Lenovo's Laptop Concept is Fully Transparent, But the Point Isn't Entirely Clear (techcrunch.com) 25
An anonymous reader shares a report from the ongoing Mobile World Congress trade show: This year's big scrum gatherer was Lenovo's long-rumored transparent laptop. It's real. It functions surprisingly well and -- nearest anyone can tell -- its existence is a testament to form over function. That's a perfectly fine thing to be when you're a concept device. When it comes to actually shipping a product, however, that's another conversation entirely. [...] Broadly speaking, it looks like a laptop, with a transparent pane where the screen should be. It's perhaps best understood as a kind of augmented reality device, in the sense that its graphics are overlaid on whatever happens to be behind it.
It's a crowd pleaser, with a futuristic air to it that embodies all manner of sci-fi tech tropes. The transparent display has become a kind of shorthand for future tech in stock art, and it's undeniably neat to see the thing in action. [...] The bottom of the device is covered in a large capacitive touch surface. This area serves as both a keyboard and a large stylus-compatible drawing surface. The flat surface can't compete with real, tactile keyboards, of course. Typing isn't the greatest experience here, as evidenced by previous dual-screen Lenovo laptops. But that's the tradeoff for the versatility of the virtual version.
It's a crowd pleaser, with a futuristic air to it that embodies all manner of sci-fi tech tropes. The transparent display has become a kind of shorthand for future tech in stock art, and it's undeniably neat to see the thing in action. [...] The bottom of the device is covered in a large capacitive touch surface. This area serves as both a keyboard and a large stylus-compatible drawing surface. The flat surface can't compete with real, tactile keyboards, of course. Typing isn't the greatest experience here, as evidenced by previous dual-screen Lenovo laptops. But that's the tradeoff for the versatility of the virtual version.
In other words (Score:3)
This kind of stuff... (Score:4, Insightful)
...appeals to art directors who design props for sci-fi movies
Actually using it for real work is another thing. I suspect that it sucks mightily
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...appeals to art directors who design props for sci-fi movies Actually using it for real work is another thing. I suspect that it sucks mightily
I'm sure it's absolutely fine with the add-on rear-clipped screen backer, available for an extra $999, that's actually just a sheet of matte finished black plastic.
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That was my thought as well: this will be the new favorite movie and TV laptop meant to show how technically brilliant the character is.
Shoulder surfers can now sit opposite. (Score:1)
Not the laptop for anyone with even the slightes security or privacy concerns then?
Could have sworn I've seen this story before... (Score:4)
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Yes, this is a dupe.
Re: (Score:2)
Slashdot's crack team of editors would let a dupe through? When did this start?
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Since they started doing crack.
Morning To Do List for Slashdot Editors (Score:4, Funny)
1. Get a cup of coffee
2. exchange Good Morning banter with colleagues
3. log in
4. review headlines from last 24 hours
5. start actual work
same info 5 posts below (Score:2)
I "understand" having the same article (or about the same event) in a day or 2, but just few minutes later (5 posts) seems to be a new record on slashdot I suppose.
Easy fix (Score:5, Funny)
For people complaining they get distracted by what's behind the screen: just tape a piece of cardboard to the back of the laptop! As a bonus, if you use a printed photo, your screen will have a colorful background, and you can even change the photo from time to time!
Will marvels never cease?
Government Can See Everything Anyway (Score:2)
So might as well let EVERYONE see what you are doing.
No more need to shoulder surf passwords (Score:2)
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Slashdot has editors... (Score:2)
...but the point isn't entirely clear, when they don't review what is being duplicated.
Purpose? What's this purpose you speak of? (Score:1)
> but the point isn't entirely clear
One word: "cool". It's to look and be cool, usually for the purpose of getting laid. It is NOT to get the seal of approval from "Good Vulcan House Keeping".
I don't even enable transparency in Windows (Score:3)
Windows by default has a certain level of transparency in its windows, or at least the borders, so while you're readying your document, you can see a shadow of whatever's behind it. I find this to be distracting, and always turn it off. No way I'd want the whole screen to be transparent!
Fantastic (Score:2)
I've always wanted to have something other than glare forcing me to crane my neck to be able to read the text on the screen.
"Shit, fucking yellow text is melding with the yellow flowers behind my glass screen."
Solution: a new Transparent Laptop White Reflecting Panel to position behind the laptop monitor to prevent objects behind it from making text unreadable.
(let's all forget how phones with glass bodies need black plastic wrap-around bumpers to protect them and make the phone grippable)