🚀 go-pugleaf

I purchased a Message Pad 120 a couple of months ago and have not been happy with it at all.  There are multiple reasons for this.  Please weigh my experiences into your purchase decision:

1.  The screen emits a high pitched whine.  I called Apple about this.  They said it was a known but unrepairable problem.  According to customer service at Apple, the whine is caused by transistors in the display.  The severity of the whine varies from unit to unit.  In some it is very severe and people can't stand to use the machine and in others it is nearly quiet.  Mine is pretty bad, but Apple will not REPAIR their product.

2.  Connection software is nearly impossible to acquire.  It is my understanding that Newton Connections for Windows 95 which would allow me to dump my Notes pages into Microsoft Word is not yet ready.  Additionally, the Spreadsheet software from Holosoft (Equate) was slipped again. 

In short:  If you want a PDA as a portable computing device:  Do not buy the Newton if you expect to be able to link the PDA to your Windows-based spreadsheet programs or your Windows-based word processors.

3.  The handwriting recognition is faster than the old version but still too slow to use in business meetings or for taking notes in an educational environment.

4.  While software is supposed to be readily available, I have had very little luck at companies such as CompUSA, MicroAge, etc.  Most of the "Computer Superstores" do not carry much if anything.

5.  The Newton Executive Organizer I bought from an Apple Reseller in Dallas is worthless.  It was obviously was designed by a bunch of technical engineers with no regard for usability.  It holds my Newton and Cellular phone quite well, but has insufficient pockets for credit cards, business cards, airline tickets, paper, or pens.  (Despite having the Newton, one needs traditional pen and paper once and a while -- e.g. giving a colleague contact numbers.)  The system is not able to replace my Franklin Planner.

6.  Every now and again, certain "To Do"s will start returning errors if I try to edit them.  

SUMMARY

Apple has a nice concept, but they have failed to implement.  They tried to produce an open system and to license software development to several small companies.  In my experience I have been only frustrated by the inability to execute by Apple and its licensees.  Lastly, Apple will not stand behind its product (see #2).

IN SHORT -- THE MESSAGE PAD IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY IF YOUR NEEDS ARE DAILY ORGANIZATION IN A TRANSIENT PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT REQUIRING PC COORDINATION.

If you appreciate quality products, lobby Apple to license Microsoft to product software for their product.  Hopefully, Apple can get HP to make the hardware as well.  (Actually maybe, HP and MS can get together and finish off Apple.)

==================================

These opinions are mine and not necessarily those of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This article was posted to Usenet via the Posting Service at Deja News:
    http://www.dejanews.com/      [Search, Post, and Read Usenet News!]