Nice signature, by the way. Very appropriate.
Just because you don't see the appeal of it doesn't mean it's inherently flawed. For anyone interested in art or drafting, it's a godsend.
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New Pen-Based 'Modbook Pro' Tablet Launching in Early Fall
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Nice signature, by the way. Very appropriate.
Just because you don't see the appeal of it doesn't mean it's inherently flawed. For anyone interested in art or drafting, it's a godsend.
Exactly. They're not selling 3rd party clones running OSX, they're modifying actual Apple hardware. They buy the hardware from them at (I assume) retail price, gut it, mod it up, and sell the results. Perfectly legal.
You mean those tablets that were on sale at CompUSA on Chagrin Blvd in Beachwood? Yeah, those were the days. At least, Bill Gates was right that tablets were going to become a future reality and here we are among the craze of that technology.
The iPad is just a consumer media device, not built for professional work. However, Apple could have offered a 'pro' version of it, although they knew that Axiotron existed and therefore it provided a means that they did'nt have to go through the trouble of manufacturing. So, consumers had two choices: 1. Apple's iPad or 2. Axiotron (professional work)
Sooner or later, 'pro' tablets are going to be sought after and I think using the stylus is very handy for precision work and creating signatures on digital documents and so forth. I think Modbook has the right idea. It may not go mass market but eventually it could happen.
Sure, the Wacom Cintiq is very expensive, but that thing is a monster compared to any consumer tablet. If I had the money, that would be the first thing I'd buy for my studio work.
Oh, and I'm formerly from zip code 44121. Peace out.
If Apple relaxed some of the restrictions in iOS we might just get more powerful art programs. Remember that it's built on Darwin, just like OS X. So in theory it could be made just as capable.
So please tell me... As you're standing around with your pro tablet in one hand... what are some of professional things you would use it for?
Just curious, because I'm not exactly sure what you would do with it one handed that you can't do with the iPad as it is now? Stylus, Nope. Plenty of those including a soon to be released pressure sensitive stylus or that it can't do handwriting recognition for note taking.
And do not tell me you'd need to set it down on a table to do anything professional with it, because then you've just completely removed the single advantage a tablet has over a laptop.
If the Axiotron was something people wanted it would've taken off years ago when it was first released, long before the iPad, I might add. There is an extremely limited audience for a full desktop computer in this form factor.
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You're joking right? In that case, why doesn't my desktop system provide me with a holodeck? Really? So you're saying a tablet computer that you would hold in one hand for an hour or so should contain a 2GHz Core processor in order to accomplish these types of things.
And please tell me why iOS wouldn't be able to do this on beefier hardware?
You're being more unrealistic then the other dude. Wake me up after computers can teleport real objects back and forth.
Well Mr Cook!
Methinks we need to buy this Company, complete with employees, and blend the
MBA/iPad into an Industry leading Post PC product
----------
Apple hasn't screwed with them yet, they may buy them, but they won't sue them, the Technology is
perfect
My friends, it's coming! WAIT FOR IT!
Methinks we need to buy this Company, complete with employees, and blend the
MBA/iPad into an Industry leading Post PC product
----------
Apple hasn't screwed with them yet, they may buy them, but they won't sue them, the Technology is
perfectMy friends, it's coming! WAIT FOR IT!
Renzatic is not joking. The Modbook Pro CAN do a full version of Photoshop, CAD, Corel Painter, Anime Studio Pro, Manga Studio Pro, InDesign (page layout), Sketchbook Pro, or any content creation application.
I'm talking FULL versions compared to a stripped down iOS app. And with that Modbook, one can take it to a client in person and present the visuals there, even on the spot making changes if needed. Plus, from what I see on the Modbook, one can multi-task fully with a true file system.
2Ghz is pretty good but you're looking at the wrong specs. It's the RAM that's most important, not speed.
Oh, and as for computers teleporting real objects back and forth, you watch too much TRON. The day that happens, it'll be close to the 22nd Century or beyond. Of course, I'm well aware of early experimentation within the private sector on this but it is not perfected.
EDIT: Oh, and tablets are NOT meant to be held on your hands 24/7. They are meant to be held, placed on a surface or lap. When you digitally draw on the tablet, you hold it like you would with a sketchbook.
How exactly can Apple sue them? They buy a MacBook (or you send yours in) and then they take it apart and Frankenstein it. There's nothing illegal about it.
Psystar got sued for illegally hacking Apple's operating system and then reselling it on non Apple hardware.
Hell, the Surface Pro does. As does a EEE Slate. As does this. I don't expect any of these tablets to have the battery life of the iPad (though in the case of the EEE Slate, it'd be nice to have some at least), but that doesn't mean they're completely useless otherwise. It's a work tablet, as opposed to a media tablet.
See, the programs I listed above all work best by touching a stylus directly to a screen. There's no disconnect, it's right there in front of you. You want to sculpt a bit on something in Zbrush, just touch the screen with your pen and apply pressure.
And guess what? A tablet is the perfect form factor for that kind of work. It's a type of PC that's nothing but a screen. You hold it in one hand, and draw.
Did I say it never would? Nothing's stopping the iPad from eventually becoming a fully capable media creation device in it's own right. Eventually being the key word here, because as of right now, it's most definitely not. It doesn't even have proper stylus support at the moment.
So until the day comes that iOS can run it's own rev of Photoshop (and I mean real PS, not what we've currently got), people are going to look for alternatives. This being one of them.
Yeah, I know. Might as well ask for the moon, right? Wait. What? How am I being unrealistic here?
Wrong. Look at Mac sales versus iPad sales. There's a very small niche of power user geeks who would want the iPad you describe. And there surely aren't enough of them to warrant the R&D, support, and other associated costs.
I know what the ModBook Pro can do. I remember when they first did this years ago.. and guess what, it failed. There is an extremely limited audience for this. If you REALLY want this, then buy a ModBook Pro for christ's sake. There's a solution to your problem. I'm telling you Apple doesn't want to make this type of device, because it only appeals to an extremely limited number of people; mostly to people who want to do really high art / drawing directly on screen.
Apple doesn't make touch screen computers either, but there are companies that can install digitizers in your Macs to give you touch screen capabilities. Does that mean Apple will do the same thing someday. Nope. They've pretty much gone down the route of continuing to use touch based input devices instead. But the option is always there for people who need it.
Furthermore, there is no reason why a company couldn't write an iOS app to do this once the CPU/GPU become more powerful and enough RAM is installed... and I'd argue they are getting pretty damned close to it now.
Yeah, that... was... a... joke... or something.
So what you're saying is us pie in the sky dreamer types who want to user our iPads for more than looking at porn (SHUT UP YOU ALL DO IT TOO
) and reading webpages should just give up because it won't appeal to my Grandma.Guess Grandma is Apple's core market now. She'll be thrilled. HEY GRANDMA! YOU'RE SPECIAL NOW!
: old lady voice : yayyyy
It's getting there, but I don't expect it to reach that point for another 3-5 years yet. Not as long as Apple keeps using ARM processors to keep the battery life up.
Apple doesn't see the point in having a full fledged desktop OS running in a tablet type of device. That's why they don't make one. It's really that simple. It seems very unrealistic to me that you and a few others waste your time whining about it.
Again, if it is something you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY need to have, then write Axiotron and let them know you're interested. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to sell you a ModBook Pro. OR... go buy one of the devices you claim can already do these things.
Totally agree with that. When they introduced the iPad I was disapointed that they wouldn't go that way...
Modbook Pro thoughts
The Modbook is awesome. When you want to get something done on the fly, this is how you do it.
The iPad is a fantastic device too. But its for consumption. For productivity needs its lacking. And why shouldnt be? Its designed for people to enjoy media, not create it. If it were my only machine to generate material on then the screen is too small, the chip is too slow and the memory is too lacking. In its present form its not practical for professional use. Remember that term because there are many people who have been alarmed with Apples product strategy. For a while there the iPad represented where Apple was headed in the years to come, but more on that later.
Enter the Modbook, which is a fantastic productivity device. Its everything the iPad is not and vice-versa the iPad is everything its not. Its deigned for professionals to use to create media. It has a solid-size screen, a decent chip and interchangeable hard drive to knock iPads spec right out of the market. And it has a stylus, which with its pressure sensitivity helps generate a wide range of creations in with the most natural and intuitive of ways. No more kindergarden-finger-painting. This is a number 2 pencil along with every other pencil weight ever conceived of by man.
I have a Modbook. I love it. As an illustrator, I have so much at my command. I have digital brushes and paints and pens that Id otherwise have to spend a fortune on the purchase in the non-virtual world. And I have the almighty power of layers and un-do which gives you flexibility and choices in your work, not to mention cut and paste. To illustrate, imagine writing anything without the ability erase back an idea let alone the ability to cut segments out and paste them in different areas. Thats the difference between the iPad and the Modbook - one is a sheet of paper with words on it, the other is a sheet of paper with words on it and you have the pencil.
Also as a filmmaker, I very much enjoyed the power of the Modbook. Ive been able to do a quick drawing of camera positions and send them out to my crews iPhones within moments. And editing film with a stylus is a cool experience. I have to admit its not the permanent interface Id like to work with but in conjunction with a wireless mouse and keyboard, its a very welcome break to the carpel inducing norm.
With Photoshop, the Modbook gives you greater control over your photo post-production. Touching up is very fine art, requiring very specific mouse movements. Many professionals use Cintiq monitors ( monitors that come with stylus interfaces ) and theyre very cool to use but unfortunately theyre not especially mobile. The Modbook allows you to work with Adobe directly on the screen and you can do it anywhere. And because its essentially an Apple product, it works well with Apple peripherals like the wireless Bluetooth keyboard. Ok, sure, not always fun walking around with that in you bag but once you set up shop working with the keyboard and stylus ( and with FCP and Adobe you need a keyboard ) is a great work flow.
So why didnt the Modbook sell like hotcakes? Well, besides the niche aspect of its market, as a user I can tell you it has one major problem: it weighs like three bricks. Im not kidding, its heavy. And because of that weight, it can be clumsy. Sure, its about the weight of an earlier Macbook but that was something built to rest on your lap. That doesnt work with the Modbook. For it to function well with a human, you either hold it in your hands like a five pound clipboard or you lay it on a table flat like a pad of paper. On a table is fine. But in your hands man it gets tough after a while. I kinda think its like holding a kid. Sure its fine at first, but try walking around all day like that. Yeesh!
The Modbook is also not something I use exclusively. Its not my primary computer. I do most of my correspondence and text composition on my Macbook Pro 17. I do most film editing on my Mac Tower in the office. I find it supplements, not replaces. There are some people I know who use it as their primary machine and I know its possible. But for me the screen is not large enough or the chip ultimately isnt powerful enough for multiple graphics program use. It could be the function of the heaviness and clumsiness of the screen. Ive propped it up and typed with it (there are these stands you can get which means one more thing in your bag) or I can just use my Macbook pro. Consequently, my computer bag weighs a ton between the two machines if I have to use them and the power plugs, drives and various junk. On set, PAs hate having to lift it.
Now, when I heard about the new Modbook Pro my first thought was what are the weight specs. I havent found any yet. To be honest, I love my current Modbook. I dont need it to be more powerful per se. Its powerful enough for my needs because its rare that I work with more than one program at a time. When Im there, Im there for a reason. Therefore when Photoshop, Sketchbook Pro or After Effects are open its usually just those one programs. So power - relatively speaking because you can always use more power - is something you dont necessarily need immediately.
What I do need is mobility. So if the Modbook Pro weights a ton Im not interested. I need it to be as thin as the iPad only bigger. I know, it aint gonna happen. But if its a Mod of a Macbook Pro I suspect it will be still plenty heavy. It may be that its lighter than the current Modbook but I cant see it being a lot lighter. Im hoping Im wrong though and until I hold one in my hands Ill never know. Maybe Ill be surprised though. Now if the Modbook Pro conversion kit converts a Macbook Air, then done - Ill put my money down today. Thats what professionals need.
But what does this mean for Apple? Well, with the recent launch of the slimmer Macbook Pro it would appear mac has not completely abandoned its professional users and more importantly may never be. Neglect for a bit sure, but not disavow. And while were on the subject, Professional User probably is too haughty of a word for a computer. Productivity User versus Consumption User ( reading books, watching movies, playing games, etc. ) is probably better. After all, there are plenty of people who would like to author a paper or spread sheet or budget that arent getting paid for it. They just like the Apple product catalog to do so. So anyone who wants to get something done on a computer would certainly enjoy using Mac. Thats obvious and yet with the iPhone and iPad tripling Macs already high-priced stock maybe its not so obvious. But the point is, theres room for productivity on devices and Mac still believes that.
So what do I want? An iPad Pro!
I need something that has a stylus. I need something that is portable. I need something that is powerful. I need a 13 to 15-inch screen thats essentially just the screen ( like the iPad ). And if I really wanted to go bonkers, a 17 or 20 inch screen would be awesome. Putting a stylus to an 8-inch screen just wont cut it. The surface is too small and mostly why most artists enjoy isles and two-foot sketch pads. Is that a pipe-dream? Maybe, but then again maybe not. The iPad has to grow up at some point. At some point it cant get any faster or clearer to work with, its plenty fast and plenty retina clear as it is now. It has to diversify what it does and who it caters too.
A 15-inch iPad Pro would create a newer, larger niche, one that firmly supports those who have productivity needs. Thats a growing population. People would interface with these devices and produce more human, personal creations. Imagine if every student took notes on a properly-size digital notebook in their own handwriting. This alone might just bring back hand-writing and penmanship, and for that individual-enough-of-an-expression-alone I support the iPad Pro.
So final words:
Modbook Pro - if its lighter Im there. If its more powerful even better. If it can replace my laptop and tablet productivity combo, well thats just bliss. Heres hoping Modbook can achieve this with a Macbook Air-type specs though or even better, heres hoping Mac says, You know what, we need to do this anyways.
At least, one can hope.
The Modbook is awesome. When you want to get something done on the fly, this is how you do it.
The iPad is a fantastic device too. But its for consumption. For productivity needs its lacking. And why shouldnt be? Its designed for people to enjoy media, not create it. If it were my only machine to generate material on then the screen is too small, the chip is too slow and the memory is too lacking. In its present form its not practical for professional use. Remember that term because there are many people who have been alarmed with Apples product strategy. For a while there the iPad represented where Apple was headed in the years to come, but more on that later.
Enter the Modbook, which is a fantastic productivity device. Its everything the iPad is not and vice-versa the iPad is everything its not. Its deigned for professionals to use to create media. It has a solid-size screen, a decent chip and interchangeable hard drive to knock iPads spec right out of the market. And it has a stylus, which with its pressure sensitivity helps generate a wide range of creations in with the most natural and intuitive of ways. No more kindergarden-finger-painting. This is a number 2 pencil along with every other pencil weight ever conceived of by man.
I have a Modbook. I love it. As an illustrator, I have so much at my command. I have digital brushes and paints and pens that Id otherwise have to spend a fortune on the purchase in the non-virtual world. And I have the almighty power of layers and un-do which gives you flexibility and choices in your work, not to mention cut and paste. To illustrate, imagine writing anything without the ability erase back an idea let alone the ability to cut segments out and paste them in different areas. Thats the difference between the iPad and the Modbook - one is a sheet of paper with words on it, the other is a sheet of paper with words on it and you have the pencil.
Also as a filmmaker, I very much enjoyed the power of the Modbook. Ive been able to do a quick drawing of camera positions and send them out to my crews iPhones within moments. And editing film with a stylus is a cool experience. I have to admit its not the permanent interface Id like to work with but in conjunction with a wireless mouse and keyboard, its a very welcome break to the carpel inducing norm.
With Photoshop, the Modbook gives you greater control over your photo post-production. Touching up is very fine art, requiring very specific mouse movements. Many professionals use Cintiq monitors ( monitors that come with stylus interfaces ) and theyre very cool to use but unfortunately theyre not especially mobile. The Modbook allows you to work with Adobe directly on the screen and you can do it anywhere. And because its essentially an Apple product, it works well with Apple peripherals like the wireless Bluetooth keyboard. Ok, sure, not always fun walking around with that in you bag but once you set up shop working with the keyboard and stylus ( and with FCP and Adobe you need a keyboard ) is a great work flow.
So why didnt the Modbook sell like hotcakes? Well, besides the niche aspect of its market, as a user I can tell you it has one major problem: it weighs like three bricks. Im not kidding, its heavy. And because of that weight, it can be clumsy. Sure, its about the weight of an earlier Macbook but that was something built to rest on your lap. That doesnt work with the Modbook. For it to function well with a human, you either hold it in your hands like a five pound clipboard or you lay it on a table flat like a pad of paper. On a table is fine. But in your hands man it gets tough after a while. I kinda think its like holding a kid. Sure its fine at first, but try walking around all day like that. Yeesh!
The Modbook is also not something I use exclusively. Its not my primary computer. I do most of my correspondence and text composition on my Macbook Pro 17. I do most film editing on my Mac Tower in the office. I find it supplements, not replaces. There are some people I know who use it as their primary machine and I know its possible. But for me the screen is not large enough or the chip ultimately isnt powerful enough for multiple graphics program use. It could be the function of the heaviness and clumsiness of the screen. Ive propped it up and typed with it (there are these stands you can get which means one more thing in your bag) or I can just use my Macbook pro. Consequently, my computer bag weighs a ton between the two machines if I have to use them and the power plugs, drives and various junk. On set, PAs hate having to lift it.
Now, when I heard about the new Modbook Pro my first thought was what are the weight specs. I havent found any yet. To be honest, I love my current Modbook. I dont need it to be more powerful per se. Its powerful enough for my needs because its rare that I work with more than one program at a time. When Im there, Im there for a reason. Therefore when Photoshop, Sketchbook Pro or After Effects are open its usually just those one programs. So power - relatively speaking because you can always use more power - is something you dont necessarily need immediately.
What I do need is mobility. So if the Modbook Pro weights a ton Im not interested. I need it to be as thin as the iPad only bigger. I know, it aint gonna happen. But if its a Mod of a Macbook Pro I suspect it will be still plenty heavy. It may be that its lighter than the current Modbook but I cant see it being a lot lighter. Im hoping Im wrong though and until I hold one in my hands Ill never know. Maybe Ill be surprised though. Now if the Modbook Pro conversion kit converts a Macbook Air, then done - Ill put my money down today. Thats what professionals need.
But what does this mean for Apple? Well, with the recent launch of the slimmer Macbook Pro it would appear mac has not completely abandoned its professional users and more importantly may never be. Neglect for a bit sure, but not disavow. And while were on the subject, Professional User probably is too haughty of a word for a computer. Productivity User versus Consumption User ( reading books, watching movies, playing games, etc. ) is probably better. After all, there are plenty of people who would like to author a paper or spread sheet or budget that arent getting paid for it. They just like the Apple product catalog to do so. So anyone who wants to get something done on a computer would certainly enjoy using Mac. Thats obvious and yet with the iPhone and iPad tripling Macs already high-priced stock maybe its not so obvious. But the point is, theres room for productivity on devices and Mac still believes that.
So what do I want? An iPad Pro!
I need something that has a stylus. I need something that is portable. I need something that is powerful. I need a 13 to 15-inch screen thats essentially just the screen ( like the iPad ). And if I really wanted to go bonkers, a 17 or 20 inch screen would be awesome. Putting a stylus to an 8-inch screen just wont cut it. The surface is too small and mostly why most artists enjoy isles and two-foot sketch pads. Is that a pipe-dream? Maybe, but then again maybe not. The iPad has to grow up at some point. At some point it cant get any faster or clearer to work with, its plenty fast and plenty retina clear as it is now. It has to diversify what it does and who it caters too.
A 15-inch iPad Pro would create a newer, larger niche, one that firmly supports those who have productivity needs. Thats a growing population. People would interface with these devices and produce more human, personal creations. Imagine if every student took notes on a properly-size digital notebook in their own handwriting. This alone might just bring back hand-writing and penmanship, and for that individual-enough-of-an-expression-alone I support the iPad Pro.
So final words:
Modbook Pro - if its lighter Im there. If its more powerful even better. If it can replace my laptop and tablet productivity combo, well thats just bliss. Heres hoping Modbook can achieve this with a Macbook Air-type specs though or even better, heres hoping Mac says, You know what, we need to do this anyways.
At least, one can hope.
So what you're saying is us pie in the sky dreamer types who want to user our iPads for more than looking at porn (SHUT UP YOU ALL DO IT TOO
It's getting there, but I don't expect it to reach that point for another 3-5 years yet. Not as long as Apple keeps using ARM processors to keep the battery life up.
The iPad is as popular as it is because it does have the battery life it has. It can be out in the field and away from a power source for a long time. That's one of the main benefits of it. Another main benefit... it's dead simple to use, there is no OS overhead that comes with desktop computing; you turn it on, there's your apps, touch the one you want to use.
Furthermore,
I've created spreadsheets for work using Pages.
I've ssh'd into my web server.
I've edited web pages.
I've designed web pages, forms and signs.
I draw.
I've written long stories (using a keyboard no less).
...and many other productive things all on my iPad.
Are all these things easier to do on my iPad then at my desktop computer? Absolutely not! The iPad wasn't designed to be a replacement... no tablet or any other device with a small screen can be as productive as a larger screen device. Period. But don't try and tell me that I can't do all those things on the iPad, because it is possible and I have done them.
Sure there's one thing that a tablet is absolutely perfect for, and that's design and drawing because it's direct. That's why there have been tablet displays for a long time now.
Honestly, I don't think the ModBook is a stupid idea. I think it's great that there's a company out there that wants to fill a niche.
Like I mentioned in a previous post, there's another company that will install a digitizer to make your Mac display touchable.
There used to be a company that sold Macs with Linux preinstalled.
All of these are great ideas and more power to those companies and the people that needed these things. All I said is that they've tried this ModBook before and it didn't work. Why would Apple want to attempt it?
I just think it's pretty stupid to lament a product because it doesn't do the one thing you need it to when it is obviously a product millions and millions of people do find useful. And the whole notion that it's ONLY a content consumption device just reeks of ignorance. You want to blame others as having a lack of imagination when they've obviously found many, many more ways to make the iPad useful then you have. Sorry, that's just how some of these posts come across to me.
For a moment, when I saw "pen-based" and "book" it made me think Apple was coming out with a book form-factor tablet similar to Microsoft's Courier tablet concept. That is still the type of tablet I'd like to have, at least for most tasks like writing, note-taking, drawing, calendars, etc. I'm still disappointed that MS canceled the project. Surface makes sense in terms of their overall Windows 8 branding, but that doesn't mean it's a better product than Courier would have been.
For some time now, I've wanted a laptop - without the lap! This looks like a good start - providing that I could run Snow Leopard and Ubuntu on it.