We have been hearing about
dualscreen laptops (and
readers) for too long now, but it's
MSI to be the first to show off a real working unit. And it's everything we have ever dreamed of -- well kind of. Though MSI is calling this dual 10-inch screen device an
e-reader, it's really a netbook with two screens since it's got an Atom Z Series processor and Windows 7 Home Premium. But it's how the two screens work together that we can't get out of our minds. Hit the break for some more impressions and to see this crazy thing on video.
The all metal device is about the size of a netbook and it actually felt quite heavy in our hand. On the inside of the dual 10-inch, capacitive multitouch screens work like extended displays and we were able to drag windows from one screen to the other. The entire thing was a bit flaky since it's obviously running some beta software, but the digital keyboard was easy to pull up and had a haptic-like feedback when we started typing on the bottom screen. The whole thing is pretty damn awesome for a very early build, and the fact that MSI actually plans to bring it to market within the year is pretty unbelievable. We'll bring you more details as we get them, but for now check the video.
posted January 6th 2010 9:46PM
Sweet!
I would say its semi-sweet. It needs a better gpu to be real sweet.
@hh0944
Boy that's a lot of glare. They just don't get it do they? Well at least Amazon does.
@hh0944
I know they're trying to capitalize on the Kindle's success,but companies shouldn't be calling these devices "e-readers" if they don't have an e-ink screen. False advertising as far as I'm concerned.
Otherwise it looks pretty nice.
Is it just me that is excited about the possibility of 2 pages of a book, one on each screen? Maybe I'm being a little archaic but I feel like that is something that a purported 'eReader' should be aspiring to, an electronic form of a real book.
@BE77Y I wont say it's just you but it means nothing to me. One non-backlit screen with good eInk tech is all I want.
@sweet greggo
agreed
@Steve2000 Boy did you notice the bubbles. Well at least I do. It's obvious that the protective film is still applied.
@ekimor it's there for the glass until u remove the plastic
@sweet greggo It's not false advertising; after all the 'e' in e-readers stands for ebook, not e-ink. Or at least I think that's the case.
@BE77Y Yes, it's just you. Books aren't served on 2 opposite pages because that's some sort of ideal reading layout, it's just that if you have 1 page with writing on it you may as well put more writing on the back of it - you can fit more writing on less pages then.
It's not like you're going to read both pages at once, there's no special benefit from that layout, and no reason for an e-reader to do it, except to mimic an ancient technology which it is supposed to be replacing - so no, that's not something e-readers should be "aspiring" to.
How on earth can you look at a dual-touchscreen netbook and find the most exciting possibility to be having both screens full of static text?
@DancingOmelette
Absolutely fair enough! Can't say I disagree at all, just a thought I'd been hanging onto for a while and thought I'd voice. As for the,
"How on earth can you look at a dual-touchscreen netbook and find the most exciting possibility to be having both screens full of static text?",
however; I must say that I was viewing this as an e-reader, and not a netbook. Not because I failed to read the article thoroughly, just because of the PR. All of that said, I honestly can't think of an exciting practical use of a dual screen netbook (i.e something this under-powered)
@Steve2000 Perfect. I keep searching for it, but it doesn't seem like anything viable will come out. Let me surf the web up top and read the web below on e-ink. I'll even type on a flat-surface keyboard if I get to read my newspaper or book on a zero eyestrain screen. I think the world will mostly pass up e-ink in favor of reflective LCD screens that are coming out. We'll give up 2 weeks of battery power to have youtube videos and web apps.
@Patlex
The dual screen doubled it back to sweet status
This is Awesome, how is the on screen keyboard?
@AlienSix - Seconded! The other question is how dual screens affects battery life.
If its not bad, then this would be a fantastic form factor for pinetrail netbooks running W7, even if the keyboard is mediocre (most netbooks don't have ueber keyboards anyway).
@AlienSix
"You'll notice here there's haptic feedback..."
Nope, didn't catch the haptic feedback. Get the camera in closer next time, maybe.
Private video?
Looks very similar to the leaked images of Microsoft's Courier tablet. Hmmm...
@Apple Fan
Exactly what i was thinking......
@Dustin MSI: We might as well beat Microsoft to the chase.
@Apple Fan
Microsoft is up next... and reportedly will have a courier like offering being displayed with HP.
@Apple Fan
What if Courier is another platform that can be used by multiple manufacturers (like XP, Vista and W7)?
@Apple Fan (writen after Big M's conference)
Steve Bellmar: Damn, they took our idea, now we've gotta make another slate. #Throws Courier in Garbage#
@Apple Fan
Im wondering why they didnt have the inkskeine tech on this...... They wouldve had a ton of orders for it right now. I agree with an above post needs better GPU....... Whatever Ion's next iteration......
And if they throw out the courier I will begin the biggest anti MS campaign this side of the mississippi..........
I have a feeling that a couple years down the road we will chuckle at all these companies that thought computers didn't need keyboards.
Barring some incredibly radical new form of input, of course...
@Vance - like voice recognition? its improved quite a bit in W7, but still makes too many mistakes even w/ training.
Sure, I can flick my fingers faster than a coked out lesbo, but still not as quick as I can flap my gums.
@Ducman69
Voice recognition is not a viable replacement for a keyboard for two obvious reasons: first, it requires speaking out loud for everyone around you to hear; and second-of-ly, everyone around you knows exactly what you're "typing".
@Gad Get - we live in an age of cellphones, I don't think conversations being heard bothers most people, besides, the ying yang twins taught us its sexy to whisper.
theres a place for texting, but you can still text on touchscreen.
@Vance
Since when do all portable computers need a keyboard? I think we can already have a chuckle at the idea that everyone spends most of their time typing.
The video is set to private.
wow that looks amazing
with all the great new forms and devices comming out, based on windows7, android/linux. apple really is going to have to bring it.
god i so love competition.
i was intrested till i heard e-reader
@snowrid3r
You should had kept reading then. It has Window 7 so it's not really a e-reader.
@snowrid3r it's got windows 7 on it... it's obviously more than an e-reader...
@snowrid3r too bad you have such a short attention span.
I love this....it absolutely impressive.
em, the video is private.
I can't see this working. I just can't see it working.
@dedparrot This is rubbish. Since when would you want to read a book in full colour. I bet the idiots impressed with the fact that it's also an e-reader haven't read a book since 1992
@dedparrot
hey even real books are in color 2 so why not an e-book
@dedparrot Open your eyes?
wow, a windows 7 e-reader, wasnt expecting that
Holy crap this dual screen tablet looks amazing, but can it play crysis?... j.k.
@unknown714
forget about crysis, just imagine NINTENDO DS EMULATOR!! who cares about the DS XL now?!?
@phillypharm holy eff balls i didn't even think of that!! i was super hyped about the damned thing already but now that you mention that i think imay have just creamed myself... yup. just checked... brb... cleaning up.
@unknown714 Sure, just have to login to OnLive. ;)
The MSI dualscreen e-reader looks awesome. Whenever Apple releases their laptops, and if i dont like theirs than ill get this one for sure. All i need to know is: What is the price for this? :)
Nintendo Did it!
"But it's how the two screens work together that we can't get out of our minds"
yeah...dual monitor has been around for a while
@JeremyBenthem ahhhh... no.. not like this.