Connected Internet has a discussion of how the Newton was simply waiting for the right technologies to come along.
Author shailpik says, during the Newton years, the hardware wasn’t advanced enough, the Internet was just getting its start, and file storage is now easier than ever:
It was task enough to make a portable computer, let alone a handheld one. Even if a practical tablet could be made, the price would be way too high for mass adoption at any level. Plus, what would the users have done with it? The Internet was nowhere near its current reach and digital content was still pretty much scattered all over the place. Forget online social networking.
I often hear that the Newton was ahead of its time, which can make us Newton users feel good that we’re using an advanced-at-the-time product. That, combined with its personality, makes a MessagePad or eMate a lot of fun.
Now we’ll see what tech companies do with touchscreen, tablet-like devices now that all the factors – technology, software, price – are coming together.