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Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

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Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#21
post #5
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Flexible and foldable products are so underwhelming. At this point they seem like something being developed just for the sake of demonstrating that it's possible. If the goal is to make attractive products, they're failing spectacularly.

The first generation iPhone was a bit clunky, a Nokia N95 could do so much more...

> The first generation iPhone was a bit clunky

No crowd has gasped at a foldable display the way people gasped when Jobs used his finger to scroll in the first iPhone keynote.

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#22
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In cramped quarters, a regular 12"ish laptop. When you have extra desk space, it's a desktop with a 17" display.

Now you have to ask yourself how many times in your life you had this exact problem. And if you did have this problem how big of a deal is it for your quality of life. It's a solution looking for a problem, at least in that form / the consumer market.

I'll stick with "docking" my 2014 MacBook air to my 30" 2004 cinema display. I agree with you 100%. This is not the next thing. I don't know what they are thinking.

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#23
post #19
post #13

I would have been extremely negative on this Lenovo machine if it didn’t have the keyboard docking solution that it does have. I have to admit that it’s clever and practical. What the machine needs is a way for the fully folded out display to stand itself up at a comfortable viewing angle. One thing I’m concerned about is the hardware-first mentality that OEMs have taken to foldable designs. The whole experience need…

>You can tell by the demo video that a Windows isn’t customized nearly enough to make this a pleasant experience. A really cool demo would have been to show off this laptop form factor by using Linux with a tiling window manager such as i3wm. Having it automatically split or rearrange panes when a fold is detected would be really cool. Unfortunately, Lenovo seems to be quite a bit behind the likes of Dell, System76,…

Absolutely! When I saw the operating system making zero changes to the lock screen as it was unfolded, zero changes when the keyboard was placed on top of the magnetic mount, that’s when I knew the product was dead in the water.

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#24
post #18

I think a separate roll-up display would be nicer. Pull out a tube, unroll your 34" ultra-widescreen display and work.

I want an actual foldable display. These seem like they are merely bendable.

Think back to the time when people actually bought paper maps and newspapers. You would take the map, find the area of interest, then fold it up so that you could see what you needed.

Obviously a display can show anything anywhere, but the idea of being able to take a large display and fold it to the perfect size for the circumstances would be pretty neat.

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#26
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In cramped quarters, a regular 12"ish laptop. When you have extra desk space, it's a desktop with a 17" display.

Now you have to ask yourself how many times in your life you had this exact problem. And if you did have this problem how big of a deal is it for your quality of life. It's a solution looking for a problem, at least in that form / the consumer market.

Commute on a train. Then get to a desk.

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#27
post #6

Eh, I'm having a hard time finding what advantage this would actually give you.

When it comes down to it, they're all still novelties. Tablets have been consumption devices you use every now and then. The truth is that touchscreen keyboards just can't match physical ones. And until tablets become productivity devices, they will always be treated as novelties (rightfully so).

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#28
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In cramped quarters, a regular 12"ish laptop. When you have extra desk space, it's a desktop with a 17" display.

Now you have to ask yourself how many times in your life you had this exact problem. And if you did have this problem how big of a deal is it for your quality of life. It's a solution looking for a problem, at least in that form / the consumer market.

Theoretically? Every time you hear someone talking about how they dock their laptop, you're hearing someone say they want a bigger screen than they're willing to carry.

Of course, a fold-out screen isn't a panacea: A 17" laptop isn't just heavy because of the big screen, but also because of the big battery to light up that screen. And of course there's the issue of reliability.

Re: Intel, Lenovo spread foldable computer fever at CES

#30
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now you have to ask yourself how many times in your life you had this exact problem. And if you did have this problem how big of a deal is it for your quality of life. It's a solution looking for a problem, at least in that form / the consumer market.

Theoretically? Every time you hear someone talking about how they dock their laptop, you're hearing someone say they want a bigger screen than they're willing to carry. Of course, a fold-out screen isn't a panacea: A 17" laptop isn't just heavy because of the big screen, but also because of the big battery to light up that screen. And of course there's the issue of reliability.

And there's the issue that a 17" screen is actually small compared to today's standards for desktops?
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