Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, Video, MacBook
TUAW Show Floor Showoff: OWC's ModBook
There wasn't too much that was truly new and exciting on the Macworld Expo showfloor this year. Don't get me wrong, there was a ton of neat stuff but nothing huge. Nothing that is, other than the ModBook. We've covered it before, and now we have a video tour of the hottest item (other than the iPhone) on the showfloor. A little birdie tells me that OWC got lots of preorders for this baby, and I know their booth was packed for most of the Expo.
Update: Some folks are complaining about the Netscape player, and the video quality. For all of these videos, if you head over to the Netscape page you can download the video in iPod format, or the original uploaded version. Here is the iPod version, and here is the original version (.mov) of this particular interview.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Wendy said 1:21PM on 1-13-2007
Ok correct me if I'm wrong because I'm not a native speaker, but isn't today one word? Like, uhm, always? The guy misspelled it two times!
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Brian Peat said 1:32PM on 1-13-2007
Maybe I'm a perfectionist, but if I was creating this product, when I got the point where I had to concede that the Wacom sometimes loses connection...instead of building the unit with a reset button to overcome this bug, I'd have gone with a different tablet maker. That right there just makes red flags fly up all over the place for me.
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Stephen said 1:33PM on 1-13-2007
Yes, #1, today is ALWAYS one word. Always. Also, if no software is bundled with it, does that mean that I have to buy software to take advantage of the GPS feature?
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Stephen said 1:37PM on 1-13-2007
Sorry for hte double post, but number two commented while I was confirming mine... My Wacom Tablet has NEVER lost connection with the pen or the computer. Ever.
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eggzakt said 1:37PM on 1-13-2007
I don't know about you guys, but during the demo, the guy was saying "uh" so many times I eventually couldn't hear anything but the "uhs". I started counting them, but lost count at 100 - and that was halfway through! Perhaps I'll have another listen and post the full number. I've got plenty of time on my hands. : )
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Joseph DeRuvo Jr. said 1:40PM on 1-13-2007
OK I am "the guy" and yes I did misspell it two times along with all the many other words I misspell many more than two times.
I am severly Dyslexic and spell check does not catch much of my creative spelling.
Also I often tell people up front that I am Dyslexic, so please forgive me.
You might notice I use an on screen keyboard that has predictive word fetching, so if I get the first couple of letters right I can choose from a list of sugestions.
Usually by the third letter I'm lost anyway.
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Joshua said 2:05PM on 1-13-2007
Is it just my computer or does that netscape player suck hairy goat balls?
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Joseph DeRuro Jr. said 2:10PM on 1-13-2007
Hey! people cut me a break, I really am Dyslexic and I did not go to broadcasting school(I'm a photographer).
The ModBook really is a great product. I am sorry if my interview detracts from that fact.
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Liquidmark said 2:11PM on 1-13-2007
Goodness!
Those guys are obviously not accustomed to public speaking. But it doesn't matter. What matters, is that they made a tablet modification for the Macbook that works!
Plus, the guy said that he was dyslexic, cut him a break, the software he had worked, that's the important part!
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Liquidmark said 2:18PM on 1-13-2007
Oop, left a part out. Don't want all of the Grammar-Nazis around here to get riled up.
[correction] the software [that] he [used] had worked, [/correction]
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Rob said 2:29PM on 1-13-2007
these videos play horribly on my 1.5 ghz PowerBook... cell phone video quality.
yuck
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Scott McNulty said 2:43PM on 1-13-2007
Hey all, first off cut Joe some slack. It isn't easy to be on camera, even if a jerk like me does a passable job of it. :)
Also, I just added some links to quicktime versions of this video and I'll be doing that from here on it.
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d8 said 2:49PM on 1-13-2007
1. hm... 2 Screens in 1 MacBook. doesnt sound efficient at all. what's the battery life for ModBook, compared with MacBook? if it's only 1 screen active at once, will it automatic switch active screens when you open / close the lid? one of my favourite of notebook Mac Trademark is the glowing Apple logo at the back of the lid. :(.
2. 2 iSights in 1 Macbook. What happen if we open PhotoBooth or any other apps that require iSight? will the MacBook select / choose iSight automatically?
Nowadays, people love automatic instead of manual settings.
3. is there any menu to choose or switch screen orientation between landscape or potrait? I would love this ModBook if it has accelerometer sensor to adjust screen orientations automatically like iPhone.
4. The thing is ModBook is a Hot TabletMac. what i mean Hot is Heat hot, not a hot sexy device.
MacBook is really compact, really thin, etc.. but because of the new intel processor, seems like it's pretty hot, that makes this MacBook is not in 'lap-top' category anymore. We only can use it on our lap for few minutes before it gets overheat, while heat on laps is bad for all boys & guys.. if you know what i mean.
And i do believe that we can't hold it too long on user's hand too because it's hot. Just in case if you really need to take a note of a presentation when there's no table & seat around you, well, at least user can hold your ModBook on your left hand (preferably Potrait Screen Orientation) and right hand writing (for right-handed) for a while only, but i dont think this feature will work well in this scenario (unless if you have a heat-proof gloove or solved the heat problem.)
Seems like ModBook is not a real tablet for me because ModBook user will still need a table to work on, and then start drawing / take a note. what do you guys thing?
5. From the video, i believe that the guy explain clearly ModBook Screen is not a touch sensitive. it's a new User Interface with stylus, while there is a GPS features. If you have your ModBook in your car, and you try to operate your GPS with stylus, can you guys imagine how dangerous it is? stylus will gone everywhere in your car.
Maybe i'm still excited to iPhone at the moment, but I believe Multi-Touch Finger User interface (or at least finger touch screen UI) is the only answer for this new features. GPS is a great features, but if we still have to use stylus, i prefer not to have that features before i get accidents. what do you guys think about this?
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Joseph DeRuro Jr. said 3:14PM on 1-13-2007
Scott
Thank you very much
You do make it look easy
And you did try to make me look good I was my own undoing
Second
It only has one screen the stock screen, cover, and key board is removed
Heat dissipation is a little better than a stock MacBook the exit vent is larger and there is less obstructions in the unit so the heat moves up via convection
Screen rotation is hardware supported and I was told that (OS TEN POINT FIVE) should allow the software rotation part
I have not had a chance to try it yet but (OS TEN) does allow voice navigation so if you are driving you might be able to talk your way through a mapping program (why use the pen at all)
Joseph
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Mat Lu said 3:28PM on 1-13-2007
Well, I don't care how cool it is I'm not going to "run naked with it all day!" :)
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Joseph DeRuro Jr. said 3:31PM on 1-13-2007
No No NoYou need protectionThe ModBook can be nakedAt least untill the
both of you are in privateThan what the both of you do behind closed
doors is your business
Joseph
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Entica said 3:39PM on 1-13-2007
This Netscape player blows. Next to unwatchable on my G5. Why are you using it TUAW when there's already really good and well established inline players? Is Netscape paying you?
E.
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Scott McNulty said 3:43PM on 1-13-2007
Entica, Netscape isn't paying us to use their player. Since TUAW is part of Weblogs, Inc which is a part of AOL we worked together with Netscape to provide coverage of Macworld. Ryan from Netscape shot and edited all these videos. I'm just the eye candy ;)
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peter said 3:44PM on 1-13-2007
bad reporting. get the damn cameraman to get some close-ups. close-ups of both sides. is there an express card slot?? firewire?
scott, where are you from??? you've got that quasi british-madonna accent going on.
passable job? stay away from cameras and stay in front of your computer.
you just went down 10 steps in my book.
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Scott McNulty said 3:51PM on 1-13-2007
Peter, it is a standard MacBook with a Wacom tablet 'screwed on,' so it has all the standard ports that you would find on a stock MacBook. We pointed that out pretty early in the video, but perhaps my 'quasi british-madonna' accent threw you off. ;)
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