Light Sleeper

It's been a week since I received my MODBOOK and the transition has been quite smooth. I can tell you that this tablet is hard to put down. I am constantly finding ways to sneak in some sketching time and like some drug addict, the more I sketch, the more I want to do more.

Having used the Modbook so much during this time, I did notice that it has one obvious downside: IT'S A POWER HOG.

Not that I didn't expect this. I knew that the digitizer screen will draw a lot of power but particularly in SLEEP MODE, the Modbook doesn't totally go to "sleep". I suppose it needs the extra juice to keep to keep the digitizer memory intact. The blue LED indicator lights on the top left corner will draw power as well. That is on top of the normal low-power sleep mode that a Macbook already employs.

This could be problematic when you're on the road and unable to plug in. The typical Macbook battery (regardless of what Apple eggheads claim) will only last 2, maybe 3 hours. (Much less if you run Photoshop or stream video) This means you will have less power to work with on the Modbook.

As an example, I charged my Modbook yesterday to 100 percent, then put it on sleep mode. I woke it up after two hours and the power indicator showed it 87 percent. I charged it again to 100 percent then sketched for a few minutes down to about 90 percent. I left it in sleep mode all night then woke it up this morning and it was down to 47 percent...

It's obvious that contingencies are necessary. Perhaps purchasing and packing an extra battery? This will add a tremendous load to one's gig bag but could be a lifesaver if you're pressing to finish a deadline on the run. You'll probably need an extra anyway because the main battery's life will definitely be short with the constant charging/discharging.

Shutting down during travel should help as well. If you don't plan on using your Modbook inside a plane, then power it down. (unless you're on some of the newer jets that have laptop power inputs, then by all means, sketch the friendly skies)

So whatever your usage will be, managing your power will be essential to keep that stylus moving...