an article from SF Chronical. I thought some of you folks were talking about the e-mate replacing textbooks......?
Newton May Be the Next to Fall From
Apple's Tree
Sources say situation already is terminal
for handheld device
TOM ABATE
Wednesday, January 28, 1998
Now that Apple Computer has downsized its
Claris software subsidiary, can the long-suffering
Newton division be far behind?
Newton is the handheld gadget that former Apple
Chairman John Sculley introduced in 1993 as a
portable computer notepad.
While Newton endured jokes about poor
handwriting recognition and went through a
software and hardware overhaul, a more-recent
and smaller handheld, the PalmPilot, soared past it
to become a cult favorite.
Now three sources close to the Newton division
say software engineers working on Newton have
been told to look for other jobs.
''They're gonna bag the eMate,'' one source said,
referring to a Newton laptop designed for school
kids.
''Evidently, it's already been done, but Apple
people can't talk about it under penalty of being
fired,'' the source said.
Apple spokeswoman Nathalie Welch refused to
say whether Newton engineers had been
reassigned, or what plans Apple has for eMate and
the Newton 2100, a handheld device aimed at
business users.
''It would be premature to say a decision is made
one way or the other,'' Welch said. ''Certain areas
of the company are still under evaluation, and I
would imagine the Newton group is one of them.''
Lee Wolfe, who runs the Newton Source store in
San Francisco said he'd be stunned if Apple pulled
the plug on Newton. ''My sales have never been
better.''
Steve Mann, editor of Handheld Systems Magazine
in San Francisco, said Apple's silence has unnerved
Newton fans.
''There are still developers and customers who are
loyal beyond belief,'' Mann said. ''Apple doesn't
deserve that kind of loyalty.'' |
