[NTLK] Intro mail and WTB nice MP2000/2100 (no accessories needed) and Homebrew MP2100 upgrades

[Ian Finder]

Hi folks,

My name is Ian, I'm a 26 year old Product / Project Manager in Seattle with
a long-standing interest in vintage computers. I've recently discovered the
Newton platform as a bit more than just another curiosity; surprisingly,
and by accident, it has become a valuable tool in combating the onslaught
of distractions present on modern systems.

In search of...
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I have a serial dongle, etc, and am not opposed to re-celling the NiCD
batteries. I have one AA tray as well. For the most part, I'm okay on
accessories.

I'd really love to buy one or two 2000s or 2100s in nicer cosmetic shape
than the ones I have. I was sad to have missed this one today:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/302146079985

If you've got one, please let me know!

Full intro text; Recent convert to the Messagepad:
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For a while, I always assumed the Newton was yet-another-PDA platform; a
fun footnote in vintage computing history, with little merit in terms of
usability. I picked up a 2000- complete but in meh condition- some time
ago, and poked at it here and there, but it never really 'clicked.'

I work a high-pressure job that requires lots of note-taking, list making,
scheduling, etc. Recently, I set up the Messagepad again- just as an alarm
clock, as a gag.

One thing led to another, and with it living on the nightstand, I started
using it to jot down late night-thoughts. Then I started using it as a
place to collect all my to-do lists at the end of the day. And now it has
become a part of my routine- a Facebook and Instagram-free device with a
soothing green display where I can organize my thoughts.

In short- I now see after all these years what you all saw in this thing.
It finally 'clicked.'

It's unlike any smartphone, PalmOS, Psion, or WinCE device I've ever used,
and I'm glad to see a community of die-hards remain around it.

It's a quirky, whimsical and fun device that simply nails a usable
note-taking scenario. (risking getting flamed, I'd say OneNote on the
Surface Pro is the closest replacement, but a far cry)

The software is powerful, and extensible, and I'm happy to see there is
still a great deal of it preserved in UNNA. The nonvolatile storage is a
boon for anyone who cares about their data.

Tactical things:
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I went thru my boxes, found an Orinoco card and the serial dongle, and
installed the ATA driver and 2K patches. I set up an 802.11b AP and have
WiFi working. I have it backing up to my Quadra 950- a Symbolics MacIvory
host I run often.

I also found these instructions.
https://web.archive.org/web/20010602033135/http://user.chollian.net/~cehz/frame2.htm

It appears one can upgrade the 2000 to a 2100 by simply changing out the
DRAM chips, so I may try this and report back here. I'm pretty reasonable
with soldering, so if anyone needs this done, I'll consider doing it as a
courtesy if it works out.

I've ordered a replacement backlight from http://www.backlight4you.com/ "just
in case" and should I ever need to install it will report back.

Cheers,

- Ian


-- 
   Ian Finder
   (206) 395-MIPS
   ian.finder at gmail.com