My Apple Newton

Keep your eye on UNNA

2012-02-09T23:33:00.000+13:00

If you haven't been keeping an eye on UNNA (the United Network of Newton Archives) then you should. Since Morgan Aldridge has had the opportunity to do some maintenance last year there has been a steady stream of new apps and system enhancements being added to the archive. Here's the last dozen or so:

URL helper: Lets URLs be added to a Names Card. Not needed if you have MoreInfo.
Names Services: Lets phone services, new email services and faxes services to a Names Card.
Month Print: Allows a calendar style month be printed from the Dates Application from the Action menu.
Extra Extras: Adds options on the action menu to freeze, thaw or get information on apps.
Nifty Drop: A backdrop app that lets users mix and match what they want, such as a volume slider.
Dialer: Generates tones that can be used, among other things, to check voice mail over a phone.
Computus: Calculates Gregorian or Julian dates for medieval feasts.
NewtChorder: Lets a user try out chords or even pick strings on a facsimile guitar board.
Newtsio: A calculator loosely based on a Casio FX-9500 graphical scientific calculator.
Drain: Monitors how fast your batteries are draining.
Drop Picture: A backdrop app that allows a picture to make a pattern. MP2100 or UMP2000 only.
Remote Town: A SimCity game.
Drake: A Drake equation Solver. It estimates the number of alien civilisations there might be in the Milky Way.
Drag: NOS 1.x app that allows windows to be dragged around.
Learn more

Memory 102: Attribute Memory

2012-02-06T12:00:00.000+13:00

When buying Linear Memory cards, sometimes Attribute Memory is specified.

The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) is a nonprofit standards body chartered with establishing, marketing, and maintaining standards for credit-card-sized integrated-circuit PC cards. These types of cards are now being called "PC Card" to reflect the fact that they aren't used only as memory cards. Today, network interface cards, device interface cards, GPS antennae, just to name a few, support the PC Card standards.

The PCMCIA standard defines six fundamental hardware and software standards for the card itself - Socket/Adapter Interface, Socket Services, Card Service, Card Information Structure (CIS), and the system software.

The PCMCIA card is plugged into a host socket/adapter on the computer's motherboard or connected to its expansion bus. The socket side has the standard 68-pin interface for the card. The adapter side translates the PCMCIA interface signals to match the computer's bus standards.

Socket Services is the software interface between the card in the socket and the adapter to the computer's bus. The standard Socket Services interface is what permits the use of any PCMCIA card on any PC equipped with a socket/adapter.

The programming interface for PCMCIA is called Card Services. It sends the signals to link Socket Services to the PC's operating system and hardware. Card Services can be implemented either as a driver, or in the operating system, as is IBM DOS 6.0.

The Card Information Structure (CIS) is information stored on a PCMCIA card that contains information about the formatting and organization of the data on the card. The CIS also contains information about:
* The type of card
* Supported power supply options
* Supported power saving features
* The manufacturer
* Model number

and so on.

On card insertion, the card passes this identifying information to the host system.

The system software reads the CIS data on insertion, installs the appropriate drivers, notifies relevant system resources, and initializes the card to make it available for use by the host.

The optional 2K byte 'attribute memory' space retains Card Information Structure (CIS).
Types of devices that require attribute are usually lab equipment, embedded
systems, PDAs and the like. For the most part, notebook computers support Card Services, and hence don't require attribute.

When a card is unrecognized it is frequently because the CIS information is either lost or damaged.

The Newton must read the CIS to determine what the card is. As I understand it, CIS is necessary and cards with or without attribute memory should be compatible. Newton can't get the information from Card Services.

More specifically, When a card is inserted, the card server handles it. It tries to parse the CIS data. If it succeeds, it calls RecognizeCard on every registered card handler. Otherwise, it calls ParseUnrecognizedCard. Card handlers include the memory/communication card handler (this is a combo), Lantern card handler from ethernet cards, ATA card handler, GetCardInfo handler. GetCardInfo is a very special card handler. It tells the system that it doesn't recognize any card and then it copies the data somehow to display it later from the NewtonScript task. Lantern Data Link Layer Tools pdf is a good manual for this kind of details. Very probably because parentheses aren't a problem.
Hiroshi says there is an issue when the CIS string is longer than 64 or 32 characters (or something like this).

Some other cards will have CIS records which might be unreadable (by the Newton) and therefore the error in the parsing and the fact that the card server calls ParseUnrecognizedCard. CIS records include the voltage of the card, the kind of card, etc. Not being able to read it entirely could bring issues.

Lantern card handler (Newton Devices) could be patched to work with an unrecognized card, but issues may arise. In particular, Hiroshi says that if the Newton accesses a 3V card at 5V, it can damage both the card and the Newton.

Thanks to Paul Guyot for the technical detail.

Apple Newton sings "Still Alive"

2012-02-01T22:52:00.001+13:00

I've never heard of an Apple Newton singing before. I'd love to know how to do it. Anyway, for your viewing pleasure and a bit of light hearted fun, here is a clip of a Newton singing Portal's song "Still Alive."

And so that you can follow along, here are the lyrics:

This was a triumph.
I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS.
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.
Aperture Science
We do what we must
because we can.
For the good of all of us.
Except the ones who are dead.
But there's no sense crying over every mistake.
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
And the Science gets done.
And you make a neat gun.
For the people who are still alive.
I'm not even angry.
I'm being so sincere right now.
Even though you broke my heart.
And killed me.
And tore me to pieces.
And threw every piece into a fire.
As they burned it hurt because I was so happy for you!
Now these points of data make a beautiful line.
And we're out of beta.
We're releasing on time.
So I'm GLaD. I got burned.
Think of all the things we learned
for the people who are still alive.
Go ahead and leave me.
I think I prefer to stay inside.
Maybe you'll find someone else to help you.
Maybe Black Mesa
THAT WAS A JOKE.
HAHA. FAT CHANCE.
Anyway, this cake is great.
It's so delicious and moist.
Look at me still talking
when there's Science to do.
When I look out there, it makes me GLaD I'm not you.
I've experiments to run.
There is research to be done.
On the people who are still alive.
And believe me I am still alive.
I'm doing Science and I'm still alive.
I feel FANTASTIC and I'm still alive.
While you're dying I'll be still alive.
And when you're dead I will be still alive.
STILL ALIVE (x2)

3-up enhances long range calendar scheduling

2012-01-31T03:50:00.000+13:00

MoreInfo is one of the best PIM apps for the Newton and my PIM of choice. However one of the best features of the built-in Dates application is the presentation of a 10-month calendar in the Year view. Its surprisingly useful and its inconvenient to launch Dates whenever its needed.

Unfortunately MoreInfo doesn't provide a view that shows a calendar in this way. The best it can do is a Week view and it is laid out more like a Gantt chart than a conventional calendar. I don't find it that easy to follow.

Recently UNNA archived a wee little app named 3-up.

3-up is a perpetual calendar which displays 3 months in a floating window. Two arrows allow you to move backwards and forwards through the year 3 months at a time. On a MessagePad 2000/2100, you can place 3-up on the button bar for quick access: Open extras, and select 3-up by holding down your pen on the icon until you hear the squeak. Lift your pen, then place it down again on the icon and drag it to the button bar.

This is what it looks like once installed:

Not as good as the 10-month view but it fills the gap in my planning method quite nicely.

Keeping up with Facebook on your Apple Newton

2012-01-24T22:34:00.000+13:00

Last September FaceBook revealed they had reached over 800 million users and expected that number to surpass 1 billion by August 2012. No matter whether you think its a waste of time or not, plenty of people obviously think its a nice way to keep up with their friends and relatives.

Now an intrepid Apple Newton user, Tony Morrow, has discovered a way to log into Facebook using a Newton and maintain your social networking activity there, including instant messaging. Apparently logging in directly through Facebook's mobile site won't work using Newtscape. Doing it indirectly through Skweezer brings success.

You can read the details here.

Going "Wireless": Downloading files from a networked Windows XP PC

2012-01-17T01:00:00.000+13:00

A while ago as part of the "Going Wireless" series I wanted to download files from my PC without using a serial connection. I did it via a Windows 2000 Professional machine and IIS. Now that I've recently "upgraded" to Windows XP, I was keen to be downloading from the "new" PC wirelessly as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the machine had Windows XP Pro installed but IIS, an optional component, hadn't been. Even worse, the original recovery partition had been removed and no recovery disks were included. Attempts to do the installation resulted in requests to insert the Windows XP Pro installation disks. Unfortunately they would have been on the now non-existent recovery partition. The manufacturer says that Windows XP Pro recovery disks were no longer available.

If IIS is no longer available, then there is always Apache. Here is the procedure for setting up Apache on an Windows XP PC to publish a Windows file directory:

First we need to download and install Apache.

Download the Win32 no SSL Apache binary installation file from here.
Launch the .msi installation file, accept the license agreement and use the default location on your c: drive (C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\).
On the server information screen, use your PC's internal IP address (for me, 192.168.1.16) instead of a domain name and add your email address.
Complete the "typical" installation.
Launch your web browser and surf to "http://localhost/"; if a page opens with the words "It works!" then you're done!

The next few steps set Apache up to publish your file directory.

Open the file C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf\httpd.conf with Notepad. Double clicking the file from Windows Explorer does it.
Find the line that starts with "Documentroot" and replace the file path between the quotation marks with the full path to your file directory. When you finished the line should read something like: Documentroot "C:/Newton Files/"
Find the line that starts with "&ltDirectory..." and replace the file path between the quotation marks with the full path to your file directory. When you finished the line should read something like: &ltDirectory "C:/Newton Files/"&gt
Find the line that starts with "AllowOverride..." and change "None" to "All"
Save the file and close Notepad.
Open Apache from the System Tray and click restart.
If it restarts successfully then you didn't make any typos.
Launch your web browser and surf to "http://localhost/"; if a page opens with links to your files and any subdirectories in your folder then you're done!

Now you have to make Apache aware of the Newton's .pkg file type.

In Windows Explorer go to this folder: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf
Open the file "mime.types" and you will see a list of file types
You have to do this step exactly as I say: You will see a list with two columns, "Mime Type" and "Extensions". Enter this text (without the quotes) as a new line anywhere in the list: "application/x-newton-compatible-pkg". At the end of the line, use your tab key to move the cursor out until it aligns perfectly under the first character of the Extensions column and type (without the quotes) "pkg"
Click File
Click Exit
Click Yes.

Before you can open the folder from another computer you need to configure your PC's firewall to allow it access.

Open Control Panel
Open Windows Firewall
Click the Exceptions tab
Click Add Port
Enter something like "Home Intranet" as a Name.
Enter "80" as a Port Number.
Click Change Scope
Activate the "My network (subnet) only" radio button.
Click OK.

To access the folder from the Newton:

Open a web browser on the Newton: I use Courier.
Enter the internal IP address of the computer with Apache installed: "http://[internal ip address]". If you don't know what it is go to that computer and click Start, click Run, type "cmd", hit Enter, in the box that opens, type "ipconfig" and your internal ip number will appear.
Tap "Connect". If a page with all your files as links appears, then YOU'RE DONE. Celebrate with a cold drink of your choice. It it doesn't, go back and check every step again.

For achieving the same result on a Windows 2000 Professional machine and IIS go here.

SOPA is evil, fight it.

2012-01-17T00:54:00.000+13:00

The Newtontalk mailing list is a majory artery providing oxygen to the Apple Newton user community. Without it or something like it, it would have withered and died long ago. A considerable amount of that value is provided by MARC who host the NewtonTalk archive. Through the search service they provide, much of the collective wisdom and knowledge shared over many years remains accessible to all who might want to enquire further about this breakthrough technology. Today, the existence of MARC and even perhaps UNNA is threatened.

There is a new suite of laws being considered by Congress which are designed to fight the abuse of intellectual property. I am all for protecting intellectual property rights. The concept of protecting intellectual property is a pillar of modern innovation and progress. But any law that ignores the time-honored presumption of innocence has got to be scrutinized closely.
Just think about the amount of social harm one could cause if this principle was put aside? False accusations could do so much harm to a competitor, to a personal enemy, to that annoying neighbour...
The harm is so obvious that this principle can be found in documents dated over 2,000 years ago. Jesus advocated it in Matthew 13:24-30. Mosaic law would not allow an unsubstantiated accusation to stand. 6th Century Roman law codified it.

According to MARC, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) will allow anyone to accuse another of breaching their intellectual property rights and an ISP must cease and desist from providing their service to the accused without the right of trial or any other due process.
4shared.com say the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) also extends the same right to the accuser. The 4Shared Newton archive there has already suffered two false accusations that it breaches somebody's copyright. When investigated, all the items were items produced by volunteers who have never claimed a copyright over this material at any time. In each case, the accuser has refused to come forward to substantiate their claim and if a third accusation is made, 4Shared say that, under the DMCA, they have no choice but to shut down the archive.
Bills such as these need to be fought and if in law already, repealed.

BBC interviews Sculley: Newton 15 years too early.

2012-01-14T10:53:00.000+13:00

At the 2012 CES, the BBC interviewed John Sculley. During the interview, they asked him about his views of Steve Jobs' biography. The interview turned to what he thought of the Apple Newton:

BBC: "Walking around CES it's apparent that smartphones and tablets are everywhere. You pioneered Apple's Newton handheld which was later killed off by Mr Jobs after his return. What do make if that decision now?"

Sculley: "Well the facts are that we had to create a new microprocessor for the Newton as there was no low-powered microprocessor that could handle object orientated programming.

So when we were creating Newton we also co-founded a company called Arm. Apple owned 47% of it, Olivetti owned 47% and the founder Hermann Hauser owned the rest. Arm not only was the key technology behind the Newton but it eventually became the key technology behind every mobile device in the world today including the iPhone and the iPad. The Newton was clearly much too ambitious just like Steve's Macintosh Office was a year and a half too early. Newton was probably 15 years too early. I'm not a technologist. I didn't have the experience to make that judgment but we were I think right on many of the concepts. The product clearly failed in terms of taking on such an ambitious goal. I think in hindsight there is a lot of good legacy there with the Newton. Even if the product itself never survived the technology did."

And in some ways, mobile devices are still trying to catch up.

Source: BBC

YouTube Clips on an Apple Newton Web Server

2012-01-13T22:58:00.000+13:00

A few weeks ago I discovered how to present images on my Apple Newton Web Server, now I've discovered how to embed YouTube clips as well.
Until recently I'd seen others produce graphically rich Newton web server sites but didn't know how it was done.

Since I tweeted triumphantly that I'd discovered how to do this, I've since been informed that the Apple Newton web server doesn't actually serve up the video clip.

But I don't care, I've always thought that it's a technical wonder that any web page could do it at all and would require a technically advanced computer. Imagine my excitement when I got it to work on my humble NPDS Server!

If you'd like to see the source of my excitement check it out here: http://genghis7777.no-ip.org/

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Uploaded from an Apple Newton MP2100 with nBlog

nBlog Update 4: Fixed!

2012-01-13T00:26:00.000+13:00

nBlog is an application that lets Newton users make blog posts to Movable Type, Blogger, WordPress and LiveJournal. Unfortunately I somehow broke it and could never get it work on my blog ever since, until now.

By chance, I've discovered how to fix nBlog on my Newton. A while ago I tapped the "refresh blog list" button and it wiped my blog list. Without a blog list its impossible to post a blog entry. Subsequently I received reports from other users that they were successfully using nBlog. That encouraged me to try testing it with another user ID and a new set of dummy blogs. It worked.

Over Christmas I had time to try some more testing. I changed the User ID back to Genghis7777, re-entered my password and tapped something like retrieve blog list, and it did! With the blog list restored, I was happily posting blog entries again.

While writing this entry, my attention was caught by the list of supported blogging platforms. I haven't read a Movable Type or LiveJournal blog for years. Both these platforms have largely been displaced by WordPress.

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Posted using nBlog from an Apple Newton Messagepad 2100

nBlog Update 3

Moving to Windows XP!

2012-01-08T23:57:00.000+13:00

You might have guessed that I am a retro-tech kind of guy. For years I have held back my technology department from upgrading my Windows 2000 PC.

Microsoft introduced new XML file formats with MS Office 2007. I didn't bother upgrading because they also released a compatibility pack which allowed older versions to open and save documents in the new format. Unfortunately more and more people are using the new versions of MS Office and if someone asks me how to use a common feature I have to shrug and look ignorant. Unfortunately MS Office 2007 and 2010 require Windows XP. Believe it or not I have relented and upgraded to Windows XP Pro because of Microsoft's ribbon!

The good news is that Microsoft still bundles Internet Information Server (IIS) in Windows XP Pro which means that I can continue to use it to download and install packages on my Apple Newton. Strangely Microsoft decided to introduce some limitations to IIS in XP Pro. Only one web server can be implemented at one time, and no move than ten concurrent connections are now possible.
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Posted using nBlog from an Apple Newton Messagepad 2100

YAZI! Play Zork, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and more on the Apple Newton

2012-01-03T09:00:00.002+13:00

YAZI stands for yet another Z Interpreter. Back in the mid-80's text based adventure games were popular. Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) had a huge following and many text based games were effectively D&D simulations. The Zork series was one of the more prominent successes of the day. The Zork publishers Infocom developed an engine which could accommodate new games in compatible format, freeing authors from having to write their own software.

With improvements in computer graphics and sound systems the genre gave way to much more sophisticated audio visual games.

However that did not mean that they had become extinct. Instead they evolved into a new genre called interactive fiction. Thousands of these titles have been published in Z-machine (or Z-Data) format. The genres of fiction spanned have also increased, from Tolkien-like epic fantasy it has grown to encompass, murder mystery, science fiction, romance and even comedy. Many of them can be found on sites like http://www.ifdb.tads.org, where there were 3,808 game listings when I last looked.

Scrawlsoft have developed an interpreter which allows Newton users to play Z-games. Scrawlsoft are long gone but one of the original developers, Sanjay Vakil can still be reached. He is willing to give out free registration codes upon request. He will need your NewtonID serial number. His email address is svakil at gmail dot com.

Their interpreter minimises the amount of text entry required by providing an array of shortcut buttons that insert the most common command text phrases.

Apart from selecting the display font, there is very little ability to customise the application.

YAZI comes in two parts: a desktop stuffer and the interpreter which must be installed on a Newton. The desktop stuffer converts a Z-game into a .pkg which can then be transferred to a Newton.

You can download YAZI from here: http://tinyurl.com/3wz45lk or http://tinyurl.com/3pcldsl
NewtonID can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/3kkdnpj
Obtain your registration code from Sanjay Vakil (svakil at gmail dot com)
And you can find lots of interactive fiction titles from here: http://www.ifarchive.org

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Sent from an Apple Newton MP2100

New Newton resource releases & developments in 2011

2011-12-31T12:00:00.001+13:00

Folks
Here are the new Newton software, hardware and other resources released in 2011:

Matthias Melcher releases proof of concept version of Einstein for iOS.

Matthias Melcher releases proof of concept version of Einstein for Android.

Knowledge Navigator releases first production USB-001 adapters for MP2x00.

Peter Mitchell releases his genealogy app "Relations" as freeware.

Eckhart Koppen releases his Newton ROM cross referencer.

Matej Horvat releases his interview of Larry Yaegar, in which he reveals many more previously unknown Easter Eggs.

Vladislav Korotnev releases beta version of iPhone app that allows Apple Newton packages to be installed from an iPhone via a custom serial cable.

Davis Remmel releases prototype 3D printing file for a replacement Apple Newton MessagePad 2x00 battery tray.

Netoven.com's Japanese software preserved on unna.org.

Stillnewt.org's content preserved on unna.org.

Sundry other apps archived on unna.org through 2011.

Pinot's new art gallery.

Thanks to all who have contributed so meaningfully to the life of the Apple Newton community. Its also heartening to see a number of development projects are underway and I look forward to seeing them in the near future. Happy New Year everyone.

2010
2009
2008
2007
2006

New Newton Art Gallery

2011-12-26T13:55:00.001+13:00

Andy Hill's Newton Art website has inspired others to don their creative hats and their works are pretty impressive too.

Check them out here: http://tinyurl.com/7oweku9

Surviving another Christchurch earthquake: December 2011

2011-12-25T00:39:00.004+13:00

As you will know by now we've had another spate of earthquakes here in Christchurch. We haven't had any significant ones over the last 2-3 months and we were beginning to think that they had passed. With Christmas only a couple of days away, most of us had let our guards down so when they came, they were still unsettling.

This time the earthquakes happened around 2pm and 3:20pm. The malls were full of crowds doing their Christmas shopping. Once again they had to be evacuated and shut down until structural engineers could inspect the buildings. Friends said that there were two kinds of shoppers, there were those who panicked and ran for the doors, pushing everyone out of the way and those who walked calmly to the exits. Though strong, the earthquakes created a rolling motion and were not as abrupt and violent as February.

We were just leaving home to meet friends in the city and a few books and appliances fell to the floor. Rachel and I evacuated the children out of the house and stayed outside while we waited for the inevitable aftershock to arrive. The children were more alarmed by our raised voices as we urged them to move quickly than the earthquake itself.
We switched on the radio to hear that the malls were being closed, the airport had been evacuated and the streets were once again congested as the police ordered everyone to return to their homes to; and not to venture out so that the roads could be left clear for emergency services.

I drove around the corner to check on my in-laws and found that they too had lost a few mantelpiece ornaments. My mother-in-law was upset and she shed a few tears in my arms. The Police were issuing warnings to avoid venturing near the hills as there was quite a risk of further rock falls. A considerable amount of liquefaction was produced again and many homes were under a foot and a half of the stuff. Fortunately no one has been killed this time but 26,000 homes were out of power and many had lost water supply and sewage services. This is going to be tough for those hosting relatives for Christmas celebrations.

That night there was an aftershock every 20-30 minutes which made it difficult for us parents to sleep because we were never sure that it might not develop into something severe enough to warrant moving the children to safety.

My neighbour's great Aunt was enjoying a quiet retirement with her husband prior to the September 2010 earthquake. Their home was destroyed then and the shock of it seemed to have an adverse effect on him. It seemed to trigger some form of dementia. Now he cannot recognize his wife. Her daughter was killed in the Pyne Gould Guiness building in the earthquake of February 2011 so she moved to the North Island to live with her son. She wrote to my neighbour 3 weeks ago, saying that who would have thought that life could change so much in 18 months? A week after she wrote the letter she caught a cold which developed into pneumonia. She died last week.
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Apple Newton and a Speech Recognition command interface Part 1

2011-12-24T00:07:00.000+13:00

Over on the Apple Newton Facebook page there is a really interesting thread amongst some Apple engineers about their early attempts to bring speech recognition to the Apple Newton:

There were attempts to bring the Newton's Assistant code across to the iPhone.
Kai-Fu Lee's speech recognition was ported to the Newton but unfortunately the ARM processor had insufficient numeric processing power to make it perform adequately.
The ARM processor was power efficient but had poor numeric processing performance. One writer thought a Texas Instruments signal processing chip would have been a better choice as its additional numeric processing power might have assisted with handwriting recognition as well.
A proof of concept system linking Kai-Fu Lee's Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to the Assistant's Grammar engine was demonstrated successfully but it was deemed unnecessary as the UI was considered adequate for the task.

What everyone should have under their Christmas tree....

2011-12-21T07:00:00.006+13:00

Of course, if you're here visiting My Apple Newton then clearly there can only be one recommendation we could make: An Apple Newton! Hardly a surprise really?!

We aren't the only ones thinking of Apple Newton's this Christmas: So is GadgetMom.

See here for tips on buying a Newton.

Hi-Rizer Apple Newton Stand

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000+13:00

I recently received an almost mint Apple Newton MessagePad 2000 with a lot of extras. One of the extras was a Hi-Rizer Newton stand. Its quite a solid piece of equipment and doesn't feel like it will move even with the pressure of a stylus.

Connecting the holder to the base is an arm with ball and socket joints at either end. Both are held rigid by a couple of twist fasteners.

The holder does not grip the Newton, instead guides hold the Newton loosely in place, relying on the grip of the black sponge rubber lining and gravity to stop it sliding from side to side.

Here is a close up of one of the guides and the rubber cushioning lining the inside surface.

Another close up giving an idea of the amount of free space between the Newton and the guides.

The Hi-Rizer allows the Newton Messagepad to be swivelled into landscape mode as well. I didn't find this as comfortable as portrait mode because there is no bezel to act as a wrist rest while writing. On the other hand, I think I've found a great station for my NPDS server.

Hi-Rizer was manufactured by Pegasys Systems based in Galt CA. They made a number of desktop and car mounts for various mobile devices including Palm Pilots and Motorola cellphones. Unfortunately it looks like they went out of business in 1998. You can find their web site here.

Apple Newton Users Share Their LiveScribe Experiences

2011-12-12T09:14:00.000+13:00

A while ago, the LiveScribe featured on My Apple Newton. It is an intriguing development for Pen Computing technology to put the computer inside the pen. Recently some long time Newton users shared their LiveScribe experiences and opinions on NewtonTalk.

Ron Parker started the ball rolling:

My experience so far is based on the value of the package. $100 is an excellent price point for all the extra accessories and software. With any advance technology, the promise is far better than the execution. Time and experience will help (me) develop an efficient work flow (for my employer) using these Smart Pens.

I've had some time to play with the software a little more this week. As with a Newton, printed recognition works far more reliably than the variety of cursive styles a HWR engine must interpret.
I myself use the Smart Pen mostly for training. I have noticed the size only in the sense that it forces me to hold the pen less tightly, more relaxed and comfortably. I am used to using a small stylus and my Newton. So, there is a definite, immediate, noticeable difference. However that disappears quickly once you are working with it.

First impression is that a Newton is a much more efficient method of capturing electronic ink. Think about it…

With a Smart Pen, you must first write your text down on a piece of special paper, in real ink. Then you have to connect the pen to a computer to transfer the ink. Next you have to run the ink through the recognizer. Copy the text (and images) to a word processor. Clean it up and finally format it.

With a Newton, you are already there the moment you write on the screen. Now, that's smart!

There are obvious advantages to a Smart Pen. The variety of sharing methods available for Pencasts and source documents are very powerful and this definitely needs further investigation. The simple fact that it associates the audio to the moment in your notes where it was written is very powerful. The Smart Pen is also very small, portable and un-obtrusive. Nearly invisible, whether in small or larger meetings.

Personally, I will be using a Newton for a long time. No Smart Pen can touch this. However, I am the technology guy for my employer. I could never expect others to use, let alone embrace the Newton, as a viable solution to taking notes and minutes during Board and Committee meetings.

The Smart Pen is an easy piece of tech to introduce to older, non-techie types. "It's just a pen." I tell them. And, that's all they need to know. The rest of the magic is up to me, to make it seamless and easy. Plug'n Play.

There is a real and obvious advantage of "direct screen input" and recognition of handwriting, when note-taking is needed.

Converting text from the Smart Pen's "ink" to the computer, is hokie at best. I seriously doubt that this current "Windows" method of conversion will stand the test of time. For the Smart Pen to be a continued success, and not forever a niche product, all of this conversion process needs to be bypassed, seamless and more natural, entirely intuitive. Users must believe that it's just a (magic) pen and all the magic must be immediate. End users cannot be expected to "convert" their pages.

Dan from DigitalWeb.com chipped in with his own experience:

It should be mentioned that printing this special dot paper is not as easy as it sounds. A printer must support "Postscript". And these days it is not as common as it use to be. And most inkjets (and even laser printers) cannot print the special paper as a result.

The good side, the paper is reasonably priced and almost the same price as a set of (normal) notebooks. Livescribe has said several times that they don't want to make money on the paper, and they are holding to that promise.

The pens can also have special applications downloaded to them via the Livescribe site. One I installed on a Pen was Zork.

And I liked the size personally. The problem I had was my handwriting is terrible, so therefore I would rather use my Newton and have it convert my writing. Or just plug in a keyboard and type...which I can do far faster than with a pen anyway.

Of course those that love pen and paper, smart pens are great. Where they are also wonderful is if you are taking classes.

You can record the entire class audio and take notes. When you tap on a word or something you wrote, the pen plays back the audio that was recorded at that point. I do wish I had one of those back then. Would have been great. In that respect it even beats typing on your keyboard as you have the whole lecture recorded tied to your notes. And even with my horrible writing, I would be able to understand (or anyone else) my notes as the audio would clarify anything that was in question.

There are other smart pens around, although I only have experience with Livescribe. If anyone is interested they are having sales on their website.

Also a comment on fountain pens....I also prefer those. And I don't see why a fountain smart pen couldn't be developed. Behind the ink tip is a camera that sees the dots and "remembers" what you are doing at that point. The ink itself (or type) doesn't matter. I like the older model rather than the newer triangle shape pen (they do have a nice kit with 2 stands, case, paper etc on sale now I think...I remember getting an email a few days back).

Anyway in summary smart pens are nice, but I love my Newton more and it still sees far more use.

As you can see, Newton users like the LiveScribe concept but the Newton is still more efficient at converting handwriting into text. I like it because I love the sensual aesthetic of writing on paper. I prefer a fountain pen but a ball point is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately keeping a Newton going in a modern environment needs a little knowledge, expertise and time. All resources that will prevent it from effectively reaching the hoi polloi.

Aesthetically, LiveScribe's pen looks like a pen unlike competing technologies based on Seiko's original InkLink technology. Today it looks like InkLink or a variation of it is marketed under the Staedtler brand. Anoto owns the technology behind the LiveScribe and has licensed it to a number of vendors such as Destiny UK.

Apple Newton on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

2011-12-08T14:23:00.001+13:00

Anyone wanting to get the Apple Newton on their iOS device should contact Marisa Giancarla:

I built and uploaded the current version of Einstein to my testflight account, and anyone who wants an iOS version can get it from me. Go to http://tflig.ht/tOCIo4 and register your device(s) and then send me a email at fstltna at me dot com with the email address you want to use to get updates (so I know you want Einstein and are not wanting to be added to my games list). I'll try and update several times a day for the first few days so everyone who wants it can get it quickly.

Here's to making the Newton a living platform :)I am distributing Einstein for iOS using ad-hoc profiles, and I'm willing to use 30 of my allotted device counts for list members. All you have to do is get a list of other developers who would be willing to donate some of their allotted devices to more users. This gets around the AppStore issue completely, but each developer only gets 100 devices for testing so the load had to be distributed...

See http://tinyurl.com/7g2cjbd

Now, as you use it, you might find that it may disappoint you in some way. Then don't just uninstall it, do something about it, contact Matthias Melcher at info at matthiasm dot com and make a donation or volunteer to help with the research and programming or buy a developer friend a crate of Jack Daniels and convince him to take part. Once we've got it done and its performing as a Newton should on another platform, boy, then we will have something to crow about on the scale of Paul Guyot's achievement in writing the ATA driver. Apple said it couldn't be done.

Apple Newton on Android Part 2

2011-12-03T13:26:00.001+13:00

Einstein on an HD2; photo by Vlad Korotnev

Over on Newtontalk there is quite a lot of buzz about how to further the quest for a functional Newton OS emulator (called Einstein) on Android.

Here is an HTC HD2 that's had Einstein installed on it. Looks nice.

According to Matthias Melcher Einstein will run on Android 2.2 and up but he estimates that clock speeds need to be ten times that of the Newton to make it sufficiently responsive, that is, 4GHz.

For those of us who are unfamiliar with the bowels of Einstein, Frank Gruendel described the general architecture of Einstein thus, while using some colorful metaphors along the way:

"The Einstein app is a skyscraper filled to the brim with C++ Code that contains your Newton's OS. Next to it is a dog kennel that contains Android java code. Between the two is a software called the Android NDK (Native Developer Kit), which paves a road between the two, thus enabling them to talk to each other. As long as the Android NDK works on earlier versions, Einstein will most likely work on these versions, too.

Currently, the dog kennel's main job is taking care of preliminary issues like setting the preferred screen size, telling Android how much memory it may use for running Einstein, making sure that the Newton ROM file is where the gremlins in the skyscraper expect it to be, and other stuff. After that, all it does is shout "Go!" at the skyscraper.

The real challenge is making things run faster. The gremlins in the skyscraper must not solve their problems using the slow emulated C++ code. Instead, they must tell the dog kennel's personnel what they want. The guys in the dog kennel must achieve the expected result running (much faster) native code and throw the result back at the skyscraper.

Unless we succeed in this, the Einstein Android app will remain a proof of concept. On my 1GHz netbook the Einstein emulation is so slow that I need to click the mouse for more than a second to make the Netwon recognize it as a tap. That's more than sufficient for getting some Oooohs and Aaaaahs from Newton aficionados like us, but far from enough for doing any real work with such an app."

If you can help out then contact Matthias Melcher at http://matthiasm.com/einstein.html
See also http://myapplenewton.blogspot.com/2011/03/apple-newton-on-android.html

NPDS Server: Less of a Tamagotchi, updated

2011-11-29T18:04:00.000+13:00

Operating an Apple Newton NPDS server is like nursing a Tamagotchi. Here is a collection of undocumented initiatives you can take to reduce the load:

Give your server a domain name

David Schultz put me on to no-ip.com. This is a free service that allows a Newton to have its own domain name. A small desktop application provided by no-ip.com, monitors my external IP address and when it changes the application updates the address against the domain name of my Apple Newton Web Server. Without no-ip.com, I'd have to update the IP address manually, which happens about 2-3 times a week. This is one of the tasks that led me to think of my NPDS as a Tamagotchi. Thank goodness, that's behind me now.

Use the domain name in the Tracker Client in the field labelled "Public IP".

Check out David's NPDS server: http://newtonserver.no-ip.com/

Manually assign an internal IP address

MandarinDuck suggested this one: As a result there is no need to update a NAT configuration setting every time a router reboots.

On my Newton go to Internet Setup.
Tap Wireless
Tap Configuration
Type in an IP address (in my case, 192.168.1.x).

Configure your NPDS Watcher "correctly"

I plagiarized these settings from someone but can't recall who :)

CHECK Launch NPDS after device reset
CHECK Check that the NS Talk is alive
CHECK Check that the Newton is listening
SET Check to EVERY 5 MINUTES
SET Reboot delay to 30 SECONDS

-------
Sent from an Apple Newton 2100 PDA

Troubleshooting My Apple Newton NPDS server

2011-11-26T10:44:00.001+13:00

Over the last few days I noticed that the visit counter on the My Apple Newton NPDS server had stopped rising.

Then yesterday Glen Baggott of Mandarin Duck mentioned that he hadn't been able to get through for a few days either.

I checked if the NAT configuration was correct and to ensure that it was mapping to the correct internal IP address.

W3C said accessing the page via the external IP address was causing a "500" error. Yet no-ip.org was saying that this was the correct external IP address.

I rebooted the Wireless Router and the ADSL Router which resulted in the Newton being assigned a new internal IP address.

After changing the NAT configuration to map to the new internal IP address, W3C reported that it was working again.

Being on the wrong side of my gateway, its a bit tricky to confirm whether or not its really working so I invite you to test it for me and let me know for sure.

BTW, My Apple Newton NPDS server is on the Tek-Ed tracker server as Genghis7777. I can't seem to register on the Misato tracker at the moment. Another mystery to solve.

My Apple Newton NPDS Server does pics!

2011-11-25T00:03:00.001+13:00

My Apple Newton NPDS server used to be text only but I've discovered how to display images. NPDS links images from other sites.

To do it, an html statement needs to be added to the right place on your page. The syntax is:

<img src="[web address of image here excl. sqr brackets]" alt="[title excl. sqr brackets]">

IMO, it looks much better. Now, how to get rid of that table but still show the post links?

Need a Battery Tray? Make your own!

2011-11-15T20:07:00.000+13:00

The MP2x00 rechargeable battery pack (top) and the MP2x00 battery tray (bottom): Photo by Sonny Hung

The MP2x00 battery tray allows users to replace their AA batteries and with the arrival of 2100 mAh NiMH capacities really long periods could be achieved between charges.

Once standard with each unit, Apple changed its thinking and instead made the fully sealed rechargeable battery pack the standard and made the battery tray an optional accessory.

They used to be commonly found on eBay and other dealers supplying Newton parts and accessories, but their availability has steadily fallen. At the same time, the price has risen and some suppliers are asking for an eye-watering USD 95 +P&P!

Now another technology has emerged that can save the Newton battery tray buyer: 3D printing. If you're wondering what it is, check this video out.

Wow, if you can make a bike, a battery tray seems much more modest and feasible.

Davis Remmel has created a prototype part definition file using Adobe Inventor. He has made it available for download. Theoretically you can send this file to a 3D Print bureau such as Shapeways and have the part sent back to you in a few days. Proceed with caution: He warns that further testing is required to ensure that the part fits properly. The electrical contacts at either end have yet to be designed and fabricated. Be sure to send him feedback.