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Tablet Mac Becomes Reality
Posted by
CmdrTaco
on Sun Dec 12, 2004 10:59 AM
from the with-a-little-elbow-grease dept.
from the with-a-little-elbow-grease dept.
teknokracy writes "MacMod has a story about a unique Mac hack. Joseph DeRuvo Jr. says: 'As a Photographer and a Dyslexic the idea of being able to use a Tablet as a platform for showing photographs, editing, and an extension of my badly organized memory is very appealing. ... So taking matters into my own hands I cut into a Dual USB iBook and didn't look back.' It seems our intrepid hardware hacker hasn't just flipped around the LCD and added a semi-functioning touch screen - he's completely engineered a new kind of mac portable, complete with a CF reader, properly installed touch sensor, and topped it all off by properly engineering it all into an Ives-worthy design. With all the trouble these particular iBook models have experienced, why not hack one up for fun and turn it in to something useful?"
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Sweet hack! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Sweet hack! (Score:5, Informative)
How in the world does he type on this thing?
Using Inkwell [apple.com], which is part of OS X. I've read [beanblossom.in.us] that it was developed from the handwriting recognition technology developed for the Newton.
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Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:5, Funny)
Eat up Martha.
Kearney: "Bah!" (throws the Newton and it hits Martin in the head)
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Re:Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:2)
Re:Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:4, Funny)
A true story!
In contrast, the Newton 2100 handwriting recognition is still considered awesome.
I once had a chance to play with one. I signed my name and it recognized my signature and converted it to text...I was blown away.
Parent
Re:Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:3, Informative)
Microsoft now license the original software for us on the Pocket PC.
Re:Ob. Simpsons Quote (Score:4, Interesting)
The Transcriber handwriting recognition on the Pocket PC is a modified version of Calligrapher, from PhatWare. It was not developed by Apple.
The block recognizer is based on Graffiti licensed from Xerox. The letter recognizer is based on Jot licensed from CIC, the same company that developed Graffiti 2.
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Re:Sweet hack! (Score:5, Funny)
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Google Cache (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Google Cache (Score:5, Insightful)
The pictures are still loading off the
I hate how people think google cache is useful regardless of the content it's caching.
Parent
Poor iBooks (Score:4, Funny)
Not to mention what its users have gone through.
Just curious... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Just curious... (Score:5, Funny)
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Tablet PC (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Tablet PC (Score:5, Insightful)
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RE: field inspections (Score:3, Insightful)
They're dirty, beat-up and left sitting in rather harsh environments on a regular basis.
Perhaps that's the real reason Apple hasn't been thrilled to build a pen-based tablet computer. They're all about elegance and building a machine a user can really be proud to own, and will take exceptionally good care of.
(Don't believe me? Wh
Re:Tablet PC (Score:3, Interesting)
Site already down... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Site already down... (Score:2)
Id hit it!! (Score:5, Informative)
TabletPC = Bad idea? (Score:2, Interesting)
What I like about laptops is that when it's closed, the LCD screen is protected.
Whether it's coding or writing a novel keyboard is still the way to go.
TabletPC is a Microsoft marketing strategy, but to me it's in beta stage as the technology such as handwriting a voice recognition is simply not ready yet, it works sometimes but not good enough for production environment.
Re:TabletPC = Bad idea? (Score:2, Interesting)
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/cm o d.to?coid=- 26373&sel=0&rcid=-26367&ccid=1291021&seg=HHO&sel=1 &src=AMEM&WT.srch=1
Judging from the specs, I bet Linux would run fine on it. I don't own one (yet) but they appeal to me because it would be great for graphic editing and web browsing -- especially when used in the laptop configuration where you can type and touch hyperlinks on the screen
Re:TabletPC = Bad idea? (Score:5, Informative)
I recently bought a Tablet PC off eBay (Compaq TC1000) for use in a data acquisition system. I can see how the Tablet PC might be useful for certain vertical applications (like my own), but IMHO it's not a very good platform for general computing.
Suprisingly, the handwriting recognition is not that bad (with SP2). The biggest problem I've found is that the OS is simply XP with a few "tablet" features bolted on. The Tablet PC really needs an interface developed from the ground up to make use of the pen-based interface.
For example: As we all know, Windows uses the second mouse button for contextual menus - some of these menus are not easily accessible (or accessible at all!) using left-clicks. Left clicks and left double-clicks can be done by tapping the pen, but right-clicking is done (on my machine at least) by holding the pen to the screen for a few seconds. This is pretty kludgey; the contextual menu pops up at unwanted times, like when I'm trying to drag-and-drop icons, or maybe when I'm thinking for a moment and I'm letting the pen rest on the screen.
That's one example, but their are others. Like I said, the handwriting recognition isn't too bad, but it's awkward for entering things like URLS (despite some helpful tools such as ".com" buttons). My model is "convertible" tablet, and I find that 90% of the time I'm using it in laptop mode.
YMMV
Parent
Re:TabletPC = Bad idea? (Score:3)
Or at least add an "action menu" (like in Panther's Finder) to enable one-click access to contextual items.
It's not unique (Score:5, Informative)
Re:It's not unique (Score:2, Funny)
He could have saved a lot of bulk! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:He could have saved a lot of bulk! (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
What trouble? (Score:2)
What trouble is that? I have one of those and I'm quite happy with it (although I use it as a second system only). Can someone explain?
Re:What trouble? (Score:2)
http://www.apple.com/support/ibook/faq/
Re:What trouble? (Score:4, Interesting)
Mind you
Admittedly my history is much worse than all the other iBook owners I know who own machines from the serial number range, but most of them have had at least one logic board failure. Note that the serial number range covers *years* worth of the iBook models, it's not just a single batch.
Parent
Old iBooks would be good for the car (Score:2)
Look at the new iMac. Look at a tablet. See the .. (Score:2)
Hence, no practical (read $ paying) market place for it.
Maybe as a wireless remote to a server, the thing would be okay, but you then need the kind of wireless environment to support it. (Love to work there.) PARC probably has something like that set up already.
Re:Look at the new iMac. Look at a tablet. See the (Score:3, Insightful)
Full article text (Score:3, Informative)
Friday, 10 December 2004
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Close to 12 years ago I caught wind of an Operating System called PenPoint. This was one of the first pen driven operating systems out there. I had contacted them and spoke of how so many people had been left out of the technological revolution and I had thought it was due to the awkwardness of the current state of hardware and software design. At that time I would have hoped Apple would have risen to the challenge to develop a Tablet but as it turned out it was Microsoft who took the chance.
Working with a computer all day long, I have to say that there is nothing quite as pretty as OS X. It is by no means perfect, as a Photographer running 4 Epson printers and depending on the quality of output, it is a continuous frustration and I am afraid the fault lies with Apple not Epson.
As a Photographer and a Dyslexic the idea of being able to use a Tablet as a platform for showing photographs, editing, and an extension of my badly organized memory is very appealing. I had purchased an early QBE, which I was happy with, except for the problem of going between the QBE and all my other desktops which are Apples, it was always the odd man out, in addition to the frustration of finding cross platform software. So taking matters into my own hands I cut into a Dual USB iBook and didn't look back.
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The first thing to consider is what I needed it to do. As a Wedding Photographer I needed something that would serve me in the field, so it needed to have:
-A built in Compact Flash Card reader
-Firewire (USB would be to slow)
-Two built in hard drives (so that the flashcard could be written to both at the same time)
-Extra Firewire ports for external hard drives and DVD burners.
-Bluetooth built in for keyboard and mouse when needed
-touch screen and the driver board for it.
Some functions I wanted to keep intact:
built in mouse click
on off switch
built in CD burning
good air port reception
mic for voice recognition
ability to put it into sleep mode when I close the cover
Putting it all together I have to thank God wasn't so bad, miracles happen everyday.
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The first problem was how to make it touch sensitive. I obviously had thought of going with Wacom but, using their technology would require a different screen configuration which would make it more difficult. Thank God I had found out about Troll Touch, they were a pleasure to work with. Troll Touch are makers of touch screens for Kiosks. They were one of the few manufactures that had a driver written for OS X, the digitizer sits in front of the screen and is touch sensitive, while the driver board runs through a USB port. A resistive digitizer is good and bad, it means you can use your finger to navigate and click, even ink will recognize your hand writing, but you do not have the full functionality of what a Wacom tablet will give you.
The second problem was how to fit all this inside. I had acquired the shell of a dead iBook so with that I took the top plate and used it as a spacer. Recognizing that I had no need of a keyboard I pulled that out making room for the extra hard drive and slot for the flash card reader. I also had to make room for a USB and Firewire hub in the shell. Not to make light of all this but it is a creative process, like baking bread, there is a recipe but, there is also some room for making it up as you go along. After opening the thing up and figuring out where everything will fit, I started to look into removing the screen and hinges. I also came to the (frightening) realization that to get the hubs to fit and not have their cables running from the o
Tablet + Mac OS X = WINNAR (Score:5, Interesting)
Mac OS X would be much better on a tablet than Windows.
Apple should license Mac OS X to a tablet PC manufacturer. (Producing it themselves would be too risky.
Rehashed to the death, but.... (Score:5, Interesting)
The fact that not only is TFA's server
Think about it. What could Apple do to make people want a Tablet and what would its target market be? My ideas, by no means perfect, would be:
1. A device that is bigger than current PDA's but smaller than current Windows Tablets, i.e. somewhere around ISO A6 size, or just a bit bigger than the old Newton. This would make it easier to hold (current Tablets are too heavy and too big to hold in one hand while writing with a Pen) and at the same time have enough space for a useful interface and space to sketch on for artists.
2.Very good handwriting recognition. This is important. I think they were getting there when they killed the Newton.
3.An OSX variant with a simplified interface which is more geared towards using a Pen. This would mean perhaps larger controls and a Dock replacement, perhaps a sliding Dock so that necessary apps are within easy reach.
4.A touch screen that enables users to use their fingers as well as a pen. (Therefore the larger controls)
5.Wireless videoand audio streaming. I know Apple has been working on a protocol that is supposed to be good for video streaming. This would or could perhaps tie in with other Apple products such as the iPod and Airport Express where this Tablet could be used as a remote control. This is why being able to use it with one's fingers would be important.
6.Other software and hardware tie ins with Apple products and software, such as the ability to use it as a monitor on movie sets with firewire or usb connectivity, or a cut down version of FCP or iMovie that allows one to cut small video clips. Perhaps a small paint application as well, or a sound editor.
7.It should be shipped with applications that leverage the platform such as a simple sketching application for students and artists, a Apple writing application that makes taking notes as easy or easier than WinXP TE's note taker. Perhaps make the sharing of sketches and notes and media simple via Rendezvous.
8.Apple should make Frameworks for this OS variant available in XCode in order to allow developers to come up with nifty applications as they have for the classic OSX. Java should be included as well to make it interesting for current mobile developers.
9.The target market would be students for artwork and note taking, home consumers for its tie in with Airport Express and iTunes and the iPod, industrial users for use as a digital notepad and checklist, and enterprise users for its note taking and sketching abilities and the ability to make presentations.
This is all a wet dream of course, but I think I'm not alone in wishing for a Tablet with that special Apple touch.
Re:Rehashed to the death, but.... (Score:5, Insightful)
If Apple made a turd-shaped Mac, a few people would buy it, and 1000 stories would talk about it, and everybody would clobber any web site that broke the story by going there all at once.
That doesn't mean that a turd-shaped Mac would make Apple any money.
Parent
If I would have done all that work... (Score:4, Funny)
Apple will never release a Tablet Mac (Score:4, Interesting)
It's been a pleasure (Score:3, Interesting)
well... (Score:4, Funny)
Landscape or Portrait (Score:3, Insightful)
So could he sell this? (Score:3, Interesting)
Not: consider work size [Re: Stupid] (Score:2)
In the case of laptop v tablet PC I suggest size comparisons to be based on the surface are of the opened/unfolded laptop, which is after all its working size (the surface it occupies when it's actually used).
--
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Re:Stupid (Score:2)
A laptop to be usable has to have the lid opened and then practically doubles in size, or more. This thing doesn't need to be opened, it has the neat "closed laptop" dimensions all the time.
Re:Here is a suggestion for a "software hack" ... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Here is a suggestion for a "software hack" ... (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re:Mac is being held down by Republicans (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:MacMod being down (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.macmod.com.nyud.net:8090/Limages/storie s/mods/i-Tablet%20_Images_7total/20041006--001016. jpg [nyud.net]