Re: [NTLK] The "Right" Newton

From: Eric L. Strobel (fyzycyst_at_comcast.net)
Date: Sat Mar 23 2002 - 23:18:12 EST


somewhere near the temporal coordinates of 3/23/02 3:17 PM, the entity known
as Sushi transmitted the following from Sushi_at_ragingbull.com:

>
>> On 3/24/02 @ 4:58, Eric L. Strobel wrote:
>>
>> You don't write in area, you write in a line, so 2x
>> pixels isn't all that meaningful.
>
> Okay, I'm weird. I write where ever there is room. I don't write in a
> line on my Newt when entering sentences. Seems to work well for me.
> Compared to before when I did write in a line and would run out of space
> at the end of the line.

OK, I guess I should word my point better. My point really is that the
limiting factor is how soon you run out of room and have to either start a
new line or start writing words in every nook & cranny on the screen (which
isn't a behavior most of us are used to). The point is that you only have
(pixel-wise) 4/3 the room on a 2x00 (320/240) before you have to start
writing on a new line.

>
>> Besides, it's the physical size of the display that
>> counts. That's why the Palm is so absurd, even the
>> Newt is below the physical size of what most folk
>> will feel comfortable writing *extensively* on.
>
> In that case, I would respectfully disagree with you on the size thing.
> To me the 2K Newts are much bigger than the pre 2K versions. While their
> displays are not twice as big physically, a small increase in area makes
> a big difference.
>

Unless you write microscopically, the small increase in width will only give
you a few letters' worth of space to write in, per line. Agreed, once the
writing is HWR-ed, you'll be getting 4/3 the characters per line. The
problem is that people tend to write in a fixed (or nearly fixed) size much
of the time. The driving number would be, how many characters per cm do you
write when you're not thinking about writing. If the screen is only a cm or
so bigger, then there's only a tiny number of additional characters you'll
be able to write, regardless of how many extra pixels there are.

>
>> So, I still maintain that for extensive notetaking,
>> a keyboard is pretty much mandatory. And that for taking
>> down just a few key points, the HWR on the 130 is adequate.
>
> Yes, a keyboard does come in handy at times.
>
> However, I completely disagree with you on the notetaking point. I
> routinely write extensively on my Newt 2K. But I never could on a 130.
> It felt too small to me, just like the Palm and Pocket PC devices do in
> that regard.
>

Yes, personal preference certainly does play a major role. And, I have to
admit, I've not tried a 2x00. But I just simply can't conceive of writing
extensively on a 130 OR a 2x00 because *both* are too small for that, *for
me*. If there were a Newt with a screen the size of, say, the DayTimer
stationery or a steno pad, I'd be all over it in a second!

>
> IMHO, these days with the reduced prices of the 2K models, it pays to get
> one from the get go if you can afford it. The 130 is a nice Newt for
> sure. But the 2K especially the 2100 gives you so much more.
>

Absolutely agreed! If I were buying now, instead of back when 2x00's were
going for 3x what they are now, I'd've gone with the 2x00 for sure!

- Eric.

-- 

Eric Strobel (fyzycyst_at_NOSPAM^mailaps.org)

===================================================================== If aviation had grown as slowly as space travel, the first paying customer would have flown in 1943 -- in the 1,657th expendable Wright Flyer. =====================================================================

-- Read the List FAQ/Etiquette: http://www.newtontalk.net/faq.html Read the Newton FAQ: http://www.guns-media.com/mirrors/newton/faq/ This is the NewtonTalk mailing list - http://www.newtontalk.net



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Apr 02 2002 - 14:03:29 EST