iTab project continues the DIY Mac tablet tradition

Folks have been hacking together their own Mac tablets for what seems like forever, and it looks like there's no signs of the tradition letting up, at least until Apple finally decides to make its own. This latest one from Wei of Weistudio is slightly more complex than most, however, with it employing a MacBook, a Wacom Intuos tablet, a separate 15-inch LCD panel, and some custom-made materials, along with an exhaustive amount of fine-tuning to ensure that everything worked just right. As you can see above and at the site linked below, Wei also didn't cut any corners when it came to the fit and finish of the device, right down to the Apple and crossbones logo on the back.

[Sarig @ Jul 10th 2008 3:01PM]

Battery time on this beast?

[grull27 @ Jul 10th 2008 3:03PM]

Slide out keyboard anyone?

[JimReaper @ Jul 10th 2008 3:06PM]

Now just make it cheap and I'm sold!

[pfromg @ Jul 10th 2008 3:27PM]

i dont care what it would cost , i want one and I want it now.

[Jamie @ Jul 10th 2008 3:08PM]

Site is fuxx0red, too many hits. :P

[CoffeeDragon @ Jul 10th 2008 3:09PM]

Way to go Engadget, you killed the poor guys website with all your hits.

[Andrew Campbell @ Jul 10th 2008 3:12PM]

I'd love to know the name of that wallpaper. Anybody know where I can find it?

[ddub @ Jul 10th 2008 3:15PM]

I think I'm going to use that guy's rug as my new wallpaper.

[DestroyerMTL @ Jul 10th 2008 3:16PM]

iShag Carpet.

Hot.

That being said, it's a pity he didn't machine/press some aluminum a la macbook pro. This looks like those old Sammy LCDs.

[tim @ Jul 10th 2008 3:19PM]

what's up with the 1972 shag carpet?

[BradS @ Jul 10th 2008 3:22PM]

Complete with all the stains from 1972.

That carpet was white in 1972.

[EricR @ Jul 10th 2008 3:31PM]

I think I can see fleas in the picture...

[Althon64 @ Jul 10th 2008 3:23PM]

They stopped the project. Just went to the website and it was down because of something about the screen.

[chaosrain @ Jul 10th 2008 3:24PM]

The lesson to be learned from this post: don't waste your money upgrading that carpet...you'll never be able to afford the effort to turn your Mac laptop into a tablet!

[Ayle @ Jul 10th 2008 3:31PM]

The website is getting hammered...

[MahjongAddict @ Jul 10th 2008 4:05PM]

What's with the cables coming out the other side?

[Quikboy @ Jul 10th 2008 4:44PM]

Aww. Too bad it doesn't run Windows. I mean after all, the latest version of Windows offers far greater touch capabilities, like top-notch accurate handwriting recognition, great virtual keyboard, gestures, pen flicks, games made for touch, and a few other things all built right into Windows to make touchscreen use far friendly.

I guess I'll just stick to my current touch tablet.

[Aki @ Jul 10th 2008 4:59PM]

Couldn't get to the site either. Found a flickr link though in the meantime:

http://flickr.com/photos/weistudio/

[crescentdavid @ Jul 10th 2008 5:06PM]

What is with all those cables? It's like they were unsuccessfully crammed out of sight on both the right side and the top left. Or is that just a design element?

[Matt @ Jul 10th 2008 5:28PM]

You can also simply put these tablets behind an lcd display, which isn't portable but is cheaper than a cintiq.
My friends and I messed around with tablets at our animation school.

[wei @ Jul 10th 2008 10:04PM]

Thanks guys, sorry for the slow-down on my website. Yes, you can view some photos about it on my flickr as mentioned above.
http://flickr.com/photos/weistudio/

cheers.

[wei @ Jul 10th 2008 10:08PM]

The thin cable on the left is USB. On the right are DVI. Both will be hidden away or at lease shorter when I received the remaining parts from eBay seller.

[Alvin @ Jul 10th 2008 11:08PM]

Way to go ... Wei .... all the way from Malaysia.

[Hamidxa @ Jul 11th 2008 12:41AM]

Why are Apple users trying to copy Microsoft for?

You want a tablet PC, just purchase a Windows based one, not one of these weak knock-offs.

[cRazYee @ Dec 15th 2008 9:28PM]

so lame!
there is nothing of copy or being copy
Microsoft nv produce any tablet pc,nv heard of.....

can i ask microsoft quit Zune and Xbox, just get iPod and Playstation will do?

[ddhboy @ Jul 12th 2008 4:45PM]

Please, its just a wacom cintiq 12" attached to a macbook