This is a pre-release model of Apple’s OMP (Original MessagePad) including the extremely rare ‘Batmobile’ screen cover. The front of the case is marked ‘Newton’ in the location where the shipping models of the OMP and the MP100 (MessagePad 100) were marked ‘MessagePad’. This particular unit is currently nonfunctional. In fact, I’m not convinced that it ever worked, as it is labeled “Technical Sample Only” on the back.
This Newton is marked with the number ‘46’ in three places … in the top right corner on the back of the case (view here), inside the battery compartment, as well as on the back of the battery compartment lid (view here). The ‘Batmobile’ screen cover is marked with the number ‘39’.
According to the previous owner, this unit was used in a 1993 television game show called ‘Quest’. A contestant was given a video camera and a prototype Newton, competing in a high-tech scavenger hunt around San Francisco. The Newton was used to feed the contestant clues. ‘Quest’ is mentioned in the book Defying Gravity by Markos Kounalakis and Doug Menuez.
This item is part of a collection obtained from John Venzon, August 2002.
Comments
rgibsonphoto
old. school.
pixel
They should have stuck with that cover. quite awesome. I’m going to have to find a pic of my Newton.
splorp
The only issue with this cover is that it wasn’t a fold away thing like the cover built into the MessagePad 1x0 and 2x00 models. This one is a hard chunk of plastic that you snap on and off. Hard to store, but it did protect the screen extremely well.
sonnyhung
So, you’ve finally found time to dive into your treasure trove of Newtons and snap of few shots of them. I’m wondering still where the one that was used for the shot in Paris went.
Riccardo Mori
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new wallpaper ;)
(Amazing, Grant. Thanks for this.)
Cheers! Rick
sir izaac
Nyce. #NewtonNeverDies. Has it booted since you’ve owned it ?