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

[Vladislav Korotnev]

Hello Ian! 

Nice to meet you at NewtonTalk too! Hope you enjoy your stay :-)
Long time no talk, by the way~

P.S. That’s an awesome phone number you got there :-)

// Ak.R.

iOS/Mac/Windows & Web developer
Vaporwave/ambient producer, sound/video engineer

Genjitsu Gadget Lab Member 001
http://genjit.su




On 06 Dec 2016, at 9:29 , Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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...
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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:
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 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:
> -------------------------------------------------
> 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
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
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