Post #2238613

2026-03-30 04:01 UTC

@likesoldmacs@bitbang.social @morgant@mastodon.social @falken@qoto.org @splorp@mastodon.social I think I remember from "Defying Gravity" that Apple almost went with Cadillac, or something like it. Michael Tchao, who handled product marketing for Newton, was on the same flight with Sculley and talked him into the smaller form factor, which was probably a good idea, since I heard somewhere that Cadillac would've cost something like $8K. A bit surprising to me that Apple never actually released a Mac tablet, given how many of these they prototyped.

Replies (3)

@csilverman@mastodon.social 2026-03-30 04:03

@likesoldmacs@bitbang.social @morgant@mastodon.social @falken@qoto.org @splorp@mastodon.social Tchao left Apple after Newton but later returned and is still there today as VP of iPad Product Marketing. Not sure how significant that is; I just think it's amusing that he's in charge of selling Apple tablets now after (rightly, I'd say) convincing them not to build one in the 90s.

Open ##2238614
@falken@qoto.org 2026-03-30 10:38

@csilverman@mastodon.social @likesoldmacs@bitbang.social @morgant@mastodon.social @splorp@mastodon.social I've only just found out about the #Newton Defying Gravity book and have immediately ordered a copy! #retro #retroComputing #appleNewton

Open ##2238615
@proedie@mastodon.green 2026-03-30 10:44

@csilverman@mastodon.social @likesoldmacs@bitbang.social @morgant@mastodon.social @falken@qoto.org @splorp@mastodon.social Why was that a good thing? Newton wasn’t very successful, so it wouldn’t have made much difference, would it? 🤔

Open ##2238618