Info-Mac 3/Info_Mac_1994-01.iso/Newton/Information/Canonical Newton 0.0.8

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From: Paul Potts <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.pen
Subject: Canonical Newton Q & A List version 0.0.8
Date: 14 Sep 1993 14:49:21 GMT
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The Canonical List of Newton MessagePad Questions and Answers
=============================================================

  This document is a collection of commonly-asked questions
  about the Apple Newton MessagePad, and their answers. It also
  contains warnings, speculations, and personal opinion. I have
  tried to clearly mark the fact from the opinion. Many other
  people have contributed comments to this document. I have
  tried to cite these contributions where appropriate.

  Since the Newton is a very new product, I cannot guarantee that
  all of this information is accurate. In fact, some of it may
  be wildly inaccurate. I've done the best I can. If you see
  something that you find to be inaccurate, other than a matter
  of personal opinion, please contact me (see below). The best
  way to contact me is by electronic mail.


Author
------

  Collected and written by Paul R. Potts, [e-mail].
  Or, call me at home, [phone], and leave a message if I'm
  not there. If you inhabit CompuServe, I can be found on CompuServe
  at 71561,3362, although I don't use my account more often than a
  couple of times per month.


Copyright
---------

  Permission is granted for the free use and distribution, of this
  document, in any form, provided that:

  - My name stays on it.

  - You do not distribute this document with alterations. If
  it has my name on it, I want to be the one to make changes.

  I am writing this posting as a private individual and developer
  and not in my official capacity as an employee of the University
  of Michigan. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the
  views of the University of Michigan.


Version
-------

  version 0.0.8, Revised 9-14-93.


Update Information
------------------

  Putting together a list like this and keeping it up-to-date takes
  a lot of time, and I'm not paid to do it; in addition to working
  on this document, I'm a full-time Macintosh and Windows multimedia
  software developer, and do DOS and Newton development in my free
  time. So, please don't send me requests that will take me a lot of
  time to fulfill. Please *do* send me updates, factual corrections,
  bug reports, and suggested changes. I am trying to keep this
  document as up-to-date as possible.


Late-Breaking News
------------------

  Apple has released Newton system software version 1.04. As of
  this writing, this is the latest. I have not heard for certain,
  but the earlier availability of 1.03 may have been via some sort
  of unofficial mechanism; a number of Newtons were shipped with
  version 1.03, but as far as I can tell it was not made available
  via the same channels that Apple is using to release 1.04.

  If you need an update to Newton system software version 1.04,
  there are several different ways that you can get this update.
  If you own a Connection Kit and can get access to the Internet or
  to various commercial or noncommercial bulletin boards, you have
  lots of options. CompuServe, AppleLink, and America OnLine all
  carry the patch as a "Package" that you can install with the
  Connection Kit software.

  If you have ftp capability, you can get the 1.04 update files from
  bnnrc-srv.med.jhu.edu (if you can't use the name, the IP number
  for this site is 128.220.81.221).

  With the connection kit, choose "Install Package" on the Mac, then
  open up the Connection applet in the Extras box on the Newton, choose
  the connection type, and hit Connect. Download should proceed easily,
  and you will be asked to reset your Newton afterwards. After you have
  reset the Newton using the on-screen button, you should also go to
  the reset button and RESET AGAIN. Apparently the 1.04 needs two
  resets before it can start to perform optimally.

  If you have a fax modem for your Newton, starting soon you will
  be able to call a number and download the patch directly (in the
  U.S., 1-800-NEWTON9 (1-800-639-8669); from overseas, a toll
  number will be announced). This will work via the "Receive
  Enhancement" option you may have noticed in the Newton's in-box.

  If you have the Connection Kit but no connectivity, Apple will be
  sending out system update disks along with the Newton Connection
  Kit version 1.0 (a free update to registered users).

  If you don't have the Newton Connection Kit or a modem, call
  1-800-242-3374 to get a PCMCIA card with the software update, with
  a postage-paid envelope to return the card in. I have heard from
  one user, but not had confirmed, that you will have to give a
  credit card number so that, if you don't return the card to
  Apple, you can be billed for it. (If this is indeed the policy,
  would someone confirm it for me?)

  I got most of this information from an Apple announcmement, so if
  you have a question, don't call me, call 1-800-SOS-APPL.

  System software 1.03 seemed to fix most of the difficulty with
  handwriting recognition that would freeze up or stop recognizing
  words (see below). However, with 1.03, even with more than half
  of the user memory free, when writing text I often saw a message
  that said "Newton does not have enough memory to do what you
  asked. Restarting Newton may fix this problem," with buttons
  labeled "Cancel" and "Restart." Hitting "Restart" would reboot
  the Newton (losing no data) without having to go to the trouble of
  removing the battery door and pushing the reset button, but oddly
  in most cases when I pressed "Cancel," the Newton would do what I
  wanted anyway. Perhaps this is the reason it didn't seem to be
  officially released as a patch available to existing Newton owners.

  Since installing system software version 1.04, I have seen this
  dialog very infrequently. The handwriting recongition seems to be
  functioning much better. Many of the other bugs that I report on in
  this document still exist in 1.04, but I think Apple is doing
  the right thing in addressing the biggest bugs first. Most of the
  other Newton problems are very minor by comparison, quite a few
  are mere annoyances with easy workarounds, and some are simply
  cosmetic (Newton will do what you want, but it looks odd,
  improperly redrawing a window, or what have you).

  In related news, Apple has announced that they are altering two-tiered
  Connection Kit product so that there will be only one Connection Kit,
  with the capabilities of the Pro kit. The pricing of the Pro kit
  will be altered (lowered, but I don't know how much, so don't ask).

  The latest scoop on the Connection Kit is that version 1.0 is ready
  to ship, and will come with the 1.04 patch. So, registered users of
  the beta 0.9 connection kit should expect to see this soon. I
  haven't heard details of how users of the existing connection kit
  will be able to upgrade to the new all-in-one connection kit, but
  as soon as I know, you'll know.


Changes in This Version
-----------------------

  Look in part 1 for information about a really irritating bug
  with the date book. From there check out the thrills and
  perils of living in Graceland (near the end of this document,
  in the Easter Eggs list). Also, look under the question "How
  tough is the Newton?" to see how my Newton fared in a week-long
  camping trip to Michigan's upper peninsula. As usual, I've added
  more gripes to the gripe list. As soon as I get a spare six or
  eight hours, I'm going to do a complete overhaul of the structure
  of this file.


Newton Part 0 - Warnings
========================

  In this section, I have assembled warnings (things not to
  do, because if you do them, you *may* lose data).


Memory Cards
------------

  WARNING: If you're using a flash memory card (like Apple's 2
  megabyte card, or a third party flash card), and you want to
  perform a long operation, such as backing up the Newton, you may
  want to plug in the AC power adapter. Writes to flash RAM use an
  unusally large amount of power and will eat batteries for lunch.
  To alleviate this problem when using batteries, I recommend that
  you use flash memory as a place to back up your Newton and as a
  place to keep archives of less-frequently used notes or names.
  If you want to make a lot of modifications to an item on the card,
  move it to main memory, make the changes, and put it back when
  you won't need it for a while. This strategy will also help you
  make the most out of the built-in memory.

  WARNING: I lost the contents of a 3rd-party, unapproved
  memory card by leaving the card in while erasing the Newton's
  entire memory. According to one of the Newton engineers
  (Landon Dyer) this should never happen with an Apple-approved
  card. I tested it with the Apple 2-Megabyte flash card and
  it did not happen. Despite this, I *personally* recommend
  that if you are going to erase all the memory in your Newton,
  back it up to your card and take the card out before doing it.
  (Or, back it up to a Connection Kit).

  WARNING: Be careful with 3rd-party PCMCIA memory cards. Some of
  them are very unreliable with the Newton. If you're interested in
  getting a non-Apple card to use with your Newton, you might want
  to call 1-800-SOS-APPL to see if the card has been tested with the
  Newton. (If anyone has a short list of 3rd-party cards, I'd be
  happy to add it to this list).

  WARNING: An errata sheet with my Newton said that Apple doesn't
  recommend using PCMCIA memory cards greater than 4 megabytes
  in size. So, SunDisk or high-capacity Intel cards may not work.

  WARNING: If you have a PCMCIA memory card that uses static RAM
  (SRAM), don't remove the battery. This will cause the loss of
  the data on the card. Supposedly you can change the battery by
  placing it in the Newton first and removing the battery then,
  so it is still getting power from the Newton, but I have not
  tried it. Flash RAM cards don't require a battery.


Batteries
---------

  WARNING: When you get a new pair of rechargeable batteries for
  your Newton, recharge them *fully* before using them for the
  first time. This means leaving them in the Newton with the
  Newton plugged in and turned off for about 24 hours, or putting
  them in the charger and letting it run until the light goes off
  (about 5 hours). If you don't do this prior to using the battery,
  it will never give you a full charge.

  WARNING: If you remove both batteries, you will lose the system
  patches on your Newton, which are stored in RAM, but protected
  against erasure by other means. If you have done this accidentally
  you'll have to find a way to get the system patches reinstalled in
  your system. (Start by calling 1-800-SOS-APPL).

  WARNING: Don't use loose NiCd AAA batteries in the alkaline battery
  holder (tip from Robert Sadowski). If you do, the Newton will not
  trickle-charge them while it is plugged in. The Newton can tell the
  difference between NiCd pack and the alkaline pack (there is a small
  plastic tab that trips a micro-switch in the battery compartment).
  Rechargeable batteries and alkaline batteries have different output
  levels over time, so (I am guessing here) Newton probably uses its
  knowledge of the type of battery to keep the battery gauge accurate,
  and to warn you at the right time when the batteries are low.

  Remember that rechargeable batteries lose their charge rather
  quickly while in storage, while this happens much more gradually
  with alkaline cells. If you leave your rechargeables sitting
  around for a few days, you might notice that they don't have
  a full charge when you install them. You might want to carry
  around a pack of fresh alkaline batteries in case you get stuck
  in a situation where you can't keep your rechargeables freshly
  charged. (Suggested by Kent Borg, [e-mail]).

  WARNING: The initial version of the Connection Kit for Macintosh appears
  to have a problem with the "Synchronize"  command. If you add data to
  the Newton's data set on the Macintosh and then "synchronize," the data
  you have added may be lost. 1-800-SOS-APPL suggested that I add the
  data, then use the "Restore"  command instead. I have heard from a
  couple other users who found workarounds: Jonathan Bauer
  <[e-mail]) says he was able to  syncrhonize properly after
  resetting his Newton; Jack S. Cunniff  ([e-mail]) says he got
  it to work by first closing the file on the Mac  and then synchronizing.

  The connection kit is beta software - just keep that in mind while
  using it.


Newton Part 1 - Bugs
====================

  The word "bug" is a slippery term. What aspect of a piece of software
  constitues a bug, and what doesn't? In this section I have tried to
  collect what I consider to be Newton's bugs. Some of these notes
  come from my experience with the Newton, some come from other
  users, and some come from conversations with 1-800-SOS-APPL.


I am having severe hardware problems with my Newton. Help!
----------------------------------------------------------

  If you have severe problems with a flickering screen, unstable pen
  tracking (to test this, turn off both recognizers and try drawing
  circles or straight lines), a Newton that won't start up when you want
  it to even on a fresh set of batteries, or a Newton that won't
recognize
  handwriting when the AC power adapter is plugged in, contact
  1-800-SOS-APPL; you may have a bad unit. I have heard from several
users
  that Apple has been very good about replacing defective units and that
  they are now much happier with their replacements. Don't worry, all the
  Newtons currently in existence are still under warranty!


My Newton won't turn off! Why?
------------------------------

  This may be a software problem or a power problem. If your Newton has
  very low batteries, it may not be able to go to sleep; also, some third
  party applications which don't pay proper attention to system messages
  may not let the Newton go to sleep; try closing these, or even removing
  them, (Prefs/memory/remove software or card/remove software) to see if
  that is the problem. If your Newton still won't turn off, try resetting
  it; it may be frozen and can't respond to the power button.


I have an item in the day note area I can't delete! Why?
--------------------------------------------------------

  There is a rather irritating bug having to do with the day note
  area. The "day note area" is the area in the default view of
  a date in the datebook, to the left of the small monthly calendar
  in the upper right corner of the screen and above the hour-by-hour
  list of appointments for the day. If you make an appointment in
  this area and set it to repeat, and try cutting and pasting it to
  another day, it is possible to get the software into a state
  where you can't delete the item. This "ghost item" can't be
  dragged into the daily calendar, and can't have a start time and
  end time set. Trying to make additional modifications to the item
  can result in making copies of the item and other weird errors.
  (Contributed by T.X. Yuan, [e-mail], and I was
  able to confirm the problem with the latest system software). Right
  now I know of no way around this problem. Backing up, erasing all
  memory, and restoring from the backup doesn't fix it.


Why won't my Newton to work with the "Getting Started" card?
------------------------------------------------------------

  There is a bug with the system version 1.0.0 that prevents the
  Newton from recognizing the Getting Started card. If you have this
  problem, check the number at the bottom of your preferences screen.
  It should be 1.02 (the current version). If it isn't, contact
  1-800-SOS-APPL for information on how to update your Newton.


Sometimes the handwriting recognition stops working. Why?
---------------------------------------------------------

  (This appears to have been completely or nearly completely fixed
  by system software 1.04).


My clock is slow. It was correct a few days ago. What's wrong?
--------------------------------------------------------------

  The clock can lose up to five minutes when you reset the Newton,
  or longer if you reset it while it is asleep. Workaround: check the
  time after doing a reset, and reset only while the Newton is awake.
  If you have a crash or spontaneous reboot, check the clock. Make
  sure you are set to the correct time zone before you set the clock.

  In a previous version of this note, I reported that restoring the
  contents of a memory card or a Connection Kit backup would change your
  clock to the saved time. This is not correct (I tested it). My
  current opinion, based on a sample size of one, is that when you erase
  the contents of your Newton, the clock is reset to January 1st, 1993.
  If you then restore from backup, the Newton will restore your
  time zone settings and add or subtract the appropriate number of
  hours for your time zone.


Why does the Newton treat words with parentheses as unique words?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

  When I use the little keyboard emulator to type in a word inside
  parenthese, I get messages like "add (word to dictionary?"
  or "add word) to dictionary?"  The same thing happens with dashes;
  it treats words with parens to to left or right as distinct words.

  I have reported this behavior to 1-800-SOS-APPLE. I wouldn't
  necessarily call it a big bug, but it is annoying.


Items beamed from my Sharp organizer appear cut off. Why?
---------------------------------------------------------

  Apparently if you beam a large item from a Sharp organizer it
  may appear truncated, or with ellipses after the first line
  (for example, 3 lienes of phone numbers can get imported into
  a lone-line field). The workaround is to copy the itme out to
  the notepad, edit it appropriately, and copy it back in
  (from Eric Shapiro, [e-mail]). I've also
  heard that imported note items can appear cut off, but in this
  case you should be able to see the remaining text by dragging
  the separator bar at the end of the note down. I also heard from
  T.X. Yuan that he would like to see a way to transfer the
  Scrapbook from his Wizard. Since I don't have a Sharp organizer
  to play with I haven't been able to test these problems.


Newton won't call a number properly when using assist. Why?
-----------------------------------------------------------

  Also from Eric Shapiro and others: write "Call X," where X
  is a name the Newton doesn't know, and tap "Assist." Newton will
  then try to look up the name. If it can't find it, the assistant
  won't give you an error message; instead, it shows the last phone
  number you dialed, with a 1 in front. This appears to be a bug.


Newton gets phone numbers wrong sometime when dialing. Why?
-----------------------------------------------------------

  Again from Eric Shapiro: if you enter a phone number in your
  Names list that is in the same area code as your number, and
  in the form "1 + area code + number," Newton may get confused.
  It appears to be trying to apply too much intelligence; it is
  attempting to cut off the area code of the number, but actually
  winds up deleting the 1 and the first character of the area
  code. To fix this, enter phone numbers as "area code + number."


I am getting system errors when using the date book! Why?
---------------------------------------------------------

  I have heard several accounts of users getting system errors
  when using the date book. If you are able to reproduce the
  events that led up to the crash, contact Apple to report
  the bug. Otherwise I'd suggest that you just reset your Newton,
  grin, and bear it for now.


Why can't I get my To-Do List to work the way I want?
-----------------------------------------------------

  We have reported a couple of different bugs in the to-do list.
  One may be incorrect documentation: you cannot double-click on
  the bar at the left of a to-do item to open it. One of us had a
  strange bug where somehow a to-do item was placed at the bottom
  of the endless to-do item, and he was unable to get it back. We
  weren't able to replicate this or figure out exactly how it happened.
  I have also seen a number of cosmetic problems with the to-do list
  that didn't seem to affect operation. I have had some to-do list
  problems reported by Richard Kiss ([e-mail]). He wrote that
  when to-do list items carry over to the following day, if the
  Newton is on and you are watching, items may appear to disappear
  (they won't appear in either day). Drawing a line through the
  infinite to-do item at the end of the list, as if creating a new
  item, brought them back.


Why are certain things so slow on the Newton?
---------------------------------------------

  I have noticed and heard reports of long delays when dragging a
  separator bar between two notes to resize it, and scrolling in
  notes, especially notes with a lot of digital ink;

   If you've noticed these things, you're not alone. If the problem
  seems severe, you might want to call up 1-800-SOS-APPL. In future
  releases they may be able to speed up some of these behaviors.
  (In software development, getting code working correctly is usually
  the first priority; optimizing is then done on an as-needed basis,
  and it is the squeaky features that will get the grease).


When I turn on my Newton, the screen looks bad, then improves. Why?
-------------------------------------------------------------------

  According to Andy Stadler at Apple ([e-mail]), when it
  is turned on, the Newton sets the screen contrast to a standard
  default value, which may appear too bright or too dark under
  some conditions and on some screens. The Newton then immediately
  goes to sleep. When you actually do something such as touch the
  screen, it wakes up and the screen driver code comes to life,
  adjusting the contrast settings to a more accurate level. So,
  this is really caused by the fact that the Newton stays asleep
  whenever it can to save battery power.


The Newton turns on when I insert or eject a card! Why?
-------------------------------------------------------

  This is normal. According to Kevin Altis ([e-mail])
  the Newton has to come on so that the RemoveScript function can
  run, which updates the applications and soups on the card. This
  was incorrectly reported by some users as a bug that occurred
  only in 1.00 machines, but it seems to happen under 1.02 and
  1.03 also.


Are there any other little features I should watch out for?
-----------------------------------------------------------

  Read on...


Newton Part 2: Newton Gripes
============================

  Here is a Newton Gripe List. These are my personal opinions
  and the opinions of a few other people that I've heard from. Note:
  despite all these, I really like the Newton! I want to see it do
  well as a product; hence, this list. Some of these gripes could be
  called bugs; some are just things that I think could work a little bit
  better.


Cosmetic Interface Bugs and Gripes
----------------------------------

  Here is an example of what I mean by a cosmetic bug: bring up the
  overview of the note pad area (using the round overview button
  located between the up and down arrows). After the overview has drawn,
  click on the clock icon to bring up the date and time. This window
  will be drawn on top, like it should. Continue to hold down the pen
  until the temperature window comes up. This window will be drawn
  *behind* the overview window. A cosmetic bug - this definitely looks
  like it is wrong, but it doesn't really adversely affect operation;
  if you want to see the temperature window on top, close the overview
  window first.

  If you have a read-only PCMCIA card in the slot, the routing
  slip on a note will still give you the option to move the note
  to the card. If you try it, you will get an error. It would be
  better if this option did not appear when the inserted card was
  read-only.

  If you have no card inserted, the "Card" icon will still appear
  in the extras box. When you click it, it says "no card is inserted."
  Why not just hide this icon when no card is inserted? Or, better
  yet, replace it with a little card symbox with a circled slash
  through it, to indicate "no card."

  The miniature clock that appears in the status bar does not display
  the Newton's time very accurately. For example, when the minute hand
  stays in 4:50 position until 4:56, then stays into the 4:55 position
  until 5:01. Since the mini-clock does not have enough pixels to draw
  good-looking lines at every minute mark, it makes sense to me that
  the miniature clock is rounded off. Newton doesn't seem to use the
  best method to round off the value of the clock, though. It would
  make more sense to me if "stuck" to the five-minute mark at two
  minutes before and two minutes after the mark. This would look more
  correct, in my opinion.

  Oddly, if you open up the Date book, the clocks hands appear in a
  more accurate position. (Reported by T.X. Yuan).

  It would be nice to have audio feedback for the Shift and Caps-Lock
  keys on the mini-keyboard, and when changing pen thickness (Stephen
  R. Fleming).

  T.X. Yuan also notes that it is strange that the Newton has two
  different error messages that appear when there is nothing to undo.
  Sometimes, you see "There is nothing to undo" and sometimes you see
  "Sorry, a problem has occurred. (There is nothing to undo)."


Batteries
---------

  I have heard complaints about the difficulty in getting battery
  packs in and out of the Newton. It seems to work well to use a
  dime as a lever. Make sure you have the orange switch set
  to "change main." This can become irritating if you change your
  battery pack often.

  The blue plastic rechargeable battery covers can be difficult
  to remove. Maybe someone will sell some little snap-open plastic
  cases for the batteries.

  I have seen many cases of people having trouble getting
  their Newton to go on after changing the battery pack or doing a
  reset. First of all, don't panic. This happened to me and has
  happened to others, and it doesn't mean that your Newton is broken.
  First, try hitting the power-on switch again. If it still doesn't
  work, open up the battery compartment and press the reset button.
  If it still won't come on, try plugging it in.

  I have heard a couple of reports from users who say that their
  screen dims slightly when the Newton is doing handwriting
  recognition. This seems to be normal, or at least to occur in
  quite a few units, but it is still ugly.


Notepad
-------

  Sometimes it is difficult to make the Newton recognize the
  horizontal line that starts a new note. (Also reported by:
  Stephen R. Fleming, [e-mail]).

  Find a note that has a separator bar at the end of it. Use the
  mini-keyboard to add some text to the end of the note. Leave the
  keyboard on the screen and drag the separator bar down a little bit.
  Your insertion point will disappear. Tap a few more characters on
  the mini-keyboard. Where did they go?

  I have heard a few complaints about the scrolling. If you have
  text or graphics near the top of a note or the bottom, it can be
  difficult to get to it in order to select it or edit it.

  Eric Shapiro ([e-mail]) reports that if you
  have a lot of names (around 200) and switch to a folder containing
  very few names, "the wait time is unbearable."

  Eric also reports, and I corroborate, several different problems
  related to separator bars, dividing up notes, and inserting new
  notes. This can be awkward, or produce unexpected results.
  Fortunately none of these quirks seem to result in lost data.

  I have heard a number of complaints on the difficulty of controlling
  vertical spacing and formatting in notes, and the difficulty in
  getting paragraphs started and concluded (Stephen R. Fleming and
  others).

  I have had trouble when drawing charts with text captions, like
  organizational charts. If I try to place two boxes containing text
  captions, separated by vertical space but in the same horizontal line,
  the formatter will "grab" them and put them next to each other as two
  words on a line, which isn't what I want.


Cards
-----

  If you have been playing the handwriting game and remove the
  Getting Started card, your high score will be lost.

  When I erase all the memory, the Newton restarts, and I put in
  my 2 megabyte flash memory card and click "restore" when the card
  window first pops up, I always get an error message. If I try again,
  it always works on the second try.


Dates
-----

  Eric Shapiro ([e-mail]) complains that the
  view of an entire month should show day events like birthdays
  and anniversaries, and that some pop-up windows, such as the
  one that appears when entering detailed information about a
  calendar item, have recognizer fields that are too close to the
  top of the window, making it difficult to write in them.


Miscellaneous
-------------

  I find that the scroll-down button can be hard to accurately hit
  with the pen; it has a very small "sweet spot," and I often hit
  the overview button instead, which means the Newton then spends
  a minute or two creating an overview when I just wanted to scroll
  down. Maybe these could be enlarged on future units.

  It appears for now that it is possible to overlow the "Extras"
  box by downloading too many applications. It grows by a line or
  two, and then will not grow any further. This should never be a
  problem for most users.

  There is some inconsistent behavior when reviewing and editing your
  dictionary. The user interface for this could be improved.

  The plastic socket on the back of the Newton that allows it to attach
  to the carrying case is pretty flimsy on the early units. Apparently
  Apple is using a better one now. If you ever take your unit in for
  repair, you can ask for it to be replaced. (Information from Eric
  Shapiro).

  Some users have trouble getting the "erase" gesture recognized.

  Holding the pen down to put it into select mode can be difficult
  for some users or under adverse conditions (such as in a car), if
  the pen tip wiggles more than a pixel or two. (I'm not sure what
  the best compromise is; if it was set not to react to smaller
  movements, it might become difficult to draw very short lines
  without accidentally triggering select mode).

  T.X. Yuan reports a problem with removing the zero in area codes:
  "if a phone in Taipei, Taiwan is [phone], and I'm calling
  from Singapore, Newton will put 005 886 02 555-1234 in the call slip;
  it should be 005 886 2 555-1234." Apparently some non-US area codes
  can legally contain zeroes. (Don't ask me, I just report them : )


Wishes
------

  Many users would like to see optional multiple handwriting
  profiles. (This is probably more a memory limitation than a
  technical limitation).

  Stephen R. Fleming reports the need for better print options for
  calendar items, and for better control over type styles in the
  datebook and to-do lists, and for batch printing in order to waste
  less paper.

  It would be nice if there was some equivalent to the Macintosh watch
  cursor to indicate when the Newton was busy. I know there isn't really
  a Newton "cursor" (just an insertion point when editing text), but
  the human-interface gurus ought to be able to come up with something.

  Recognition of certain gestures, such as the "insert line break"
  gesture, could be better.

  One thing I find annoying is that I have not yet heard of a way
  to move applications between the card and main memory, or to beam
  them. So far the only ways I know of to install applications is to
  download "package" files created with the developer's kit from a
  Mac, to use a card, or to download from a company that provides
  enhancement, using a modem (I haven't heard of any being available
  that way yet).

  Suppose I file a whole bunch of notes in a new folder and call it
  "Camping," then I go through all the items in that folder and move
  them to a memory card, then eject the card. The Newton then creates
  a new note with the current date and time and continues to show
  that folder. I don't like this behavior. For one thing, it would be
  very useful to be able to move a whole folder to and from a card
  (here's a nice opportunity for a little shareware utility). It also
  seems to me that if you have moved the entire contents of a folder
  to a card, the folder should go too. That way I can use the card
  as a form of archival storage and treat an entire folder full of
  notes as a single entity, and not have to look at the folder name
  on the Newton if all the contents of that folder are on the card.

  Several users report that they would like to see improved handling
  and display of anniversary items like birthdays.

  Password-protection of individual notes, instead of the whole
  system, would be very nice.

  Some users would find it useful in the Newton automatically created
  your own business card based on the information you enter in the
  "Personal" area. (suggested by Kevin Altis, [e-mail]).

  Also from Stephen R. Fleming and T.X. Yuan: 14-point type would be
  useful. T.X. Yuan would like to see italic type available.

  A "don't sleep when plugged in" option, like the PowerBook has,
  would be nice. I want the Newton to know that it should sleep
  when it is running on batteries but that it doesn't need to sleep
  when I'm using AC power, without having to change the sleep settings.

  There doesn't seem to be any good way to tell if you are at the
  top of the notepad paper roll, other than clicking the scroll
  up button and waiting to see if nothing happens, or clicking
  "overview" and looking to see if the first note at the top of the
  screen is the first note on the overview list (which doesn't work
  for graphic notes). Some sort of indicator would be nice.


Newton Part 3: How To
=====================

How do I reset the Newton?
--------------------------

  To do a reset, leave the Newton on, give it a chance to stop
  doing whatever processing it is currently doing, then take off the
  battery cover and press the reset button with the pen. Give it
  a moment to come back on. No data will be lost by this process.
  Check to make sure the clock is correct after resetting.


How do I erase all the memory?
------------------------------

  Hold down the power switch, hit the reset button, and continue
  to hold down the power switch until you get a dialog box that
  asks you if you want to erase all memory. Answer "yes" twice.
  MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, SINCE ALL
  THE DATA STORED IN YOUR NEWTON WILL BE GONE, INCLUDING YOUR NAME,
  DICTIONARIES, HANDWRITING TRAINING, ETC. Note: this procedure
  does not remove your system patches, so you don't have to worry
  about going back to Newton 1.00 this way. (clarifications by
  Landon Dyer, [e-mail]).


If I take out a flash RAM card from my Newton, will it be erased?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

  No. (Many users seem to have this misconception; it makes sense,
  because RAM, even static RAM, does require electrical power to
  keep it "live.") Static RAM cards are backed by a battery, which
  should last for years; static RAM also has a life of its own, so
  that it is possible to change the battery. As long as you don't
  leave it out for longer than five or ten minutes, the contents of
  the memory should be fine. (You might want to back up first; the
  idea gives me the willies).

  I've heard reports that the Newton will also hold the contents of
  its internal static RAM for a few minutes if you remove both
  batteries (I don't want to test this, and I don't recommend that
  you do it either, unless you have a good backup of everything,
  which will include the system patches).


Have I used up the lithium cell? I left the switch on "replace main."
---------------------------------------------------------------------

  No. The switch just locks and unlocks the battery compartments.
  It doesn't switch the power from one to the other. The Newton
  won't start up without a main battery. (thanks to Robert Sadowski).


Can I make the Newton forget my handwriting and "start over?"
-------------------------------------------------------------

  Yes. Don't do this lightly - remember, it takes many hours to
  completely train a Newton. In the preferences, there are several
  "return to original settings" buttons. One just affects the speed
  of recognition, word spacing, and other options that are easily
  restored. The other will actually wipe out everything the Newton
  has learned about your writing, and start the learning process from
  scratch. This one has a dialog box that warns you to make sure that
  this is what you want to do.

  You might want to use this feature if you decided to switch from
  cursive to printing, or to give your Newton to someone else on
  a permanent basis.


If I let someone else write on my Newton, will it learn their writing?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

  The Newton doesn't automatically know who is using it, so
  the answer is yes. However, there is a check box in Preferences
  you can set entitled "configure for guest user." When the Newton
  is in Guest mode, it won't make changes to what it has learned
  about your writing based on whoever is currently using it. Your
  "guest" can add words to your dictionary, and can change the
  guest's settings for letter styles and recognition options.
  I am not certain whether the Newton actually learns while in guest
  mode (my off-the-cuff impression is that it doesn't; if I'm
  wrong on that, someone please correct me).


Is it really necessary to fine-tune my letter styles in the Preferences?
------------------------------------------------------------------------

  According to Andy Stadler at Apple ([e-mail]), this
  shouldn't be necessary unless you are having "constant, repeatable
  problems." Stadler gives the following example: if the Newton
  consistently misrecognizes your lower-case cursive N as an R, you
  might want to try turning off that shape for the lowercase R.

  The reasoning behind this advice goes like this: "What we've found
  is that often, people don't really realize what their writing looks
  like, and [they] tend to overcompensate settings when they adjust
  this panel." This sounds reasonable to me; when I checked my letter
  styles against the Newton's strokes, I found that I had to write
  words on paper to see exactly how I made letters. Like tying your
  shoes, when you have to think about exactly how you do it, it becomes
  much harder.


If I back up the Newton, does everything get saved?
---------------------------------------------------

  Yes. Your notes, dates, business cards, handwriting training,
  preferences, dictionaries, and system patches all get saved
  (from Landon Dyer, [e-mail]).


What is the maximum size of a note on the Newton?
-------------------------------------------------

  I am not sure. The maximum amount of text that I was able
  to paste into a note seemed to be about 5830 bytes. For notes
  containing drawings, the number of strokes rather than the size
  in bytes seems to be a limiting factor. I have made drawings that
  take about about 2000 bytes, and if I try to add any more lines,
  Newton tells me that I need to make a new note. Compression may
  affect this figure, so your mileage may differ. If you think of
  note separators as page breaks, this restriction seems less
  painful, but clearly the Newton isn't ready for doing much in
  the way of document processing yet. (Third parties may
  offer editing tools that let you work with larger documents).


Can I use my (Brand X) modem with my Newton?
--------------------------------------------

  I heard from one of the Newton team members at the launch that
  the Newton is designed to work with a particular Rockwell chip set.
  Some 3rd-party modems use this chips set. I have a Supra v32.bis
  fax-modem that I have successfully used to send faxes. Some other
  recent modems use the same chip set, like the Zoom v32.bis. Make sure
  you have the right kind of cable (a hardware handshaking cable for fast
  modems). I have not yet tried dialing anywhere else with my Newton
  since I don't know of any services that are available yet.


How can I get my Newton to dial my phone?
-----------------------------------------

  I have heard that many people can't get their Newton to dial phones
  properly. Here are some suggestions from Markus, 26ssvo$[e-mail]:

  Make certain that your country field is set properly (Newton handles
  international dialing).

  Make certain that your phone numbers entries in your phone book don't
  have ones or other special codes before the area code, since Newton
  tries to handle this by itself.

  Better quality phones tend to work better when dialing via Newton's
  speaker.

  I (Paul) would also recommend that you make sure you're not trying
  to dial a digital phone with tones; it won't work. (don't feel bad;
  I once spent a frustrating half-hour trying to get a modem to work
  with a phone line which, I later found out, was digital).


How can I get my Newton to phone home?
--------------------------------------

  The Electronic Assistant uses the word "home" to modify names; it
  looks for their "home" phone number. So, if you type "phone home,"
  the Newton won't know who to call. You can try "Phone Paul at home"
  and if the Newton knows who Paul is, it will pick out my home number.

  There appears to be a bug in the assistant such that if the Newton
  doesn't know the name you have told it to call, it puts up the last
  number you called, with a one in front, and offers to dial that
  instead.

  If you want the Newton to call your own phone, make sure you have
  a Names entry with your phone number in it, and tell the assistant
  to call <your name>.


Newton Part 4: Impressions
==========================
  This section combines opinions, comments, and speculation.


Is the Newton useful as a personal organizer?
---------------------------------------------

  I think this really depends on what you use your personal
  organizer for and how you use it. My DayRunner (which is actually
  quite a big larger and heavier than the Newton) gets used to hold
  all kinds of small notes, "to-do" items, things brought up in
  meetings, as well as my schedule and my address book.  Now, I am
  jotting all these items in my Newton instead. The recognition is
  definitely good enough to write short notes. Being able to browse
  and search through all my notes is very useful. Your mileage may
  differ.

  I have used a couple of different models of electronic
  organizers in the past, but became frustrated with the keyboards,
  limited memory, and difficult user interfaces. So far, that hasn't
  happened with the Newton. Newton can be frustrating at times, but I
  have never thrown it through a window, like I once did with an
  earlier one (which, unfortunately, was not damaged). The beaming,
  printing, faxing, and data-sharing with the Macintosh are nice
  features that help to differentiate Newton from other PDAs.


Can I use the Newton to take notes in my meeting/class/lecture?
---------------------------------------------------------------

  Trying to use the Newton to keep up with a live speaker may
  prove quite frustrating, especially if you are trying to capture
  every idea. You will find several factors to be limiting:

  The speed of the handwriting recognizer

  The maximum size of a note

  The limited dictionary

  However, it works great to jot down short reminders and notes. The
  name of the first product is the MessagePad - that's really the size
  of document it was designed to work with: messages. If you want to
  just get things down as fast as you can, you can turn off both
  recognizers and just leave digital ink in your note, but that fills
  up notes pretty fast, and (at least in this version) you can't go
  back and recognize the ink later.  I've been saving notes as
  ink and then printing them out, which works great but seems to
  kind of defeat the purpose of a digital assistant. [From a
  suggestion by Robert Sadowski].


How come I can't go back and recognize ink later?
-------------------------------------------------

  Warning: this is speculation on little solid information. I am
  still unclear on exactly how the Newton stores ink. The Newton
  *does* appear to keep ink as individual strokes, and does not
  store drawings as bit-maps. This means that when you fax or print
  ink, it looks smoother than it does on the screen. The latest
  messages I've received on the subject tell me that Newton only
  stores *timing* information for the last few words you've written,
  and then drops this information, which is *critical* information
  for the handwriting-recognition engine (probably to save space).
  I don't know whether deferred handwriting recognition will be
  added to the Newton in the near future, but it would be a nice
  feature, especially in a model with larger memory capacity.


How good is the handwriting recognition?
----------------------------------------

  I find it to be excellent. Everything I have read in the trade
  press leads me to believe that the Newton's recognition is better
  than that of other products that do handwriting recognition.
  It works well with cursive and print out of the box, and seems
  to get better with training. Jonathan Bauer ([e-mail])
  reported "dramatic improvement after two or three days of use."

  Kent Borg ([e-mail]) pointed out  that the handwriting
  recognition on the Newton works best if you are willing to
  compromise a little. It will learn the way you make letters and
  which words you commonly write, if you place them in the
  dictionary, but you also have to write fairly clearly. You can't
  teach it an arbitrary style of writing from scratch. If it
  misinterprets something I wrote, I first double-tap on the word to
  see if it lists a correct alternate interpretation. If that doesn't
  work, I try going back and writing it more carefully. As a last
  resort, I pop up the on-screen keyboard and tap out the word. I am
  constantly startled, though, by how often the Newton gets it right.

  The Newton does seem to "bond" with its user over time. So,
  to get the best recognition:

  Teach your Newton well
  Write it words
  That it can learn from
  Don't you ever ask it why
  If it told you, you would cry
  So just look at it and sigh
  and know it loves you...     : )

  Keep in mind that Newton does best with limited notes and common
  words. It can be very frustrating at times. You will
  get a lot of practice using the little keyboard. You will also
  find that you need to mess around with the different recognizer
  options in order to get the best results. You may want to change
  settings when writing different kinds of text; for
  example, if you are writing prose, you may want to turn off number
  recognition so that Newton doesn't misrecognize words as numbers.

  A good deal depends on the text you are writing. When I tried
  writing out a part of Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" on an
  untrained Newton, I got a lot of recognizer errors, especially
  on words that it did not know, like "faerie," "wast," and "thou."
  It helps to teach the Newton words that you will commonly use
  in your writing.


How long is the battery life?
-----------------------------

  This varies greatly from user to user, and depends on how you use
  your Newton. I'll give my impressions.

  Alkaline cells do best, and have lasted me about three days of
  on-and-off use. I have been using rechargeables, plugging the device
  in when possible, and I seem to get a good day of on-and-off use out
  of a recharge. Batteries charge much slower in the Newton than they do
  in the separate charger. The charger has a little light that comes
  on when you plug it in and seems to go off about five hours later.
  I am not certain, but this seems to be a simple timer mechanism, since
  it doesn't seem to get done any quicker if I charge partially-charged
  batteries. This may be intended to prevent you from "cooking" your
  batteries too long in the charger, which can shorten their life.

  There are a number of things you can do to lengthen battery life:
  plug in the Newton when you can; when using rechargeables, they
  will be trickle-charged. Turn the sound volume down. Don't leave the
  "automatically receive beams" option on. Set the Newton to go to
  sleep after a few minutes of inactivity. Battery life varies
  greatly depending on how you use your Newton.


How can you get by with only 192K of user memory?
-------------------------------------------------

  So far it appears that Newton uses memory remarkably
  efficiently. According to Apple the data stored in your card file,
  notes, etc., is stored in "soups," which are transparently
  compressed and decompressed by the Newton operating system, giving
  compaction of (best case) up to 6:1 on text. So, 192K of Newton
  memory seems to hold a lot more than 192K of RAM as used by a
  typical desktop PC.

  The MessagePad has 640K of SRAM, of which 448K is used for the
  system heap, handwriting recognition prefs, and other information.
  Newton memory apparently consists of a bank of 512K and
  an additional 128K chip. One reason why more RAM wasn't included
  is because Newton uses SRAM (static memory), not DRAM (dynamic
  memory, which requires more power and a constant refresh to
  maintain its contents). SRAM is considerably more expensive than
  DRAM, and margins on the Newton are pretty slim, so including a
  lot more SRAM would have jacked the price up considerably. By
  providing support for card slots, you can use the Newton to
  hold a reasonable amount of data and if you need to add more,
  you can do it on a "pay as you go" basis.


How tough is the MessagePad?
----------------------------

  I did an impromptu and accidental "flying Newton" test by tripping
  over the power cord. It seemed to hold up fine (landing on a carpeted
  surface). I don't recommend trying this yourself though - the screen
  has glass in it and could be cracked pretty easily. Also, the Newton
  is NOT waterproof.

  I took my Newton camping in Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a
  week. How did it fare? Well, I was careful to keep it away from
  wetness and grit, which the pen can easily pick up and drag across
  the screen, scratching it. I found that it was possible to put the
  newton in a zip-loc bag and write on the outside of the bag. The
  biggest enemy of the Newton was cold. It got down to below 40 at night,
  and when I woke the Newton up in the morning it would usually reset
  and tell me that there had been a power fault. Alkaline batteries
  seemed to do worse in the cold than the recharegeable batteries. So,
  keep your Newton at a reasonable temperature if you expect to use
  batteries, and don't allow it to get cold enough that moisture will
  condense when you take it back into warmer, moister air. (It occurs
  to me that if you pack your Newton in the luggage compartment of a
  commercial jet, you might have the same problem; it gets very cold
  in those unpressurized luggage compartments).


Won't the screen become scratched from writing on it all the time?
------------------------------------------------------------------

  The top layer of the screen on the Newton is made out of Mylar
  (according to MacUser), which is a pretty tough plastic. However,
  it does appear that it picks up slight scratches and may eventually
  become a little hazy. (So far, my scratches are only visible under
  certain just-right lighting). I imagine (theory only here) that
  Apple could replace the top layer of the screen without having to
  replace the whole screen. Users may want to get in the habit of
  dusting off any visible grit from the screen before writing on it,
  since the pen will drag it around.


Can you use your finger to write on the Newton?
-----------------------------------------------

  It would be difficult to write accurately with your finger. It
  is too blunt an instrument. It is easy to do simple user-interface
  actions like close windows, check the battery, and turn off sound
  with a fingernail, if you don't want to pull out the pen.


Are there any ergonomic problems with using the Newton MessagePad?
------------------------------------------------------------------

  If you are prone to eyestrain like I am, you may find the Newton
  difficult to use for a long period of time. People unused to writing
  may start to suffer from writer's cramp. In some lighting, the
reflected
  glare from the screen makes it very hard to read. These are some
factors
  you may want to consider before buying a Newton. If you have a large
  amount of data to enter into the Newton, I recommend typing it into a
  Mac or PC and using the Connection Kit to download it.


Newton Part 5: Miscellaneous
============================

Will Apple release a ROM upgrade to Newton MessagePad owners?
-------------------------------------------------------------

  I don't work for Apple and I'm not an Apple spokesperson, so this
  answer is really only my (moderately) informed opinion.

  If Apple treats Newton software updates the way it has traditionally
  treated software updates for the Macintosh, the answer is probably
  "no." Early prototype Newtons had flash ROMs which could be updated
  as the system software was under development, but flash ROMs are
  much more expensive than masked ROMs, so Apple did not ship release
  units with flash ROMs. I'm not too certain about the way that RAM
  patches to the system software work, but it appears that the current
  patches take up only a very small amount of user memory (a few
  kilobytes). In addition, I think the Newton ROMs are not socketed,
  but soldered on, which means that swapping the ROMs would mean
  swapping the whole Newton system board. The Newton MessagePad is
  targeted as a low-price, consumer-oriented device; the cost of a ROM
  swap for such a device would cut pretty deeply into the narrow profit
  margins on the MessagePad. Unless there is some overriding reason,
  such as a hardware problem that can't be overcome with a software
  patch, there will probably not be a free board swap.

  Losing a few kilobytes of user memory for software patches probably
  will not qualify as an overriding reason; it is of course somewhat
  frustrating, but by the time the system is revised enough to take up
  a significant percentage of memory in the user address space, there
  will probably be a new model of Newton out with a new ROM and more
  user RAM.


Can I use my Newton as an alarm clock?
--------------------------------------

  Yes! You can set alarms for items scheduled in your
  appointment calendar, and decide how far in advance you'd
  like to be warned. The Newton can even wake up from the
  "off" (actually, asleep) state, play sounds, and put up
  a notice. The speaker isn't very loud, though, so you
  might not want to rely on the Newton waking you up, or count
  on being able to hear it if it is in another room, or stuffed
  in a backpack.


Are there any good Newton "Easter Eggs?"
----------------------------------------

  Here are a few cute Newton tricks:

  Go into Preferences, select the Personal item, cross out your
  country name, and type in Graceland as your country. (You will have
  to type it, since it isn't in the country dictionary). When you turn
  your Newton on and off or reset it, instead of the lightbulb logo,
  you'll see a Newt. Is this the mascot of the Newton development
  team? If you have a password set, you can see it longer.
  (contributed by [e-mail]).

  Note: this will have some side effects; the Newton will now think
  you are dialing from the Graceland area code of the United States,
  which will give strange results if you're not actually there, so
  you might want to set it back if you're going to do phone dialing
  or faxing.

  Write "Find Elvis" on the note pad, hilite it, and click Assist.

  Write "About Newton" and do the same thing.

  Click on the clock icon and hold it down. You'll see the date,
  time, and battery gauge pop up. After a couple of seconds you will
  see the temperature! (Very cool). I heard about this from Mike Nowak.
  According to Bob Ebert, it is actually the temperature in the battery
  compartment, which doesn't make it tremendously useful, except to
  the Newton.

  If you get a Newton error message, you can click on the up-
  and down- arrows to see the last four error messages. (suggested
  by Robert Sadowski, [e-mail]).

  Reset the Newton. After the Newton reboots, tap the Undo button.
  You will see an error message that says there is nothing to Undo.
  Tap the overview dot between the two arrows at the bottom of the screen.
  You should see two errors listed, both as "Newton." Tap on the topmost
  one - it will say "Welcome to Newton." Hold the stylus down on the
  little information symbol (i) for more information. The date will be
  shown as July 20, 1969, with the time that a human first landed on
  the moon.

  I have heard from a reliable source within Apple that there are other
  Newton easter eggs.


Paul, what is *your* all-time favorite Newton feature?
------------------------------------------------------

  I like the color of the case. If you look at it in bright light,
  you will notice that it is not actually black, but a very dark green,
  designed to complement the LCD screen's color. That shows that some
  thought went into the psychology of the Newton's color. But, my very
  favorite feature is the squeak. When I hold down the pen to select
  some text or graphics, the Newton emits a chirp that sounds rather
  like the sound of a small, furry animal being squeezed.


Newton Resources and Info
=========================

Where can I get more information from Apple?
--------------------------------------------

  Call 1-800-365-3690 extension 100 for MessagePad availability
  info. Call 800-7-NEWTON for a recording advertising Newton to
  non-technical customers. For technical questions you can try
  Apple Customer Assistance Center at 800-SOS-APPL. You can get
  the Newton Toolkit from APDA at 800-282-2732.
  (from Anthony J. Stieber, [e-mail]).


Where can I get Newton accessories?
-----------------------------------

  The Apple Catalog (1-800-795-1000) is one source.


Other Newton Resources
----------------------

  A file is available via anonymous ftp from
  csd4.csd.uwm.edu:/pub/Portables/newton.news. This file is
  also available via gopher from the same host using the path
  "UWM Information/ Computing Services Division/ Csd4 Public FTP
  Archive/ Portables/" (information from Anthony J. Stieber,
  [e-mail]). If you have a CompuServe account,
  type GO NEWTON and read the messages there - the discussion
  seems quite active. There is an anonymous ftp site for Newton
  stuff like the Poker game and Calculator - contact
  bnnrc-srv.med.jhu.edu (if you can't use the name, the IP number
  for this site is 128.220.81.221). You might also try the Boston
  Computer Society's BBS: [phone]. They support 14.4 Kbps
  connections; look in Other groups: Newton PDA.

  (If you have a site where newton-related materials are
  available via FTP, please drop me a line and I will add it).

..
---------------------------------------------------------------------------