I think if this was a viable market for Apple to get into they would have already. There are lots of tablets out there.
There are also a lot of phones out there.....
I think this is brilliant. Only problem is the lack of a keyboard, also, I would like it to have a firewire800 port (Not their fault, but it's one of the big reasons I'm buying a Macbook Pro instead of a macbook.) This thing would be more versatile than presently presented with a Firewire 800 port. It could be one of the best portable music studios anywhere. I definitely think mixing a trusted name in the computer world, like Apple, with a trusted name in the tablet world, like Wacom, is just a recipe for success.
Apple, Inc. has no Tablet to sell, but all of the technology to make the best one.
I am so in Hell; so in Hell.
V/R,
Aries 1B
It's a touch sensor, just buy any of the myriad of soft-tipped stylii and you're set.
Of course the iPhone probably doesn't have any apps that let you draw, nor handwriting recognition, as they're unnecessary for that sort of deal. If apple ever moves into the PDA-type-phone, then it'll be needed.
We finally get a look at a OS X based Tablet and only 23 posts? Now dang it, you tablet lovers can't be picky, you got to buy the freekn' thing after all the whining you did on the board. Even if it was just three of you wanting the thing and just posting a lot.
Looks okay. Have to test drive in person. I do have like 3 tablets but 2 are ruggedized. 1 is an older Motion Computing. If I were to try to buy a 4th it'd have to have more than a GMA to justify it...even with OSX.
I would hope an Apple made tablet would come with a first class dock that included 2 PCIe slots, 2 HD bay and lots o ports. The tablet itself would use flash for media which will be limited so a dock with more storage would be helpful.
Are Flash drive RAIDable? In other words can the thin wafer flash cards be linked like hard disks into a RAID, to create a larger space without taking up more physical space? It seems that would help create a thinner, and lighter tablet.
Does this have the levels of sensitivity that the Wacom Cinqe tablets have: when painting in Painter or Art Rage, or even Photoshop, will the stroke respond to the pressure of the stylus?
Are we certain that it can't rotate into portrait mode. I know in larger LCD monitors the video card determines whether you can rotate the monitor or not. But perhaps they've updated the video in some way to allow this?which would make writing with inkwell more natural feeling, and would avoide having to stroll to fill out forms.
An observation: Apple could so easily do this, basically a larger phone. As I said in another thread, a desk phone with video conferencing capability, ability to thumb through documents kept in Filemaker. The corporate world would eat it up. It's just a matter of time.
Another observation: I doubt Magic Touch will be part of Leopard, since no Apple made Mac has a touch sensitive screen.
I have often vocalized the desire for a sub notebook or tablet. Though this device does not fall into that "true" tablet category, this is a very nice modification of an already great machine, down to the slightly angled replant of the iSight. Have never seen the new screen, so I can't really say for sure. If they create a nice UI, especially one that allows users freedom in arrangement and set up, then this could really sell.
For now, the handicap is the cost; perhaps in the future this company might be able to have monitorless units shipped to them, or Apple will take the plunge and make something if lots of people are truly interested; who knows.
A concern of mine is heat. With the screen on the machine, won't it build up heat?
Steve even said in his keynote who likes a stylus!
Well, I for one as an artist who draws with pencil and pen as well as with a mouse does like the concept of a stylus and a pressure sensitive screen.
The right tool for the right job.
I'm elated to see a tablet PC that uses Mac OS software, though I would have been thrilled if it was produced by Apple itself. Still an after-market hardware modification is an acceptable compromise.
If they are still producing them in a year, after Adobe CS3 is released and when I have budgeted myself to be in the market to upgrade my laptop from my PowerPC G4 to a Intel Core 2 Duo I will definitely purchase a ModBook tablet. After all, I am an illustrator and this is the ideal portable solution to replace the combination of paper 9"x12" sketch book, small box of pens (The old school stylus) and 15" laptop I currently carry around with me.
Plus the price is right to upgrade from my 1.67GHz PowerBook with 1Gig RAM and 80Gig drive:
2GHz MacBook with 2Gig RAM and 160Gig drive ($1,774.00) + Cintiq 21UX ($2499.00) = $4273.00
2GHz ModBook with 2Gig RAM and 160Gig drive ($2849.00) = $2849.00
The right tool for the right job at an acceptable price. Not that I would complain if the price did drop or if in a year the ModBook was replaced with a ModBook Pro. Either way my point is its a niche tool for several niche markets one of which I fall into and thus I am elated to see a tablet PC that uses Mac OS software.
P.S. If I see myself needing to do a lot of typing (Doubtful) but not a lot of illustration and design at a meeting I'll just bring my well loved and then old PowerBook along. Though I do like what the fellow who posted after me suggested about the screen being touch (Or Multi-touch) sensitive so one can use the onscreen keyboard like a proper keyboard when the need arises.
If I hadn't just bought a MacBook Pro, I'd be sorely tempted to get one of these (assuming they're available here in the UK). Additionally, it's not quite there yet, from my point of view. I would like to see:
Touch-sensitive, rather than stylus-sensitive. This is a big thing - an onscreen keyboard isn't nearly as useful without being able to type fairly normally on it.
Multi-touch sensitive. For the same reason as above.
Rotation-awareness. Ideall, the same way as the iPhone. Failing that, a simple onscreen (or offscreen) button to rotate the display.
Some sort of mount, where it could be hung like a normal screen or iMac. Preferably also one that allows rotation. If it can act as a dock, i.e. proving extra USB sockets, line out etc., then all the better.
Things I _don't_ want to see:
The existing, flip-the-screen-to-get-a-keyboard, kind of thing. It makes the device too complicated, and for little good. A good, thin (read: portable) external keyboard would do the job just fine.
Wishlist:
Make it thinner and lighter, at the cost of the power of the machine. But that's something only Apple could do.
Package it with some sort of fullscreen paper viewer. So that A4 paper documents can be viewed fullscreen on it, and all of the page can be seen at once.
Higher resolution screens are always good. Ideal would be ePaper, or similar.
Basically, as far as I can tell, tablet computers take the functionality of a laptop and cripple it for the everyday user with an interface that's more difficult to use by taking away the physical point of interaction to suit a really small userbase with very specialised needs.
It's kind of a waste of everybody's time, really, and I can't see Apple doing it. I don't need one, I'd never even think about buying one.
The only solution I can think of is combining the clickwheel technology with a virtual keyboard (which I understand from my impeccable sources has been developed and patented by a large technology corporation in California.)
I think the only people who will love this are the graphic illustrators. As they're they only one who would benefit from the functionality the touchscreen provides. But they're the ONLY ones.
What advantage apart from that could there possibly be for this? It's basically the same size as a laptop, it's just flat. Who cares if it's flat. What practical advantage does it give you? None. It takes away your keyboard and mouse! I think Apple realizes the only appeal of it being flat is that the uber-geeks think it's cool. That's why they'll never do this to their notebook line. The form factor of a tablet HAS to serve a practical advantage, or else there's little point in doing it.
That Origami video that microsoft had, (the one that everybody drooled over but never got). It was pitched as having a computer that could be casually carried around and whatnought. Well, everything in that video could be done just as easily with a macBook. And people DO all of those things with their macBook. In order for a tablet to be successfull it has to be very small and very very portable (not like the Origami project, it's too big). I think Apple has clearly made their entry into the PDA/Tablet market with the iPhone. Maybe they'll release a PADD someday, but it will have to be super thin and not eat up batteries. For now, I think the iPhone is the solution they're sticking with.
Basically, as far as I can tell, tablet computers take the functionality of a laptop and cripple it for the everyday user with an interface that's more difficult to use by taking away the physical point of interaction to suit a really small userbase with very specialised needs.
It's kind of a waste of everybody's time, really, and I can't see Apple doing it. I don't need one, I'd never even think about buying one.
The only solution I can think of is combining the clickwheel technology with a virtual keyboard (which I understand from my impeccable sources has been developed and patented by a large technology corporation in California.)
Still. Tablets really irritate me.
Yeah. The ModBook is a good idea - a step in the right direction, great for artists - but I won't be getting one.
From what we've seen this week, I could see AAPL combining the iPhone technology with a MacBook to create a powerful but simple machine that does to tablets and UMPC's what the iPhone has just done to every other smartphone out there. THAT's something I might be interested in. Question is, does Steve want to go there?
When you take all the attention of the ModBook, and then combine it with our knowledge of Apple's new version of OS X that uses multi-touch-sensitive screens, it seems hard to believe that Apple is going to let ModBook have all the fun.
The only reason I will not be buying a ModBook is the lack of a keyboard. I want a swivelable touch-screen to get dual functionality out my notebook.
I'm impressed with the Apple-like attention to certain details. Like the tilted iSight camera. If I were to speculate, I'd say even Jobs likes the ModBook design; of course, not without saying that he knows he could do it better... and I hope he tries.
I'm with you on converting. I wasn't even thinking about the iPhone's "and boy have we patented it" touch screen interface. Apple really could kill us with a serious apple style tablet that would cater to all markets if they converted their laptop lines into swivel-ables. That way there would be something for everyone that needed one. MacBooks for students, MacBook Pro for artists, businessmen, and use in the many fields of sciences. Either way. I've been waiting for something like this from Apple for a long time and this attempt was close, but I too need to convert back to a keyboarded laptop for far to many things to go for this incarnation.
Now that I've seen what this (iPhones) patented interface is like it just makes me all the more excited about a possible laptop-tablet. But even though I agree that there is no need for a stylus with a phone, I would still prefer to use a supersensitive drawing/writing device with a tablet. Applications like photoshop, ZBrush, and Painter rely on a pressure sensitivity device for maximum functionality.
Comments
I think if this was a viable market for Apple to get into they would have already. There are lots of tablets out there.
There are also a lot of phones out there.....
I think this is brilliant. Only problem is the lack of a keyboard, also, I would like it to have a firewire800 port (Not their fault, but it's one of the big reasons I'm buying a Macbook Pro instead of a macbook.) This thing would be more versatile than presently presented with a Firewire 800 port. It could be one of the best portable music studios anywhere. I definitely think mixing a trusted name in the computer world, like Apple, with a trusted name in the tablet world, like Wacom, is just a recipe for success.
Apple, Inc. has no Tablet to sell, but all of the technology to make the best one.
I am so in Hell; so in Hell.
V/R,
Aries 1B
The iPhone has everything BUT a stylus.
Apple, Inc. has no Tablet to sell, but all of the technology to make the best one.
I am so in Hell; so in Hell.
V/R,
Aries 1B
It's a touch sensor, just buy any of the myriad of soft-tipped stylii and you're set.
Of course the iPhone probably doesn't have any apps that let you draw, nor handwriting recognition, as they're unnecessary for that sort of deal. If apple ever moves into the PDA-type-phone, then it'll be needed.
I would hope an Apple made tablet would come with a first class dock that included 2 PCIe slots, 2 HD bay and lots o ports. The tablet itself would use flash for media which will be limited so a dock with more storage would be helpful.
Vinea
Are Flash drive RAIDable? In other words can the thin wafer flash cards be linked like hard disks into a RAID, to create a larger space without taking up more physical space? It seems that would help create a thinner, and lighter tablet.
Does this have the levels of sensitivity that the Wacom Cinqe tablets have: when painting in Painter or Art Rage, or even Photoshop, will the stroke respond to the pressure of the stylus?
Are we certain that it can't rotate into portrait mode. I know in larger LCD monitors the video card determines whether you can rotate the monitor or not. But perhaps they've updated the video in some way to allow this?which would make writing with inkwell more natural feeling, and would avoide having to stroll to fill out forms.
An observation: Apple could so easily do this, basically a larger phone. As I said in another thread, a desk phone with video conferencing capability, ability to thumb through documents kept in Filemaker. The corporate world would eat it up. It's just a matter of time.
Another observation: I doubt Magic Touch will be part of Leopard, since no Apple made Mac has a touch sensitive screen.
I have often vocalized the desire for a sub notebook or tablet. Though this device does not fall into that "true" tablet category, this is a very nice modification of an already great machine, down to the slightly angled replant of the iSight. Have never seen the new screen, so I can't really say for sure. If they create a nice UI, especially one that allows users freedom in arrangement and set up, then this could really sell.
For now, the handicap is the cost; perhaps in the future this company might be able to have monitorless units shipped to them, or Apple will take the plunge and make something if lots of people are truly interested; who knows.
A concern of mine is heat. With the screen on the machine, won't it build up heat?
they would make a multi-touch tablet! now they have their new tech.
steve even said in his keynote who likes a stylus!
though i'll give the modbook its dues it looks cool, not for me though.
Bleh.
Steve even said in his keynote who likes a stylus!
Well, I for one as an artist who draws with pencil and pen as well as with a mouse does like the concept of a stylus and a pressure sensitive screen.
The right tool for the right job.
I'm elated to see a tablet PC that uses Mac OS software, though I would have been thrilled if it was produced by Apple itself. Still an after-market hardware modification is an acceptable compromise.
If they are still producing them in a year, after Adobe CS3 is released and when I have budgeted myself to be in the market to upgrade my laptop from my PowerPC G4 to a Intel Core 2 Duo I will definitely purchase a ModBook tablet. After all, I am an illustrator and this is the ideal portable solution to replace the combination of paper 9"x12" sketch book, small box of pens (The old school stylus) and 15" laptop I currently carry around with me.
Plus the price is right to upgrade from my 1.67GHz PowerBook with 1Gig RAM and 80Gig drive:
2GHz MacBook with 2Gig RAM and 160Gig drive ($1,774.00) + Cintiq 21UX ($2499.00) = $4273.00
2GHz ModBook with 2Gig RAM and 160Gig drive ($2849.00) = $2849.00
The right tool for the right job at an acceptable price. Not that I would complain if the price did drop or if in a year the ModBook was replaced with a ModBook Pro. Either way my point is its a niche tool for several niche markets one of which I fall into and thus I am elated to see a tablet PC that uses Mac OS software.
P.S. If I see myself needing to do a lot of typing (Doubtful) but not a lot of illustration and design at a meeting I'll just bring my well loved and then old PowerBook along. Though I do like what the fellow who posted after me suggested about the screen being touch (Or Multi-touch) sensitive so one can use the onscreen keyboard like a proper keyboard when the need arises.
- Touch-sensitive, rather than stylus-sensitive. This is a big thing - an onscreen keyboard isn't nearly as useful without being able to type fairly normally on it.
- Multi-touch sensitive. For the same reason as above.
- Rotation-awareness. Ideall, the same way as the iPhone. Failing that, a simple onscreen (or offscreen) button to rotate the display.
- Some sort of mount, where it could be hung like a normal screen or iMac. Preferably also one that allows rotation. If it can act as a dock, i.e. proving extra USB sockets, line out etc., then all the better.
Things I _don't_ want to see:- The existing, flip-the-screen-to-get-a-keyboard, kind of thing. It makes the device too complicated, and for little good. A good, thin (read: portable) external keyboard would do the job just fine.
Wishlist:This are really guys without style !
No product designer has touched this thing.
Sorry to say but is rubbish.
It's kind of a waste of everybody's time, really, and I can't see Apple doing it. I don't need one, I'd never even think about buying one.
The only solution I can think of is combining the clickwheel technology with a virtual keyboard (which I understand from my impeccable sources has been developed and patented by a large technology corporation in California.)
Still. Tablets really irritate me.
The only reason I will not be buying a ModBook is the lack of a keyboard. I want a swivelable touch-screen to get dual functionality out my notebook.
Why not just use your bluetooth Apple keyboard, and then you've got the best of all worlds?
What advantage apart from that could there possibly be for this? It's basically the same size as a laptop, it's just flat. Who cares if it's flat. What practical advantage does it give you? None. It takes away your keyboard and mouse! I think Apple realizes the only appeal of it being flat is that the uber-geeks think it's cool. That's why they'll never do this to their notebook line. The form factor of a tablet HAS to serve a practical advantage, or else there's little point in doing it.
That Origami video that microsoft had, (the one that everybody drooled over but never got). It was pitched as having a computer that could be casually carried around and whatnought. Well, everything in that video could be done just as easily with a macBook. And people DO all of those things with their macBook. In order for a tablet to be successfull it has to be very small and very very portable (not like the Origami project, it's too big). I think Apple has clearly made their entry into the PDA/Tablet market with the iPhone. Maybe they'll release a PADD someday, but it will have to be super thin and not eat up batteries. For now, I think the iPhone is the solution they're sticking with.
Basically, as far as I can tell, tablet computers take the functionality of a laptop and cripple it for the everyday user with an interface that's more difficult to use by taking away the physical point of interaction to suit a really small userbase with very specialised needs.
It's kind of a waste of everybody's time, really, and I can't see Apple doing it. I don't need one, I'd never even think about buying one.
The only solution I can think of is combining the clickwheel technology with a virtual keyboard (which I understand from my impeccable sources has been developed and patented by a large technology corporation in California.)
Still. Tablets really irritate me.
Yeah. The ModBook is a good idea - a step in the right direction, great for artists - but I won't be getting one.
From what we've seen this week, I could see AAPL combining the iPhone technology with a MacBook to create a powerful but simple machine that does to tablets and UMPC's what the iPhone has just done to every other smartphone out there. THAT's something I might be interested in. Question is, does Steve want to go there?
When you take all the attention of the ModBook, and then combine it with our knowledge of Apple's new version of OS X that uses multi-touch-sensitive screens, it seems hard to believe that Apple is going to let ModBook have all the fun.
The only reason I will not be buying a ModBook is the lack of a keyboard. I want a swivelable touch-screen to get dual functionality out my notebook.
I'm impressed with the Apple-like attention to certain details. Like the tilted iSight camera. If I were to speculate, I'd say even Jobs likes the ModBook design; of course, not without saying that he knows he could do it better... and I hope he tries.
I'm with you on converting. I wasn't even thinking about the iPhone's "and boy have we patented it" touch screen interface. Apple really could kill us with a serious apple style tablet that would cater to all markets if they converted their laptop lines into swivel-ables. That way there would be something for everyone that needed one. MacBooks for students, MacBook Pro for artists, businessmen, and use in the many fields of sciences. Either way. I've been waiting for something like this from Apple for a long time and this attempt was close, but I too need to convert back to a keyboarded laptop for far to many things to go for this incarnation.
Now that I've seen what this (iPhones) patented interface is like it just makes me all the more excited about a possible laptop-tablet. But even though I agree that there is no need for a stylus with a phone, I would still prefer to use a supersensitive drawing/writing device with a tablet. Applications like photoshop, ZBrush, and Painter rely on a pressure sensitivity device for maximum functionality.