Tablet computing fans fed up with waiting for Apple to release a pen-powered Mac are at long last able to buy one thanks to US-based Mac upgrade specialist Other World Computing.

Slip OWC $1300 (£795/€1015) and send in your brand new metal MacBook, and the company will convert into a tablet it's calling the Axiotron Modbook.

Or you can buy one straight off for $2199 (£1345/€1717). That's for a 2.1GHz model - the 2.4GHz version costs $2479 (£1516/€1936).

OWC said it will also convert older, plastic-covered MacBooks and, as a bonus, it will equip every Modbook with an integrated GPS pick-up.

Beyond the price, there's a wee catch: while OWC will take your order (http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/modbook) today, it doesn't expect to ship any Modbooks out until early next year.

Still, that's not a long a wait as Apple would have tablet buffs endure.

Curiously, OWC's been here before. Back in 2007, it offered a similar MacBook-to-tablet (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/05/owc_readies_tablet_mac/) conversion. A year before, another supplier offered 100 iTabs (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/01/11/itablet_tablet_mac/) - originally called iTablets - on eBay.

Apple MacBook Reviews
MacBook Pro (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/24/review_laptop_apple_macbook_pro/)
MacBook (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/17/review_laptop_apple_macbook/)

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