AppleInsider says it has sources that are indicating the return of the Newton, sometime in early 2008.
"With the initial iPhone now out the door and two successive models well underway in Apple's labs, it's believed to be full steam ahead for the modern day Newton project. Like iPhone and the iPod touch, the new device runs an embedded version of Apple's Mac OS X Leopard operating system.
Externally, the multi-touch PDA has been described by sources as an ultra-thin "slate" akin to the iPhone, about 1.5 times the size and sporting an approximate 720x480 high-resolution display that comprises almost the entire surface of the unit. The device is further believed to leverage multi-touch concepts which have yet to gain widespread adoption in Apple's existing multi-touch products -- the iPhone and iPod touch -- like drag-and-drop and copy-and-paste."
Based on previous rumors, this could be an indication that there's a research effort underway at Apple and not a specific product. We'll have to see.
However, I've been hearing rumors for awhile that Apple is up to something small. Is it a Tablet? A UMPC? A MID? Or something all to itself. I have no idea--just heard rumors from people that have said they've seen something cool. That can cover a ton of possibilities, so I've avoided blogging about it--even though I don't know what "it" is. My guess is that Apple's research group is in full motion and tries its ideas out on people from time to time. This suggests to me that we're not talking actual products yet, but that's just a guess on my part. Apple's too secretive to show its real products around.


Incremental Blogger