Let's look at an example. I wrote a note about a dog breeder but didn't take the time to enter the person's name into the names application. Now I want to call that person but don't know exactly where that note is. So, I tap the "Find" icon, enter the word "Dog", tap the button that says "everywhere", and tap "find". As I understand it, this could take a long time on older messagepads, but on the Messagepad 2000 it takes just a few seconds. On my device, as it sits today, it only took two or three seconds.
Sure enough, I get a checklist of several references to "dog". There is the note I wrote in the notepad, just what I was looking for! There is also an item for my sister's name in the names app because I included the names of her dogs and cats. There is also a match for an item in the dates application where I had an appointment for "dog shots". It also found a reference to the word dog in a works (word processing) document I had. Finally, there was a hit on a record in PocketMoney (Catamount Software: http://www.catamount.com) for "dog food". PocketMoney, by the way, is a fantastic piece of software.
It's important to note that find didn't just find things in "text" documents like notes and word processing documents. It also found references in the dates and names applications, and in a third-party application as well. The Find application doesn't need to search through the text in each "file"; rather, it asks each application to search it's own data. Because of that, Find will continue to work with new applications and doesn't have to be updated from time to time.
Ok, this isn't a mind blowing application. It's just one of the unique things about the Newton that I love. It's simple and very, very useful. Perfect for someone like me who never can quite remember where I put something. With the Newton I don't have to be bothered with "filing" things. I just input data wherever seems the most appropriate at the time and can always find it later with just a few taps of the pen.
Including this feature as a fundamental part of the Newton OS was a very smart move. It adds a lot to the overall functionality of the device and is yet another thing that sets the Newton heads and shoulders above all other hand-held devices.
In my opinion, of course.