The only way to truly determine which is the "better" machine is to let them coexist in the marketplace for 12-18 months and see which comes out better. My guess is that both will be going strong 18 months from now.
The device is more than just processor, or HWR, or nice font or built-in software. The device includes the long-range implications of the technology inside, the usability factors, the price, the development flexiblity, etc. It is more than the sum of the parts.
Newton and Zoomer represent different philosophies, both of which are 100% valid approaches to solving the problems of mobile computing. My opinion is that the flexibility and power of Zoomer's software will allow for more improvements over the next few years, and that this will eliminate the advantages the Newton has while maintaining the Zoomer's advantages.
But then again, it's only an opinion, like whether the real estate market will go up or down.
Pete.Subj: Snoozer