[geeks] Any thought son the Axiotron Modbook?

[Micah R Ledbetter]

Do any of ya'll have comments on the Axiotron Modbook? Since these are 
what I wish the MacBook Air was (well, prehaps not quite exactly, but 
they're closer), I was thinking about getting one in a few months after 
I graduate from college / start making Real Money (tm).

(What I really wish is a MacBook Air version of the Modbook, but it 
doesn't really look like the company is planning for that. I also think 
it needs integrated EDGE/EVDO.)

The ModBook[0] is $2279 or $2479. It's a MacBook that has been 
tabletized - the original screen removed, a new touch screen put in 
place, keyboard removed, etc. It does not appear to have a swivel hinge 
thingy - it's permanently in tablet form, it can't go back to a 
conventional laptop (ahem, "portable"). All units come with the original 
iSight camera (relocated to the new screen) and an internal GPS! which 
is one of my favorite features about it.

They seem to keep the other basic MacBook features: USB2, Firewire, GBE, 
Airport (including draft-n), Bluetooth, a Mini DVI port. It ships with 
either a Combo- or Superdrive, but you can BTO with a second hdd instead.

There's an email list[1] at LEM. There have been a couple of ModBooks 
shipped by now, but it looks like most of the folks over there have been 
waiting a long time and haven't felt communicated-to very well by the 
company.

Does anyone have any relevant thoughts?

  - Micah

[0] <http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ModBook>
[1] <http://lowendmac.com/lists/modbook.html>