Apple’s Newton Was Ahead of Its Time - and Flopped. Will History Repeat Itself? 

At first I read it as "Newton's apple was ahead of its time" and for a sec I was like "What ?!?!".......

I had the original Newton MessagePad back in ‘94. It was clunky. I also had both the 120 and 130 models before topping out with the MessagePad 2000. The MP2000 was super cool and had 2 full-size PCMCIA slots - I had a modem card (wired, not wireless) in one slot, and a 4MB card in the other. Fun times!! 😁

I didn't know CNET existed already in 1997! Love you guys for all the great work... Keeping us informed

This video takes me back. I am 39 and when I was in the 5th or the 6th grade my dad came home and gave me the Newton. We were looking for ways for me to write notes in class since I had bad handwriting. Enter the Newton. The handwriting translation aspect of it was not that great. But you could peck and hunt with the keyboard and I became good at that. Later I was given the keyboard attachment and that made things better for me. I had a golf game and something else. The other difficulty I had was uploading my notes to the computer. The newton was also featured in Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. I remember hearing about the guy who created the newton killed himself. I have always said that the Newton was the grandfather of what we have today.

the newton was also expensive for its time. palm pilots + variants were far more affordable, portable and had different accessory options and support. mine had a backlight button, a modem attachment, led flashlight attachment, dock stands, cables, styluses, screen protectors, and a third party “gun” style holster. there were handsprings that had back attachments. there was an “m” budget model. you can sync across devices. all of this together cost much less than the stock msrp price of the newton. so for the price of apple products, even then, i was able to do much more without reaching the cost of one apple newton.

I remember the cancellation. A week or so before Bristol Meyers Squibb had decided to roll the devices out to their sales field to use for signed doctor cards (required when the reps leave samples of prescription drugs.) I only ever used the Newton slightly due to being on their help desk when they were evaluating it. I later got a Palm IIIx which I used as an electric calendar, address book and notepad for years.

Oh wow it was so nice to see this. I remember my Newton, and all of the others (PalmPilots / Handera / Sharp Wizards / so many more). I even had a PDA that clipped to the back of my Motorola Startac. How amazing it was to hook it up my Newton to my landline to get pilot weather reports. I even wrote college papers on it and sent it to printers like a word processor. It was chonky for sure, but the OS and GUI was solid. I am continually amazed at how far we have come in so little time - we literally walk around with Star Trek tricorders in our pockets or on our wrists now. I am happy to be alive in this time.

I was a Palm Pilot guy for many years and I was able to keep some of the data such as calendar and contact information and transfer to subsequent devices including to all of my iOS devices. Then again I'm an old guy - Timex Sinclair, Commodore Vic 20, Lotus 123, Wordperfect, Amiga 1000 w/a 300 baud modem

I never had a Newton, but I had several iterations of Palm Pilots, and I started my smartphone journey with a Handspring utilizing their Springboard with a cellphone insert. Then I switched to Treos when they came out. I had a friend who worked in educational sales for Apple back then, and he had a Newton. It was cool, but like you said, it just didn't have enough features to justify such a high price. Fun video looking back at history. 👍

It's amazing how a 25 year old product just charges and turns on . Wish I could say this for some recent products from some brands

I had a PalmPilot, and I loved it. 🎉 but fairly soon. Cell phones could do everything the PalmPilot could.

I remember buying a HP PDA from someone and it was cool being the only person who could surf the internet from a phone, even though the rate to use data at the time was very high. Some people used to make fun of it's size, it was the time when smaller was better but I loved it.

What an awesome step back in the past. Great Video Bridget!

I had each version. They were great. I was the coolest kid in high school.

As always great work! The smartest and beautiful tech reviewer!

Oh I definitely used Pdas, all kinds. Palms all models. I thought it was fantastic when I sent my first email!! Being able to see the gadgeteer site on the internet was fantastic. My palms were incredibly useful , I even bought the CE windows versions from other companies. So expensive!! $500. Mine still work and I have the first netbook eeepc ( still works). Great video,please do more vintage gadgets

I had several Palm Pilots and used them frequently. Funny to see someone not a teen "marveling" at old tech. Try a 300 Baud modem on a C64 and get back to me.

I had no recollection of this Neuton device, but for 1993 tech, it seemed pretty impressive. Wonder if Jobs retroactively used the Newton OS for the iPhone, but just held off until it was completely ready to be shown again to a more connected audience

I bought a Newton and still have it. I got it when it first came out - right at MacWorld!

I still have a Newton MP 2100. I took it out a few months back and threw some batteries in it. Fired up right away, took the batteries out and put it back in storage.

I remember buying a Newton at Circuit City...now I really feel old.

I love my Palm Pilots, I still have a few. My favorites were the Palm IIIxe and the M515. The Tungsten series is okay, but the M515 was colored and thin and had a professional look. But the Palm IIIxe was the best as it still works today. I could easily use it to replace a planner if I wanted a digital writing tool. I took it everywhere.

I still own Palm Pilot IIIxe , I used it for work to store contacts and take notes. Purchased in May 2001 for $150.

I used a Newton 110 until I replaced it with a much smaller Palm Pilot. The handwriting could be augmented using Graffiti on the Newton, which was essentially the same as the Palm writing system. PCMCIA on the Newton was brilliant but underutilized and the IR transceiver could control various infrared devices such as TVs, VCRs, stereos, etc. Most of my use was around notes, calendar and contacts -- which is pretty much the same today on my iPhone. For most people at this time, the Day-Timer or a full sized calendar was the only way to track appointments - and your contacts were invariably on paper or in a Rolodex if you had the time... the Newton and it's predecessor (Psion?) revolutionized this space.

Palm Pilot IIIxe also used for Outlook email.

Didn't start my PDA journey until the Palm V in 99, but I always wanted a Newton before that, but was put off by the price. Palm devices were greatly helped by the apps available on the early Tucows site, like book readers, sketching programs, games, etc.

I remember AT&T had the EO personal communicator that also came out in 1993.

The Duracells with the onboard level meter takes me back 6:10

My mother still has one in the attic somewhere, want to dig it up now.

The handwriting to text feature flakiness was mostly resolved by the final model.

I loved mine, it was a game changer for me. Then moved to Palm Pilot.

Your newton has so much software on it. Wish mine had all that software. Sadly mine were factory reset back in the day.

Its impressive device.This video is great.Thanks for this CNET.

I love the PDA my parents got me in 2003, took notes on it!

I use to have a Palm, and I guess it worked in a similar way. The handwriting recognition didn't mean you could write in any way. In the manual came the way you should write the letters to get recognized. Once you learned how to write in the way you suppose to, it recognize well. although was very time consuming

I still have my OMP (aka MP100), an MP2100 and an eMate. Also still have a Sony MagicLink. Ah... memories. I even have an autographs of Thomas Dolby, Laurie Anderson and Woz on my MP2100! I really miss my Newtons.

I had a palm tungsten e2 when I was a kid used to listen music and play games

Only had a palm pilot. I thought it was so cool especially since it was sold as a bundle at the shopping mall with the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

4:33 e-ink: “hold my stylus”

I'm old but was always an early adopter. I loved the Newton. I got each version and they were so useful. The handwriting recognition was really solid. It was really perfected with the third generation. Way ahead of it's time and totally misunderstood.

I had an original Newton and liked it when it worked. It had severe hardware quality issues.

You've inspired me to dig out my Palm Pilot

I have one in the back Closet....still works...I love the Flip Cover.. Kinda the First Flip Phone.... but not... K

Took a bit of a risk writing "hello CNET" on that thing. Wrong vowel. Letters switched. Could have gone horribly wrong!

The price killed it but the technology was ahead of it’s time considering we were still using monochrome computer monitors in 1993 and Gameboy only came in green screen.

By the way those old AA batteries by Duracell had some wonderful feature of putting your fingers on the side to see how much battery power is left. Now Duracell doesn't make them any more.

I had a Newton 2100, and loved it. On a cross-country bicycle trip (New York to Toronto), it was an indispensable computer substitute. I could write emails and a trip journal at night in my tent, then hopefully find somewhere to send the emails during the ride. Some of the criticism was warranted, of course, though not this snarky tone. It was considerably larger than a Palm Pilot, but also massively more useful. The handwriting recognition was amazing. There were a limited number of apps, but of course no one had conceived of an online App Store in its day. One thing I don't understand is why you use this as a vehicle to ask if Apple has "learned its lesson" about introducing new product categories. I don't see that the Newton was all that more of a radical innovation than, say, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple Watch...

did start back when, using PDA and never been able to use the screen keyboard, still doing handwriting, one stroke at a time. People look at me surprising, seen holding the phone on the little finger in one hand and stroking characters with the thumb, while drinking coffee with the other hand. Can you do that?

Hey Bridget, I used to watch the cnet news tech series back in 2013-2014. It's been at least 8 years now since I saw one of your videos. How tf have you not aged?

I'm very happy CNET hasn't replaced you with AI.... Yet. I appreciate all your content.

@5:03 - 👋💨, Bridget Carey!!

Still holding on to my Palm Pilot TX

User guide vague? That’s where the dummies books came in for many of us. I had a Casio BOSS and later a Visor from Palm (I think). You could back these devices up on a 3 1/4” disk on a Mac for safekeeping. The prices on these were around $180 in the 90’s.

I had one of these! Oh how times has changed...

I remember Newton OS won the best OS category at Comdex 95. Yes, it beat out Windows 95.

Outstanding trip down memory lane!!!!!!

Love CNET ❤️

I can’t believe those Duracell batteries didn’t leak out and ruin the Newton. Maybe they were made better back then. Nowadays Duracell leak like crazy. Have lost a lot of flashlights because of them.

The Newton was all the rage at our Mac software company Dantz Development (yaaaay Retrospect) although I personally owned a Handspring. Those were the PDA glory days. Cue Bruce Springsteen...

I too had early Newtons. After the software was updated, handwriting recognition was quite good. I still have three Newtons in my desk drawer (batteries removed). I miss many of the features that are not in the iPhone. Obviously, the presenter is showing her youth and lack of early technology advancements. Yes, my iPhone is lightyears ahead of the Newton.

Try psion 5 mx that was one of the best keyboard of alltimes

I feel like apple would've had a hard time trying to market VR way back in 93 lol. What I'm witnessing with the quest 2 is older people don't see the point of it, but the younger crowd is all about it. I definitely think it's in its development stages still and this would lead to some early adopters frustration. If Apple is able to keep up with the Quest in terms of QoL improvement updates that would be interesting. Apple is about simplicity and ease of use, but I'm not sure how it gets easier than the quests built in tutorial, unless straight up Brain wave reading controls 😅

It feels so meta watching this on its successor, the iPad.

We love you Bridget! ❤😊

The newton was wonderful Nothing was even close For years Until the iPad w Apple Pencil

wait its a review unit? is there a Cnet vault of old tech...get down there and do a video!!!

I had a review unit and took the time to teach it my handwriting style. Worked fine for me. Even sent a newsletter article for a group I was the president of about the Newton. Palm just forced you to use graffiti instead of regular handwriting.

The point of VR when not used for gaming is for anything else your imagine can run wild about, without the consequences of real life disaster's results.

PDAs were a big thing in medicine. A real game changer. We used them a lot for reference. It was better than carrying books around in your lab coat.

I actually understand that joke from Simpsons now.

When you drag an item off the macOS Safari bookmarks bar and let go, the deletion uses what my friends called the “Newton poof”!

Idk why people are so mean to Bridget. I love her reporting.

The newton 2100 was next level.

I think the product testing segment was entertaining enough on its own, there is no need for the drum loop, that’s too distracting

The first iPhone came out, Steve Jobs made a bong !!!!

I'm screaming: "there's a backlight!" at the screen.

Yes, it is the ancestor to the modern PDA called the iPhone. (Yes, it actually is a PDA, whatever you may be calling it.) And, it may have not been a success but it will always be important in the evolution of portable handheld devices. Actually, it's more correct to use the term handheld or PDA for the iPhone as it does what the Newton, Palm, etc. could, and more. I mean, just look at the iPad - another tablet computer, PDA. Calling with the phone app is just nowadays another function, that is not ever the main one in many cases. The iPhone is just the latest tablet computer and it's great. The idea just needed a few years to evolve, and what for better technology. I'm surprised they didn't called the iPhone an iPad instead.

So basically a iPad Pro with built in Apple Pencil. But 90s edition?

The killer feature is a seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem and being “in there”.

I don’t understand why they are moving ahead with such a design for the VR headset. Ideally it should be something where the design looks like a pair or normal glasses rather than the ski goggles design.

My translucent 110 is somewhere? Yes a clear case Newton.

I see the VR headset as a 'transition' technology (much like the Newton) where future enhanced reality will directly project information into our eyes through simply glasses, or implants. Once we have the tech ready (simple glasses or implant), then killer apps will take off.

Was the Newton price really that crazy for time considering how much the top end iPhones and iPad cost today?

I still have mine

the problem with the iphone it doesnt have the apple pencil support i know steve jobs didnt like stylus but people today want to write things and take notes

Bridget!

I had a Newton. I literally don't remember even using it. Handwriting recognition was terrible.

Price probably killed it from the star damn....

We look at the Newton and wonder how we got a long with technology from 25 years ago but at least it could still turn on and function about as well as. It could back then. Do you think your cellphone would even be able to turn on 25 years from now?

The VR Headset is a good idea but too expensive for what it offers and what’s the point of spending so much money, when Apple will bring out a better version the year after

PDAs were pretty cool, but most ppl just didn't get it.

The Newton handwriting was as good as Siri is today 🤣

I had a Newton, and I can say that it was fairly useless. I believe that to make it useful, you’d have to be surrounded by other newton users, and use it as a collaboration tool.

Palm Pilots won out... Because they were smaller and faster. But they appeared a few years after these, so yes, apple were a few years early.

I can’t believe the Newton had a calculator, and the new iPad Pro M2 doesn’t…

Concept What if apple newton was created in the 80’s?

Apple Headset killer feature: handwriting recognition! Point your finger and write whatever you want in the air. Apple Headset will try to figure out what you wrote. It's the 1990s all over again.

I still have a working eMate, and a dead original.

Unless the game developers start optimizing games for MacOS instead of ignoring them, the AR headset will not go anywhere.

Back to the future ❤ Galaxy Note 😢 hello 😅