It's a Laptop - It's a Desktop

pcman cuts and pastes: "Amidst the hollowed halls and exhibition floor of the Jacob Javits Center here, one beacon of innovation shone brightly at the TechXNY trade show. At a time when even the show's keynote speakers failed to generate headlines, IBM showed off the might of its design savoir-faire akin to the European assault on the Big Three automakers by German designers and engineer."

The Point

[diesel66]

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To get to this point, IBM simply took the simple black box that opens like a clamshell but added a foldable layer to a hinge that elevates the screen to a level that desktop PC users would find comfortable, the IBM officials explained. This new idea, which Hill described as an "Origami-design for laptops," let's the user think of the laptop as a radical new desktop replacement. But conversely, just as laptops can be considered desktops, the desktop can also be considered to be a laptop as illustrated by the second design.

With this model, the monitor is folding up from the base using a similar hinge feature but this time the keyboard detaches and, for instance, could be operated via a Bluetooth connection. When fully closed, both new versions keep the T40 close to its current size and weight while adding a slight premium to the cost.

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Nothing new...

[Anonymous Coward]

I've had one of these IBM Convertibles [vintage-computer.com] for ages! Sorry to see they're planning to lose the widescreen LCD in the new revision... :-)

Re:So it's a laptop

[BillyZ]

Your statements lead me to conclude, perhaps falsly, that you don't travel on business much. Folks who travel and must work, answer e-mail, reasearch etc while on the road; I think will like the ability to both do some work in the airport in the normal laptop configuration, but once they get back to the hotel they can re-arang it a little bit to make the most out of typicaly uncomfortable chairs in tiny rooms when they have a couple hours of work to do while there.

I don't the intention of these designs to be "desktop replacements". To me, I think their intention would be a more flexible laptop.

Re:Innovation?

[cosmo7]

Apple must have been using their time machine:

Powerbook: October 1991
ThinkPad: October 1992

The STacy has "the same form factor" in as much as it is a clamshell design, which had already been done by Toshiba.

Re:It's still as annoying as a laptop.

[mbbac]

you still have to plug in a mouse, etc.

No, you don't [apple.com]. Microsoft makes a set too.

Re:Upgrading my IBM Laptop

[PhoenixK7]

Um, try Apple:

1. 16 or 17" UXGA LCD (preferrably 17")

got it

2. RAM expandable to 1 GB (graphics work eats RAM)

got it (up to 2 GB of DDR ram)

3. Lighted keyboard

got it (on 17" and 15" models)

4. Onboard LAN (both wire and wireless)

got it (802.11b/g on all powerbooks 12/15/17)

5. CD/CDRW/DVD combo drive

got it (well, dvd burner/cdrw/cd is standard)

6. Minimum 60 GB HD internal

got it (80 GB standard)

7. Quality sound/graphics

got it (radeon 9600 with 64 MB)

8. NO restrictions on what OS I choose to run

well, you can't run windows (natively) but you can certainly run OS X, Linux, Darwin, and a bunch of other operating systems

Certainly you have to pay a pretty penny for one of these suckers ($3000 base) but hey, with what you're asking for all you really need to bump up is the ram (512mB DDR333 included).

Here's why these are neat....

[technogogo]

Some European countries have laws about workstation ergonomics. They require companies to provide a workstation that can be adjusted for comfort. Screen height is one of the criteria deemed important, so you are sat with a bent neck for long periods. So if these are the only laptops that can meet European ergonomic regulations my guess is they will sell extremely well. Companies need them to make hotdesking even more affordable yet without breeching regulations.

Re:Am I the only one that...

[JaredOfEuropa]

If you use your laptop a lot on travels, you'll appreciate the advantages of this model. The advantage doesn't show itself when you use on your lap, for example whilst in an airplane, but it does when you sit down in your hotel room or the client's office for a few hours of work. Most laptops are awful for prolonged work periods. Sure you can hook up an external keyboard to a regular laptop, but you'll have to lug it along all the time, and the screen remains at an awkward position.

I need my data and applications in many different locations, and I hate having to lug around an extra keyboard, not to mention having to hunt around for a few thick books to prop my laptop on and bring the screen to a comfortable height. I'd love to have a laptop like this.

Re:Upgrading my IBM Laptop

[scottme]

With the exception of the screen, you get all of that list and more in today's ThinkPad T40. It goes up to 2GB RAM, has wired (Gigabit) and wireless (802.11b and g) Ethernet plus Bluetooth, 80GB disk, (externally) lighted keyboard, 64MB ATI Fire graphics, etc. And it will run Linux (though IBM doesn't offer it as a preload option).

But the biggest, highest resolution screen you can get is 14", 1400x1050. Face it, a 17" screen is going to make any laptop a rather bulky and awkward thing - witness the 17" Powerbook. I can't see IBM doing it.