[127] in bcs-newton
Got one yet???
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dave Harrison)
Sat Jul 31 17:19:11 1993
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 93 17:22:07 +0100
From: "Dave Harrison" <harrison@Shiva.COM>
To: bcs-newton@world.std.com
Hello Groupers!!!
What a day!!!
Went up on CompuServe last night, looking for the new Newton forum. I
logged on at about 10:20. Just 15 minutes earlier, a salesman from
ComputerTown posts a message that Newtons are available for sale, for real!
I called Saturday morning and ordered one, looking to pick it up Tuesday AM
at the show. But, after returning from errands, my wife hits me with a
message that changes the day from no ordinary Saturday afternoon to one I
will never forget.
"ComputerTown called. You can go buy a Newton right now. Today. As many
as you want."
Approximately 75 minutes later (needed to stop for gas, 93 was packed
through the city), I have a Newton Message Pad in my hands!
What can I say? They are as awesome as I thought that they would be. Ever
since the presentation in June I know I wanted to be the first on my block
to have one. Hey Al! Let's get a meeting for August on the calendar! I
want to beam, and I want to beam now!
Many thanks to Chris Smith of ComputerTown for sales assistance. After I
bought the MessagePad I went across the street with my wife for lunch at
T-Bones. We got a booth that gave me a clear view of the ComputerTown
entrance, and many people were walking out with small white and blue boxes!
Issues that I see right away:
1. No rechargeables yet. They give you 4 AAA's with the MessagePad, but
don't get caught out of juice!
2. No expansion memory yet (from Apple). I hear third parties will claim
compatability, but no one knows for sure. And I thought PCMCIA was a real
standard!
3. Apple owes me some software. Newton Connection is still in beta. I
have to produce POP at the show to get the beta version and a promise of the
real thing RSN.
I am going to play it safe until all 3 of my issues are resolved.
Essentially, anything and everything that I do will not be backed up, so I
will probably be doing some dog-and-ponying for a while until I can backup
my information, and be able to recharge overnight.
I would really like to be doing this FROM my Message Pad! When do you think
the chances of that will be????
Eight Hundred bucks for a developers kit? Anyone want to incorporate real
quick and share the costs? (grin)
I am already on two beta programs for software testing (it's GOOD to be in
the industry!), now I feel better on being able to actually beta test and
provide feedback now that I actually own a Message Pad.
Thank you for reading this stream of consciousness quickie account of my
weekend. Extra special thanks to my wife for understanding that the only
difference between men and boys are the price of their toys (oops, don't
want to get flamed on that one)...Any one have any experiences to contribute?
Dave Harrison
Happy MessagePad Owner
Shiva Corporation
