Microsoft is leaving no stone unturned for its big launch in October. For the first time in almost a decade, the Windows Operating System will receive a major overhaul and while that may sound like a good thing, not every aspect of it is really beneficial to the average PC user. In order to stay relevant in this app crazy world, Microsoft is finally adding a touch-friendly interface for devices like phones and tablets. It’s not like we’ve not had Windows-based tablets and slates in the past, it’s that the OS just wasn’t designed to work in that environment so naturally, they never really took off. The new addition to the desktop environment, now called Modern UI, is supposed to change that, but do we really need it on notebooks and desktops too? I can understand if a Windows 8 tablet tries to mimic a notebook, that still works, and the Surface is proof of that. But it does not work the other way around and it seems like companies either fail to realize this or are simply compelled to create such contraptions in order to stay in the race.
OEM’s like Dell, HP, Samsung, Acer and other big names, proudly showcased their upcoming products at the IFA 2012 consumer tech exhibition in Berlin. Some of them were just concepts while some will actually make it to production in the coming months and will be amongst the first Windows 8 notebooks, come October. The problem with all these notebooks however is just that - they are notebooks. So simply slapping a touchscreen on them in order to use Modern UI doesn’t make it a very practical solution. Imagine sitting with the notebook on your lap and reaching out with one arm to swipe across the screen. This is not ergonomic at all and you’ll soon develop fatigue. OEMs also showed off All-In-One PCs running Windows 8 with touchscreens, which again, just doesn’t work in the real world. Big wigs like Acer, HP and others also showcased touch-enabled versions of their current Ultrabooks. Acer’s M3 and V5 will be the new touch-based Ultrabooks that will soon hit the shelves. As if Ultrabooks weren’t expensive enough, expect to pay an even higher premium for them now. Dell finally has the platform to bring its concept back to life called the Duo 12. First seen at CES a couple of years back, this notebook has a feature where the entire screen can be rotated within the bezel, converting it into a tablet. While this seems like a good idea as you can use it as a slate by simply flipping the screen, you’ll still be dealing with the weight and dimensions of a notebook so you really wouldn’t be able to use it one-handed for too long. Samsung took the Asus Taichi route when they showed off their 13-inch Series 9 notebook, which had dual screens, one regular and another on the lid. This way, when the notebook is closed, you can use it as a tablet and when opened, it turns into a notebook, a clever solution but again not practical since you won’t be able to use desktop apps in Modern UI so you’ll have to open the lid to use it, rendering the outer screen useless.
OEM’s like Dell, HP, Samsung, Acer and other big names, proudly showcased their upcoming products at the IFA 2012 consumer tech exhibition in Berlin. Some of them were just concepts while some will actually make it to production in the coming months and will be amongst the first Windows 8 notebooks, come October. The problem with all these notebooks however is just that - they are notebooks. So simply slapping a touchscreen on them in order to use Modern UI doesn’t make it a very practical solution. Imagine sitting with the notebook on your lap and reaching out with one arm to swipe across the screen. This is not ergonomic at all and you’ll soon develop fatigue. OEMs also showed off All-In-One PCs running Windows 8 with touchscreens, which again, just doesn’t work in the real world. Big wigs like Acer, HP and others also showcased touch-enabled versions of their current Ultrabooks. Acer’s M3 and V5 will be the new touch-based Ultrabooks that will soon hit the shelves. As if Ultrabooks weren’t expensive enough, expect to pay an even higher premium for them now. Dell finally has the platform to bring its concept back to life called the Duo 12. First seen at CES a couple of years back, this notebook has a feature where the entire screen can be rotated within the bezel, converting it into a tablet. While this seems like a good idea as you can use it as a slate by simply flipping the screen, you’ll still be dealing with the weight and dimensions of a notebook so you really wouldn’t be able to use it one-handed for too long. Samsung took the Asus Taichi route when they showed off their 13-inch Series 9 notebook, which had dual screens, one regular and another on the lid. This way, when the notebook is closed, you can use it as a tablet and when opened, it turns into a notebook, a clever solution but again not practical since you won’t be able to use desktop apps in Modern UI so you’ll have to open the lid to use it, rendering the outer screen useless.
Not the most practical solution
What bugs me more is that despite OEMs like Samsung and Asus having hybrid Windows 8 notebooks that resemble the Surface, why are they trying to tabletize regular notebooks as well? It would have been different if consumers didn't have a choice of hybrid PCs in which case, touch-enabled Ulrabooks would have made sense for those looking for the ‘complete’ Windows 8 experience. This is just going to cause more confusion to the end user as he/she now has a choice between a standard notebook with a touchscreen or a tablet PC that can double up as a notebook, all from the same brand.
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