Re: [NTLK] Desiring to enter this wonderful world. Tips?

From: Jim Witte (jswitte_at_bloomington.in.us)
Date: Wed Sep 08 2004 - 12:07:21 PDT


> I'm an Apple user since years...but I don't know anything about the
> Newton.

   I remember always being fascinated by the "look" of the Newton
interface.

> Would someone start telling me which model is better to take and where
> (eBay?)..? Which would be a reasonable price to pay?

   J&K Sales (http://www.jksalesinc.com/catalog/) is a good place to
look, as is Ebay.

   The 2000 and 2100 are faster than the others, by a LOT, as well as
having bigger screens and sound input. The 2000 and 2100 are
functionally identical the same except for the amount of memory - the
2100 has 4MB. There is also an upgrade for the 2000 that will give it
4MB. I personally like the upgraded 2000 units over the 2100's,
because they have a "real" Apple logo on them (the 2100's have a little
"button logo" since the Newton Inc. was spun back into Apple after they
were produced..)

   A reasonable price for a 2100 or an upgraded 2000 ('UMP2000') is
somewhere between $50 and $110 - someone else can pin that range down..

   For the 2x00 machines, there's a board called the 'SER-001' (produced
by a list member) which will add a normal Mac serial port , in addition
to the interconnect port. There's also a rarer-than-hens-teeth
"dongle" for that interconnect port, but they get lost easily, are a
hassle to keep track of, etc.. Of course, it's perfectly possible to
use the Newton with a desktop computer without a serial connection, as
long as you can get drivers for Ethernet or a WiFi card on it. I think
there's a "card exchange" to do that - look at
http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/index.php/BootStrapping for info on
this 'Bootstrapping Problem' The WikiWikiNewt is also a great resource
for almost anything Newton"

   <shameless plug> I can install a SER-001 board, as well as install
drivers.. </>

   If you want to do a lot of typing on the go - say if your a writer,
the eMate 300 is the way to go. It's slower and has less RAM (though
there is an upgrade), but has an integrated keyboard, and looks cool.
However, make sure to perform (or have performed) the "eMate hinge
repair" if you get one - the hinge can slip and puncture through the
display cable - not good.

   I don't really know what a fair price for an eMate is probably about
$30-60. I don't know about prices for the other Newtons.

   Welcome to the wonderful world of Newton!

Jim

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