Macworld: Hands-on with the ModBook Mac tablet, and a look at the best iPod accessory ever
In the world of tablet computing, the sales reality hasn't caught up with the initial hype. First introduced in 2002, tablet PCs hit the one million sales mark in mid-2005. Initial predictions by the pro digerati of eight-figure unit sales were trimmed to far more modest numbers only a year or so later. Frustration with the handwriting recognition software (and a significant price premium over comparable laptops) played a key role in this.
In the Mac universe, those in the creative class have taken to pen-tablet input devices for a long time, and Apple was one of the original developers of handwriting recognition software for the Newton. That software later evolved into Inkwell, a feature in OS X Tiger. Nevertheless, Steve Jobs and company never had a lot of interest in develop Tablet Macs, as it was a niche within a niche, so to speak.
Undaunted by this, Axiotron and Other World Computing have paired up to deliver the first ever Mac Tablet, which they call the ModBook.
Axiotron produces a conversion kit for a regular MacBook Pro, and OWC, a seller of acceleration boards for legacy Macs, does the actual modification and order fulfillment.
Tablets computers take two forms: a "slate" model which is a single flat pad that is always exposed, and a "convertible," which looks like a regular laptop, except the pad/screen can pivot 180 degrees on a lateral axis, and lie flat again, exposing it for use. ModBook is of the slate variety, with the display frame made of aircraft quality magnesium alloy.
I talked to Andreas Haas, the President and CEO of Axiotron, and chief engineer behind the ModBook. When asked why he preferred a slate design to the presumed greater flexibility of a convertible, his firm reply was, "I don't believe in it."
In his eyes the convertible Tablet PC is a "failure" as a product, as it was touted as the be-all-end-all of flexible portable computing. It captured less than 1% of the PC market last year. So Haas' goal was to meet a niche demand in the Mac space in a cost-effective way. Axiotron leverages the latest screen technologies, with Wacom and Inkwell software under the hood.
The stylus pen feels thinner in the hand than someone using a Wacom pad is used to, perhaps, but for a guy like me, who has never used one, it felt comfortable and natural. It works like a regular pencil; errors in writing or sketching are "erased" by rubbing with the opposite end of the pen. I liked that. A custom application that's included with the unit sets up a notebook page where you do all your writing and sketching. Then, using the pen as a mouse pointer, you can select and drag/drop text into a text app, and the sketch into a graphics app. The text converts on the fly into regular typed format.
The slate design, though, has its limitations. There is no keyboard anywhere to be seen. That's not what this product is intended for. Haas suggests that if you want to use it like a "regular" computer, simply place it on a custom vertical stand (as pictured above), and use a wireless keyboard and mouse. All the standard peripheral ports (USB, Firewire, etc.) are still there along the edge.
ModBooks come in three configurations, with a 1.83-2.0 ghz Core Duo processor, and include an iSight camera, 802.11g Wi-Fi, a CD/DVD burner, and Axiotron's own (optional) GPS solution. OWC, however, provides the 1-year warranty, because the Apple warranty is voided the instant the original equipment is removed. The OWC warranty can be extended up to three years. Pre-order pricing ranges from $2199 to $2699 (they don't ship until April).
Unlike other tablet models I've seen, which I always tended to approach gingerly for fear I would break it, the ModBook's design look and feel sturdy, almost demanding the user to pick it up and work hard with it.
In my final wanderings around the Macworld show floor, I happened upon
the one unique gadget that made my entire week. It's for iPod owners
who simply cannot be without their device, no matter where they go -
literally.
Enjoy.
— Thomas A. Olson
Thomas Olson, the Publishing Systems Administrator for Consumer Reports' Editorial, Design, Production and Pre-Press groups, has been a Mac enthusiast since 1984.
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