Laptops of the (Not So Distant) Future

Tangent Bay's keyboard

Technology never ceases to amaze us. That is, the human brain never ceases to do so. Sometimes we find it difficult to believe that humans were once living the simple life on a wrench with no television or radio devices.

Tangent Bay's keyboard

Anyway, here is a list of some of the latest laptops, notebooks, netbooks, iPad-like slate tablets, e-readers etc. concept designs that will most likely be available in stores in the next couple of years.

1. The Four Screen Laptop

The concept is brilliant and the technology needed for its completion is available today. This is like a normal laptop in almost every respect, but there are the three additional small touch-screens that makes it unique. The auxiliary screens can be used for anything that you would like to have at hand but not on your main screen. Your E-mail, your favorite site, or a reminder note, it is up to you.

2. The Transformer

Scientists are not ready to provide us with a real-life Bumble-Bee just yet, but creating a transformer laptop is not far from possible. This device here can easily be folded up into a slim tablet. No technology breakthroughs are needed for this device, but up until today no manufacturer decided to create the Prime.

3. Technological Origami

It is very impressive to see this laptop unfold. The keyboard slides elegantly into place every time you move the lid. This is the Asus Airo Origami notebook concept which is meant to offer improved ergonomics and cooling among other qualities. Take a look at how it works at this video:

4. Slide-Out Keyboards

The key boards of this device straddle the screen. The first question that popped into our mind was “How do you hold and write on this thing at the same time?”. The answer is simple and quite logical: you hold it by the keyboards and you write with you thumbs. It might take some exercise to get used to it, but it is not impossible.

5. The Slider

First there were the slide phones, then there came…well nothing yet, but the future might bring us a slide laptop. Way smaller than any existing laptop today (it will fit a jacket pocket or a bag), the Slider is meant to be small but very potent. That is, it should be powerful enough to do anything you can do with your computer. And the battery will last for four to seven hours!

6. The Roll-Out PC

We’d really like to see the person who doesn’t find this concept stunning! Rollup is the size of a roll of paper towels and it can be easily unfolded anytime you want to. It can be a ‘conventional’ laptop, or even a drawing tablet. But there is no better way to understand how this works than by watching the demonstrating short video.

Detachable Keyboard

SABRE (which stands for Smart Application Blueprint for Rapid Engineering) was first presented at the Consumer Electronics Show at the beginning of 2010. When at home, you can use it as a nebook with keyboard. Then when you leave for business or pleasure, you can easily take your device with you, as it is larger than a phone, but smaller than a classic notebook.

8. The XO-3

You’ve probably heard about the XO 2.0 fold-open tablet and were disappointed to learn that it will never hit production. Well, now we present you the XO-3 slate tablet especially designed for children. It is supposed to be made of 100% unbreakable plastic and it’s the latest One Laptop Per Child project. The device is said to cost only $75 and it should appear on the market in 2012.

9. Alternative Charging Method

PureEnergy Solutions came up with a charging method to perfectly suit the futuristic devices that we have just presented. Called the WildCharge Pad, this is a device that uses conductive stripes which conduct electricity from the pad to your mobile phone or any other type of device. The best part about it is still a dream, but not an impossible one: the pads might become part of our furniture. Tables, desks or even shop counters may boast incorporated WildCharge Pads to make charging more accessible than ever.