[NTLK] Grey Interconnect Dongles

[Michael Sheflin]

I'll take a look when I go to my storage locker.

Michael

On Mon, Jun 7, 2021, 4:49 PM Grant Hutchinson <grant at splorp.com> wrote:

> Hi y’all.
>
> I’m doing a bit of research for the Newton FAQ on Newton Serial Adapters
> (otherwise known as those infamous Interconnect dongles).
>
> Based on the dongles in my collection, there are four variations:
>
> Black, stamped “Taiwan N 1”
> Grey, stamped “Taiwan N 2”
> Black, stamped “China N 1”
> Black, stamped “China N 2”
>
> Each are shown (left to right) in these photos:
>
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qh103xgvfkfh5ts/AACIMcrhVDu_oJwwZj8mqPkxa?dl=0
>
> Note that the “N” in the stamped text is actually a box with a diagonal
> line, not a true “N” as commonly thought. The FAQ erroneously presumed that
> the “N 2” on the dongle referred to the “N2” code name of the MessagePad
> 2000.
>
> https://newtonglossary.com/terms/n2
>
> It’s highly likely that it’s just a coincidence, since there are “N 1”
> dongles as well.
>
> So, does anyone else have a grey version of the dongle?
>
> They were made specifically for the Developer Verification Test (DVT)
> prototypes of the MessagePad 2000. I have one and am trying to verify a
> couple of details (such as which country stamped into the casing) that make
> the grey dongles different from the black versions that would sold to the
> public. I believe that all prototype and test versions of the dongle were
> manufactured in Taiwan, whereas the consumer versions were manufactured in
> China.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> g.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Grant Hutchinson
> NewtonTalk List Dad & Web Custodian
>
>
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>
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