Axiotron

Various Macintosh conversion companies
Industry	Computer hardware
Founded	1970 (Dynamac Corporation, earliest mentioned)
Headquarters	Various (Los Angeles, Fresno, Denver, Boulder, Fairfield), United States, Canada (Axiotron Corp. in Toronto)
Products	Macintosh conversion computers and modification kits

There are two primary approaches to creating a personal computer capable of running the Mac operating system without being sold directly by Apple: Macintosh conversions and Macintosh clones.

In contrast to Mac clones, which typically include little or no original Apple hardware, Mac conversions involve modification kits that depend on essential components from authentic Apple Macs—such as the ROM or motherboard—to operate correctly.

This method places commercial Mac conversions under the protection of the first-sale doctrine in the United States, as well as comparable laws in other countries.

Background

From the inception of Macintosh computers, various companies have aimed to serve customers desiring Mac OS with enhanced capabilities not offered by Apple's standard products. These firms begin with a genuine Apple Mac and integrate their own hardware to develop customized solutions. The scope of modifications varies widely, from simple enhancements like adding a touchscreen bezel to an iMac for kiosk use, to comprehensive transformations such as replacing a MacBook’s casing to produce a Tablet Mac.

This business model of aftermarket customization, well-established in industries like automotive (for example, Shelby Mustang), has found successful application within the Macintosh market.

Unlike Mac clones that compete primarily on price, commercial Mac conversions emphasize providing distinctive features that justify the combined expense of the original Apple Mac plus the conversion kit and associated labor. The market for successful conversions diminished when Apple introduced products with similar functionalities, exemplified by the PowerBook 100 leading to Outbound’s closure.

Legality

A Macintosh conversion represents an aftermarket modification of an authentic Apple Mac or laptop, retaining critical parts such as the donor machine’s motherboard to maintain full compatibility with Macintosh software. This strategy circumvents copyright infringement, DMCA violations, and licensing complications that unlicensed Mac clone manufacturers often encounter.

Apple demonstrated acceptance of such conversions through its 1986 agreement to sell discounted Macs to Dynamac. While some companies negotiated directly with Apple, many acquired Macs at retail prices for their conversions. Apple’s sales were limited to complete systems rather than individual components like motherboards, although it encouraged conversion vendors to become value-added resellers. In the U.S., aftermarket modifications fall under the protection of the First-sale doctrine and similar legal frameworks internationally. This legal standing has been predominantly tested in the automotive sector, where manufacturers have tried to restrict aftermarket businesses via copyright or patent litigation.

This aftermarket approach legally differentiates Macintosh conversions from unauthorized Mac clones. None of the recognized conversion companies have been subject to legal challenges, whereas Psystar, an unlicensed clone producer, faced a federal lawsuit from Apple shortly after releasing its Mac clones.

Companies

Several companies have produced commercially available Macintosh conversion products:

Axiotron, Inc.

Axiotron, Inc. was established in 2005 as a Delaware corporation headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company was acquired in 2008 by Axiotron Corp., a publicly traded firm based in Toronto (TSX-V: AXO), and subsequently dissolved in 2010 following creditor foreclosure.

Axiotron was pioneering in manufacturing a pen-enabled tablet version of a Mac computer.

Key product:

Modbook – recognized as the first genuine Tablet Mac, this device was built upon the polycarbonate white MacBook. It featured a 13.3-inch wide-viewing-angle display equipped for pen input (though not touch-sensitive) encased within a chrome-plated cast-magnesium bezel. The Modbook preserved the entire lower half of the donor MacBook’s enclosure while replacing only the screen and keyboard area with a tablet interface. Production ceased in 2010.

Colby Systems, Inc.

Established in 1982 by Chuck Colby and headquartered in Fresno, California, Colby Systems, Inc. introduced its inaugural Macintosh portable computer in 1987 after successfully negotiating the acquisition of Macintosh components from Apple. By 1991, having developed but never released its final portable Mac model, the company transitioned its focus away from Mac conversions toward video technology before ultimately ceasing operations in 2016.

Key products include:

Lap-Mac – A 16-pound portable conversion of the Macintosh Plus, equipped with a detachable gas plasma display, 1MB of RAM, an 800k floppy disk drive, and an optional external battery pack. It supported connections for a modem and an ink-jet printer and was priced starting at $4,995. This model was discontinued following the launch of the WalkMac in 1987.
The original WalkMac featured a Mac Plus logic board paired with an orange plasma screen and required external peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard, and battery units. Unique connectors enabled attachment of external floppy or hard drive modules. Subsequent models, the WalkMac SE and SE-30, were based on the Macintosh SE and Macintosh SE/30, respectively; these converted all-in-one desktop Macs into portable units featuring 9-inch backlit LCD Supertwist displays and integrated batteries. Pricing began at $5,600 for the SE and $6,800 for the SE-30.
Colby Classmate – Introduced in 1991 and based on a Macintosh Classic, this tablet-style device incorporated a built-in trackball and a membrane keyboard located beneath the screen but never proceeded to mass production.

Dynamac Corporation

Dynamac Corporation, also recognized as Dynamac Computer Products Inc., was a Delaware-incorporated company founded in 1970 and located in Denver, Colorado. From 1986 through 1991, it manufactured Mac portable computer systems. In 1986, Dynamac became the first vendor to acquire Macintosh computers from Apple at a discounted rate for use in portable conversions.

Noteworthy products include:

Dynamac – A portable Mac derived from a Macintosh Plus, featuring a black metal chassis weighing 24 pounds, a 9-inch backlit amber electroluminescent display, and an optional external battery pack. Powered by an 8 MHz 68000 processor, it was priced starting at $7,000. Production ceased following Apple's release of the Macintosh Portable in 1989.
Dynamac EL – This model mirrored the original Dynamac but utilized a black Cycolac plastic enclosure to reduce weight to 18 pounds and lower the starting price to $6,000. It was also discontinued after the introduction of Apple's Macintosh Portable.
Dynamac LC Display – This product converted a Macintosh LC into a portable weighing approximately 13¾ pounds by adding a 9.5-inch LCD with a resolution of 640×480 pixels supporting 16 levels of gray. An optional battery pack increased weight by an additional 2½ pounds. The display kit was priced beginning at $1,299 plus the cost of the Macintosh LC itself. This item is no longer available.
Dynamac IIsf and IIsf/30 – These leather-cased portables were based on the Macintosh LC platform and included an integrated 9.5-inch LCD (640×480 resolution with 16 gray shades), touchpad input, and internal battery. The IIsf model featured a 68020 CPU with prices starting at $4,995; the IIsf/30 incorporated a 68030 CPU starting at $6,995. Both models weighed roughly 11 pounds and were phased out by the early 1990s.

Intelitec Systems Corporation

Intelitec Systems Corporation, headquartered in Fairfield, Iowa, manufactured portable Macintosh computers between 1987 and 1989. Their product line became obsolete after the introduction of Apple's own Macintosh Portable.

Highlighted product:

MX Plus – a 15-pound portable computer modeled on the Macintosh Plus, enclosed within an aluminum attache case. It included a Supertwist LCD, 1MB of RAM, dual 800k floppy drives, an internal battery, a mouse, and expansion slots for modem and printer. The starting price was $5,000; production ceased in 1989 following Apple's portable release.

Modbook Inc.

Established in February 2012, Modbook Inc., a private firm based in Los Angeles, California, specialized in transforming Macs into pen-enabled Tablet Mac devices aimed at creative users.

Principal offerings include:

Modbook Pro – released in 2012, this product involved replacing the casing of a non-Retina 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Pro with a CNC-machined aluminum body to create a pen-compatible slate tablet. Pricing began at $1,799 plus the cost of the original MacBook Pro; available through the company’s website and Amazon.
Modbook Pro X – initially proposed as a Kickstarter campaign in 2014, it evolved into the Modbook Pro X with Touch Bar. Announced for release in late 2017 or early 2018, pricing started at $2,499 excluding the donor 15.4-inch Retina MacBook Pro.

As of July 2025, no units have been shipped to supporters. The CEO Andreas Haas last communicated in August 2018. In July 2023, WeFunder's Director of Experience reported failed attempts to reach the company for updates.

Outbound Systems, Inc.

Outbound Systems Inc., founded in 1989 and located in Boulder, Colorado, produced Macintosh portable computers from 1989 through 1991 before transitioning to Windows-based PC products in 1992. Drawing on its expertise with Mac-compatible notebooks, the firm developed compact Intel-based computers.

Key products include:

The Wallaby – introduced in 1989, this Mac laptop conversion closely resembled a full Mac clone, with Outbound manufacturing all components except for the ROM which required transfer from a Macintosh Plus or SE donor machine. It featured a “hive” mode enabling the donor Mac to boot using the Wallaby’s faster 15 MHz 68HC000 CPU and ROM. Pricing ranged from $2,999 to $3,999 (excluding donor cost). Weighing 9.2 pounds, it was lighter and more affordable than Apple’s Macintosh Portable. Discontinued upon the arrival of the Outbound Notebook in 1991.
The Outbound Notebook – launched in 1991 as a genuine clamshell laptop design, it offered a 10″ Supertwist monochrome display with a resolution of 640 x 400 pixels, modular daughtercards for CPU and FPU upgrades, standard 30-pin SIMM RAM slots, and SCSI support for an external Outrigger monitor. Starting price was $3,500; discontinued in 1992.

Sixty-Eight Thousand, Inc.

Sixty-Eight Thousand, Inc., a corporation headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, operated between 1987 and 1994, focusing on delivering enhanced-performance tower workstation systems specifically designed for the premium professional Mac segment.

Key offerings comprised:

Dash 30 – this model, derived from the Macintosh II, transformed the original Mac donor motherboard into a stainless steel tower chassis featuring multiple storage compartments. It upgraded the processor to a faster 32-MHz Motorola 68030 CPU, incorporated a Pronto SCSI accelerator, math coprocessor, and a rapid RAM cache, resulting in substantial performance improvements. Initial pricing started at $15,000 including the donor machine. It was succeeded by the Dash 30fx in 1990.
Dash 30fx – released in 1990 and based on the Macintosh IIfx, this model retained the same enclosure and Mac conversion approach as the Dash 30 but operated the 68030 CPU at 50-MHz, representing a 25% speed enhancement. The base price was $11,500 for the enclosure plus donor Mac, with a fully upgraded version costing $20,470, which included an overclocked CPU, high-speed RAM cache, and SCSI accelerator. The Dash 40q replaced it in 1993.
Dash 40Q – introduced in 1993 with a focus on the publishing industry's prepress and color separation sectors. Built upon the Macintosh Quadra 950, it featured an accelerated 68040 CPU running beyond 50 MHz, and optional upgrades such as a 100 MHz PowerPC 601 processor, SCSI accelerator, high-speed RAM cache, and multiple storage solutions. Pricing was approximately $12,000 for the donor Mac plus enclosure and around $22,000 including fundamental performance enhancements. Production ceased in 1994.