Mahalo Daily visits the ModBook folks
The lovely and talented Veronica Belmont also runs through a few practical applications of the device, which I'd imagine are pretty standard on any Tablet PC -- the big draw here, obviously, is that it's a Mac, and you get all the software and UI-shininess contained therein. I don't know that I'm any more inclined to buy one after watching this (I kind of like my keyboard-laden PowerBook, to be quite honest), but it's cool to get a fun look at them in action.
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Our good friends at Mahalo Daily took this short look at the Axiotron ModBook, which (you've probably seen) is a modified MacBook that's...
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An interested ModBook guy pipes in:
Any review of the product that states, "Now Shipping," hasn't done their research. Once a ModBook arrives, most of the customers seem thrilled. Most reviews (like this one) give the impression of a great 1st Gen. Apple Tablet. But the purchase process is anything but Apple-smooth.
Axiotron/OWC/Carbon Computing have been having great difficulties getting modkits and ModBooks fabricated and sent. A lack of communication/news/reasons for the delays from these partners is creating frustration with the people most interested in getting their hands on them.
The on-going discussions at ModBook Gallery's forums note loads of issues with delivery dates.
That being said, I am still planning on getting one in the near future. It just makes me happy that my productivity doesn't depend on something like this. There are other products that people are getting due to the delays, which is a shame.
An interested ModBook guy pipes in:
Any review of the product that states, "Now Shipping," hasn't done their research. Once a ModBook arrives, most of the customers seem thrilled. Most reviews (like this one) give the impression of a great 1st Gen. Apple Tablet. But the purchase process is anything but Apple-smooth.
Axiotron/OWC/Carbon Computing have been having great difficulties getting modkits and ModBooks fabricated and sent. A lack of communication/news/reasons for the delays from these partners is creating frustration with the people most interested in getting their hands on them.
The on-going discussions at ModBook Gallery's forums note loads of issues with delivery dates.
That being said, I am still planning on getting one in the near future. It just makes me happy that my productivity doesn't depend on something like this. There are other products that people are getting due to the delays, which is a shame.
Any tablet pc that says 'penabled' is also using wacom technology. That means they're also pressure sensitive, have an eraser etc. It's hardly exclusive to axiotron, in fact most tabletpcs are wacom based these days.
Been thinking about how wacom tablets are used by most VFX artists and graphic designers, I reckon axion might pickup a few more sales with an easier mod; take a MBP, cut out the trackpad area, and replace it with a 4x5 wacom tablet.
I wonder where I can get that conversion kit without the full MacBook. I already have the MacBook which I use my MacBook to take notes at school, and I can write much faster than I can type.
March 08 2008 at 8:34 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyYou need a pen ... and that's bad.
Imagine the DJ guy using is fingers... multitouch.
Like this it's just a pen tablet conversions and stays a niche product.
A larger multitouch device ... with Touch OSX ... that would be nice for some people.
Maybe Apple will bring a larger one ... sometime.
But you don't need a superdrive and the many ports in there.
Instead it should be super slim.
"Veronica Belmont also runs through a few practical applications of the device, which I'd imagine are pretty standard on any Tablet PC"
from my understanding it does more than this since its tablet is a wacom gfx tablet with pressure sensitivity - ideal for gfx artists whereas most tablet pcs have a simple digitiser. tablet pcs have the benefit of a proper kb tho. and wacom themselves make a portable sketchbook with the cintiq.
the cintiq is tethered to your machine just like a regular wacom tablet.
March 08 2008 at 10:29 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyNow the question i have is where can i get one of thoes stands he is using while doing the sketch? Looks a bit like a dell monitor stand
March 08 2008 at 2:01 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIt's an APC stand.
March 08 2008 at 8:16 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI found it. It caught my eye too. It's an ergotron "Neo-Flex⢠Notebook/Projector Lift Stand"
http://www.ergotron.com/Products/tabid/65/ctl/Product/mid/387/PRDID/174/language/en-US/default.aspx
It's an awesome modification, but since the top of the chassis (the screen bezel) is aluminum, I'd have prefered that they also made the rest of the chassis the same material. Of course it's a modified Macbook, so how about a modified Macbook Pro?
March 08 2008 at 12:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyStill pricey, but they've added some extra HW and SW that certainly makes it a consideration.
March 08 2008 at 12:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI'll watch anything with Veronica Belmont. :)
But seriously, i'd never use a ModBook, but it's not FOR me.
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