Re: [NTLK] Who says there's no Mac tablet?

Hello,

--- On Sun, 11/16/08, Ed Kummel <tech_ed@yahoo.com> wrote:

>...the Newton Intelligence that makes the Newton what a Newton is, will
>most likely never be repeated by Apple, and since they still hold the >patents/licenses for this technology and *refuse* to allow others more >willing to go that route, it is doubtful that anything will be >manufactured using Newton Intelligence....and that makes me sad.

Well, if the history of technology is any indication, a device using "Newton-like" technology will get built....whether Apple happens to like it or not.

Earlier this week, I found myself listening to the story behind the CDC 6600. It seems that in the early 60's, it was a point of honor with IBM to be known as the manufacturer of the World's Fastest Computer at any given time.

However, from out of nowhere came the Control Data Corporation. And with the advent of the 6600, they had built a machine that was three times faster than anything IBM had to offer. Needless to say, Thomas Watson Jr. wasn't best pleased at employing 10,000 engineers, yet losing the title of "Maker of the World's Fastest Computer" to a company that hadn't been around for even a decade (and that didn't even employ 50 people).

The point being that if the technology behind Newton Intelligence is deemed to be useful, it's entirely possible for another company to come along and make a product incorporating it. Maybe not exactly, but close enough for the perceived need.

Patents and licenses are powerful things, true. But ideas that help to make people more productive (and that they're willing to pay money for as a result) are even more powerful.

I don't know how this is going to sound, but I have to wonder if Apple, a company that currently seems to be trying to be many different things to many different people, might become the new IBM. And speaking as someone who has been buying and using Apple products for 20 years, please believe me when I tell you I never thought I'd ever say anything like that.

Best,

James Fraser

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Received on Sun Nov 16 08:14:28 2008