Given how long it took to bring this product to market, you have to worry that these guys are about to go head to head with a similar product from Apple.

I have one on order since last Jan 2007, and it has seen 12 Months of delays. I'm very concerned that Apple is coming out with one in 12 Days at MacWorld.

I really just need to wait to see what happens. Plus if you do the Math your really spending a whole lot of money on this to just add a few features and the 3 year Warranty brings the price up and over $3300.00. You can buy a full MacPro Tower for that with extras. I do really want this, but the delays over and over with no info from Axiotron makes me scared to get involved with a company that basically dropped off the face of the earth, and now has returned 13 months later to Say Here We Are Finally, and Please Trust us this time...Please!

I did a bit of googling, and found a usb-based touchscreen add-on for laptops for $180. I'm tempted to get one, and am wondering if Axiotron might be too little, too late at this point.

but also considering the rumor mills and what might be coming out of MW.

keep in mind this product uses technology from Wacom similar to the Cintiq which runs anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500 for the touch screen alone. The delays are typical for companies that are new to manufacturing, Optimus Maximus keyboard faced similar delays. Also take in consideration the labor, this transformation will not be performed by amateurs and I'm pretty sure that they'll lose the Apple warrantee so they're warranting this thing on their own.

But I do agree, they seem to be walking a thin line.

Why does nobody mention a copied Apple's product from MS... Must be because it is another Apple not Original and this one copied from PenGo and MS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_PC) with touch screen and handwriting with stylus or fingertip.

Let us just put it as all companies copy ideas from somewhere else and that is what Investigation and Development areas do.

Sit down and stifle it.

First off, Apple didn't copy anything for this product. This is a third party adaptation of Apple technology.

Second, what does Microsoft have to do with this? MS had nothing to do with the invention of the tablet PC as you describe. If anything, Apple had more to do with it than MS, thanks to Apple's creation of the Newton back in the early 90s, with everything you describe - "touch screen and handwriting with stylus or fingertip".

The end of 2008? It sounds like there's a key component that does not yet exist.

I'd like to see a real demo of this.

Given how long it took to bring this product to market, you have to worry that these guys are about to go head to head with a similar product from Apple.

Not a problem, since Apple won't be releasing a similar product. MacNN'ers have been saying for years the demand for a tablet is minimal at best.

Cool if it's real. It's a bit premature to say they'll ship at the end of 2008. 1 year? Do they even have a prototype yet?