Comments on: Why Apple Will Not Release a PDA (aka iNewton)

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:42:19 +0000

This Newton PDA is THE device I’ve been waiting for. Basically, I want something that can do everything my Palm TX can do, but in an “Apple” style and ease of use. Palm’s web browser and email apps are horrible, so much so that I don’t even try using them anymore. If this Apple PDA can let me read eBooks and attach a portable keyboard, along with its Mac apps, then it’s “adios” for my Palm!
Oh, and I agree with the poster here who said that the device fitting in the pocket is of secondary concern… I agree.

By: Marnen Laibow-Koser

Marnen Laibow-Koser — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:53:11 +0000

You may be right. However…

If there’s no market for such a device, why is everyone constantly posting rumors that Apple is releasing one? I’d interpret that as a sign that they want such a thing. Certainly *I’d* buy one. I don’t need or particularly want my PDA and phone in the same box. I don’t think I need my PDA to do every last thing that my laptop does. But the iPhone demonstrated what great design can do as applied to a phone; if Apple were to apply those same design principles to a PDA, I think a lot of people would be very impressed. (The iPod touch should have been that device, but it wasn’t.)

I suppose I think Apple has the potential to do for the PDA market today what Palm did years ago — hit the right feature set, slap a great, minimal UI on it, and shift the paradigm.

By: Rob Pawlikowski

Rob Pawlikowski — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:02:43 +0000

I think there IS a market for the device. I’ve longed for a device that combines all the tech I carry, AND could be as useful as my Day Planner.

The format of the Day Planner (5.5 x 8.5 inches), allows me ample space for writing meeting notes, as well as all of the standard calendar stuff. I don’t care that it doesn’t fit in my pocket - I need the writing space.

Also consider that a Day Planner can weigh more than 2 lbs.

A device that could support such activity, plus be a cell phone, iPod, eMail retriever, web search, etc., and support periodical content would greatly clean up my briefcase.

For busy executives, soccer moms, or anybody who lives and dies by meetings and their calendar, it would be a device worth having.

By: Music City Bloggers » Blog Archive » No MacPDA

Music City Bloggers » Blog Archive » No MacPDA — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:12:43 +0000

[...] is sure that Apple won’t release a PDA. I’ll let him tell you why. There is just no market for that device. People may say that Apple can create a market for this [...]

By: Jackson Miller

Jackson Miller — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:39:08 +0000

I agree they won’t call it a PDA. I am positive it is about media, specifically watching video. Maybe they will call it the WatchMan 2.0.

By: fishwreck

fishwreck — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:26:30 +0000

Well, you can bet that whatever Apple has in mind they certainly won’t call it a PDA. And I’m pretty sure, for the reasons you listed and many more, that it won’t much resemble anything we currently call a PDA, except in size and dimensions.

This is the problem (and the fun) with leaks about Apple products in development — we usually just get the approximate dimensions and a few hardware specs and are left to work out the rest. That this particular leak was presented as a PDA says more about hyping the rumor than it does about the actual future product. UMPC-competitor is probably closer, or tablet PC, but you can be equally sure that Apple won’t call it those either.

Personally, I’m thinking more along the lines of a Star Trek: TNG PADD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padd), with maybe some voice recognition added. Now I”ve been outed as a Star Trek geek (but not a Trekker or Trekkie).