Mac Tablet from OWC

[MacRumors]

Other World Computing pre-announced the Axiotron ModBook today.... a 3rd party Mac "tablet computer solution".

The ModBook is a Mac tablet computer solution with these features:

• Write and draw directly on screen!
• True pen & handwriting recognition
• Built in iSight Camera
• Integrated CD/DVD combo drive
• The ONLY Mac solution with an optional built-in Global Positioning System
• Aircraft grade magnesium alloy for all terrain use

The ModBook will apparently be a heavily modified MacBook in the tablet form-factor and will be officially unveiled at Macworld Expo on January 9th. A hands-on trial of the device will be available at that time.

This year, MacRumors will be posting photos and reports from Macworld booths. A Macworld San Francisco sub-forum has been opened and we encourage vendors to register and participate in the discussion of their products.

[evilgEEk]

Sounds pretty cool. But I still don't think tablets are all that practical.

[arn]

they have to be pretty confident that Apple's not releasing a tablet at MWSF...

arn

[DontBurnTheDayy]

Tablets suck



unless they're made by Apple.

[Texas04]

Since when do other people.. companies make Mac hardware?

Furthermore since when do other people make computers that can run OS X.

[johncarync]

Originally Posted by Texas04

Since when do other people.. companies make Mac hardware?

Furthermore since when do other people make computers that can run OS X.

It's all legal...
Imagine someone buying a Corvette, modifying it with a higer horsepower engine and adding a huge spoiler to the back. Then they sell it to a buyer for a higher price.

I believe OWC is purchasing MacBooks from Apple, modifying them, and then selling them for a higher price. It is completely legal. It's similar to what the Outbound computer company did in 1989 when they came out with a Macintosh portable.

Whether or not OWCs Tablet Mac is profitable for them remains to be seen.

-John

[Xander562]

Originally Posted by johncarync

It's all legal...
Imagine someone buying a Corvette, modifying it with a higer horsepower engine and adding a huge spoiler to the back. Then they sell it to a buyer for a higher price.

I believe OWC is purchasing MacBooks from Apple, modifying them, and then selling them for a higher price. It is completely legal. It's similar to what the Outbound computer company did in 1989 when they came out with a Macintosh portable.

Whether or not OWCs Tablet Mac is profitable for them remains to be seen.

-John

That's assuming they're just modifying MacBooks already purchased from Apple. But if it's a new computer that they've designed and produced themselves, and somehow tricked into running OS X, then that is illegal.

[sweetandsour]

Originally Posted by Texas04

Since when do other people.. companies make Mac hardware?

Furthermore since when do other people make computers that can run OS X.

It makes good sense. I imagine this has all been discussed and agreed with apple.

No more tablet R&D for apple, no new product support for apple, no embarrassment if no-one buys one.
But if lots of people buy one, then apple sell heaps of extra macbooks (to OWC) that they already make a good margin on for negligible extra effort.
If the market goes crazy for 'em, then apple can always make their own, having done all the market testing / user feedback for free.

Win-Win-Win situation. Smart.

[AppleIntelRock]

"Aircraft grade magnesium alloy for all terrain use"
Sounds nice to me

[Peel]

Originally Posted by sweetandsour

It makes good sense. I imagine this has all been discussed and agreed with apple.

No more tablet R&D for apple, no new product support for apple, no embarrassment if no-one buys one.
But if lots of people buy one, then apple sell heaps of extra macbooks (to OWC) that they already make a good margin on for negligible extra effort.
If the market goes crazy for 'em, then apple can always make their own, having done all the market testing / user feedback for free.

Win-Win-Win situation. Smart.

Hmm... This is where we find out that OWC is a shadow company wholly owned by Apple, so that they can see what the market will bear for a Mac Tablet without getting their reputation blemished if it's a total flop.

[Digital Skunk]

I don't think Apple has their hands in this one. If Apple agreed to let OWC take this on then OWC got something out of the deal as well. Apple wouldn't let OWC succeed in a market while using their own hardware... then when Apple stepped into the market after a few quarters of success OWC just steps over and lets them in.

Naw... If that happened then OWC has to get something out of the deal besides just selling modded macbooks. They would have to make sure Apple didn't just make a real Mac Tablet and take all of their customers away. I think OWC is just taking a MacBook and modded it and selling it back to customers with a new warrenty. I think it is a bit too much for a computer that doesn't have that much more functionality over a regular notebook. Tablets are more of a niche market than the ultra-portable 11.1 inch screen notebooks. I don't see a wave of tablet owning college students in the library or anywhere for that matter. And when I do see the one or two students that have them they usually use their machine like a regular notebook.

They may flip the screen to show someone how it works or to show a document but how hard would it be to just turn the whole computer around. Other than that you can write on the screen... and that isn't that impressive if you don't do anything outside of animation and graphics. And you don't want to do that on a moderate sized 13 or 12 inch screen.

So of all the features of a tablet (the only 2) all of them can be seen as niche.

Just my 10 cents

[Macula]

Originally Posted by sweetandsour

It makes good sense. I imagine this has all been discussed and agreed with apple.

Win-Win-Win situation. Smart.

Indeed. After all, Apple can always follow its usual pattern: Closely monitor a small innovating company and kill it in a split second if it finds serious commercial potential there. "Killing" in this instance can mean

i) Apple buying OWC and its intellectual property, if it's any worth (as it did with Coverflow) or

ii) Apple utilizing its own touch technologies (see recent patent filings) and thus forcing OWC to obsolescence (as it will do with the ApplePhone).

[zap2]

I'll be watching this with all eyes...if it turns out to be good, and has nice features(support for ACD??) I might pick on up!

[benfilan]

what?? ....WHAT? so this is a piece of hardware, not sold buy apple, but branded as apple merchandise? is that not highly illegal? and why would Apple allow that? its kinda....disgusting.

EDITk, i just read ALL of the replies, and i get it now. it still seems a little bit.....uncomfortable.

[corywoolf]

How is this any different from the Saline Mustang concept? A small company in California buys cars from Ford, modifies them and resells them as "Saline Mustangs". I think Apple will actually be very supportive because it shows the creativity and drive of Mac users. If they for some reason get upset, they are just being a poor sport. Apple couldn't deliver a tablet in a timely manor, so someone else went out and did it on their own. I give props to OWC or whomever is making these.

[jnadke]

Well, from the pictures, we can assume two things:

1. It has a slot-loading DVD drive.

2. It has a 12" screen, probably 1440x900 resolution. Look at the Axiotron veiled pic. Compare it to the 13.3" MacBook screen.

[steelfist]

this is funny, especially from reading the previous macrumors article talking about steve saying that tablet pcs don't work.

[wmmk]

as others have said, this is just like colorware. as a matter of fact, I doubt that apple has any oppositions to this. why? I have a small inkling that they're behind this...

[MDMac]

I really don't see a need for a tablet mac (or any tablet), personally. My needs have changed quite a bit over the past few years and I've been able to get along fine by getting a smart phone, a laptop, etc. There really isn't much "uncharted territory" that other widely-used devices haven't already claimed their own.

[Xeem]

A lot of interesting speculation here, but at least we only have to wait four more days. As some here have already said, I think it is a win-win situation for Apple because they essentially get to test the waters of the tablet market for free. I'm sure it won't be a very accurate test, but the only one putting it on the line here is OWC (which I applaud them for), so this could really pave the way for an official Apple tablet down the road.

[Macnoviz]

It's like DIY month.

first the iPhone is released, and now a Mac tablet.

[a456]

This is a really interesting way forward for the Mac. It means that Apple don't have to do all the variants but companies can take the guts of what is already there and present it to the market in minority form factors that some people might want or just think are cool and so will fork out money for. It might just work, but having said that I wouldn't fork out hard earned cash to a company that may be here today and gone tomorrow because the support might just vanish.

[guzhogi]

To all those people who are saying tablets aren't important: WHO CARES? Just b/c you don't have a need for one doesn't mean other people don't. You probably don't need a scalpal, but I don't you hear anyone saying scalpals shouldn't be made. You can't assume everybody is exactly like you and uses and likes everything you do and doesn't use everything you don't.

[twoodcc]

well i sure never expected a company other than Apple to release a Mac Tablet.....i can't imagine as many people would buy it (more would buy from Apple i think)

[shyataroo]

this could be the start of a tradition, instaed of just apple annoucning new products and hardware at macworld, why not have 3rd party companies do it too? it generates more interest in the macworld expo, and thus more interest in Apple.

If anyone else has been to them, they would know that macworlds are ALWAYS crowded, particularly if its the first day. I predict that with the advent of OWC's annoucement we may see the Mascone center East and west opened up next year. (to accomidate the rapid influx of people)