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Modbook Pro to launch with SSD storage, up for pre-order October 3rd
It wasn't all that long ago that Modbook Inc's CEO, Andreas Haas, made the mac-in-tablet Modbook Pro official, now we're learning that the super-slate will launch with high performance SSD storage. So, as you wield your MacBook Pro come tablet, you'll be free from spinning disks. Great, but what impact will this have on capacity? Well, according to the firm, storage will start at 64GB as standard, with upgrades possible all the way up to a, not-unreasonable, 480GB. Pre-orders go live on October 3rd, along with the all important reveal on price. Regardless of cost, if that void between the iPad and full-fat Windows 8 slates had been irking you, here's your answer.
Axiotron's Modbook goes and Modbook Pro to get projected capacitive screens
Resistive touch-screens are great when you have a stylus in-hand, capacitive screens offer more finesse when you're going at it with fingertips, and both are about useless when you're wearing gloves (for now, anyway). That changes with the projective capacitive screen, able to offer responsiveness to a bare fingertip and also react to non-conductive objects like styli, and it's that type of screen that Axiotron's MacBook-based Modbook tablets will be seeing in the near future thanks to a partnership with Touch International. Starting next month, Modbook buyers will be able to add a Synergy Touch screen as an option, while those going for the 15.4-inch Modbook Pro will receive one as standard. No word on what this accessory will cost, but we think it's a shame the two couldn't get these things to market before the end of glove season.[Via Gadgets.TMCNet.com]
Axiotron Modbook upgrade: not quite 2 minutes, but overnight ain't bad
If you have $1,149 to spend, TechRestore can convert your MacBook into an Axiotron ModBook overnight during the work-week. They've put together a little stop-motion video, even, to show you how it's done. The $1,149 price is good through March 6. Overnight delivery options are an extra $29 to $99, depending on whether you ship it yourself to them, drop it off at a shipping center, or have it picked up. [Via Gizmodo.]
Macworld 2009: Axiotron Modbook Pro
Simply stated, it's the fastest tablet computer on the planet, and it's a Mac.Axiotron surprised everyone in 2007 by demoing a tablet Mac, the Modbook, made by transferring the inner workings of a stock Apple MacBook to a new chassis with a touch / pen interface. At Macworld Expo 2008, the Modbook actually shipped. Now Axiotron has raised the bar for all tablet devices by announcing the Modbook Pro, a new model made with the 15.4" MacBook Pro electronics.I talked with Axiotron's CEO and Chief Engineer Andreas Haas this afternoon. Andreas was with Apple's Newton group and said that he always wanted to get back to a pen-based device. The new device is impressively fast and powerful, and Andreas was willing to show us the insides of the new box. Enjoy the video after the break.Update: One of our readers asked about VESA mounting points for the Modbook. We believe there are holes in the Modbook to allow mounting, but we'll double-check with the product managers and let you know shortly...
Axiotron's Modbook Pro: when the Modbook just isn't enough
While we sit around twiddling our thumbs waiting for Apple's rumored resurrection of the Newton, we'll occupy ourselves with the latest 3rd party Mac tablet -- the Modbook Pro. Based off a 15-inch unibody MacBook Pro, the Modbook Pro has all the same ports as the standard model (including the ExpressCard/34 slot), supports both pen and touch input, and has a glossy black shell. Axiotron pre-installs Quicktouch software to aid those with fat fingers, and the screen is totally flush. However, nobody said that function came cheap -- the Modbook Pro starts at $5k, but there's a $400 discount available for Macworld.[Via Boy Genius Report]
Woz gets a new job
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak seems to be a lot more visible lately.First, he's been making bad web ads for SCOTTEVEST. Next, we received pictures of Woz whizzing from the deck of his Segway. He was fined US$700 for driving his Prius at 104 miles per hour (167 kilometers per hour) on I-5. At last, we've received news that he's actually using that geek cred of his for the good of mankind.Yes, Stephen Gary Wozniak has just joined the Board of Advisors of Axiotron, makers of the Modbook (that's the mod that turns a stock MacBook into a Tablet Mac). Andreas Haas, CEO of Axiotron, was quoted late last week as saying "We're thrilled to bring Steve onto our Board of Advisors. His deep knowledge and experience are an invaluable resource for Axiotron. Steve's forward-thinking and non-conformist approach, his incredibly creative engineering designs and his emphasis on the human aspects of technology have always been an inspiration to me."We'll be visiting Axiotron and reporting on the newly updated Modbook at Macworld Expo 2009, as well as interviewing some well-known artists and designers who use the Modbook as a creative tool. Stay tuned January 5th through 9th for TUAW's extensive coverage of the Expo.
Axiotron tweaks Modbook for better, stronger, faster performance
Axiotron has the upgrade bug again, and it's making a litany of small, useful improvements to its Modbook that add up to a seriously improved machine. For starters, the rig now has a new hardware controller board for improved sleep, battery and system performance. Moreover, a fresh bonding process for the AnyView LCD panel and paper-emulating ForceGlass screen cover results in a "better contrast ratio, a firmer etched drawing surface, and decreased parallax between pen tip and cursor." Also of note, the updated beast incorporates the company's QuadCoat process, which protects the top shell with a liquid metallic coating and decreases the weight to 5.3-pounds. The Modbook starts at $2,249 by itself, or users can convert their non-aluminum Core 2 Duo-based Macbook into one starting at $1,299.
Axiotron Modservice takes your sad, disused Macbook, converts it into swanky new tablet
If you happen to have a spare MacBook lying around, and you're at all intrigued by Axiotron's ModBook tablets, you'll probably be stoked to hear that the company is now taking orders on their website to convert personal MacBooks into the devices. Prices start at around $1,300 -- far less than buying a new one, which go for a base price of $2,290. Modification kits are being sent out to a network of authorized modders, the nearest of which will contact you once you place your order to set up an appointment for the so-called "transformation." You're totally out of luck, however, if you were looking to have your brand new, aluminum MacBook "transformed" because they're apparently "too cool" to submit to the keyboard denuding-degradation Axiotron requires. As if.[Via Notebooks.com]
TUAW reviews the Axiotron ModBook
Axiotron's ModBook has been making a stir for a while, so we're pleased to have the opportunity to take it for a spin. In case you haven't seen it before, it's a MacBook that's been modified into a slate-style tablet computer, and it's stiff competition for any tablet PC (for many reasons, not the least of which is... it's a Mac). Photographer Peter Boysen worked with us (video after the jump) to put it through its paces as we considered the needs of the artists and designers who are Axiotron's primary demographic. Read on for the rest of our review, and a video bonus.
Mahalo Daily visits the ModBook folks
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 been turned into a tablet computer. I learned a couple of interesting things about the device -- first of all, it's not a touchscreen, it's really a tablet, which means you need a stylus to use it. Also, Apple is approving, if not actually supportive, of these things. They're supplying the MacBook bases to Axiotron as an "Apple Proprietary Solution Provider." One could infer from this that Apple doesn't think there's a big enough market for these to make it worth Apple's making an iTablet anytime soon.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.
Modbook upgraded, now up to 2.4GHz, 160GB
Bummer to everyone who just got their Modbook, what, two months ago? As with the inevitable tide of technology, Axiotron just upgraded the line, bumping the specs to 2.1 or 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo configs with 120 or 160GB drives. The price on the base model stays the same ($2,290), but the new 2.4GHz config will run you $2,480.
Axiotron Modbook tablet Mac hands-on
Live from the heart-pounding, pulse-racing showfloor of Macworld 2008, we bring you a full frontal hands-on of Axiotron's long-awaited Modbook -- the MacBook tablet conversion. After all the waiting and wondering, we're not totally blown away by the end result, though if you're an artist or designer, this could be a real boon to your productivity. The build is sturdy, and the screen feels solid beneath your stylus (stylus only that is -- no touchscreen here), though the pressure sensitivity seemed to give out at really soft touches... of which there were many. Check the gallery and see for yourself.%Gallery-13934%
Axiotron finally ships Modbook OS X tablet
Welcome to 2008, readers, and if Axiotron's announcement that its long-awaited Modbook is finally shipping -- several weeks ahead of schedule -- is any indication, it looks to be a good year indeed for consumer electronics fans. First unveiled nearly a year ago at Macworld 2007, the MacBook-based, Wacom-modified Modbook has definitely seen its share of delays, although in the days and months since, the 13.3-inch slate has gained the distinction of being one of the few pieces of non-Cupertino, Apple-approved hardware. The world's first OS X tablet can be yours immediately starting at $2,290.[Thanks, Chris]
Is Axiotron's ModBook actually about to ship?
For a device which has lived solely in the hearts and minds of hopeful buyers for such a long time, the ModBook has certainly seen its fair share of news. The latest dispatch comes in the form of a letter from the "Other World Computing Team," marketers for the Axiotron-made tablet Mac, detailing expected shipment dates and new configuration options which are being made available. If you believe what you read, actual ModBook hardware will be shipping to buyers starting January 11th -- of course, they've been claiming a ship date for about a year, so we recommend you take this one with a hefty grain of you-know-what.
Axiotron's ModBook: distributed by OWC, tolerated by Apple
Since Apple is a bit too busy making teh sexay phones, OWC and Axiotron are taking up the slack with their new ModBook, which hacks up MacBooks and turns them into glorious slate-style tablet computers. The duo didn't cut many corners, either, since their MacBook mods hold onto most of those original specs, plus add in an optional built-in GPS module, and of course that Penabled Wacom digitizer. Pen input runs at 20x display resolution, with 256 pressure levels and zero battery use, and the MacBook's LCD is protected with some Chemically Strengthened glass, complete with a paper-like texture and anti-reflective coating. The ModBook is also shielded by aircraft grade magnesium alloy, with a copper and nickel layers for scratch resistance. Thanks to that slot-loading MacBook drive, the ModBook is apparently the only slate-style tablet computer with a built in CD/DVD drive, making it a nice option for portable DVD playback use. The ModBook is relying on Apple's Inkwell technology and other OS X enhancements for tablet functionality. Naturally, they're not exactly giving these things away, but the prices still seem reasonable for what you're getting: $2199-$2699 pre-order pricing for the "Good," "Better" and "Best" options. The latter two feature GPS, but if you pre-order now you can get it tossed into the low-end version as well. No word on an exact ship date, but it sounds like it won't be until March, April or later.
Pictures of the ModBook Mac Tablet in the wild
We got a tip that some pics of the ModBook, the Macbook-based tablet product from OWC and Axiotron, have surfaced on the MacResource Forums. How convenient for us!Just one pic that I can find and it's a rendering, not an actual product shot. From the looks of it, it's a "clamshell" mod that essentially flips the display over on the MacBook/MacBook Pro. I'm thinking it won't come cheap, but I bet many people will probably still salivate over it.Now pardon me while I go wipe the drool off my chin...
Mac tablet at Macworld -- it's not what you think
Who knows what Steve Jobs and co. have in store for us next week at Macworld, but we'd be pretty damn floored if they trotted out a Mac tablet for the awaiting hordes. But never fear, it looks like OWC and manufacturing partner Axiotron are stepping in to fill the void with what they dub the "ModBook, the first ever Mac® tablet computer solution." While we'd have to take issue with the claim of first, since resourceful hackers have been modding up their own Mac laptops into tablets for years now, but the fact that these two companies are bringing the slate-style notebook to the masses for what we presume is a high but attainable price point is plenty noteworthy. The touch input comes courtesy of WACOM, and thanks to Apple's Inkwell technology, there's already plenty of pen-based interfacing available in OS X. Axiotron and OWC also managed to stuff a GPS option into their ModBook, for even more good times, but unfortunately that's all the info we've got so far. We'll be finding out more when the computer is officially unveiled on January 9th at Macworld.[Via TUAW; thanks Matthew H]
