SlashGear Japan
Oh dear. Looks like the already-delayed ModBook - a conversion of an Apple MacBook into a pen-controlled slate tablet – is sliding further back through the year. OWC/Axiotron, the people behind it, had originally expected to get the device onto the market by May, but that was pushed back to the end of June after they decided to upgrade the pressure-sensitivity of the screen (and freshen up the innards, too). Now unknown issues mean it’s delayed until fourth-quarter 2007.
The concern must surely now be that Apple will refresh the MacBook range in the meantime, leaving Axiotron to either sell outdated hardware or go through the development process again with a new base machine. This is, of course, the usual problem for anyone producing a derivative product.
Has any SlashGear reader pre-ordered a ModBook? Let us know in the comments.
4 Responses to “ModBook tablet Mac suffers another delay”
In Des Moines July 18, 2007
Yep ordered one back in Feb and will now cancel and sit and wait what Apple brings…This is very dissappointing!
+1Napoleon Volatile July 21, 2007
Ordered in January and I just cancelled. If they cannot be professional enough to launch on time or even to inform their users of this latest delay, then how much faith can one put in their product or their service after (and if) final delivery happens. Nice idea. Maybe a company that’s got it’s act together can come up with one. As for Axiotron/OWC? Not a chance.
+1Jeffries July 27, 2007
I ordered a ModBook back in early February…
The ModBook got delayed several times without any single advance notice. Every time, I was informed after digging for answers over customer care.
OWC has been very transparent nevertheless. What scares me is the attitude of Axiotron. They do not respond to mail and seem to have drowned in the thick molasse of unreliability.
I have not cancelled my order yet, but if someone makes a concurrent product that can keep it at the level of the ModBook specs, I will not hesitate a second.
Jeffries
NeutralDidthedash September 5, 2007
Ordered One back in Feb and cancelled in July. Quite honestly it was all too much hassle. I was pretty disappointed especiall in the service. And now it’s two months on from my cancellaion and there is still no new info about release dates or even why this has all fallen apart. My decision to cancel and by a macbook pro instead was obviously the right one. If i’m desperate I’ll buy a cintiq.
Neutral