All of these sliding/flipping convertibles really don't meet the mark IMO. You end up with a 3lb or 4lb tablet.
The Asus Transformer type where you separate the keyboard and tablet really seems to be the way to go for convertibles. That way you end up with a thinner sub 2lb tablet when you want to do tablet stuff.
That is your opinion. I don't want a tablet with a detachable keyboard. I'd rather have a convertible laptop. It's all a matter of taste and I, for one, am glad that companies are offering choice.
If you cant detach the "tablet" or screen or whatever you want to call the display, how is it really different from a regular notebook?
Personally my ideal configuration would be a notebook form factor in which you can remove the screen and use it as a tablet. The primary use would be with the keyboard attached and with a mouse. If you wanted ultimate mobility, say for trip or something or to watch netflix in bed, you can detach the display and use it as a tablet.
I suppose something like the Asus Transformer, but it absolutely has to run windows. I pretty much hate android, it is still way buggy, or maybe it is just my particular tablet.
I'm with phatboye. You have your own usage scenario, and others have theirs. A tablet has limited utility for me but is useful on occasion, whilst a small and light laptop is very useful for my lifestyle. I can live with the extra size and weight on the occasion where I use such a device as a tablet, whilst having a separate, detachable keyboard would be a major nuisance the rest of the time. To that end, a convertible is definitely something I would be interested in, and presumably others, so it's good that manufacturers are catering to different people's needs.
Because the 15.6 is most likely a value machine while the ultrabooks are not, and ultrabook is an Intel branding thing that capitalizes on their marketing, much like Centrino did years back.
Yeah, it's very annoying. OEM's don't seem to realise that people are interested in thin-and-light/Ultrabook-type devices for the form factor and appearance and don't especially care about having high-end internals. Obviously Intel is encouraging this because they want to sell more expensive chips and thus why they've created the Ultrabook platform.
They're basically doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing and scrimping on things like screens and cases (looking into using plastic instead of aluminium) whilst continuing to use [relatively] expensive Intel CULV processors.
The first company to realise what they need to do is really nail the housing, screen, keyboard, trackpad and build quality whilst using the cheapest internal components they can get away with, like a Brazos and a 64GB SSD, and undercut the competition will outsell everyone.
I think if somebody made a big screentouchpad (like a 4"cellphone screen) it would be awesome with metro and win 8 as I think a more creative and alternative interaction would be great.
But I don't want a tablet interface on a PC I use with mouse and keyboard. And I don't feel any need to abandon win 7 for a while, so they might as well take their time to get it right.
I just can't even start to imagine how tiresome will be to use 3+ pounds tablets, I honestly think that the correct weight should be under 1.5lb, and until we have the tech to make this possible I'll choose the Asus Transformer form factor over all the sliders, swivel, twist, yoga convertibles around.
My ideal convertible could be something like a transformer, where the display half runs a full ARM SoC (Win 8RT or Android), while the keyboard half runs a x86 hardware (Win 8), and of course the apps and files will be accesible to one another and kept synchronized trough bluetooth or WiFi.
It is something that can be done already, but I fully aware that the cost would be off the charts... maybe in a couple of years when Atom became truly "powerful enough"...
yea, this is pretty much what I had in mind with my other post, but you stated it more clearly. I could live with Android when the display is detached I suppose, but it has to run x86 windows as well so you can actually do some work with it.
I don't understand any of these stupid devices. Give me a powerful laptop with a 17"+ screen any day. I want to actually get my work done, not surf anandtech all day long. I can see tablets for casual surfing in bed or on the couch, but that is IT, no other scenerio makes a lot of sense from a productivity perspective.
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guidryp - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
All of these sliding/flipping convertibles really don't meet the mark IMO. You end up with a 3lb or 4lb tablet.The Asus Transformer type where you separate the keyboard and tablet really seems to be the way to go for convertibles. That way you end up with a thinner sub 2lb tablet when you want to do tablet stuff.
phatboye - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
That is your opinion. I don't want a tablet with a detachable keyboard. I'd rather have a convertible laptop. It's all a matter of taste and I, for one, am glad that companies are offering choice.frozentundra123456 - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
If you cant detach the "tablet" or screen or whatever you want to call the display, how is it really different from a regular notebook?Personally my ideal configuration would be a notebook form factor in which you can remove the screen and use it as a tablet. The primary use would be with the keyboard attached and with a mouse. If you wanted ultimate mobility, say for trip or something or to watch netflix in bed, you can detach the display and use it as a tablet.
I suppose something like the Asus Transformer, but it absolutely has to run windows. I pretty much hate android, it is still way buggy, or maybe it is just my particular tablet.
phatboye - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
"If you cant detach the "tablet" or screen or whatever you want to call the display, how is it really different from a regular notebook?"It's different in that it has a laptop form factor that can be converted into a tablet by flipping the screen.
Malphas - Saturday, September 1, 2012 - link
I'm with phatboye. You have your own usage scenario, and others have theirs. A tablet has limited utility for me but is useful on occasion, whilst a small and light laptop is very useful for my lifestyle. I can live with the extra size and weight on the occasion where I use such a device as a tablet, whilst having a separate, detachable keyboard would be a major nuisance the rest of the time. To that end, a convertible is definitely something I would be interested in, and presumably others, so it's good that manufacturers are catering to different people's needs.Flunk - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
It depends what you want, you can fit a lot more hardware in a sliding/flipping convertible than you can with a trans-former type convertible.kyuu - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
What is the reason why OEMs are refusing to put Trinity in 13/14 inch ultrabook form-factors and instead will only put them in their 15.6 inchers?stm1185 - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
Because the 15.6 is most likely a value machine while the ultrabooks are not, and ultrabook is an Intel branding thing that capitalizes on their marketing, much like Centrino did years back.Malphas - Saturday, September 1, 2012 - link
Yeah, it's very annoying. OEM's don't seem to realise that people are interested in thin-and-light/Ultrabook-type devices for the form factor and appearance and don't especially care about having high-end internals. Obviously Intel is encouraging this because they want to sell more expensive chips and thus why they've created the Ultrabook platform.They're basically doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing and scrimping on things like screens and cases (looking into using plastic instead of aluminium) whilst continuing to use [relatively] expensive Intel CULV processors.
The first company to realise what they need to do is really nail the housing, screen, keyboard, trackpad and build quality whilst using the cheapest internal components they can get away with, like a Brazos and a 64GB SSD, and undercut the competition will outsell everyone.
Granseth - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
I think if somebody made a big screentouchpad (like a 4"cellphone screen) it would be awesome with metro and win 8 as I think a more creative and alternative interaction would be great.But I don't want a tablet interface on a PC I use with mouse and keyboard. And I don't feel any need to abandon win 7 for a while, so they might as well take their time to get it right.
Spivonious - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
Try Windows 8 with a mouse and keyboard. It really doesn't take long to learn the hot corners. Designed for tablet, but works just fine on a desktop.Granseth - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
I agree that WIN 8 works OK with a mouse and keyboard, It's just that I feel it doesn't give me anything that makes it worthwhile to change from Win 7Iketh - Saturday, September 1, 2012 - link
all you have to do is spend 2 weeks with Win8 and you'll never go back to 7... it is the futuremakken - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
It was 77 degrees in SF yesterday. I had to check to make sure my phone was pulling weather info from the right location.Pessimism - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
To 1366x768 screens. Seriously.Visual - Friday, August 31, 2012 - link
That, plus no mention of active digitizer, just kills this product for me.Winterblade - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
I just can't even start to imagine how tiresome will be to use 3+ pounds tablets, I honestly think that the correct weight should be under 1.5lb, and until we have the tech to make this possible I'll choose the Asus Transformer form factor over all the sliders, swivel, twist, yoga convertibles around.My ideal convertible could be something like a transformer, where the display half runs a full ARM SoC (Win 8RT or Android), while the keyboard half runs a x86 hardware (Win 8), and of course the apps and files will be accesible to one another and kept synchronized trough bluetooth or WiFi.
It is something that can be done already, but I fully aware that the cost would be off the charts... maybe in a couple of years when Atom became truly "powerful enough"...
frozentundra123456 - Thursday, August 30, 2012 - link
yea, this is pretty much what I had in mind with my other post, but you stated it more clearly. I could live with Android when the display is detached I suppose, but it has to run x86 windows as well so you can actually do some work with it.p05esto - Wednesday, September 5, 2012 - link
I don't understand any of these stupid devices. Give me a powerful laptop with a 17"+ screen any day. I want to actually get my work done, not surf anandtech all day long. I can see tablets for casual surfing in bed or on the couch, but that is IT, no other scenerio makes a lot of sense from a productivity perspective.