
Huawei launches Matebook - qkhhly
http://consumer.huawei.com/minisite/worldwide/matebook/
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interpol_p
> With an innovative power saving mode that maximizes the use of an already
> impressive 33.7 Wh high-density lithium battery, you get hours of use on a
> single charge.

"Hours of use" on a single charge. That doesn't bode well.

It seems to say nine hours of video playback or 29 hours of music playback
(screen off?), but that's an optimised use-case for most computers.

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venantius
I would not describe this as the best product name. Hearing this, I wondered
if it was some sort of Facebook-like dating site for people looking for
serious matches.

~~~
wingerlang
Thought the same, and when I saw the actual product, it just felt like a
ripoff of MacBook. MacBook, MateBook.

~~~
vinay427
How is this a ripoff of a MacBook, of all things? It's far closer to a Surface
Pro in its target audience and basic functionality (tablet, most notably).

~~~
wingerlang
I meant the name and the likeness to the MacBook name.

MacBook

MateBook

~~~
sebiol
But there are also the Chromebook and Surface Book, so it`s hardly the only
one going with this theme.

~~~
simplexion
And you know... how laptops were also referred to as notebooks decades ago.

~~~
huxley
Definitely, in fact as far back as 1988-89, but Apple called their "notebooks"
Powerbooks starting in 1991 before anyone else was using -Book in the
branding*

* as far as I can recall with the exception of Alan Kay who was dreaming up the future in 1972 and called it the DynaBook

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stinos
Funny, when glancing over the text quickly, my brain always seems to transform
"Huawei MateBook" into some product by Apple; I'm guessing because of the _i_
somewhat standing out at the end of 'Huawei' and then the 'MateBook' being so
simiar to _Macbook_. It does look like a crossbreed between Surface Pro and
iPad though, and not even a bad one.

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partiallypro
I like how they did the finger print sensor on the side. I hope Microsoft does
this in a future Surface, along with the RealSense camera for Windows Hello.
Nice having two options. I still don't think any tablet has been able to
compete with the Surface line in terms of how the keyboard and kickstand
operate in tandem.

To me, this is more of an iPad Pro competitor than a Surface competitor. The
one "problem" or "innovation," that I think Windows is going to bring with
RedStone is "smart bezels" with continuum. The device is an infinity display
but when you switch to tablet mode you get bezels and apps have access to
create buttons in the bezel space (which I think Wacom users would adore.) I
have a feeling that is coming soon. The issue there is where to stick the
camera...but PixelSense has cameras built into the screen...I dunno.

Off topic, but I am really excited now where Windows tablets can go. I like
that OEMs are stepping up their game.

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NamTaf
Can anyone see the cost of this? I can't find it.

~~~
wlesieutre
ArsTechnica says $699 for a Core M3, 4GB RAM, and 128GB SSD. Another $59 for
the pen, $129 for the keyboard, and $89 for the USB adapter if you want
USB/HDMI/VGA/Ethernet out of its single USB-C port.

[http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/02/huawei-matebook-
hands...](http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/02/huawei-matebook-hands-on-the-
ipad-pro-and-surface-just-got-served/)

~~~
wlesieutre
For comparison:

Surface Pro base model (specs look the same, though I didn't compare whether
the M3 processor is identical) is $799 including the stylus. Keyboard is the
same $130.

If you get the stylus but not the USB adapter, Huawei undercuts Microsoft by
$40. IMO not significant enough to be a driving factor either way. I'd wait on
someone to do an in-depth comparison of the digitizers before jumping on it.

~~~
therein
If Huawei provides Linux support or it happens to come out of the box with
zero driver issues on a mainline kernel, I can see many reasons why I would
buy it. Battery life of course would be a factor.

~~~
NamTaf
I'm curious about how Linux drivers deal with the USB3 -> everything expansion
box it comes with, for video/ethernet/etc. Not having any experience here, is
it at all mature and just works or is it one of those stars-must-align cases?

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astannard
Looks great to me! Very tempted to buy this. The new Surface book looks
amazing but this beats it on price massively and it looks almost as good. Not
sure on the specs though I think the surface book winds that game

~~~
Matthias247
Seems more like a competitor to the Surface 4, which is a lot cheeper then the
Surface Book. Alone for the fact of the flimsy keyboard it can not be compared
to a Surface Book or Macbook.

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oldgun
Looks like a combination of iPad with Surface cover.

Really wish they design something themselves someday.

~~~
wlesieutre
The keyboard is much more like the iPad Pro's "Smart Keyboard" than the
Surface's keyboard cover. Surface keyboard is just a keyboard (no foldy
triangle), relies on the tablet's kickstand for the computer to stand up, and
sits at an angle instead of flat on the table.

MateBook looks like an iPad with an iPad cover: [http://www.apple.com/smart-
keyboard/images/keyboard_social.j...](http://www.apple.com/smart-
keyboard/images/keyboard_social.jpg)

Surface with keyboard for reference:
[http://az648995.vo.msecnd.net/win/2015/11/SP4-launch.png](http://az648995.vo.msecnd.net/win/2015/11/SP4-launch.png)

And keyboard comic for giggles: [http://hijinksensue.com/comic/surface-
tension/](http://hijinksensue.com/comic/surface-tension/) [2012]

~~~
glomph
Except it has a touchpad which is a much more important similarity.

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wlesieutre
It's not really a design choice that Huawei made though, they're stuck with a
trackpad as a necessity of the OS. Everywhere they had a decision to make
about the design looks like either an iPhone or an iPad.

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edmanet
Yeah, but can I run Linux on it?

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atomical
Yeah, but is this Slashdot?

~~~
davesque
Is that really only a Slashdot question?

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whalesalad
It has a remarkable resemblance to the iPhone 6. It's shocking how little
innovation exists these days.

~~~
userbinator
It's like an iPad-sized iPhone 6.

 _It 's shocking how little innovation exists these days._

What "innovation" is necessary anyway? Rectangular boxes with touchscreens on
them seem to fit most use-cases well enough. The fact that smartphones have
all become similarly shaped also suggests that there isn't really a better
shape these things could be.

~~~
jolux
No, it suggests that nobody wants to think about a better shape these things
could be.

~~~
TheLogothete
Yeah, I would want my next laptop to be oval. Much better ergonomics IMO.

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yeukhon
I thought Apple patented the round corners/edges [1], so is Huawei paying
royalty to Apple?

[1]: [http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-
rect...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-rectangle-
with-rounded-corners)

~~~
sehr
Aren't Chinese companies exempt from that type of thing on account of the
culture of mimicry there?

I remember hearing about a phone with force touch being sold there but not in
the US, might end up being similar

