Is Apple planning a new Newton?

By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews

The Newton was a little too bulky to really fit into the PDA market, and it died a lamented death. Now, rumor has it that Apple is looking into a PDA to flesh out its line … and based on what it’s done with the iPod Touch and iPhone, it seems like a natural extension.

Speaking at the 2004 edition of the Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference, Jobs stated that he was proud not only of the products Apple had released in recent years, but also the products the company had decided not to ship.

When asked by an audience member to elaborate, Jobs said simply, “an Apple PDA.”

It appears that Jobs and Co. never gave up hope, and instead returned to the drawing board. For the past 18 months, well-respected sources tell AppleInsider, a small team of Apple engineers have been at it again, this time tapping the company’s revolutionary multi-touch technology as a foundation. Source: AppleInsider

We Say: Of course, this is still just a rumor, and should be treated as such. Then again, there are many who would love a new Newton … and wasn’t the iPhone just a rumor at one time?