Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/09/29/big-tablet-folds-to-become-tiny-laptop.html
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Surely it’s vastly overpowered for hurricane Sims? All’s you need is a Sharpie, or MSPaint if you want to be a showoff about it.
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I never understand what problem a gadget like this is trying to solve. Okay, it has a laundry list of ways you can hold it, but how is that helpful? The devil is also in the details- while using it as a tablet, where do you put the keyboard? If you’re traveling, you’re going to end up leaving the keyboard in place all the time so you don’t lose or damage it, but now it’s just a crappy laptop with a very expensive half-covered screen. This sort of device always feels like it was designed from the feature list up, instead of working down from an idea for a better way to work.
Wouldn’t it be better to not fold the screen, not cover half of it up, and clip the keyboard to the edge of it? Which already exists as the Microsoft Surface.
While I’m skeptical about the device, the compact profile when it’s all folded up is kinda attractive. Not this device, but I can see a future world where your carry profile is like a small moleskin, but it unwinds into a device large enough to do useful work on.
In this case, it’s clearly a gimmick, and probably won’t actually work that well in practice. But as a general concept, I’m curious where it could go.
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IMO the whole folding screen thing is a solution in search of requirements, built because the designers thought it nifty but not in response to any real demand. I don’t know anyone who actually wants it.
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We had some tablets at work that attempted a similar thing (albeit without a folding screen), you could fold the floppy keyboard back to use it as a touch screen device or prop the screen up with a plastic kickstand on the back to use it as a laptop. I was amazed at the kickstand which struck me as a really inelegant and clunky solution (not that I’m offering up any others). I mean, I couldn’t imagine being in a meeting where someone goes “how do we beat Apple?” and someone offers “how about a plastic kickstand?” and everyone goes “yeah…that’s IT!”
Can it run Crysis?
Imagine a Beowulf cluster of these!
Sorry, feeling a bit nostalgic today.
If you want to buy a Thinkpad without having to endure an excellent keyboard, the trackpoint, or a sturdy and serviceable design we have you covered now…
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