Hands-on: Axiotron Modbook Tablet Mac

On the floor of Macworld today, we scored some hands-on time with Axiotron’s Modbook—the tablet Mac pieced from the the carcass of a MacBook. While the system already made a splash at Macworld 2007, we had the opportunity to test the final shipping model. Our 3-second verdict: it’s an absolute joy to use. Here are our full impressions:

The pressure-sensitive display feels perfect for SketchBook Pro, as pressing harder draws bolder, thicker lines, just like the now hideously-antiquated analogue sketching. But we were more surprised by how fluid it felt to navigate OSX with a stylus. From about half and inch away from the screen, a cursor tracks your position. Opening programs by clicking icons and skimming through iTunes selections never seemed so intuitive, and it makes you realize, wow, OSX is a tablet-ready package without modification. (And then wonder, why the hell does Axiotron need to fill this void, Mr. Jobs?)

Look for a full review of the hardware in the not-so-distant future (that will hopefully give us the opportunity to test the Modbook’s GPS capabilities, but for the moment, Axiotron’s little Frankencomputer is looking pretty fantastic.