Lenovo are the biggest PC manufacturer in the world, and in recent years have done some pretty special things to break the mould that is the standard laptop and tablet. Their Yoga Laptops are some of the best designed “convertibles” while their Yoga Tablets are radically different to all others – they continue that trend with the new Yoga BOOK announced here in Berlin.
The Yoga Book is more laptop than tablet, 10 inch screen, coming in both Windows or Android versions.
Standing out from the crowd though is the Yoga Book’s party trick which sees what would be the keyboard surface on a laptop transformed into a touch-sensitive “surface” which can be a keyboard – but can also be a touch surface.
Using the included stylus, you can interact with that surface, drawing or even place a notepad accessory on there to take digital notes.
When you need a keyboard the surface lights up to show you the keys.
Takes some getting used to no doubt, but it’s certainly innovative.
I’m not sure who needs or wants a touch surface that isn’t the screen – though that too is of course touch sensitive.
The stylus could be the key to the device, it could also be another strong part of the gimmick – we really need a few weeks of usage to be sure.
Whatever the case, it’s thin, light, and sexy as all heck using that watch-band Yoga hinge.
This product is the latest in a long line of laptop/tablet hybrids as the world moves towards a productivity change where we use devices for so much more than just one thing. Work, Video, Gaming, you name it.
We’ll wait to give it a full run before we judge it, worried that the touch keyboard could be a gimmick – we’ll wait and see.
Aussie pricing and availability is not yet announced.
Trevor Long travelled to Berlin for IFA 2016 as a Guest of Sony Australia – Click here for Full details of commercial interests and disclosures
