Newton MessagePad

T he Newton MessagePad, Apple’s first experiment in tablet computing, is always high up on the list of Apple failures. While it’s hated by many, it’s still mourned by a few.

Its hottest feature at its 1993 launch was handwriting recognition. This could recognise cursive, printed and mixed handwriting anywhere on the screen, which was much better than its rivals. It also turned out to be its worst feature. It simply didn’t work very well, leading to it being skewered in reviews. It could take months to learn your handwriting, and its AAA batteries drained in record time.

The software was vastly improved in the next model, and the Newton started to become the device it was always meant to be. Then, in 1997, Steve Jobs returned to Apple – and killed the Newton.

It was only just starting to gain traction and sales, and Apple needed money yesterday; the Newton had to be jettisoned. Nevertheless, it still has something of a cult following today.