Newton MessagePad Hits the Ground Running
CUPERTINO, Calif. — August 18, 1993 — The Apple Newton MessagePad, introduced Aug. 2, 1993, by Apple Computer Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS: AAPL) has generated exceptional customer demand and industry accolades in its first fifteen days of availability.
The several thousand Newton handheld communications assistants that were available for sale by channel partners on the show floor at MacWorld Boston sold out almost immediately. The Newton MessagePad is the first in a family of personal digital assistant (PDA) devices from Apple which lets people communicate ideas with greater speed, clarity and effectiveness.
Continuing Apple's phased distribution roll-out, the MessagePad became available on Aug. 7 for sale through select resellers in the New York and Boston areas. Customer demand in these areas has also been extremely strong.
"Demand for the Newton MessagePad has been overwhelming," said Philo Pappas, general manager of Lechmere's Home Office and Computer in Boston. "The response has been the greatest that we've seen for a new product in a long, long time."
"The Newton MessagePad has been a tremendous success for us," said Tom Jacobs, president of Computer Town. "We sold virtually all the units that we received and sold them at a very healthy margin, too."
The Newton MessagePad also received PC Week magazine's Product of the Week citation for the week of August 2.
The MessagePad is presently available through more than 150 storefronts in the New York and Boston areas, including the following resellers: Lechmere, The Wiz, Circuit City, Tops, CompUSA, Computer Town, Computer City and J&R ComputerWorld. Higher education faculty, staff and students may purchase the MessagePad through select campus resellers including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts (Boston), Tufts University, Boston University, Northeastern University, Boston College, Columbia University and New York University.
Full nationwide availability of the Newton MessagePad is expected by Labor Day, 1993.
NOTE: Apple and the Apple logo are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Newton and MessagePad are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.
CONTACT:
Eric Wee of Apple Computer, 408-862-7797