AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is at work on a modern day version of its Newton MessagePad. Apple expressed interest in a new PDA-type device as far back as 2004. But if AppleInsider is right, it sounds like Apple is getting down to business now that the iPhone is well and truly launched. Apparently, a small team of engineers have been working on it for the last 18 months when they were not pulled off the project to work on the iPhone.
The new PDA or UMPC-like device, should it see the light, would likely use multi-touch technology and build on current functionality to add features like drag-and-drop and copy-and-paste. It is described by sources as being a slate-type design about one and a half time larger than the iPhone. The display, running at a resolution of 780×480, covers most of the front surface. It will run an embedded version of the Mac OS X operating system like the iPhone and iPod touch do today.
It could appear as early as mid-2008 and could be the ‘One more thing’ surprise at the upcoming MacWorld keynote address by Steve Jobs.