Today I enjoyed playing with the Getting Started PCMCIA card. As I know, that card was sold with Newton OMP and contain some tour software to demonstrate for begginers how Newton works.

I have a few those cards, but non of them wants to work with my OMP. So, I decidet to read about, but I could not find any interesting information. The symptoms are that OMP don’t see this card when the card is in the PCMCIA slot. After clicking on ‘Card’ icon, there is info that “there is no card’ inserted. The same is in all 1×0 models. Newton 2×00 says that card is not formated and is write protected, so need to be unlocked to format it. Very weird.

I’ve asked a couple Newton gurus about it. I get info that their cards not working too. I get info that cards can contain a kind of dead battery, and because of it cards is ‘dead’. So, I decided to destroy one of my card and find out what is inside.

Definitelly, there is NO battery inside. So, that card must be ROM type card. But the question is: What happened to these cards? Why they stop working? I’m not sure, but I have in my mind that ROM memory can lost ‘content’ during years (when chip is not powored). Is it true, or there is another explanation? I could say that card is broken, but I have 5 cards and all of them are not working.

UPDATE

I’m noob!

To be honest, in my whole time with Newton, I’m the collector. More that the user. Especially 1×0 models. NewtonOS 1.x don’t offer great internet connection, so it is more like fun playing with old Newton. I’ve never used any PCMCIA cards with these models. I’m 2×00 and eMate user. So, probably, that is my mistake…

My all Getting Started cards are fine. I just did NOT lock the ‘locking tab’ on the back of my Newtons, after I’ve inserted PCMCIA card xD (ta bum tssss – you can laugh now 🙂 ) Why? I just thought that this locking tab is mechanical only 🙂

What is good in this story:

1. Me and Sylvain (he asked me yesterday about it), we have had a lot of laughing yesterday 🙂
2. Everyday something new about Newton.
3. We have first photos of the Getting Started card inside now (on my website).
4. We will have x-ray photo of this card in future (I’m waiting for scan).

Have nice day, Newtonians!