Monday, December 24, 2007 - Finally, I got an email from OTHER WORLD COMPUTING (distributor for the Modbook) instructing me to make changes and upgrades to my order from February in preparation for shipment on or before January 8, 2008.
Naturally I upgraded my memory and hard drive capacity to go along with the 2.2 ghz Intel Dual Core processor and dual layer DVD super drive....
Credit to Axiotron for following up on their estimate of a late 2007 shipment. (well, January 2008 is close enough...)
So the countdown's on. I won't play "What's in the Box?" with you again.. I think it'll be pretty obvious so i'll just go straight for the pictures. Naturally my full review will follow soon after I put the machine through it's paces.
Yes Lou, there is a Santa Claus......
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Here's the latest regarding the much delayed, but highly anticipated Apple Macintosh Tablet solution, the AXIOTRON MODBOOK.....
According to my highly reliable source from within the company itself:
"Axiotron will be fulfilling pre-orders in the priority they were taken starting in late December......"
...which is about right now! Axiotron is also proud to announce that they are now an official Apple Proprietary Solution Provider which means the technology behind the Modbook is tested and solidly endorsed by those guys in Cupertino.
So everyone who ordered back in February (like me) might get something nice from Santa after all? I guess we'll have to see if they live up to their estimates this time....
As far as the Modbook itself, Axiotron will be exhibiting in January's MACWORLD CONFERENCE at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. It's a great chance to try this amazing machine out for yourself. The conference and expo runs January 14-18, 2008.
In related news, the UNOFFICIAL APPLE WEBLOG has consolidated all the news bits regarding the much rumored Apple tablet which is purported to be announced sometime next year. (Even as early as Macworld) Some speculate that the so-called "iTablet" will be small, 12-14 inch computer that will share the same touch-screen technology now seen in the highly coveted iPhone and now, the iPod Touch, and married with a Wacom based, pen-abled digitizer..... Another related post on TUAW is HERE
Of course... it's all speculation at this point. We all know how good Steve Jobs is at distracting the curious....
11 comments:
The other day I saw the article on compiling, and diluting the rumors of, what I call, the Mac In Touch (iTablet).
I think everyone is going in the wrong direction thinking about it, and most likely Apple has been doing the same. What I feel they should do is make a larger iPhone/Touch iPod/tablet which is a detachable iMac:
The screen is the computer, but has few inputs, and a link to a base. The screen is touchable for stylus and finger input, it has 32 GIG of FLASH memory for a hard drive holding OS and some information and programs, wi-fi, bluetooth, etc. The base it connects to (kind of like an iPod) has an optical drive, a larger hard drive (for all the stuff you do sitting down you don't need on the move), as well as a bit more memory and all the connections you need, a video mirror/second monitor port, as well as an airport to link ethernet internet to the roving tablet when in proximity of the base.
That way you have a traveling tablet computer, and when you sit you just wirelessly, or wired, use the mouse and keyboard. That would easily be made for under $1300; really just needs a new packaging of existing hardware, with the addition of a multi-touch screen.
Doubt they'll do that though. Apple has been letting this slip through their fingers for over a year now.
The patent Apple took out (the schematics of which are available widely via the internet) calls for a small 8-10 inch computer with touch screen technology.
It's about 3/4 of an inch thick with the Keyboard built into the screen. Obviously the touch screen technology has now come to fruition on the iphone and iPod Touch. So the only thing not decided is the size of this gadget.
From what I gather this device is NOT a full fledged computer but more along the lines of what you describe. Something of a mobile computer one can use on the go with just enough power and space to get work done on it. (internet/calendar/spreadsheets/mail/etc)
One advantage is not having to lug around an 8-9 pound laptop especially going through airports..
So basically it would be in between an iPhone and a Macbook. For the average consumer I can see the potential for such a machine. But for artists and pros, it's quite under powered for drawing and rendering in Photoshop and such... (which is where the Modbook comes in)
One rumor I read had this machine at a price point around $800 -$1000. Which would make sense to fill that bridging scenario..
Either Apple has this gadget all ready to go by January at Macworld, or this is just another chapter in the rumor saga which will continue to fester...
Thanks for the comments Anonymous... Although I respect your privacy, My blog is well moderated and "asshole" free so revealing yourself shouldn't be a hassle...
I was thinking over the iTablet format since it became a furore in the past few weeks.
My thinking was that a thin computer shouldn't have a full hard drive or optical drive for weight and power issues. It would be a 'note pad' basically, with obvious, extended benefits. But it leaves Apple with one serious problem - the OS not being sold. I figured a base with optical and full drive would make something detachable to be a viable computer, but not as good as an iMac, but not as limited as an iPhone. Few people REALLY need large gaming/rendering/full production art capable machines, and that would be a solution for business of selling OS while making a portable notepad-accounting-writing-drawing computer.
In this age the laptop is actually becoming a bit of a burden. It isn;t that mobile because of the flip top, and it still weights over 5 lbs in most cases. But wireless and flash memory becoming inexpensive give the tablet the edge to being the future portable.
It will be cool to see what Apple DOES unveil, no matter what they unveil. Being a leader of technology for the mass consumer market makes Apple/Steve Jobs a giant target of hopes and hates. I just hope he doesn't get up on stage and reel out the NEXT OS details due out in 2 years, and shovels another processor step up, then walks off stage.
Sorry for the anonymous tag, but I figured one name is as good as another on the internet. Everyone usually uses iconic names anyway. I'll post with this one from now on.
This is why the Modbook makes sense. It's a Mac solution and only for artists/designers who need the fancy digitizer and computing power of a full fledged laptop... The market is considerable for this use but obviously fails in comparison to the hordes of people who have been successfully positioned by Apple to embrace Touch screen, flash memory driven devices that fit their "digital" lifestyles.
It all makes perfect sense really. Have Axiotron take care of the art/design needs with their third party solution, and Apple keeps going with their own technology with the iTablet/Mac in Touch satisfying the rest of the consumer market.
Like you said, no matter what Apple unveils, it is almost always miles ahead of everyone else in every facet; design, functionality, quality and most importantly, Apple creates new markets for others to feed off of.
Appreciate the comments once again and you are more than welcome to remain "formerly" anonymous.
I can't wait to see this in person...Finally! Thanks for the updated info and links Louie & anonymous person.
Regarding the Modbook: Isn't it a bit underpowered for media/artist use? I would think the x3100 graphics card wouldn't lend itself to much rendering in 3d or animation of anything approaching professional level. Wouldn't a Macbook Pro model make a better starting point for a tablet?
Don't know much about this stuff so just asking.
Hey thanks for stopping by Gerald! You should definitely check out the modbook at Macworld if you can...
Smackmonkey,
You bring up something that has been asked of Axiotron a million times.. The gist of it is that they wanted to keep the price at the $2-$3k range.
The Macbooks are a good way for them to test things and eventually they are looking to expand the mod kit to fit Macbook PROs down the road
I agree that there will be a dropoff in graphics quality/processing with the Macbook but it will be more than enough for sketching, illustration and light rendering...
So...not quite a Cintiq/Power Mac combo but a lot more portable. Perhaps Axiotron should base it on whatever this new Apple tablet product is going to be. Assuming flash drive instead of HDD, batery life would prove a lot more usable for a day at the zoo. Sorry, I'm getting ahead of things a bit. I hope the Mobook is a viable product for all involved.
Thanks for the info!
SM-
Just from following this Mac tablet saga for a while now, I am convinced that Apple has no plans in creating a fully portable, multi-core laptop based on the Macbook Pro line.. As much as the pre-order numbers for the Modbook where considerable, they will simply not commit resources to just to create a "hybrid" version of a laptop.
So the iTablet, as much as you can probably draw on it, will not be a viable platform to do design and illustration on.
But it would be interesting for Axiotron to look into a further "mod" of sorts and incorporate flash drives, touch screen technology and like you said, battery power saving components that would make the Modbook last out in the field.
Thanks for the comments!
Oooh that looks sweet. Just wanted to drop by and wish you and your family Happy Holidays!!!
Hope to see you soon Louie!
Hi Kei!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family as well! Perhaps we'll see you guys in Calgary or if not, San Diego I guess.
Take care!
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