After posting yesterday morning’s State of the Newton in 10 Years Ago Today, I asked my fellow NewtonTalk members if there was anything glaringly obvious that I had missed. It was pointed out that I had somehow completely missed all the hardware folks.

BT-001 Bluetooth Module

Let me begin a new-ish development.

Approximately twenty days ago I approached Jake Bordens regarding his cancelled BT-001 project to create an internal Bluetooth module for the MessagePad 2100. He had ceased further development due to issues with the antenna design only being able to sustain mediocre/poor signal ranges with the Newton’s case off and failing completely when reassembled.

He was very open to letting others use and improve his design and offered to open source it. So, on February 8th, he released the Eagle PCB files under an MIT license and they can be found on his BT-001 page.

I have yet to test these files and am not likely to be building any PCBs myself, but hopefully this will give other bright Newton hardware people a head start in completing a built-in Bluetooth module.

The Hardware Guys (and Gals)

As a segue from the BT-001, Adriano Angelilis sells Pico Card Bluetooth cards (of which I’ve purchased one) as well as his own custom hardware on his Notwen site. He has numerous creations, including: a USB charging cable, PlainTalk and Bluetooth audio adapters, an serial-powered LED light, an iPod connection cable, and a USB dongle ; all of which are still fabricated one at a time.

Although quite controversial amongst the NewtonTalk members due to his propensity to reverse engineer for initial designs and what some feel are exuberant prices, KnowledgeNavigator of Newton Sales is at least keeping the hardware modifications available, including: an internal serial module, replacement backlights, and speed boost implants. More recently he has been working on a USB Dock Prototype based on the FreeDock.

The guys aren’t the only ones having fun with hardware. Although Stephanie Maksylewich discontinued her Newton use in 2005, she had a number of hardware hacks including homebrew overclocking instructions for the MessagePad 2100 and eMate 300. Definitely not for the feint hearted.

How Many Words Again?

Others yet are helping to preserve the Newton not only with soldering iron in hand, but camera as well. Sonny Hung is one of those who’s flickr photosets include everything from the tools that [he uses] when repairing Newtons, to Newton-related brochures, posters & ads, and magazine covers, to clear case models, EVTs & DVTs, and even the final MessagePad 2000 blueprints.

There’s a lot more there than I can even list here, but you get the picture (pun fully intended): he’s a veritable Newton archeologist.