Newton MessagePad 130 personal digital assistant
The MessagePad is an electronic version (incorporating services such as email and fax) of the paper-based personal organiser. It was Jonathan Ive’s first project after he joined Apple in September 1992. Ive’s design was developed from initial idea to first prototype in two weeks. Although it was a rush job, to replace the original Newton MessagePad 100, Ive executed a complete rethink of the original design, making it more intuitive and appealing.
The MessagePad presents elements of Ive’s playful physical designs, which seek to engage the user through an unfolding narrative of the product’s features and use. It conveniently retains the handwritten element of its pre-electronic predecessor. Ive explained that as he studied the form he “discovered that by allowing the user to fiddle with the retractable pen and play with the popup lid, we could elicit the more abstract emotions of intrigue and surprise that would make Lindy (the project name for MessagePad) seem personal and precious”.
The Newton program had been ambitious and the products struggled in the marketplace. The later development of the iPhone conceivably benefitted from the portable computing work undertaken during the Newton development era (1987 – 98).
