Apple Set to Announce Handheld Pen System

The Newton will be a personal digital assistant

Apple Computer is moving closer to jumping into the pen-based computer business with an announcement rumored to take place in late May at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago. The approximately 6×8-inch pen-based device, code named “Newton,” will be a handheld “personal digital assistant” that enables users to organize data (as in an appointment calendar) and communicate over phone lines and send faxes. The Newton, which probably won’t be available until early next year, will likely sell for between $700-$1000.

The Newton’s CPU is rumored to be the ARM processor, a low-powered RISC chip originally developed by Acorn Computer but licensed by VLSI Technology and Apple last year. (see related article on ARM and Hobbit in this issue). Supposedly, the handprinting recognition system developed by Apple is based on neural net technology (see “Put it in Cursive Writing” in our May 1991 issue for background on neural net recognition).

It is also likely that Apple will jointly develop the Newton with Sharp, with Apple selling the device in the US while Sharp sells its version in Japan. Apple and Sharp recently announced a joint licensing agreement to develop a product in the “Personal Digital Assistant” category. Refer to our article “Pen Palmtops are Smaller in Size, Price; Japan has Yen for the Pen” in our February 1992 issue for further discussion of Sharp’s role in the handheld consumer market.