Apple Newton H1000 & MessagePad 100 – Specifications

The Apple Newton MessagePad Original is the first in a family of communications assistants from Apple. By combining Newton Intelligence technology with sophisticated communications capabilities, the Newton MessagePads help you stay in touch with friends and colleagues, organize your life, and keep track of your ideas. You can take notes. Make a quick sketch. Format and print letters. Share and synchronize information with your personal computer. Send a fax. Receive pages and messages. Tap into on-line services or electronic mail. Even exchange business cards with a colleague via built-in infrared technology. And wherever you go, the powerful, under-one-pound personal digital assistant goes too, tucked in your pocket or briefcase.

Almost as easy to use as pencil and paper, the Newton MessagePad lets you leave your notes handwritten or reads your handwriting and transforms it into typed text. If you prefer, you can type words using an on-screen keyboard.

It even cleans up your rough sketches. And as time goes by, it learns about you, your handwriting, and the way you work.

Because the Newton MessagePad is designed to know how you work, it can help you work smarter. For example, the Newton MessagePad can find a phone number and dial the phone for you, fax a note, format a letter, and even set up a lunch appointment.

The Newton MessagePad comes with built-in applications that include a notepad, to-do list, datebook, and name file to get you started. When you’re ready, you can customize your Newton MessagePad to include Apple and third-party software and hardware additions as well. There’s already a good selection of Shareware available on popular Macintosh FTP Sites like sumex-aim.stanford.edu.

Note: The Original MessagePad (H1000) and Newton MessagePad 100 are identical, only NewtonOS version differ.

Apple Custom System ASIC
CPU: ARM 610 processor at 20 MHz
ROM: 4MB
RAM: 640KB
NewtonOS Version: OMP has 1.0,1.1
NewtonOS Version: MP100 has 1.2,1.3
System space: 482 (448) KB *():1.04,1.10
User space: 158 (192) KB *():1.04,1.10
Heap: 50K
Screen: Reflective LCD display (336 x 240 pixels)
Case Type: Handheld
Form Factor: MessagePad (OMP)
Height: 7.25 in. (184.75 mm)
Width: 4.50 in. (114.3 mm)
Depth: 0.75 in. (19.05 mm)
Weight: 0.9 lb. (0.4 kg)
Extension Card: One PCMCIA type 2 card slot
Interface: LocalTalk compatible serial port (RS422) x 1
IR: Half-duplex, infrared transceiver (9600 baud at 1 meter)
Battery: 4 AAA/NiCad Rechargeable
Battery Life: 5-10 hours
Original Price: $700 US

Code name: Junior

1) ARM610 (Datasheet PDF 131 pages) : RISC ARM 610 CPU at 20 MHz. It was one of the first mobile processors.
2) LSI L1C7646: Apple Custom System ASIC
This chip handles most of the bus activity on the Newton. It provides the interface for RAM, DMA, Real time clock, PCMCIA cards, audio, and video.
3) 5x M5M51008AVP-85LL (Datasheet PDF 7 pages): Mitsubishi Electric SRAM, 128k/85ns – This is the main RAM for the Newton. The H1000 comes with 640K.
4) LH537CHT/LH537CHU: Apple Newton ROM. Two identical chips. It comes with 4MB onboard ROM storing the Newton OS. The second chip used for parity checking on the others.
5) AMD AM85C30-8JC (Datasheet PDF 68 pages) or Zilog Z85C3008VSC (Datasheet PDF 102 pages) CMOS serial controller RS422. It’s the chip that controls the serial ports on the Newton.
6) LT902SC: This chip is a driver/receiver for the RS422 chip.
7) AD7880AR (Datasheet PDF 16 pages) : Analog to Digital converter chip.

Newton Intelligence

Newton Recognition Architecture
Recognizes handwriting: printed, cursive, or mixed word recognition.
Recognizes graphics and the inherent symmetry in objects.

Newton Information Architecture
Object-oriented data storage optimized for storing, finding, and linking small pieces of information.
Easy creation of custom forms applications via the flexible graphical view toolbox.
Easy data sharing using standard tags.
Object-oriented database provides flexible view of data.

Newton Communications Architecture — Provides single interface for all communication services.
Integrated to support easy communications with minimum setup requirements.
Designed in modules to support new communications capabilities.

Intelligent Assistance Architecture
Assists users in completing repetitive tasks done in multiple categories, including communications, scheduling, finding, and reminding functions.
Contains smart defaults to reduce complexity.
Functions across applications transparently.
Allows extensions by third-party developers.

Communications capabilities

Print to Apple LaserWriters and StyleWriters with serial cable and to popular parallel printers using Newton Print Pack.
Fax with optional fax modem (9600 baud fax send, automatic cover-page generation, post-formatting).
« Beam » via infrared technology (send notes, name cards, appointments at 9600 baud with 1-meter range).
Handle telephony needs with assistance for intelligent auto dialing (DTMF or modem dialing).
Receive and store wireless messages using optional Messaging Card.
Send and receive NewtonMail to other Newtons, PC’s and Macintosh computers with optional modem*.

Operating environment

Temperature: +0 to +40 C.
Storage temperature: -20 to +60 C.
Humidity range: 20% to 95% RH noncondensing.

Power requirements

Power source

AC adapter (included) or four AAA batteries (included).
optional Rechargeable Battery Pack.

System requirements

Works with personal computers running Microsoft Windows; requires connector cable and version 3.0 or later.
Works with Macintosh personal computers; requires connector cable and system 7.01 or later.

Printer support

Built-in printer support for the Apple StyleWriter and StyleWriter II.
All Apple PostScript laser printers from the LaserWriter Plus and up.
The Apple Personal LaserWriter printer.
Works with most popular PC printers, including the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet, Hewlett-Packard DeskJet, Canon BubbleJet, and Epson LQ and FX using the Print Pack option.

Fax machine support

Supports Group 3 fax machines
(Original Product Specifications Announcement)

List of documents:

Processor ARM610 (Datasheet PDF 131 pages)
M5M51008AVP-85LL (Datasheet PDF 7 pages)
AMD AM85C30-8JC (Datasheet PDF 68 pages)
Zilog Z85C3008VSC (Datasheet PDF 102 pages)
AD7880AR (Datasheet PDF 16 pages)

Photo Credit: Apple Computer, Inc. | Sylvain Pilet | Intro Photo © Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum. (2017-06-26). Apple Newton MessagePad Mod. H 1000. Retrieved from https://nat.museum-digital.de/index.php?t=objekt&oges=68160