iTab (the Mac Tablet)

Hi all, I would like to share my recent modding project. Which I've merge a Wacom Intuos3 with a MacBook.



Those of you that like to read more about it, please visit my build log. I've put it on my website for easier update.

cheers.

Beautiful, and very well done. I particularly like the way you did the face with thinner to create the window. Fantastic.

wow.... just beautiful... mordaskyt, we need to get busy building our tablets!

Great work

I'm currently doing something with a MacBook (core 2 Duo) and during install, it thinks the internal display is plugged in, even if it isn't. How have you fixed this?

Also, where did you get the LCD/controller pair? I picked up one on the streets of Tokyo, but wouldn't mind another source for them.

One last question, is that a mini-DVI to VGA cable?? I've never seen those before!

wei803, you should note that the Great Mod Challenge is coming up next month, you should prepare your mod for submission. It would be a great piece.

Answering my own questions from earlier - magnet on the reed switch to make the internal display disappear

How have you made a power switch? I can't work out how to make the MacBook startup without the keyboard. I've found that if you remove the RTC battery, main battery and main power, the SMC resets and powers it on as soon as you apply power, but after that, if you shut it down, you can't turn it back on..

Hi everyone, thanks for the great feedback.

Alex, sorry for replying late, yes, magnet is the key to disable the internal display. My MacBook came with a faulty screen. So I have no need to keep the top panel. I've removed the screen while keeping the airport antenna & iSight. By removing the top case meaning the keyboard will expose. What I did was position the power button right under the grille. A small button was use on top of the grille to reach and push the power button to turn the MacBook on.

I've research on other way of power on the MacBook, ended up with nothing. Since the newer Mac kill the soft power-on feature, we have to find a way to reach the power button. Older PPC Mac can be power on by pressing the power button found on old Apple Keyboard.

Oh wow, that is clever! I assume you have tried one of the old USB Keyboards just in case? We have a few at work I could try with some of our MacBooks there..

I have a MacBook I purchased as a write off really cheaply, for the screen, as it had white wine spilled over the keyboard, followed by the computer stopping working (who would have thought!). However, I cleaned off the logic board, left if for a while, and now it works, except the top case and optical drive.

I don't need a MacBook (I already have a MacBook Pro, and my soon to be wife has a 12 inch iBook G4 and doesn't want to upgrade), and I couldn't sell it in good faith, given its history, so I'm using it in a Mod, but again, because of the history, I don't want to spend too much on it, and a new keyboard/top case will be about $75 from eBay, which is a lot just for a power switch

Yes, I've tried all things came into my mind, those iMac keyboard with power button included. I could resolder the power button to another location. But that would damage the cosmetic of the MacBook. For your case, you should give it a try since it's already taken apart.

I found it! This is it on mine.. yours may be labelled with the Power Symbol, depending on exactly which MacBook you have. It's near the bottom of the curve from the fan.



Next job: Finding which of the pins on the power connector are shorted by the reed switch and shorting them so I don't need to stick a magnet there, but I left my multimeter at work.

ahhh those pins... i ripped off the power switch on my 12" ibook last night.... it was quite an ordeal to solder those things back on... i didn't have a small enough tip on my soldering iron so i struggled a lot

Yeah, talk about tiny, that's the reason I didn't do it. Too much risk for me. But still good info there Alex. Thx for sharing.