Plamwashed?

Couple of days ago, I was hanging out on the #webOS channel (IRC), when the conversation moved onto Apple's IP threats. Now, I mostly hang-out there because I know some folks that now work for Palm (and on the Pre), and not because I'm a Palm user or developer (in fact quite the opposite). Anyhow, during the conversation, I had to (kindly) correct one of the participant (clearly re-educated by Palm's political police) who believed the Palm Pilot to have come before the Apple's Newton ... Not only was the first Newton (OMP100) introduced close to 3 years before the first Pilot (Pilot 1000), but also the term PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) itself, was coined by John Sculley, then CEO of Apple.

To be fair to the Pilot, I just don't think both devices are comparable. The Original MessagePad, even with its laughable handwriting recognition, packed much more punch and capabilities than what Palm could delivers 3 years later! The same extends to the late MessagePads, which more than 10 years after its introduction, still simply rocks and is still been used by thousands. around the worlds (including yours truly up to June 2008). How many PalmPilot Personal are still been used in 2009? ....

Don't believe the Newton can still be useful? Check this article made by cnet.co.uk back in 2006, in which the Newton came out as the winner when compared to an UMPC!!

(Edit: the Casio/Tandy Zoomer did beat the OMP release by 2 months, and thus it is considered the first PDA. Palm Computing contribution to it was the Personal Information Management (PIM) software).