Some people may already have dreamed of this: a sub-notebook with a touchscreen instead of a keyboard – essentially two displays that fold together like a book. It was not long ago that Microsoft abandoned a similar concept called Courier. Acer has now taken a similar approach with the Iconia.
In the Engadget video below, you can briefly see the virtual keyboard. An interesting detail: not only a keyboard but also a touchpad is displayed, even though both screens are touchscreens. That is actually rather pointless, but it makes clear that Acer positions the Iconia unmistakably as a notebook rather than as a sub-notebook, ultraportable, tablet or whatever these devices are currently called. According to initial reports, typing on the virtual keyboard is surprisingly usable.
I preferred Microsoft’s smaller Courier concept and am curious whether the Iconia will actually appear next year. However, I do not believe this concept will eventually replace the keyboard on every laptop. Ultimately, keyboards were not designed for this kind of use. What do you think?
For nostalgics, here is another clip of Microsoft’s Courier concept study:
Anyone who wants to learn more about the technical details of the Acer Iconia can find further information at Golem, among other places:
Touch and Alive: Acer Launches Tablets, Giant Phones and Its Own App Store – Golem.de
