I wish the new MBA took this form factor...

[Chupa Chupa]

New Dell Duo tablet/netbook hybrid:

Forget about the specs -- this Dell doesn't interest me -- probably won't too many others either.

But I love the form factor. I wish Apple made a laptop where the screen was actually a removable iPad. Truly best of both worlds. When SJ said he wondered what would happen if a MB hooked up w/ an iPad this is what I thought he was going to show us. Oh well.

 

[itommyboy]

I saw this unit on an ad watching football Sunday. I dig this setup as well. I would not be surprised if all the big CO's - including - had something like this within the year aimed at their tablet/netbook market.

 

[silverblack]

I could not disagree with you more. I want to MBA to be as thin and light as possible. I have and iPad, and I don't really see the big deal of touch screen, other than for games. Web browsing is not better with touch screen, and certainly not word processing.

I do still use my iPad at home, when I am not in front of a desk/table. It's nice because it is so light. By including a keyboard, the extra weight would undo the advantage of a tablet.

 

[itommyboy]

I do still use my iPad at home, when I am not in front of a desk/table. It's nice because it is so light. By including a keyboard, the extra weight would undo the advantage of a tablet.

You do realize the tablet "pops out" of this unit, right? When you need more of a legit computer, pop it in. When you don't need the extra weight and kb and a simple tablet will do, pop it out. Not knocking your opinion, just wondering if you are aware this setup essentially provided the best of both worlds. Of course if ever pulled one out it would be even slimmer, lighter and sexier - not to mention much better than anything Dell creates.

 

[Mr. Savage]

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I too long for the day when Apple begins building hideous looking contraptions that I wouldn't be caught dead using in public.

 

[bcaslis]

You do realize the tablet "pops out" of this unit, right? When you need more of a legit computer, pop it in. When you don't need the extra weight and kb and a simple tablet will do, pop it out. Not knocking your opinion, just wondering if you are aware this setup essentially provided the best of both worlds. Of course if ever pulled one out it would be even slimmer, lighter and sexier - not to mention much better than anything Dell creates.

The tablet doesn't pop out, it rotates. You are stuck with the whole thing no matter how you want to use it.

I would never, ever buy that thing, even if Apple made it.

 

[VespaMatt]

You do realize the tablet "pops out" of this unit, right? When you need more of a legit computer, pop it in. When you don't need the extra weight and kb and a simple tablet will do, pop it out. Not knocking your opinion, just wondering if you are aware this setup essentially provided the best of both worlds. Of course if ever pulled one out it would be even slimmer, lighter and sexier - not to mention much better than anything Dell creates.

What? This is the first I've heard that it pops out. Do you have a link showing this?

 

[MatthewCobb]

I too long for the day when Apple begins building hideous looking contraptions that I wouldn't be caught dead using in public.

And which will break incredibly easily

 

[bcaslis]

What? This is the first I've heard that it pops out. Do you have a link showing this?

It doesn't pop out, it only rotates. The poster is wrong.

 

[itommyboy]

It doesn't pop out? Lame! LOL I saw an ad with what I thought was this unit and a gal pop's it out as a tablet for the couch then pop's it back in at her desk. My bad I stand corrected.

 

[silverblack]

Even if it pops out.... the idea is only great in theory, but impossible in practice. To make the table work well when stand-alone, all the components and batteries must be self-contained. Now, to be able to support the table when docked, the bottom part has to be heavy enough. The end product will be at least the weight of a MBP, some may like it, but not me.

 

[sigamy]

I asked about this in another thread yesterday. We've had field sales reps using HP laptops that convert into tablets for years. The screen swivels around to cover the keyboard. These are a bit large and clunky and they run Windows with I guess some minor pen input hooks.

Imagine that Apple combines the MBA and iPad. When opened as a laptop, it is just that, runs Mac OS X. But when you swivel the screen to cover the keyboard, you are now in tablet form factor and the machine automatically (boom!) moves over into iOS.

As I asked in the other thread: Best of both worlds? Or master of none?

 

[stockscalper]

Reminds me of the old Jethro Tull song, "Thick as a Brick" and probably as heavy as one too.

 

[HLdan]

I saw this unit on an ad watching football Sunday. I dig this setup as well. I would not be surprised if all the big CO's - including - had something like this within the year aimed at their tablet/netbook market.

I would be surprised if they did. That design will be discontinued in the near feature I'll bet. Every time Dell does something "different" it gets shoved down the septic tank where it belongs. That design is horribly ugly and most likely will have build quality issues with all the flipping back and forth. No thanks.

 

[gecis]

i would be surprised if they did. That design will be discontinued in the near feature i'll bet. Every time dell does something "different" it gets shoved down the septic tank where it belongs. That design is horribly ugly and most likely will have build quality issues with all the flipping back and forth. No thanks.

+1

 

[Mr. Savage]

Dell should do the altruistic thing with this misbegotten product and donate the entire production run to a charitable organization (one laptop per child, for example) for use by children in poor and developing nations.

 

[iPhysicist]

This wont happen because this is against Apples simplicity rule. You need a Laptop - you buy one. You need a tablet - you buy one. You need both - then you buy both.

You neither need a Laptop nor a tablet - then you buy this Dell Thingy.

 

[juro]

I think the OP may have confused the Dell for this Lenovo. Now this is a true tablet/laptop combination.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-laptop-by-day-unhinged-tablet-by-nigh/

And it looks pretty good, too.

"When the screen is locked into its upright position in the laptop's chassis, it's powered by a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor and runs Windows 7 Home Premium. But when the screen is pulled from its shell it morphs into a Qualcomm Snapdragon powered-multitouch slate with a 16GB SSD that boots Lenovo's customized Skylight Linux interface."

 

[bowlerman625]

Ugly toy.

 

[mark28]

I could not disagree with you more. I want to MBA to be as thin and light as possible. I have and iPad, and I don't really see the big deal of touch screen, other than for games. Web browsing is not better with touch screen, and certainly not word processing.

I do still use my iPad at home, when I am not in front of a desk/table. It's nice because it is so light. By including a keyboard, the extra weight would undo the advantage of a tablet.

The iPad is too heavy to hold it in 1-hand, so it's just a laptop.

If the iPad 2 becomes lighter so that you can use it just like an iPod Touch or an iPhone, then you'd have a point.

 

[mark28]

I would be surprised if they did. That design will be discontinued in the near feature I'll bet. Every time Dell does something "different" it gets shoved down the septic tank where it belongs. That design is horribly ugly and most likely will have build quality issues with all the flipping back and forth. No thanks.

Dell is not the only one who has a hybrid laptop/tablet computer.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

Personally I'm very impressed with what Apple has done in designing the new MBA's. Prior to seeing them, I had only planned on purchasing the 13" to replacing my aging original MBA.

Once I saw the wedge shaped design and the roomy keyboard & track pad of the 11" I knew I had to have one. In my case it's used frequently when I go on business trips across the pond. It fits a tray table ideally and is very easy to slip in & out of my carry on bag in flight.

As far as alternate designs, they don't appeal to me, but I have an open mind and no desire to bash them. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Change is not something I fear.

 

[ggf]

The iPad is too heavy to hold it in 1-hand, so it's just a laptop.

If the iPad 2 becomes lighter so that you can use it just like an iPod Touch or an iPhone, then you'd have a point.

I hold the iPad in one hand (and use the other for typing) all the time. If you are suggesting you want one handed operation with a 9.7" device stick to the touch

 

[CaoCao]

The iPad is too heavy to hold it in 1-hand, so it's just a laptop.

If the iPad 2 becomes lighter so that you can use it just like an iPod Touch or an iPhone, then you'd have a point.

I can hold a MB with one hand and type with the other

 

[mark28]

I can hold a MB with one hand and type with the other

Try using an iPad. You won't be able to work with it holding it in 1 hand all the time.

A lighter iPad would be much better which hopefully will be in the next revision. If you're going to place your iPad on your lap or on a table or on your bed, might as well use a laptop.