaps a more effective way to pose the question would be to tell us what the price is being asked for these two Newtons?  That way, the list members could give you a simple yes/no answer as to whether or not they think you're getting a good deal.

Another consideration: are you actually planning to *use* these units once they are purchased?  Or are they going to stay in the boxes as so-called museum pieces (i.e. looked at and admired, but remain unused)?  In other words: is getting the original boxes and documentation along with the Newtons themselves important to you?

I ask because if getting the original boxes and documentation *isn't* important, there are always perfectly usable MessagePads for sale.  There's not much point in spending top-Euro for a MessagePad in mint condition if you plan to carry it around for personal use because, believe me, it *is* going to sustain nicks and scratches during daily use.  Picking up a Newton in, say, very good (rather than mint) condition could save a lot of money, while still getting you a unit with lots of life left in it.

Finally, if you and your friend *are* planning to use a MessagePad, it's worth pointing out that the last model of MessagePad offered (the MP2100) might offer the most positive user experience for you.  Meaning that, rather than spending money on an original MessagePad or an MP2000, you may want to look around until an MP2100 shows up at an acceptable price.

Anyway, if you can please let us know what the asking price is for the Newtons you are looking at, that might be a good starting point.



Best,

James Fraser