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Mac Clones History: A Tale of Poor Margins and Bad Timing

(tedium.co)
64 points shortformblog | 5 comments | 02 Sep 25 17:40 UTC | HN request time: 0.44s | source
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WillAdams ◴[06 Sep 25 01:26 UTC] No.45145719[source]▶
EDIT: Just barely mentioned is Axiotron's ModBook --- while not a clone per se (a Mac Laptop was disassembled, keyboard removed, and screen either replaced or reinstalled w/ a digitizer layer), it was a device marketed to folks whom Apple did not have a product for, and until the Apple Pencil, was the best Apple device in between the Newton MessagePad or a Wacom Cintiq for stylus usage.
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1. robterrell ◴[06 Sep 25 01:40 UTC] No.45145800[source]▶
ModBook is mentioned in the article. But Outbound (another deconstructed Mac) is not.
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2. WillAdams ◴[06 Sep 25 01:52 UTC] No.45145874[source]▶
Obviously should have searched --- still think it would have merited deeper discussion.
3. papermachelike ◴[06 Sep 25 09:16 UTC] No.45147793[source]▶
I saw an Outbound in the early 90s if my memory is right. Their use of the tiny bar as mouse replacement looked really cool. Kinda want to play around with that as an input device.
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4. robterrell ◴[06 Sep 25 15:05 UTC] No.45149921[source]▶
I have one in the basement! The bar was called the "ISOpoint" bar. It was a great use of the tiny space. Also innovative was the IR keyboard. You could disconnect and move it pretty far from the main unit.
5. hakfoo ◴[07 Sep 25 02:14 UTC] No.45154773[source]▶
The Rollermouse Free product appears to be cut from the same cloth. The learning curve might be troublesome.