Morning Paper: What's holding up the ModBook?

Hmm, seems the Modbook release date has been pushed back again, this time to an ambiguous "sometime in the fourth quarter of '07"

The Modbook, for the uninitiated, started circulating in the Tablet PC realms when it was announced around the time of MacWorld. Tablet PC users jumped on the news since it looked like there would be a real Tablet sporting Mac OS as an alternative to Windows XP Tablet edition or Vista, especially since a working model was shown during MacWorld 2007.

Plus, it had that whole cool "MacBook" thing about it.

The creators, Axiotron, promised a ship date of Spring which was then delayed in May since they were doing more work on the digitizer (the pen-like device Microsoft bases the whole tablet concept on) and it was expected soon.

Latest word is they are having problems "finding parts" which is what is causing the delay. Not sure why since, except for the OS, all of the other materials have been around (and dropping in price) since the first generation Tablets. But I won't quibble.

You all know I am a committed Microsoft person primarily because of the whole Tablet PC concept. Steve Jobs is infamous for saying there will never be a Mac Tablet made by Apple. So when the folks at Axiotron were showing one off, assumingly with the Jobsness blessing, the whole Tablet community took note (pun intended). Not necessarily to switch, although I am sure there would be those who do, but because there was finally going to be another player in the market to shake up the current OEM's and their rather, uh, lackluster design sense. Sorta like that phone thing a couple weeks ago.

Which is how this has become news to Tableteers (Tablet PC users).

The Modbook is a "slate-style" Tablet running a native ink enabled version of OSX. With the success of the iPhone, rumors are circulating that Leopard will include touch at least to some capacity. It's pricey (over $2,000) but so are the top of the line tablets from Windows based OEMs.

Tablets haven't exactly taken off except by those who use them and swear by them, just like Mac users.

Convertible tablets are doing better in the market place since it still offers the security of a keyboard if the users isn't ready to commit fully to the whole pen based computing concept. The Modbook will not have a keyboard but will be running OSX. Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other for some people.

Will a pen based OSX be enough for those unfamiliar with he whole Tablet PC concept to pick one up? Maybe. But it not being built by Apple may give some buyers reason to pause.

Hopefully this won't turn into "vaporware". We know tablets are great, but maybe an Apple like (inspired?) tablet will bring more folks in the door. Tablet PC users would sure like to see others at our "social."

You can still place a pre-order if you are so inclined which means they do hope to ship them probably at some point.

For full specs, pricing and eye candy photos, check out the link to Other World Computing or Axiotron.