Windows 8 convertible laptops: Who will get it right?
Of late, we see the market abuzz with a host of competing designs, each one parading their benefits and stylish looks. One design, which got a lot of press at CES 2012 is the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga, an aptly named device as the touch-screen of the laptop flips 360 degrees all the way back to become a tablet. This device will be exclusively released with Windows 8 later this year (http://news.lenovo.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1551, http://www.gizmag.com/lenovo-ideapad-yoga-13/21073/). Another model showcased at CES 2012 is the Toshiba Protege M930 - when in laptop mode the screen can be lifted up from its base and pulled forward to cover the keyboard. This device appears to be awaiting Windows 8 for its commercial launch as the demoed version having Windows 7 isn't available on retail. (http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/13/2705350/toshiba-portege-m930-a-windows-7-tablet-with-a-keyboard-and-rotating). One other contender, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer is essentially a tablet with a detachable docking keyboard. An Android version is already available, with a Windows 8 model to be launched later this year - which is a very positive indication of the market outlook for Windows 8 going ahead (http://www.pcworld.com/article/230202/asus_may_put_windows_8_in_next_eee_pad_transformer_tablet.html). Dell Inspiron Duo has been around for some while now and features a flip-hinge design where the screen can be flipped 180 degrees on its horizontal axis so that when closed, it covers the keyboard with the screen facing upwards to work in tablet mode (http://www.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/global/products/landing/en/inspiron?c=us&l=en). It is currently available with Windows 7, but users who have installed the developer preview of Windows 8 report a much improved user experience. Windows 8 is surely going to shake up the market.
With all these designs around, some are bound to gain popularity, while others will fade away. We saw a parallel in the evolution of mobile phone design; the once very popular flip mobile phones are now giving way to elegant slide-out keyboard designs. In the market for convertible laptops, style, substance (specifications and features) and robustness will play an important part. It is to be seen in the war of the laplets, which designs will prevail in the long run.
