

U1 Hybrid iPad from Lenovo - elblanco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5DYuVN6nuY

======
Groxx
Looks cheap. Check out the smudges and the warped bezel (watch the reflections
through the entire video, particularly near the top).

Looks weak. Check out the REALLY slow framerate with a simple resize operation
(beginning of video). Yes, I'm aware of what _could_ be going on, but that
sort of thing should be optimized, and a beta version capable of being
released on video should _scream_ performance, not lag, or you'll hurt your
market before it exists.

Looks significantly more expensive. "Under $1000" != $499 at the bottom-end,
and the iPad can claim the same for their top-end version. Plus, more likely,
<1000 means 999.99 (before tax).

It also apparently has a separate CPU in the keyboard... which implies they're
setting it up as a 2 CPU system when it's in, or they're wasting power by only
using the Intel chip, _and_ by using it as a tablet you immediately cripple
it. (if the Snapdragon CPU was more powerful, and they are only using one at a
time, then why bother with the Intel in the first place?)

No. Sorry, Lenovo, but Apple beat you on price, power, quality, and release
date (and likely OS, too). I also saw no indication of multitouch
capabilities, which are nearly essential for a tablet to be truly useful. You
officially _fail_. The only thing you have going for you is a more open setup
for software, and then you get the hassles of any regular computer, so it's a
plus and a minus.

EDIT: omg, it just gets worse, though apparently it is multitouch. Watch the
scrolling not work (and they quickly pan away) in the first video, and read to
the end: [http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/lenovo-
ideapad-u1-hybrid-...](http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/lenovo-
ideapad-u1-hybrid-hands-on-and-impressions/)

 _Unfortunately, the screen itself was pretty abysmal, with terrible
horizontal and vertical viewing angles -- it basically disappeared at 45
degrees off axis._

~~~
Raphael_Amiard
>and likely OS, too

I think it's worth insisting on that too. Their hybrid linux looks horrible,
and is lagging terribly. The whole point about the ipad is the whole
experience, as with every Apple products.

Also the 2 computers in one idea is quite ridiculous if you ask me. I hope
they add some sort of sync, but if it is as buggy as their linux OS, it
promises to be awful.

In short, this is the opposite of an apple product : Bad user experience,
useless display of technology, and weak hardware.

I'm no fan of apple but it's gonna take a better product to do better than the
iPad

EDIT : Understanding how software works would be the first step in here.
Ubuntu MID looks 1000x times better than their so called OS
<http://www.ubuntu.com/products/mobile>

~~~
Groxx
_I think it's worth insisting on that too._

I agree, I was largely hoping to avoid the knee-jerk anti-Apple-fanboy
reaction a lot of people have. Plus, there's no reason they _can't_ come up
with a phenomenal OS... it just looks like they're going about it ass-
backwards.

------
lallysingh
When will hardware makers realize that you can't half-ass (or in this case,
1/8 to 1/16th-ass) the software stack for a new usage paradigm? Assembled
parts does not a system make.

Tablet PCs have sucked for years for the simple reason that they just wanted
to sell touch-screen, keyboardless laptops. They're completely different
systems from the user's point of view, and just shoving an onscreen keyboard
and handwriting recognizer doesn't cut it. Proper tablet computing is 10 years
of user interface and systems research that hasn't (afaik) been done.

Notice how apple started with an appliance (an ipod touch) and scaled it up to
just be a larger appliance. They recognized the problem and (not-very-
cleverly) avoided it.

Sadly, we're going to see more bad ideas like this for a while; there are too
many hardware vendors who simply don't understand the whole system stack. It's
no coincidence that the only vendor to do a tablet that wasn't a desktop OS
bolted-with-crap is Apple, a full-system vendor.

~~~
alextgordon
I think part of the problem is that nobody knows quite what a tablet is
supposed to _do_. Is it just for web browsing (CrunchPad)? Is it for basic
web, email and office (iPad)? Is it for everything that a laptop does (Windows
tablets)? Once you have a scope/audience, then you can design a suitable UI.

Apple is attempting to take the lead here, defining what a tablet should and
should not do. If it works out, then I suspect other tablet manufacturers will
follow suit and create devices with similar scope to the iPad. If it doesn't
then it's back to the drawing board.

~~~
Groxx
I've seen even the currently-crappy tablets in _heavy_ use in the medical
field, I'd bet largely for signatures (I've signed on 5 separate tablet PCs at
different locations, over several years). They're also capable of being
carried around and used while walking.

That said, they are still crappy, and most require a powered pen (won't
anybody learn from Wacom? Or did they somehow gain a ubiquitous patent, which
the patent office isn't supposed to allow?). At the end of the day, though,
they're just Windows with a couple marginally-intelligent tablet-oriented
applications (ie, big buttons). Certainly not optimal.

------
bmalicoat
What's the point of this beyond novelty? I could understand if it was running
the same OS that stayed in sync, but having 2 OS's seems like way more trouble
than it's worth. It basically becomes a different computer when you
dock/undock. Personally I'd prefer a powerful 15" laptop and then a smaller,
more portable tablet.

~~~
archon810
Exactly. If I am working on something and suddenly need more portability, why
in the world would I want to suddenly end up in a totally unrelated, different
OS? It would make a ton more sense if it was either running the same OS in
both scenarios, preferably not just Android based.

------
jsz0
It's an interesting approach but I think the problem is when you look at this
thing you get a lot more questions than answers. How do files sync between the
two computers? Do I have to worry which half my files are saved on when I take
the tablet off? What happens to the Windows half? Does it stay on? Go off?
What if I want it to stay on? How do I do that? Are there two batteries or
one? Do I have to track the battery level of both devices? So if I use the
tablet for 8 hours, come back and dock it into the laptop, can I just grab the
laptop and go? Fully charged? Do the two halves communicate with each other or
are they basically two separate computers with a shared display? How is
networking handled? If I want to leave the Windows half going does it have its
own separate wifi? Do I have to enter my WPA key into both devices or do they
sync that information? Too much complexity for something that is supposed to
make your life easier.

------
SwellJoe
The dual-OS thing feels like a kludge, albeit possibly a necessary one for
many people. But I think I'd be perfectly content with Linux running on the
whole thing, and no need for multiple CPUs and all the requisite extra crud.
But, I'm a weirdo that thinks Linux makes an excellent OS for day-to-day
computing.

~~~
pyre
I think that point was that the 'base' has a full laptop computer in it, but
when you detach you only have the Snapdragon processor (and board). That's why
there are two separate operating systems. If you wanted the laptop to run
Linux too, you'd be in the same boat (two separate Linuxes running).

------
austinshea
I guess we'll have to wait and see on the software for the slate part. It
looks pretty rough, right now.

I can't imagine this will be the future of laptops.

~~~
bmalicoat
Worse yet this is the thing Paul Thurrott said would make Apple's tablet look
silly (before it was even announced)[1]. That interface lags a full inch
behind Jim's finger, you can bet Apple would never demo, let alone ship,
something that laggy. I don't understand why people feel the need to make
outlandish predictions for their product of choice.

[1][http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2010/01...](http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2010/01/06/2010-ces-
day-0.aspx)

~~~
pyre
> _I don't understand why people feel the need to make outlandish predictions
> for their product of choice._

That goes the same for Apple fans prior to a keynote ( _any_ keynote).

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barredo
Do you see that arrow beneath the finger? That's why I wouldn't buy it. I
guess is not multitouch either. And ~1000$ is way too expensive.

~~~
pyre
But at $1000 you're getting _more_ than an iPad. Do you think that the iPad
would be the same price if it was integrated into a MacBook?

~~~
abossy
More is not always better, and I think that this video perfectly illustrates
that. A tablet should do what a tablet does well and a notebook should do what
a notebook does well.

~~~
pyre
My point wasn't that this was an awesome product. My point was that they are
providing more than the iPad does, so they can't run it at the same price
point.

~~~
DougBTX
Fair enough, then we should compare the iPad to the Lenovo without the extra
computer. My impression is that Lenovo knows this tablet is rubbish, so won't
sell you it by itself. Ergo, iPad wins by virtue of being on the market.

------
imd
Watch the video in 720p and pause when "Windows 7" pops up. The taskbar isn't
black, and there's an "Examples" folder on the desktop, which makes me suspect
it's Kubuntu or something.

~~~
Groxx
It doesn't look too 7-y, but there is an Internet Explorer icon / launcher
right near the left edge. There's also an ungodly amount of those right-edge
service icons (forget what they're called, don't feel any great loss at
realizing that fact), which is pretty typical for a Windows box (however sad
that may be).

------
w3matter
Calling bullshit on that tablet. Why would I want two separate OS's in the
same device?

In that test, you could see the display lagging terribly in the touch drag.
And also the UI is completely horrible. As @austinshea says, its pretty rough.
In fact, it looks like a caveman built it.

