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Tablet mod: 12" Powerbook

szsiddiq

szsiddiq

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 21, 2005
401
1
This thread follows my mod of a 12" Powerbook into a touch sensitive tablet.

Goals:
1.) Adding a touchscreen
2.) Removing keyboard and trackpad

Find out more, and watch videos of the mods progress on www.mechie.org


I wanted to use this forum to find out what alterations you'd make to your powerbook if you could?
 
While your concept sounds somehwat promising, I doubt you'll see much interest. People can be generous, but donating or even showing interest in donating to an unkown cause isn't something that many would jump on.

My advice is to make a little more information available. Maybe make some conceptual drawings?

Good luck. ~iDuck
 
iDuck said:
While your concept sounds somehwat promising, I doubt you'll see much interest. People can be generous, but donating or even showing interest in donating to an unkown cause isn't something that many would jump on.

My advice is to make a little more information available. Maybe make some conceptual drawings?

Good luck. ~iDuck
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice. Id come to that conclusion, and i really dont want to come off as begging. Id like this to be as constructive as possible.

Here are some of the more minor alterations that i can reveal:

1.) Adding fans
2.) Clearing space to add these fans, and to increase air flow through the casing. The modem is a definate chuck. The superdrive may go too (I rarely use it, and now that this is my second computer, i can live without an internal one.
3.) The space cleared may also allow for added usb ports and a second harddrive.
4.) Considering adding an IR receiver, and enabling front row - this is probably not going to happen, considering the Front Row Enabler hack is bricking machines with 10.4.8. I might just add the IR receiver and let it rest until there's a more stable hack out there.


As it develops over the next few weeks, you can expect more details.
 
i guess this thread was premature!
when i can say more, ill bring it back to life.
thanks!
 
Some news:
Decided to let go of some of the secrecy.
Here's a hint:
Inkwell
 
here's what ive said so far:
touch screen
removing optical drive
adding better speakers
adding new fan
removing modem
maintaining or reducing thickness
 
wow this is exactly the idea I posted...

which was already posted by someone else.

though im not asking for charity, just a chance to buy broken/damaged apple portables.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/232830/

241527358_b6cdf0a925.jpg


its no secret as I have the same idea basically, and when I searched MR, i found the above thread.

an apple portable, sans some of the innards and outards plus a touchscreen.

done.
 
Sdashiki said:
wow this is exactly the idea I posted...

which was already posted by someone else.

though im not asking for charity, just a chance to buy broken/damaged apple portables.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/232830/

241527358_b6cdf0a925.jpg


its no secret as I have the same idea basically, and when I searched MR, i found the above thread.

an apple portable, sans some of the innards and outards plus a touchscreen.

done.
Click to expand...

really neat idea, but different from what i've in mind
 
but basically the same, add your bells and whistles, but it sounds like a small laptop with a touchscreen.

im just amazed you actually asked for charity for this...and then want to sell it.
 
Sdashiki said:
but basically the same, add your bells and whistles, but it sounds like a small laptop with a touchscreen.

im just amazed you actually asked for charity for this...and then want to sell it.
Click to expand...

alright, forget that i ask for "charity". im more interested in what people would like. once its done with, id also like to know if people would be interested in having this mod done for them.
at this point, i dont expect any donations - i really should just edit that out of the initial post.
that, and i would want to sell the original i make - id keep that for sentimental value :)

Fixed the initial post!
 
why are you doing this?

fun
learning
money

any of the above?

youd have a much better response, both possibly donation and suggestion wise, if people knew what you were trying.

i highly doubt someone is gonna steal your idea if you were to lay it out.

most people are quite lazy, especially those who post to online forums.
 
Sdashiki said:
why are you doing this?

fun
learning
money

any of the above?

youd have a much better response, both possibly donation and suggestion wise, if people knew what you were trying.

i highly doubt someone is gonna steal your idea if you were to lay it out.

most people are quite lazy, especially those who post to online forums.
Click to expand...

lol, im sure your right. Ive posted some more details. Im in the midst of making some cad drawings, so once those are done, I'll post em up!
 
I have toyed on and off with the idea of doing one of the following with my iBook when I retire it:

1) Make it into a living painting (frame the screen and put it up on the wall and set it up so that it shows selected iPhotos, for instance)

2) Get a tablet mod for it and make it into a tablet Mac....

If you end up doing anything, more power to you, but I'm not particularly interested in donating to your project, as I don't see the value in that action as charity or the benefit to me (as non-charitable giving).
 
Sdashiki said:
wow this is exactly the idea I posted...

which was already posted by someone else.

though im not asking for charity, just a chance to buy broken/damaged apple portables.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/232830/

241527358_b6cdf0a925.jpg


its no secret as I have the same idea basically, and when I searched MR, i found the above thread.

an apple portable, sans some of the innards and outards plus a touchscreen.

done.
Click to expand...

is there room for a processor in there?
 
Begs the question "Why bother?"

Why more fans? My two 12" powerbooks run fine and with normal operating temps etc.

If I was going to get into mods I'd say replacing the combo drive with another hard drive (there is a mod for the 15 and mbp that does this).

Maybe if you're feeling adventurous a higher res screen (ready for Leopard's res independent interface).
 
emotion said:
Begs the question "Why bother?"

Why more fans? My two 12" powerbooks run fine and with normal operating temps etc.

If I was going to get into mods I'd say replacing the combo drive with another hard drive (there is a mod for the 15 and mbp that does this).

Maybe if you're feeling adventurous a higher res screen (ready for Leopard's res independent interface).
Click to expand...

probably not more fans, but a better fan - trust me i'll need it for this mod.

im taking the superdrive out to free up space. a higher res screen would be nice, but doubt if the logic board could natively support it. you'd probably have to route it through the DVI port. in either case, itd probably eat away battery faster and add much to the cost
 
szsiddiq said:
probably not more fans, but a better fan - trust me i'll need it for this mod.
Click to expand...

OK, what's the plan?

im taking the superdrive out to free up space. a higher res screen would be nice, but doubt if the logic board could natively support it. you'd probably have to route it through the DVI port. in either case, itd probably eat away battery faster and add much to the cost
Click to expand...

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/207751/
 
Sdashiki said:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/232830/

241527358_b6cdf0a925.jpg


its no secret as I have the same idea basically, and when I searched MR, i found the above thread.

an apple portable, sans some of the innards and outards plus a touchscreen.

done.
Click to expand...

pianoman said:
is there room for a processor in there?
Click to expand...

yea that mod looks like itd be tough. even after taking the optical drive out, you've still got the battery and harddrive to work with. altho, you could use a 1.8in drive and have plenty of space, so nevermind
 
szsiddiq said:
Yea i've seen that mod before - do you think its possible on a 12" powerbook? whats the highest res 12.1" screen around? lemme look into it
Click to expand...


Yeah it's a fair question and I'm not sure there's anything better than xga.


So what are you gonna need the fan/fans for? :)
 
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