Lenovo Debuts Foldable PC Prototype

[Kal-037]

I really have to ask... why do people want foldable displays? Physics will not allow them to work. They WILL break, crack, warp, or just plain not work. I’ll take a device that has a HQ screen that doesn’t fold and have a 100% chance of breaking.


Kallum.

 

[Mabus51]

They should use the foldable screens in VR goggles. The entire head piece could be a screen giving you a wider field of view. Using it to create a device that folds for the sake of folding isn’t practical use for the tech.

 

[WWPD]

We went through the 3D TV phase, now it's the foldable phone/computer phase. I could see a use in VR glasses and watches though.

 

[Blackwell]

It's a laptop without a butterfly keyboard. Sounds promising so far.
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To paraphrase Tim: you need to look at the parts we have in stock and work backwards, rather than seeing what new design you have and try to innovate it into a product.

Beautiful, the difference is management style. Innovative vs. reality. Where is AngerDanger ?

 

[curtvaughan]

I suppose it would be a way to get a larger display out of a portable device than one would get for a comparably sized traditional laptop. As others have mentioned, even if the folding display proves to be durable, it suffers the same productivity weakness as tablets relative to laptops - limitations of virtual keyboards. If I need to do extensive typing I either use a traditional laptop with a decent keyboard, or pair a bluetooth keyboard to my tablet. Hopefully it will have a more successful release than the Galaxy Fold.

 

[0947347]

Well excellent, this solves problems like ... (crickets) and increases productivity by ... (crickets)

On a positive note, ..., sorry cannot figure out any. Virtual keyboard is uncomfortable in any position, so that doesn’t help

 

[velocityg4]

A smooth keyboard might be fine for those whom hunt and peck when typing. Useless for those who touch type. Of course if they also gave us an LCARS style touch input in laptop mode. Which changed layout for each program. Then I'd have to buy it.



At 13.3" it seems pretty small. That means in laptop mode it give you a screen and input area no better than a netbook. A design which was by and large despised and was short lived. Isn't the point of a folding screen to give you more screen space. I'd expect folding laptops to give you 13" and 15" screens in laptop mode with larger screens in flat mode.

 

[Zachari]

That thing is so ugly. I will wait until Apple reinvents it.

 

[curtvaughan]

A smooth keyboard might be fine for those whom hunt and peck when typing. Useless for those who touch type. Of course if they also gave us an LCARS style touch input in laptop mode. Which changed layout for each program. Then I'd have to buy it.

View attachment 836871 View attachment 836872

At 13.3" it seems pretty small. That means in laptop mode it give you a screen and input area no better than a netbook. A design which was by and large despised and was short lived. Isn't the point of a folding screen to give you more screen space. I'd expect folding laptops to give you 13" and 15" screens in laptop mode with larger screens in flat mode.

I actually liked the little Dell Mini-9 I had about 12 years ago, mainly for its portability when I wanted something small with a non-touch keyboard. It came with a stripped down Ubuntu linux system, so performed decently with its underpowered CPU and low-res screen. Netbooks passed on primarily due to lack of CPU oomph. I probably would have purchased another one if they had been available a few years later, but by that time chrome books had supplanted the cheap portable market. If someone can come up with a folding screen that came with some sort of physical keyboard attached - that could still be of a usefully portable form factor - I can see carrying a 13 inch portable that could be folded out to a 26 inch display when needed. Just don't think the engineering is there yet.

 

[polaris20]

I'd be fine with two separate screens and a hinge, provided that I could get an iPad-esque dynamic keyboard, and custom controls per app (FCPX, Logic, etc.). No desire for a foldable screen that'll break, well, immediately.

 

[alexandr]

i love the fact that they don't show why this is good, or why you might want this.
look - it folds, buy it!

 

[MacWorld78]

That's pretty neat idea foldable PC

VR headset will be the future as long they can run 8k or 16k. Working or playing games will be mind blowing

 

[Greymacuser]

If the technology can work, not crack under years of use and be affordably made, then this could be very useful. It could be like the ModBook, only foldable.

 

[notengoojotas]

I suppose foldable laptops will only be a thing for macrumors when Apple starts doing it. With other attempts being deemed as failed tech for reason X, Y, Z.

Just like big screen phones and 8 inch tablets.

 

[iLLUMI]

A phone that folds - not necessary.
But a laptop/tablet that folds - now that makes sense. I like it! I want one!! ... well maybe a 3rd gen.

 

[Mabus51]

That thing is so ugly. I will wait until Apple reinvents it.

Apple already made it with the 2018 iPad Pro. They just forgot to include a plastic screen

 

[trillionaire]

It's just a prototype to show that they are working on it and have a good grasp on it. Good on them to think outside the box. I don't know if it will be practical in terms of use. It would take some getting used to a computer without a physical keyboard, but hey, don't knock it till you've tried it I guess.

 

[slide_to_unlock]

I on the other hand not even happy with my regular PHYSICAL keyboard, and looking for MECHANICAL keyboard for more typing feeling. LOL. Fudge the virtual keyboard in the asset.

 

[sracer]

I respect the technology and innovation, but nobody wants this. Especially for the price this thing will be.

Please keep innovating and pushing us forward, but use the tech for something useful.
[doublepost=1557789928][/doublepost]And nobody wants a digital keyboard on a laptop...

I do.

I have a 1st gen Lenovo Yoga Book (Android model). I love it. It is more "Pro" than my 12.9 iPad Pro. The only gripe I have is that Lenovo treats tech projects like this as a one-off with little support down the road.

When the Yoga Book fold back on itself (something that this foldable PC won't do) into tablet mode, because the halo keyboard/Wacom digitizer is flat, it feels like a traditional tablet in the hand. The stylus works both on the screen AND the keyboard area.

I hope that this idea takes off and either (A) Lenovo gets on the stick and properly supports the device, or (B) another company runs with the idea and DOES properly support it.

 

[farewelwilliams]

I AM NOBODY
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who works 10h on a laptop without docking station???

a person that has meetings all day in various conference rooms.
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Don't blame you. I managed to get up to 50 wpm touch typing on an iPad a few years ago. That's about half of my normal speed. I was getting used to it, but I didn't like it so I gave up. I was experimenting with all different styles of keyboards (including a virtual one) in an attempt to soothe hand pain from repetitive strain injuries.

A good typist could type pretty decently on a virtual keyboard if needed. I wouldn't find it pleasant, but good enough in a pinch.

Why do you type so much on an iPad screen? Is it a work requirement?

I personally don't type anymore on an iPad screen. But I do remember going class with an iPad back in 2011 and typed a lot of notes on the screen.

 

[DailySlow]

Choice is good. This may not be for everyone, but it’s inevitable that foldable Tablets/Computers are in the feature for at least some of us. All those that demand thicker or more battery life or better keyboards, why are you so quick to say no to some one liking this?

What I want along these lines (not this "foldable" first attempt but it's headed that way), is a screen that collapses into something about the size of a cigarette pack that pops open to maybe a 17 inch screen paper thin mirroring my phone (or watch) with 0 boot lag and instant pairing with phone/watch. Or even a holographic projection. This Lenevo will appear in a movie or two and have sales, albeit limited, but we're going there.