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Baseline Modbook Pro gets its RAM, storage and screen sensitivity doubled, stays at $3,500

The first batch of Modbook Pros have yet to make their way to owners, but the base model is already getting a spec bump. The Macbook come tablet will have its RAM boosted from 4GB to 8GB and its solid state drive roughly doubled in capacity to 120GB. As for the Wacom pen digitizer on the slab, a total of 1,024 pressure levels will make it twice as sensitive than previously planned. What's the cause for the sudden volley of upgrades? Turns out the folks at Modbook Inc. managed to get a sweeter deal on parts from manufacturers and had the financial wiggle room to include better hardware. One thing that hasn't changed on the Modbook Pro, however, is its price: the tablet will still withdraw $3,500 from pockets. Those who've already pre-ordered one of the devices will get the upgrades at no additional cost when the slates ship later this month.

Update: Reader ThorntonArt points out in the comments that the Modbook Pro doesn't sport a touch-sensitive screen, but one that's sensitive to pen input. We've clarified the post.

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MODBOOK PRO GETS DOUBLE THE PEN PRESSURE, SOLID- STATE DRIVE AND MEMORY

Pen Pressure Levels on Modbook Pro Increased from 512 to 1,024 - Base Configuration of Modbook Pro's Solid-State Drive Increased from 64GB to 120GB and Memory Increased from 4GB to 8GB - No Change in Price

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (November 8, 2012) - Creative technologies developer Modbook Inc. today announced it is doubling the pen pressure sensitivity levels on the Modbook® Pro, the company's one-of-a-kind Mac®-based pen tablet computer for the creative community. The solid- state drive (SSD) capacity and random-access memory (RAM) in the base configuration of the Modbook Pro are also being doubled. This substantial improvement in the Modbook Pro's specifications comes at no additional cost to customers - the manufacturer's suggested retail price of the Modbook Pro remains unchanged at $3,499.

Beginning immediately, the pen pressure sensitivity levels on the Modbook Pro, whose pen tablet functionality is powered by a state-of-the-art digitizer from industry leader Wacom®, are being doubled from 512 to 1,024, four times the industry standard for tablet computers.

Additionally, the internal SSD in the Modbook Pro's base configuration goes from a 64GB NisharaTM-class drive to a 120GB SansharaTM-class high- performance drive. Also, the amount of RAM in the Modbook Pro's base configuration goes from 4GB to 8GB.

"The successful launch of the Modbook Pro has allowed us to secure more favorable terms for some of our components, and we're happy to pass the benefit along to our customers. In cooperation with our friends at Wacom, we're especially thrilled to be able to double the Modbook Pro's pen sensitivity to 1,024 pressure levels," said Andreas E. Haas, chief executive officer and chief technology officer of Modbook Inc. "The Modbook Pro is without question the best portable tablet solution for creative users, and even the base configuration crushes the competition."

The Modbook Pro ships later this month, so the improved specifications will apply to all currently ordered Modbook Pros as well as all future orders.
A seamless combination of a new Apple® MacBook® Pro computer and Wacom Penabled® digitizer, the 13.3-inch Modbook Pro* pen tablet computer is the ideal mobile creative workstation, offering power, portability and highly sensitive pen input.

As demonstrated in the new product comparison grid available at http://www.modbook.com/modbookpro-compare, the specifications of the Modbook Pro are superior to comparable pen tablet computers.

The Modbook Pro is now available to order for U.S. customers** exclusively at ModbookShop.com. Customers can use the dynamic product configurator at http://www.modbookshop.com to customize their Modbook Pro's processor (up to 2.9GHz Intel® CoreTM i7), RAM (up to 16GB) and internal storage (up to a 480GB SSD), along with other configuration and accessory options.

Increased Pen Pressure Sensitivity
At no additional cost to customers, the Modbook Pro will now have 1,024 pen pressure sensitivity levels, a 100% increase over the previous specification. For artists and creative professionals, this dramatic enhancement in pen capability enables extraordinarily precise and subtle control of renderings, underscoring the Modbook Pro's singular usefulness as a portable content-creation platform.

With 1,024 pen pressure levels, the Modbook Pro offers four times the sensitivity of the industry standard of 256 levels employed by the other tablet computers on the market.

Improved SSD and Memory Specifications
At no additional cost to customers, the Modbook Pro will now have an original Modbook Pro Sanshara-class 120GB high-performance SSD as internal storage in its base configuration, nearly doubling the previous specification. This SATA 3 Sanshara-class SSD provides significantly faster read, write, startup and application loading speeds compared to the previous 64GB Nishara-class drive. Built from the highest quality components, it employs synchronous NAND flash technology capable of more than twice the performance of the average asynchronous SSDs, delivering the best speed and performance available in flash-based storage for both uncompressed and compressed files.

Now all available SSD configurations for the Modbook Pro are Sanshara drives offering the same uncompromising best-in-class performance across the line. The Modbook Pro has two internal storage upgrade options: a 240GB or 480GB Sanshara synchronous SATA 3 SSD. Modbook Inc.'s Sanshara drives provide outstanding performance and reliability. The live system of the Modbook Pro operates without any moving parts (aside from its optical drive), markedly decreasing the chances for data corruption or loss. In addition, the Modbook Pro's SSDs are fine-tuned so as not to interfere with its pen tablet interface.

Also at no additional cost, the Modbook Pro will now have 8GB of RAM in its base configuration, doubling the previous specification. Optionally, customers can configure their Modbook Pro with 16GB of EnergySaverTM dual-channel RAM, offering lower power consumption and increased battery life.
Existing Orders

All Modbook Pros currently on order and all future orders will have 1,024 levels of pen pressure sensitivity (twice the previous specification).

For existing orders with a 64GB SSD, customers will receive a Modbook Pro with a 120GB SSD at no additional cost. For existing orders with 4GB of RAM, customers will receive a Modbook Pro with 8GB of RAM at no additional cost. Customers who ordered the 8GB Modbook Pro EnergySaver dual-channel memory kit can either upgrade to the 16GB option or switch to the 8GB default RAM configuration and have the charge for the 8GB EnergySaver RAM credited to their order.

Additional information about the Modbook Pro is available at http://www.modbook.com.