Hybrid PCs, machines that can transform from a traditional clamshell notebook into a tablet, aren't a new idea but the concept seems to be gaining a lot of traction, as evidenced by dozens of examples on display at this year's Computex show.
Microsoft introduced its "Tablet PC" concept a decade ago, and for years, we carried a convertible notebook.
Indeed, companies like Lenovo and Fujitsu have been making and selling such machines all along, through primarily in niche markets.
The Apple's iPad changed all that of course, making tablets into a real consumer product for the first time.
Bluetooth keyboards became the standard way to connect a keyboard to an iPad, and such keyboards are available for Google's Android tablets, as well.
In some respects, though, we think credit for the renewed push for hybrid designs goes to machines like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer, which added a lightweight keyboard dock that made the Android tablet look just like a typical clamshell notebook.
At Computex 2012, Asus showed the latest version of that product, with a 10.1" display and a 1280x800 resolution.
It also showed an upgraded model, called the Transformer Pad Infinity, which increases the screen resolution to 1920x1080.
Both run Google's Android Ice Cream Sandwich and an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.
They looked quite good, and other Android tablets with similar keyboard solutions have also been shown.
The success of these machines, combined with Intel's push for ultrabooks and for thinner parts in general, and Microsoft's renewed emphasis on touch capabilities in Windows 8, has led many companies to develop the convertible designs for Windows that were on the show floor.
There were a variety of choices on the Computex show floor, and the multiple designs showed some very innovative thinking.
A number took the keyboard dock concept and applied it to Windows machines, with a variety of sizes and processors, sometimes with some interesting twists.
Not surprisingly, Asus was there with its Transformer Book, with Intel Core processors and promised 11.6-, 13-, and 14" displays.
But for more portability, Asus also showed off its Tablet 810, with an 11.6" 1366x768 display, running an Intel Atom processor (the upcoming Clover Trail version) and 2GB of memory.
The company said it should weigh about 700 grams.
Similarly, Gigabyte also showed an Atom-based tablet with a docking station
Samsung, whose Slate line was given to attendees of Microsoft's Build conference, primarily displayed a version with a Bluetooth keyboard plus digitizer support to the tablet, so you can use a pen as well.
The Series 7 Slate PC, running the Intel Core processors, is said to weigh 860 grams.
Samsung also showed a prototype with a keyboard dock.
Acer showed its Iconia W510 with a keyboard dock, as well as model with a cradle that acts as a stand and charger.
It also has a smaller version based on AMD's C-series that would presumably be less expensive.
Similarly, AMD was showing a Compal 11" hybrid design in its book.
Several models took an approach different from the removable keyboard design.
They start with a basic laptop design but allow the screen to move in some way to convert it to a tablet.
Gigabyte was showing a 10.1" Atom-based notebook with a more traditional swivel hinge that rotates so the screen can lie flat like a tablet.
This made it look more like the traditional Tablet PCs we've used in the past from companies like Lenovo and Fujitsu.
The more interesting designs, though, took the concept in new directions.
At CES, Lenovo showed an interesting concept called Yoga, in which the hinge rotates completely around so that the keyboard ends up on the bottom of the screen, making the top a tablet.
It sounds unusual but it allows for different configurations, such as using the keyboard to act as stand for the tablet.
At the show, Asus introduced a concept it called Taichi, which looks like a standard notebook except that the top cover actually contains another display, so you can use it as a tablet when it is closed.
You can run separate applications on the main and cover display.
This will supposedly come in both 11.6- and 13.3" versions.
It looks very cool, though we're not sure how often we'd really want to use both screens at the same time.
Another approach is the "slider," where you start with a typical notebook design, lay the screen flat, and then slide the screen over the keyboard.
MSI displayed such a design, called the Slider S20.
Toshiba showed a similar idea at the Intel keynote earlier in the week.
Intel also had a prototype from ODM Foxconn with an unusual hinge that rotates so the screen can lie flat as a cover or turn over to be used as a tablet.
Overall, we were incredibly impressed by the number of different designs and by the innovations many of the companies were taking to offer thin notebooks that could double as a tablet.
It's likely that not all of these designs will actually ship, but many will, and we're looking forward to seeing the final products and testing how they really work over a period of time.
We stopped carrying a tablet PC around the time the iPad came out, but we may have to rethink that.
Source: PCMag
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