Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

The laptop with two heads....

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • The laptop with two heads....

    Two displays, that is....from Lenovo



    Link...

    Lenovo preps dual-display Frankenlaptop

    3,353,088 pixels, at your service

    Word has leaked out that Lenovo plans to release the world's first dual-display laptop at next month's Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

    Not since Ray Milland had his head grafted onto Rosie Greer's body in 1972's The Thing with Two Heads has a more unlikely two-headed beast been seen in the wild.
    And "beast" is not an inappropriate descriptor. At 16-by-12-by-2.1 inches and 11 pounds, the Lenovo W700ds is a hulking heavyweight - but there's a lot of hardware packed into that prodigious poundage.

    First and most obvious are the two LCD displays gracing the W700ds. The main display - placed where you'd expect it to be - is a 17-inch, 1920-by-1200, Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics Array (WUXGA) display. So far, normal - if impressively large.
    Sliding out from the right side of the main display, however, is a vertically oriented 10.6-inch second display, with a 1366-by-758 Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array (WXGA) resolution. We'll do the math for you: between the two displays there's a total of 3,353,088 pixels.

    The W700ds doubles up on these double displays with twin bays for hard drives or Solid-State Drives (SSDs), as well as two built-in input devices: a standard trackpad and a Wacom digitizer built into the right side of the palm rest.

    Although Lenovo has yet to list all of the options for the W700ds on its website, one report claimed that it will be available with a quad-core Intel Core 2 processor - possibly the QX9300 - and Nvidia Quadro graphics - possibly the FX 3700M. We add "possibly" because Lenovo hasn't responded to our requests for clarification. Their media-relations staff appears to have begun their holiday breaks a bit early. Possibly.

    Although pricing for the W700ds has not been officially announced, various web reports place it somewhere between $3,000 and $3,600 - although we'll have to wait until CES to find out what accoutrements come at what price points. One assumes that, pound for pound, it won't be cheap.

    While a two-display laptop might be overkill for most users, picture a videographer in the field or a digital photographer on remote assignment, and you can understand the allure of all that extra pixelage. Besides, any content-creating professional who can afford this beast will also be able to afford an assistant to lug it around.
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    You know, we should really rethink the usage of "laptop" term...this machine, for example, definatelly shouldn't fall into this category - it's a luggable (not portable) desktop more or less...

    Similarly, the term "netbook" really doesn't make justice to machines described that way...

    PS. Besides, the position of the second screen is flawed on this machine - it should be on the left imho (main body of the machine will be often shifted to the right because of keyboard/clit/touchpad placement). Though I wonder when they'll show three monitor setup... ;/ (it seems it could be easily accomodated)
    Last edited by Nowhere; 23 December 2008, 04:07.

    Comment


    • #3
      Well, luggable pc's can also be what is often called lunchbox pc's.
      There are models with battery support, and models with three monitors...

      The IBM can be used on ones lap, so IMO it does live up to the name laptop... Netbook seems to have become a name for a small laptop...

      I do agree with your remark on the position of that display.

      Jörg
      pixar
      Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow. (James Dean)

      Comment


      • #4
        I like my Wind, but I definitely could see how someone with only one computer would want a desktop-replacement style laptop. For me a netbook is perfect though. I'd hate to lug a heavy laptop around school.
        Q9450 + TRUE, G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2, GTX 560, ASUS X48, 1TB WD Black, Windows 7 64-bit, LG M2762D-PM 27" + 17" LG 1752TX, Corsair HX620, Antec P182, Logitech G5 (Blue)
        Laptop: MSI Wind - Black

        Comment


        • #5
          VJ, can it? It weights 5 kg...also, posibbly, runs quite hot. And I don't see how that slideout screen can live to the toughness of Thinkpads, which would be handy when you work while almost lying on the sofa... (like I prefer to )
          Confusingly, the thickness of it makes using its keyboard comfortable only...when it's on the lap (I guess)

          Admittedly, I don't have anything against filling this small niche for people who want such machine.

          What I do mind is hijacking the mindset of what laptop should be about...comfortable both when working and when carrying it. Like when this hijacking was done by 15,4" laptops, making them the only affordable/sensibly (in comparison) priced ones...however in reality they were made/bought for desktop replacements roles by most people.

          At least now there's hope in netbooks, arguablt closest to the idea of laptop while remaining cheap. At the moment I'm hoping for X-style Thinkpad with innards of typical netbook...still light and small enough to fit in typical bag (not laptop bag, please) while beeing much more comfortable to work with.

          Comment


          • #6
            Not a laptop - its a 'portable computer.' Regardless, it definitely has it's own niche. If I didn't have a desktop computer as well there is no way I'd be satisfied with my Wind or 99% of the laptops out there.
            Q9450 + TRUE, G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2, GTX 560, ASUS X48, 1TB WD Black, Windows 7 64-bit, LG M2762D-PM 27" + 17" LG 1752TX, Corsair HX620, Antec P182, Logitech G5 (Blue)
            Laptop: MSI Wind - Black

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Nowhere View Post
              VJ, can it? It weights 5 kg...
              It can if you look at the form factor (which is why I posted the lunchbox pc).

              I do agree that it would not be comfortable though.


              Jörg
              pixar
              Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow. (James Dean)

              Comment


              • #8
                From a purely mechanical point of view, I see a leak link in the (ribbon?) cable connecting the secondary display internally. How much flexing will it tolerate before it fails, rendering the secondary display nonfunctional?

                Kevin

                Comment

                Working...
                X