Earlier this year, Samsung made a splash in the mobile device market by unveiling a late and breaking product – emphasis on the breaking.
Samsung’s Galaxy Fold was touted as a smartphone with a foldable screen and as soon as the $2,000 device hit the market, it was plagued by complaints of the units cracking or blacking out after minimal use.
The problems led Samsung to put a pin in the whole Galaxy Fold deal while it continues to work out the kinks. But if you can’t wait… guess what: there are even more unproven foldable electronics out there just waiting to be… hopefully not broken.
Lenovo recently debuted a prototype that uses a bendable design, and it’s been described as a sort of half laptop, half tablet. The display is made by LG and it unfolds to more than 13 inches. When used as a traditional laptop, the product offers a 9.6” half screen and touch keyboard at the bottom. Or, pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and you’ll get the full effect of the screen.
Gizmodo says the big benefit here compared to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold is that it’s one smooth sheet with “no crease, bumps, or rippling.” In its report, the site also stressed the benefits of what would basically amount to having two screens – jot notes on the bottom while viewing a presentation on the top screen; or, playing a game while checking your email. Heck, turn it sideways and you’ve got a TV. The major benefit, they say, is that the device isn’t completing dominated on one half by a physical keyboard.
The jury is still out on the necessity, though tech enthusiasts will most likely give it a whirl based on its novelty alone. But they’ll have to wait. Lenovo says this prototype – which doesn’t even have a name yet – won’t be available until 2020.