In Part 3 of my Axiotron ModBook InkShow series, I take a look at how the ModBook performs as a Tablet PC using Apple's InkWell technology: InkPad, WriteAnywhere, and Rotation. In short - Apple has a long way to go.

Be sure to watch Part 1, where I tour the ModBook and review some of the software included with the ModBook; and Part 2 where I see how the ModBook performs as a Vista-based Tablet PC using Bootcamp and VMWare.

• Watch the embedded version below
• Download the high res version here ( 33 minutes, 249 mb)
• Visit Axiotron
• Visit MageSW.com
• Watch Part 1 and Part 2

In Part 2 of my Axiotron ModBook InkShow series, I take a look at how the ModBook performs as a Windows Vista based Tablet PC under Bootcamp and under VMWare's Fusion.

In short, Vista Bootcamp provided a near seamless slate tablet pc experience, with the added benefit of having 512 levels of pressure sensitivity and a built-in cd drive. Although a heavy slate Tablet PC, the ModBook performed wonderfully, and is a compelling solution for those needing to keyboard in OS X and ink in Vista using one machine. VMWare's Fusion was a different story, though. There was digitizer support via VMWare, so all inking was accomplished using the standard mouse driver. In addition, there was no TIP support. This VMWare installation was using the Bootcamp partition tested above. For my usage scenarios, I would be more interested in a VMWare solution that worked seamlessly rather than Bootcamp, so this was a disappointment for me.

Be sure to watch Part 1 where I tour the ModBook and review some of the software included with  the ModBook. In Part 3, I'll take a look at Apple's InkWell applications. I'll then wrap it all up with some closing thoughts.

• Watch the embedded version below
• Download the high res version here ( 24 minutes, 185 mb)
• Visit Axiotron
• Visit VMWare.com
• Watch Part 1

I've been looking forward to reviewing Axiotron's ModBook ever since it was announced in January 2007. Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to finally receive a ModBook and experience an Apple Tablet for the very first time.

There is so much to cover on the ModBook, I decided to break this review in to a three-part series. In Part 1, I take a tour of the hardware and show off some of the software included with the ModBook , including a sneak peak at a beta ink brainstorming / mindmapping application developed by Mage Software.

Stay tuned for Part 2, when I take a look at the ModBook running Vista Bootcamp and Vista under VMWare's Fusion. In Part 3, I'll take a look at Apple's InkWell applications. I'll then wrap it all up with some closing thoughts.

• Watch the embedded version below
• Download the high res version here ( 29 minutes, 239 mb)
• Visit Axiotron
• Visit Mage Software

I've really been enjoying getting to know Axiotron's ModBook Tablet these past several weeks. There is nothing like using a MacBook in slate mode with an active digitizer!

The ModBook has been one of the most challenging reviews I've ever taken on due to what the ModBook represents and offers: it is a slate Tablet PC, Apple's own ink offerings ( or lack thereof ), the mobility aspect, Windows bootcamp, Parallels / VMWare Fusion, and more. It has been mind-boggling to wrap my head around and present in those various scenarios, each compelling in the own right.

With so much to offer, the ModBook represents the most options for how to use a Tablet PC that I've ever used before. Axiotron's biggest hurdle for mobile pc users to seriously consider this offering is Apple's own ink experience. There is so much potential there, but it is no where near Microsoft's excellent work.

I've finished all of my video and will be launching them  beginning on Monday, a few days later than planned. I'll be presenting them in a series, focusing on each aspect: the ModBook, Axiotron's included software, 3rd party apps, Apple's Ink, Vista, VMWare, Bootcamp, Mobility, and more. I'm still deciding on the best way to produce the 2 1/2 hours of video I've got so I don't end up with 10 different parts, nor end  up with multiple segments that are 45 minutes long, either.

So, look for the first video to be launched on Monday, to be followed up with the other parts in subsequent days.

For those of you who can't wait for the upcoming reviews:

• An excellent solution for artists who live in OS X. 512 levels of pressure sensitivity with a built-in digitizer - enough said. Highly recommend it.
• For the non-artist / non Windows tablet user - can't recommend it. All the pieces are there, but they are not "finished" in typical Apple fashion. This has nothing to do with Axiotron - it is all Apple. If Apple gets their act together with regards to Ink, the ModBook would be a very compelling solution.
• Dual Windows / OS X tablet users: The ink experience in OS X is so frustrating at this juncture, I can't recommend it as a dual solution for Windows and OS X mobile users. It just doesn't make sense if the person would be spending most of their time boot camped to Vista, and having to use a keyboard with it all the time while in OS X.  The only thing I would use the pen for in OS X is for navigation.
• Boot camp works awesome and it feels just like a regular Tablet PC. The built-in SuperDrive is a huge plus that is not offered in any other slate on the market. However, the time it takes to boot camp between OS's makes it a productivity killer, especially if you only need to ink some notes in OneNote periodically. I'd rather have a small Windows based slate Tablet PC for Windows purposes and a regular Apple MacBook. Use a decent sycning solution like BeInSync or SugarSync and you are all set.
• In addition, in my VMWare installation of Vista, the calibration is way off and Vista doesn't recognize a digitizer being present in order to correct the calibration. It is also very, very slow - took me close to 5 minutes to boot.  I don't have Parallels, so was unable to test it. I'm still experimenting with VMWare, though. I've just converted my boot camp installation to a VMWare virtual machine, so the experience might be totally different. If this proves to be so, then it might change a lot of things up. Stay tuned.
• UPDATE ON VMWARE: I just converted my boot camp partition to a virtual machine, and the calibration was right on the money, unlike my virtual machine that I copied over from my MacBook. However, Vista did not recognize the digitizer, so all inking was recognized as a mouse, so it was not smooth and was quite jerky - similar to a passive inking experience. There was no TIP floating toolbar, either. Definitely something for Microsoft, Wacom , and Axiotron to work on. To me, the virtual machine solution offers the most potential for dual OS X and Windows users if the three companies can get this worked out. Apple's ink experience is still a major downer, though.

I'm glad I have Axiotron's ModBook for two weeks. I'm going to need the entire two weeks to get my hands around this unique offering. I've been holding out on the video review portion until I have a good handle on the tablet features of OS X, other 3rd party software available, and the Vista Bootcamp Experience. I really want to get a firm grip on how the ModBook holds up as a slate Tablet PC.

That said, here some initial impressions after using it for the last couple of days. These impressions may change once I get to the video reviews next week.

• The ModBook is the heaviest slate Tablet PC I've ever used. This is not a great mobile solution. It is awkwardly heavy. As a comparison, the ModBook is 5.5 lbs. Motion Computing's LE1700 slate is 3.5 lbs. The ModBook is also 2 lbs heavier than the 3.5 lb Dell Latitude XT LED-based convertible Tablet PC.
• Others have noticed my comments on the constant fan activity and the heat. They have indicated that their ModBook doesn't act that way. So, it might be an isolated incident. I have not been running anything CPU intensive to kick off the fan, and it does run almost 100% of the time.
• I've been corresponding with the good folks at Mage Software about InkBook, a Journal type application built for the ModBook. They've also been prepping some other cool demo apps for me to show you. Think "brainstorming"
• No native rotation on the OS X side for the MacBook / ModBook, but thanks to the Mage Software folks, I've been clued in to some hacks that enable rotation on the ModBook. Stay tuned. I find the lack of native rotation to be quite bothersome because staying in landscape mode just isn't conducive to slate use. Here is the weird part: rotation IS support on the MacBook Pro. Apple, for some odd reason, took out that support in the MacBook.
• I have not given inking a try in Fusion or Parallels, but will be trying that out over the weekend.
• The lack of any hardware buttons is very frustrating, especially the lack of scrolling buttons. The lack of hardware buttons, coupled with the weight, heat, and lack of native rotation support, reinforces my suggestion that the ModBook is not the optimal mobile choice.
• I've really been enjoying Apple's WriteAnywhere feature. It does a good job of breaking down the barrier of the Windows-based TIP. That said, the TIP is much more powerful in terms of correcting the recognition errors. I really hope Microsoft brings back WriteAnywhere in Vista, but improves upon it for correction purposes. Microsoft still has Apple totally beat on the whole reco side. I'll video this in a comparison next week.
• Is it a good Tablet PC? I'm not sure. I've certainly seen better designed slate Tablet PCs from the likes of Motion Computing, TabletKiosk, and others.
• I've been trying to figure out where the ModBook makes the most sense and the point someone should seriously consider it. I'm not fully there yet
• The artist that needs native digitizer support at the desk and occasionally goes mobile to meet with clients, work from home, etc. The integrated Wacom digitizer supporting 512 levels of pressure sensitivity is enough of a draw to cause someone to totally turn their head to the ModBook instead of a Windows-based Tablet. This is a no-brainer and fits the mark perfectly for the artist. The added benefit of being able to see what you are drawing on without messing with the hand/eye coordination issue of digitizer tablets is also a major benefit. Wacom's latest digitizers, though, are starting to change that picture.
• The bootcamp scenario offering native tablet support in both Vista and Mac OS X offers some major cost savings options for those current slate users who also live in a parallel Mac OS X world. If someone currently uses a digitizer on a Mac and also enjoys inking on a Windows-Tablet PC, then they should give the ModBook a serious look. Having both options at your disposal is huge, and has the potential to offer some serious savings.
• The ModBook is not a good solution for those who primarily work in Windows, but occasionally work in OS X. There are better slates on the market for the windows user.
• The ModBook is a better choice for those who either work entirely in OS X from a digitizing standpoint and who don't need or rarely use the Windows functionality.

More to come when I start to release video reviews next week. I still need some more time over the weekend to get comfortable with the ModBook.

I just rebooted the ModBook into Vista using Bootcamp. It runs remarkably similar to a regular Vista-based Tablet PC. What is remarkable about the ModBook is that it allows someone to run the Mac OS X and a Vista Tablet PC on the same box - a MacBook. Amazing

I ran the Experience Index in Vista and got the following scores:

• Processor: 5.1
• RAM ( 1 GB ): 4.5
• Graphics: 3.5
• Gaming: 3.5
• Primary Hard disk: 5.1
• Base score: 3.5

I will say that the ModBooks runs remarkably hotter than a regular MacBook. I twittered earlier that the fan doesn't seem come on near as much in Vista, but I was wrong. It runs just as much and is just as hot.

The viewing angle on the ModBook is not near as good as other Tablet PCs I've used.

I'm definitely enjoying playing and experimenting with this ModBook, though - so many possibilities, so much to try, so much to compare.

The Axiotron ModBook arrived today. Here is quick first look at the ModBook. This is NOT a review - it is just a quick look.

By the way, I mentioned how heavy the ModBook was. To compare, the MacBook is 4 lbs 14.5 oz. The ModBook is 5 lbs 8 oz.

I'll be covering the included apps, as well as built-in Apple support for Ink. In addition, I'll have an inkshow on how well this tablet holds up for artists, as well as how it performs as a Windows Vista-based Tablet PC running bootcamp.

Should be fun!!

When news first got out in January 2007 about Axiotron's ModBook, yours truly was beyond ecstatic at the thought of an Apple-based Tablet. We'll, we've been waiting ever since to get our hands on one, and am pleased to say that Axiotron notified me yesterday that the ModBook is on its way to us!

Here's the kicker: Axiotron configured boot-camp with Vista, so in addition to covering the Mac OS X side of the tablet, I'll also be checking out how the ModBook holds up as a Windows-based Tablet PC.  With 512 levels of pressure sensitivity, built-in GPS, and built-in SuperDrive, it ought to be fun. I have a friend who is an awesome graphic artist, so I'll be getting his impressions of it from that perspective as well.

There will finally be a review on the ModBook Tablet from a site that knows Tablet PCs - GottaBeMobile.com!

As promised, James Allan Brady of SlashGear is beginning to share his thoughts on the Axiotron Modbook. In what he calls Part I of a review he publishes quite a few pictures and this interesting tidbit:

So far, I am not sold on it, but, my sister, who is taking classes in college for photography and the various digital arts got her hands on it and wouldn’t let go until I took it away to charge it.

Followed by this:

Due solely to the lack of a keyboard, and the fact that you have to use the digitizer pen for everything, I wouldn’t recommend for any every day business or office user. However, if you are in the visual arts, architecture, design, or any of the fields where you might use the features of this tablet, I honestly don’t think there is anything better for you out there.

There are some issues he’s experiencing so check out the rest of his observations here.

James Brady at SlashGear has gotten his hands on the Axiotron ModBook (you remember that MacBook that has been reconfigured to be a slate Tablet) and has posted some unboxing photos. I’m looking forward to what James has to say once he’s taken the ModBook for a spin, especially how well the InkWell software works given that this a slate. One interesting tibit that I probably missed along the way. Axiotron has added in a GPS unit.

Xavier Lanier, of Notebooks.com, has some good video footage of the new ModBook from Axiotron, being demoed at Macworld. He shows us the new mirrored-finish ModBook running Quick Clicks, an app that makes it easier to enter frequently used key combinations.

Xavier also reports that Axiotron is considering a 15" ModBook Pro, based on the MacBook Pro.

I just received notice from Other World Computing that the first ModBooks started shipping on January 11th, with first priority going to those who placed orders in January 2007. According to their press release, there is a significant pre-order queue, with new orders expected to ship around mid-February. We are still waiting for our review unit.

Axiotron will be demonstrating the ModBook at MacWorld in booth S-408.

Press Release:

Other World Computing (OWC) http://www.macsales.com, a leading Mac technology company, announced today that the first Axiotron Modbook solutions began shipping to customers Jan. 11. 

Modbook, the one and only tablet Mac solution, was named best of Macworld 2007 following the joint OWC/Axiotron introduction of the product on January 9th, 2007. The Modbook is better than ever today, benefiting from the latest, higher performance Apple MacBook base platform - Apple Leopard 10.5 OS - and new Axiotron Modbook Tablet features including standard inclusion of built in GPS.

The Modbook is an after-market hardware modification solution of the Apple  MacBook  notebook computer, adding true pen input, a new 13.3" wide screen LCD and Global Positioning System in a tough, satin chrome-plated magnesium top shell, while keeping all the powerful features of the MacBook base system. With the award winning Mac OS  X ,  built-in Inkwell handwriting recognition, up to 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, integrated iSight  camera, Bluetooth, 802.11n/g/b Wireless, and the CD/DVD combo or Superdrive, the slate-style Axiotron Modbook is the ultimate companion for applications and situations where a keyboard only gets in the way. Perfect for mobile users, artists, students, medical practitioners and other professionals, the Modbook is the perfect fit for on-the-go situations where a desktop computer option is not available or practical. 

OWC offers Modbook solutions starting from $2,279 in a base configuration .