March 3rd, 2009
Asus dual-screen laptop concept revealed
CNET colleague Dan Ackerman spotted this dual-screen laptop concept from Asus at German CeBit 2009, and it certainly is an interesting approach to personal computing.
The device is a laptop with two displays instead of a traditional screen and keyboard — what the company calls “a revolutionary dual-panel concept notebook.”
(click for more pictures in ZDNet image gallery)
The company says inspiration was drawn from users’ opinions on WePC.com, where consumers can submit and discuss ideas for innovative laptops. Many of the submitted ideas suggest multiple displays in a single unit, begging the question: does the user know what’s best for him?
Asus warned that “the concept is still a work-in-progress which requires continued feedback,” but it’s still an interesting reveal into the mind of a PC manufacturer (and its customers).
Asus describes the system thusly:
The dual panel offers a flexible working space in which users can adapt to suit their prevailing usage scenarios, for example adjusting the size of the virtual touchpad and keyboard.Through hand gestures, handwriting recognition, and multitouch, users are presented with a control surface that is both flexible and intuitive. Users can use the dual-panel concept in a myriad of usage scenarios, for example as a conventional notebook with multitouch screens, a virtual keyboard and touchpad; a multimedia hub, in which both dual panels could combine to form a larger display for widescreen entertainment; or an E-book mode in which users can hold the dual panel concept notebook just like they would a conventional book while flipping pages through intuitive gestures or by touch.
Would you use a dual-screen, single unit laptop?
Andrew J. Nusca is an associate editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet.
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