Developers Announce Full Suite of Solutions for Apple's Newton MessagePad
Applications shipping as early as September
Cupertino, California -- September 13, 1993 -- Over 25 developers haven announced applications and titles for the Apple Newton MessagePad communications assistant, introduced on August 2, 1993 at the Newton Showcase during Macworld Boston. The applications, many of which were demonstrated at the Showcase, cover a wide range of solutions including communications, health care, sales force automation, finance, office productivity, education, real estate, and travel. Many developers have announced ship dates as early as September; the majority of applications are expected to be available by the end of Fall this year. The Newton MessagePad is a personal digital assistant (PDA) device which allows people to communicate, gather and manage information with tremendous ease and spontaneity.
"The wide variety of solutions developed for Newton-based products will allow our customers to communicate more effectively and get work done in ways never before possible," said Ted Briscoe, general manager of PIE sales, Apple USA. "We have been working very closely with Newton developers to assist them in developing innovative applications and software titles which take advantage of the MessagePad's unique technology and capabilities." Newton technology offers competitive advantages to customers in many industries. Apple USA is targeting four industries that are looking at applying Newton technologies in innovative ways: health care, pharmaceuticals, financial services and professional services. The latter market includes consulting firms who are interested in developing Newton applications for their own businesses.
The market appeal of the MessagePad has also generated interest from additional developers who applaud the ease in which Newton applications can be developed using the Newton Toolkit. Due for fall shipment, the Toolkit will dramatically increase the productivity of developers by significantly reducing the effort and programming time associated with applications development. Over 2,000 developers have expressed interest in developing applications and titles for the Newton family.
Among the applications and titles announced by third-party developers are:
Apple Computer, Inc. and BellSouth Corporation
Apple Computer, Inc. and BellSouth Corporation announced that BellSouth's Mobile Systems Group will offer wireless communications products and services for Newton-based products. BellSouth's paging company, MobileComm, will provide wireless messaging through its paging network. BellSouth Cellular Corp. announced its intention to work with Apple to investigate market opportunities for communications products and services based on Newton Technology.
Avalon Engineering Inc.
Recently announced by Avalon Engineering Inc., PresenterPad provides a suite of tools for creating and monitoring meetings, presentations and pre-scripted speeches on the Newton MessagePad. In addition to such current features as portable teleprompter and remote slide manager, planned enhancements include direct control of projection equipment and default speech time calculation, as well as additional tools for the creation and editing of presentations.
CE Software, Inc.
CE Software, Inc., a Macintosh E-mail provider, announced QuickAccess which will allow Newton MessagePad users to send and receive mail from a mailbox on a number of LAN-based mail system transports, including CE's QuickMail, Novell's NetWare MHS, and Apple's AOCE.
Chancery Software
Targeted to educators, Chancery Software's CSL Profiles In Hand provides teachers with a mobile data collection tool that is as easy-to-use as pen and paper and as efficient as a personal computer. Observations of student performance that are jotted down in a Newton MessagePad can later be transferred to CSL Profiles on a Macintosh computer where they are compiled into complete student profiles and reports.
ComputerBooks
Newport Beach-based ComputerBooks announced new medical software designed to provide doctors and other medical professionals with instant access to an array of specialized medical knowledge. Using ComputerBooks' software on the Newton MessagePad, physicians can verify pharmaceutical data and drug interactions, as well as facilitate patient management and scheduling.
CorNet, Inc.
CorNet, Inc. announced plans to develop a sales professional application for the Newton MessagePad that will complement its desktop Electronic Territory Management platform. Planned functions include call reporting, top-level account information, client office hours, product reference, schedule/to do's, order entry and inventory capture.
Dendrite International, Inc.
PRINCIPIA, sales force automation software for the Newton MessagePad, was announced
by Dendrite International, Inc. The initial PRINCIPIA product, designed specifically
for the global healthcare industry, will support database functionality and
track product samples using the MessagePad's signature capture capabilities and
make use of such personal utilities as calendar, addresses, phone numbers and remote
dialing. PRINCIPIA promises to be an invaluable tool for improving the productivity
and efficiency of sales and marketing efforts.
Dubl-Click Software, Inc.
Dubl-Click Software, Inc. has announced GoFigure for the Apple Newton MessagePad. Essentially over a dozen different calculators integrated into one easy-to-use program, GoFigure takes the hassle out of everyday tasks involving numbers such as cooking unit conversions, calculus problems, sales tax and film editing computations. This program supports 15 display modes, includes scrolling paper tape and is user customizable for right or left handed input.
Ex Machina, Inc.
Two software applications, PocketCall and Notify! for PowerTalk, that permit the Newton MessagePad to communicate with hundreds of on-line databases and receive wireless messages from desktop computers were announced by Ex Machina, Inc. In addition to being a terminal emulation program that allows Newton users to respond to queries from host systems, PocketCall will accept add-in modules tailored from most of the popular database, corporate and consumer information systems. Notify! for PowerTalk is a personal Messaging Service Access Module that works with PowerTalk's built-in messaging services to provide seamless wireless connectivity with the Newton MessagePad.
Fingertip Technologies, Inc. and Sports Team Analysis and Tracking Systems
Fingertip Technologies, Inc. and Sports Team Analysis and Tracking Systems (STATS, Inc.) announced plans to jointly develop software based on statistical information from major league baseball games for the Newton MessagePad. Scheduled to be available for Opening Day of the 1994 baseball season, the program will combine historical data with analysis from STATS, Inc., as well as chart pitches and plays during the game, maintain up-to-the-minute box scores and provide powerful graphical analysis of historic and current data.
GeoSystems
GeoSystems, a unit of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, is providing mapping technology and expertise for Newton-based travel applications such as Fodor's 1994 Travel Manager, Top U.S. Cities which will be published by Apple's StarCore publishing group. The PCMCIA-based application enables users to view locations, get restaurant or business information and route themselves around a city using a highlighted map or narrative directions.
Great Plains Software
Announced by Great Plains Software, Personal Time & Billing will allow professionals such as lawyers, consultants and accountants to quickly, easily and accurately track their time and charges while also delivering such benefits as one-time only recording of time and billing information and data analysis by totals or categories.
HealthCare Communications
HealthCare Communications announced the release of Hippocrates, an electronic medical assistant which is designed to supplement medical practice and clinical information management systems while reducing paperwork and administrative costs. Medical professionals using Hippocrates on a Newton MessagePad can manage patient schedules, hospital rounds, prescriptions, encounter tracking and on-call care with notepad simplicity.
Integration Systems, Inc.
A provider of portable solutions for the real estate industry, Integration Systems, Inc. has announced Portable MLS. Together with the Newton MessagePad, Portable MLS gives realtors access to vital information any time of the day or night, and therefore an ideal sales tool for today's active real estate agent in an increasingly competitive market.
KPMG Peat Marwick
KPMG Peat Marwick has announced its launch of Newton Solutions, intended to address critical business issues including improved customer response speed, improved focus on bottom-line oriented actions and issues and enhanced productivity from empowering the individual. Some examples of targeted industries are manufacturing, health care and life sciences, financial services, information and communications and government.
MobileSoft Corporation
MobileSoft Corporation announced its flagship product, MobileCalc, a spreadsheet specifically designed for mobile professionals using Newton personal digital assistants. With over 70 built-in mathematical functions, MobileCalc enables users to perform vital personal and business tasks such sales forecast modification, calculation of cost estimates, portfolio or cash flow analysis and P&L statement projection.
PenMagic Software Inc.
In collaboration with Money Magazine, PenMagic Software Inc. announced that it has entered into a product licensing agreement with Apple Computer, Inc. to develop Money Magazine Business Forms and Money Magazine Financial Assistant, two financial applications designed to meet the forms and financial calculations requirements of mobile professionals. Apple has the exclusive license to market the two applications through the StarCore publishing group, for all PDAs using the Newton operating system.
Pastel Development Corporation
Pastel Development Corporation's recently announced ContactPad is designed to extend the existing contact management capabilities of Newton technology. ContactPad manages contacts by capturing additional contact information and linking appointments, to-do's and forms to each contact. Users may create custom forms or use standard forms included with the program for sales, real estate, insurance and other professions.
Pharos Technologies, Inc.
Pharos Technologies, Inc. announced the introduction of Newton software development services for Mobile Performance Support Systems (MPSS). By delivering comprehensive, expert services to enterprise and government clients, Pharos will provide MPSS solutions in industries such as manufacturing, customer service, sales and marketing, entertainment, field support services, decision support, engineering and accounting.
Portfolio Software, Inc.
Portfolio Software, Inc., announced Dyno Notepad, an object-oriented word processing tool designed to help users compose and organize agendas, lists and outlines on the Newton MessagePad. The product offers users a familiar metaphor -- the notepad -- to quickly gather and organize thoughts.
Saltire Software
Saltire Software announced DrawPad, a unique drawing software package for the Newton MessagePad, that can effortlessly capture graphical information, organize it with its dimensional elements and communicate it via the Newton's links. DrawPad will not only convert sketches and business data into accurate presentation quality graphics, it also offers additional tools like alternative fonts, scaling and automatic alignment.
Slate Corporation
A leading provider of pencentric application software, Slate Corporation announced PCMCIA and disk versions of its Day-Timer Meeting & Expense Pack software for the Newton MessagePad. Both versions include the Day-Timer Expense Assistant for keeping track of business and personal expenses as they occur, and the Day-Timer Meeting Assistant for more effective meeting planning and follow-up.
State of the Art Inc.
State of the Art Inc. announced that it has begun software development for the Newton MessagePad. The new software, geared toward individuals who incur business expenses, will allow users to record travel, entertainment and other business-related expenses, compile the information and print expense reports consistent with IRS guidelines. Expense It!, which can be used stand-alone or in conjunction with other leading business applications, is the first in a series of planned Newton-based products from State of the Art.
Strategic Mapping, Inc.
Drawing on Apple Newton technology's built-in "Time Zone" feature, Strategic Mapping, Inc. has developed a geographic information application for the Newton MessagePad called GeoAssist. As well as providing mobile professionals with detailed street-level maps with data and locations for millions of business services, GeoAssist is supported by Dun & Bradstreet Business Database and On-Line Telephone Book Directory, two vast databases of business-specific information.
Apple, the Apple Logo and Macintosh are registered trademarks; Newton, MessagePad and StarCore are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners and are respectfully acknowledged.