THE LATEST INCARNATION of Apple's resurgent Newton, the $799 MessagePad 130, includes improvements such as backlighting and a megabyte of system memory. The best news, however, is the arrival of applications that take advantage of the Newton 2.0 operating system: Client software for America Online, CompuServe, CE Software's QuickMail, Qualcomm's Eudora, and Lotus Notes integrates directly into Newton 2.0's Universal In/Out box. Come July, Apple expects to deliver its Newton Internet Enabler TCP/IP stack.
PowerBook and MessagePad infrared transceivers are still incompatible, and Apple has yet to ship Newton Connection Utilities, which lets you create, edit, import, and export Newton data. It was scheduled for January; Apple now promises it this spring. Currently, you can sync Newton data with your Mac's only via application-specific utilities such as Intuit's Pocket Quicken for Newton 2.0, Symantec's ACT for the Newton, and Claris' FileMaker Pro 3.0 Companion. Text and bitmapped graphics can also be exported in Newton Book format, using Apple's $69 Newton Press. 800-538-9696 or 408-996-1010; http://www.info.apple.com/newton.
