'Modbook Pro X' Tablet Based on 15-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Debuts on Kickstarter

[reden]

*facepalm* it's not about having a tablet. I guess for normal people like you a tablet is simply a place you watch youtube and fb in.
For us artist when we hear tablet, it's a screen or a surface we can paint on with a pressure sensitive, accurate pen. as it says in the article their mod even has pen tilt and rotation just as a wacom tablet.

you are not getting who they are targeting this tablet to at all.

I'm an artist too. I use a Wacom tablet.

 

[coolspot18]

you might want to ask those people first before talking. I'm here. I have not bought one but i sure want one. also youtube and google are your friends. those people already have. again, the mod book has been around for a long time now.

Yes, you may want one - but your boss or your company will not buy one because of warranty and long term support issues. Hacked hardware such as the Modbook only appeals to a very small subset of users.

For most artists, they will stick to a tried and true solution - such as a Wacom Cintiq Companion or even a Surface Pro 3; at least these devices have full manufacturer warranty.

Unless Apple officially sanctions such a device, it will never have broad appeal to the already niche market.

 

[Eweie]

Yes, you may want one - but your boss or your company will not buy one because of warranty and long term support issues. Hacked hardware such as the Modbook only appeals to a very small subset of users.

For most artists, they will stick to a tried and true solution - such as a Wacom Cintiq Companion or even a Surface Pro 3; at least these devices have full manufacturer warranty.

Unless Apple officially sanctions such a device, it will never have broad appeal to the already niche market.

did you miss the part where it says they give you their own warranty?
and you might be surprised how much people in the entertainment industry don't use hardware owned by their employers. Ive had to take my own cintiq to two studios, not to mention freelancing for 8 years. again the surface 3 is a joke. does everyone that has explained the pros to this product have to repeat themselves to you or are you going to save us the trouble and read the thread?

 

[jundi93]

I don't really see the point of this and it is quite ugly

exactly! thank you

 

[iMacC2D]

Removed.

 

[henzpwnapple]

they are allowed to put OSX in it?

All they did was to iFixit the housing, and transfer the inner parts to their "innovative" housing, then install a I/O plug-in simulating the awful buttons on the back. $1000 for that, fair price.

But is it practical? Well, in short, OSX is not built for touch - otherwise LEAP will be much more successful than now.

On the other hand, just hold your MBPR with one hand with the lid closed, then you will feel the weight of this "innovative tablet".

 

[Eweie]

All they did was to iFixit the housing, and transfer the inner parts to their "innovative" housing, then install a I/O plug-in simulating the awful buttons on the back. $1000 for that, fair price.

But is it practical? Well, in short, OSX is not built for touch - otherwise LEAP will be much more successful than now.

On the other hand, just hold your MBPR with one hand with the lid closed, then you will feel the weight of this "innovative tablet".

*facepalms forever* I give up on you, people. ignorance is bliss I guess.

 

[Flight Plan]

Now we're getting somewhere and it's about damned time!

----------

did you miss the part where it says they give you their own warranty?
and you might be surprised how much people in the entertainment industry don't use hardware owned by their employers. Ive had to take my own cintiq to two studios, not to mention freelancing for 8 years. again the surface 3 is a joke. does everyone that has explained the pros to this product have to repeat themselves to you or are you going to save us the trouble and read the thread?

Finally, an actual Cintiq user I can pepper with questions!

Worth it?

----------

I'm an artist too. I use a Wacom tablet.

Yeah, but I feel we're gonna have to change our way of thinking. Wacoms and Cintiqs are not "tablets". They are "drawing digitizers", or "visual art input devices".

Us oldschool peeps are going to have to change our language to accomodate proper descriptive wording. Maybe Wacom was here first, but that doesn't mean their products are best-described by the word "tablet", now that we have actual "tablet devices".

Let's not be stubborn about this. We should be cooperative and find a new word.

 

[furi0usbee]

This is what I would love. I would put this on a kickstand and use my BT keyboard/mouse when I'm at home as my primary machine (15" is a must). But when I'm out, I could use this is a tablet. However, Mac OS needs to have touch functionality built it, even for the stylus to work at a basic level. Using a stylus with a desktop OS is nothing for me to go and spend my money. Now if Apple did this, and it automatically went into iOS when I was using it as a tablet, and when I put it on a kickstand, I could switch back into Mac OS, now that would be cool.

For integration like that, Apple would need to do one of these. I've emailed Tim many times about how I want something like this. A 15" tablet for when I want to touch stuff, and a 15" desktop when I want to kick stand it and use my actual keyboard/mouse.

 

[lawlist]

Apple will offer a similar product in the next few years, but first they need to make as much money as possible selling the various different sizes of iPhones, iPads and current laptops. Apple doesn't want this type of product at the present time, and that is why they handicap iOS, and that is why people jailbreak.

 

[Xiroteus]

WTF is this ! 2,000 USD for conversion or 4,000 USD for a new one !!! this is hilarious Apple should ban this ! and who uses a pen-based tablet nowadays anymore ! it's just a rip-off.

"""Users get highly sensitive pen input with 2,048 pen pressure levels and pen tilt and rotate functionality for producing pro-quality creative deliverables."""

Artists.

As long as one can still touch the screen I don't see an issue with having a pen option. It would be cool if the iPad had REAL wacom and pressure for drawing.

 

[Raster Eyes]

The issue with wireless is that even if you can manage to get really good quality at 60fps (not realistic yet) you'll be introducing more lag into the chain. Wacom's EMR tech is already laggy compared to traditional inputs (mouse, capacitive digitizer) and adding another ~40ms (encoding, network, decoding) isn't going to help the experience at all. I'm sure it'll happen eventually, but I wouldn't stand around waiting for it.

The closest option at the moment for what you're describing is the Companion Hybrid, which is an ARM tablet that also works as a Cintiq when connected to a computer. Because it has a battery you only need to connect the HDMI and USB, it can power itself from battery. Still not super convenient but at least it can operate with a laptop and no power plugs.

Yea, I've seen the Companions. They are very nice, but they don't run MacOS and I'd still just prefer my drawing tablet to be a simple secondary display of my main computer so I don't have to worry about file transferring. That is cool that they have the option of being used as a secondary display and only require 2 cables instead of 3, but that is only true until it runs out of battery power. And I'll "stand around waiting" for a Cintiq with a single cable input and/or wireless capability because I'm not going to spend that much $ on a device unless it is perfect. Until then my Intuos that runs off a single USB input that I paid a measly $200 for over 3-4 years ago gets the job done. Drawing on an actual display obviously has massively huge appeal and would certainly speed up my workflow, but the technology is still just a tiny bit too immature in my opinion. I guess I'll just have to be patient.

 

[wikiverse]

This thing makes the Surface3 look thin, sexy and inexpensive.

The iPad Air makes the Surface 3 look thin and sexy.

 

[bhags8]

WTF is this ! 2,000 USD for conversion or 4,000 USD for a new one !!! this is hilarious Apple should ban this ! and who uses a pen-based tablet nowadays anymore ! it's just a rip-off.

Are you ten years old?

 

[Smartass]

oh look its the Ugly and fat cousin of Surface

 

[subjonas]

Yes, you may want one - but your boss or your company will not buy one because of warranty and long term support issues. Hacked hardware such as the Modbook only appeals to a very small subset of users.

For most artists, they will stick to a tried and true solution - such as a Wacom Cintiq Companion or even a Surface Pro 3; at least these devices have full manufacturer warranty.

Unless Apple officially sanctions such a device, it will never have broad appeal to the already niche market.

Valid arguments raised. As a professional artist, I have a few thoughts and comments to throw in as well.

Even if Apple officially sanctions the Modbook or something similar (and maybe even if the price came way down), I still don't believe it will be on most companies' radars. All the studios I know of don't require or even necessarily want their artists to be mobile. They want their artists to be chained to their desks where they can watch over them with a giant eye, so they give them desktop towers and hulking Cintiqs. Anyway, suffice it to say it's not a top priority for them to make their employees mobile. So the Modbook is really a device aimed mainly at individual artists, especially freelance artists. And artists, like all people, vary wildly so it's hard to make any sweeping generalizations either way. All I know is, I personally want to buy one very badly and intend on doing so, even if it's not officially supported by Apple. And the few artists I've talked to about it would be glad to have one as well, but it's just an issue of that darned price.

The term "hack" may be technically true, and you're right in saying a professional should be wary of buying and using a non-official mod of an official product for their work. But let's not forget it's made by a legit company and the product has been reviewed by legit tech websites. And like people have said, Axiotron has been providing this service/product for years and there is an established community of users. Yes, when it comes down to it we'd be at the mercy of Axiotron for support issues, and for following through with their warranty should it ever come to that. But really we're at the mercy of any company in those regards. Whether or not we actually trust a company for those just boils down to their track record. Of course a buyer HAS to look into these things thoroughly before actually diving in. I will say off the bat though, just the fact that they've been in the game providing for this difficult niche market for as long as they have (7 years?) already tells me a lot about the company's resolve. And the amount of thought and care that went into the design and manufacturing of the product itself says a lot about the company's passion and insight as well.

All that aside, the simple truth is: for those that need a legitimately mobile, powerful workstation with a pen-enabled screen running Mac OS, as of right now the Modbook is literally their only option.

 

[MH01]

Looks like a razor or Alienware product.

I'd be interested what the feedback would be if they did not mention what OS it was running. It amazing how many people think it's cool cause it runs OSX

----------

The iPad Air makes the Surface 3 look thin and sexy.

So imagine the air next to this monstrosity

----------

Apple will offer a similar product in the next few years, but first they need to make as much money as possible selling the various different sizes of iPhones, iPads and current laptops. Apple doesn't want this type of product at the present time, and that is why they handicap iOS, and that is why people jailbreak.

You might want to check how much money apple has at the moment ! They are quite on hoe opposite spectrum of having to save pennies to invest in new ventures

 

[SvenSvenson]

Am I the only person who thinks this is stupid?

Why wouldn't you just buy a MacBook air? Or even a regular 15 incher...

I MUST be missing the point here.

You are.

----------

But tilt? It's not what I'd call an absolute necessity. Digital artists have been getting by without it for years, and while nice, it's hardly make or break.

You mean that digital artists have used tilt for years and would miss it if not present on this.

----------

All they did was to iFixit the housing, and transfer the inner parts to their "innovative" housing, then install a I/O plug-in simulating the awful buttons on the back. $1000 for that, fair price.

But is it practical? Well, in short, OSX is not built for touch - otherwise LEAP will be much more successful than now.

On the other hand, just hold your MBPR with one hand with the lid closed, then you will feel the weight of this "innovative tablet".

Can we get a tick box that says "I didn't read to article and just jumped to conclusions" and one that says "I did read the article but didn't understand it"?

 

[librarian]

the product indeed is very appealing for people in the vfx/design industry.
I'm still concerned on performance with a retina display and current OSX. with the cintiq 13hd/companions you have a 1920x1080 resolution wich gives more workspace, with the 15" retina you will have to use scaled mode wich delivers poor pixel accuracy and laggy performance with complex brushes, colors are not as good as the cintiq 13 hd display.
add also osx that since 10.8 added nothing but issues for wacom users (brilliant ideas such as removing pan functions from preview, increased overhead on wacom drivers wich use more cpu and have higher latency - main reason why I still stick with SL and Lion on my Cintiq-powered systems - 10.9 is a disaster for 3d in general, too many software issues).
But heat will be the number one issue. The cintiq companion get quite warm with lesser hardware specs. This one will be a stove, worse than the first cintiq 21UX "

 

[LordVic]

did you miss the part where it says they give you their own warranty?
and you might be surprised how much people in the entertainment industry don't use hardware owned by their employers. Ive had to take my own cintiq to two studios, not to mention freelancing for 8 years. again the surface 3 is a joke. does everyone that has explained the pros to this product have to repeat themselves to you or are you going to save us the trouble and read the thread?

Anyone who is believing that the Surface Pro series is intended for real heavy lifting and graphic design doesn't likely do serious production.

I'm not a graphic designer or anything. My use is mostly retouching photos in lightroom and photoshop for friends and family. Purely amateur. I LOVE my Surface Pro 2 for it.

But by no means is it anywhere near suitable for really high end detailed work. it is NO substitution for high end quality stuff (That i only wish I could have).

its good. its fun. it offers a decent solution for it's size. But it was also never intended to be a heavy lifting workhorse graphics design tablet. In fact, Microsoft doesn't even showcase it as such. it shows off doodling, and note taking, and marking up of documents. The pen solution they offer is good, but it's intended for routine work. Sure, some people might be more than satisfied with using ti for their graphics work,

But it isn't enough for any of the Pro's I know.

 

[mixel]

What a wonderful machine.

Not for everyone, but I'd take it over a Cintiq display.

Retina displayed Wacom tablet which is also a MBP is incredibly awesome *for it's intended audience* .. So many of the people commenting in this thread have no idea what this is for.

Yes, we have iPads.. But photoshop, painter and so on? Not on iPads!

(personally I'm a big fan of Procreate + Adonis Jot touch pen, but that's not as good as the real deal for many things)

 

[wiz329]

WTF is this ! 2,000 USD for conversion or 4,000 USD for a new one !!! this is hilarious Apple should ban this ! and who uses a pen-based tablet nowadays anymore ! it's just a rip-off.

I continue to be amazed by the stupidity of humanity.

 

[Casey4147]

I bought a Vaio 15 Flip with the Ntrig pen before SONY left the States - and I cant imagine going back to a MacBook at this point. Thank god Adobe lets us install whatever version OS of CC we like.

Working on Photoshop and ArtRage is just amazing with the pen on 15 inches. If you know how to draw, but still need to do design work and be mobile - the windows 8.1 convertibles with active pens are the best solution right now. Apple should jump in this segment.

Thank you. I was hoping to not be the only one to have this sentiment.

I love OS X. Love Apple and their designs. But they don't make the design I want. After waiting to see if they ever come around, I finally bit the bullet and went with an Acer R7 with the pen digitizer. Windows 8 is overcomplicated but really not bad when you get used to it. I miss some of my Mac software. Had the ModBookX been announced a couple of months ago (and money not been an object) I'd have been thrilled - it's almost exactly what I want.

Apple, the market exists for a touchscreen Mac.

 

[Eweie]

the product indeed is very appealing for people in the vfx/design industry.
I'm still concerned on performance with a retina display and current OSX. with the cintiq 13hd/companions you have a 1920x1080 resolution wich gives more workspace, with the 15" retina you will have to use scaled mode wich delivers poor pixel accuracy and laggy performance with complex brushes, colors are not as good as the cintiq 13 hd display.
add also osx that since 10.8 added nothing but issues for wacom users (brilliant ideas such as removing pan functions from preview, increased overhead on wacom drivers wich use more cpu and have higher latency - main reason why I still stick with SL and Lion on my Cintiq-powered systems - 10.9 is a disaster for 3d in general, too many software issues).
But heat will be the number one issue. The cintiq companion get quite warm with lesser hardware specs. This one will be a stove, worse than the first cintiq 21UX "

I literally have no idea what issues you're talking about and I'm in 10.9.4. I use Maya 2015, Zbrush, bodypaint, topogun, keyshot 5, photoshop, marmoset toolbag 2, Maxwell and many others for work and I have 0 issues in mavericks, not only in my work software or wacom devices but in general 0 issues.
it'd be retarded to be in any lower osx since some of this software is mavericks only.
the only people Ive heard whine about issues are the Modo users and that's The Foundry's problem not Apple's.

 

[pubwvj]

Wow - Want - What Apple should offer

Wow.
Want!
This is what Apple should be offering.
Unfortunately the price is way out of my budget.
I will suffer here in silence and just whimper occasionally...