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Watch the LG Wing and its flip-out second screen in action
A video shows LG's unannounced 'Wing' device that packs a second screen in an usual way.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 review: The first good dual-screen laptop
Second-screen laptops are the cool new thing, but so far we haven’t seen a good reason to pay extra for one. However, ASUS made a good case with the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15. It has top-flight specs and a high-resolution second display that tilts up for better cooling and visibility.
Surface Duo may let you 'peek' at notifications
When it comes to the next generation of folding phones, Microsoft was right to choose dual displays over folding screens. But one thing some other foldable phones have that Microsoft lacks is a screen on the outside of the device. To make up for that, Microsoft appears to have a software feature that will let you preview calls and notifications by opening the Surface Duo just a crack.
Mountie: An inexpensive and innovative way to attach iPhone or iPad to your Mac
One new product that will certainly be making a fun splash at CES this week is from Ten One Design, the same company that brought Apple fans such fun things as the Magnus Air and Magnus mini iPad stands, the Pogo and Pogo Connect styluses. Next month they'll be shipping a new item that you can pre-order now, the US$24.95 Mountie. What's the idea behind Mountie? It uses a strong rubberized grip and swappable inserts that provide a way for you to attach any iPhone after the iPhone 4, the iPad Air 1/2 or the iPad mini to any MacBook or post-2012 iMac. It comes in two colors, neither of which you'll actually see while using the device - blue and green. You can then use your "second screen" to do a lot of different things. Use Mountie to take a break from work by watching a movie or your favorite show on an attached iPad, have your iPhone cranking out music while you're blogging, or even use an app like Duet Display to turn your iPhone or iPad into a second Mac display. Mountie looks like a useful product and the price is right on the money. Rather than taking up valuable desk space with a traditional stand for your iPhone or iPad, you can just stick it to the side of your MacBook or iMac in seconds. We will be reviewing Mountie within the next week or two, so stay tuned to TUAW. Oh, and if you happen to be in Las Vegas for the CES craziness, visit the Ten One Design folks at North Hall 6523.
Dual-screen YotaPhone 2 arrives in Europe this month
Yota was slightly cruel to YotaPhone fans. It unveiled the next generation of its dual-display smartphone way back in February... and left people wondering about the launch window for most of the year. At last, though, you can try this two-screened device for yourself. The YotaPhone 2 is now slated to launch in Europe this month for 32,990 rubles in the company's native Russia, or about $612. The hardware hasn't changed much since the start of 2014, which makes this a mid-range device with a few tricks up its sleeve. You're still looking at a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display at the front, and that signature 4.7-inch e-paper touchscreen at the back for basic tasks and alerts; inside, there's a respectable Snapdragon 800 processor, 32GB of storage, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front shooter.
Dual-display YotaPhone now shipping to the UK for £419
We're not entirely convinced that this is the right time to hop aboard the YotaPhone express, especially when a greatly improved second-gen handset has been promised before the end of this year. Nevertheless, if you're in the UK and you're willing to drop £419 in order to experiment with a genuinely unique e-reader / smartphone hybrid (as opposed to a phone that is e-ink only), then the Yota Devices web store will now ship to you via the source link below.
Dual-screen YotaPhone has a second shot at greatness
If you caught our review of the YotaPhone at the end of last year, you'll know we were cautious about recommending it -- in fact, we said it was probably safer to hold out for a second-gen device. Well, here's a surprise: that replacement is already at the prototype stage and it brings some big improvements that could undo many of the criticisms we leveled at the original. Most importantly, the rear E-Ink panel is now fully touch sensitive, which means you'll be able to do a lot more with this phone without ever needing to engage the traditional, power-hungry display on the other side. Calls, texts, emails, browsing, tweeting and more can be handled using the "always-on" 4.7-inch E-Ink display, with the only sacrifice being predictably slower refresh rates.
YotaPhone review: LCD on the front, E Ink on the back, unique all over
We've long pondered the possibility of an e-ink phone. One that offers enough battery life to get us to the end of the day, or maybe even the End of Days, simply by being less reliant on the power-draining frivolity of an LCD or AMOLED panel. What we didn't envision, though, was that the first mass-produced attempt at such an idea would come from a Russian company we'd never heard of, or that it would take the particularly unusual form of the YotaPhone -- a device that does many things differently, not least in having a curved E Ink panel on its rear side. As you're about to see, a lot of these two-faced ideas have potential, but some of them need some work -- a lot of work, in fact -- before they're ready for prime time. And then there's the price tag, which may come as something of a surprise in its own right given the YotaPhone's mid-range specs. It costs €499 in Europe, which equates to around $675 in the US (although the handset isn't currently available there). That means you could actually buy the Yota's two halves separately for a more affordable sum; for example, by getting a Nexus 5 and a Kindle. Nevertheless, the ability to buy the two-in-one YotaPhone is something we didn't have a year ago, and something that isn't offered by any other company, and so it's worth bearing that in mind as we proceed to lay out its many flaws.
Samsung Galaxy Folder flaunts its dual-screen flip design for the camera
Samsung may have already spoiled the Galaxy Folder's upcoming launch, but it hasn't given us a peek at a real, live device. Contributors to Clien.net's forums claim to have what we're missing, however -- they've posted a trio of photos that appear to reveal the dual-screen Android clamshell in earnest. In line with the schematics we saw earlier, the Galaxy Folder should be an evolution of the W2013 from last fall. Its most visible change is an update to Galaxy S 4-era software. Other new external elements amount to subtle tweaks, such as the gold-like side trim and a camera key that replaces the W2013's dual-SIM button. Not that we'd accuse Samsung of playing it safe with the Galaxy Folder -- in a conservative handset market, it could be daring to produce an LTE-equipped Android flip phone in the first place.
Leaked Samsung 'Galaxy Folder' suggests return of the dual-display flip phone
It feels like yesterday we were discussing the alleged death of form factor diversity in the smartphone world, and now Samsung comes up with this: a mid-range clamshell called the Galaxy Folder (SHV-E400K) with displays on both sides of the lid. According to Japanese site RBMen, which discovered a Korean-language user manual for the device on Samsung's website, at least one of the displays is a 3.7-inch AMOLED panel with 800 x 480 resolution. Other specs include a Snapdragon 400 dual-core chip, 2GB of RAM and LTE support. The basic design is nothing new to Samsung, which came out with the similar SCH-W2013 in China last year, and the SCH-W999 a year before that, but it's good to see evidence of its survival in 2013 -- and especially if it's destined for Samsung's home market. If it was up to us though, we'd put some e-ink in that second display.
13-inch ASUS Taichi 31 with dual 1080p displays finally shipping after long delay
If you saw our review of the 11.6-inch Taichi 21, you'll know that its unusual dual-screen design had a pretty bad impact on battery life. ASUS is taking another crack at the whip, however, this time with the 13.3-inch Taichi that is finally shipping after a major hold-up in the US and promises a big boost to stamina -- a max of seven hours of use rather than five. If this claim stands up to scrutiny, the Ultrabook's other advantages should come back into play: namely the presence of pen or multi-touch input on the outer screen, excellent viewing angles and speakers, and a range of configurations based on either a Core i5 or i7 with SSD storage. We have no idea how pricing will compare to the $1,300 base of the 11-incher and the Taichi 31 hasn't appeared at any major retailers yet -- i.e., it still isn't quite as "available" as ASUS claims -- but we'll bring you an update when that changes.
Samsung's dual-display Windows 8 laptop and other prototypes, hands-on
See that? It's not your daddy's flip hybrid tablet -- it's the new dual-display laptop prototype from the fine people at Samsung (who may or may not be inspired by the ASUS TAICHI from three months earlier). The body of the notebook is certainly in the vein of a MacBook Air or ultrabook, with slim metal slides that taper off into a point. The palm rests, meanwhile, are a brushed metal, with black chiclet-style keys above. On the bezel above the screen is a camera. The magic, however, doesn't happen until you close the thing, turning on a display on the hood. Yep, it's yet another attempt to capitalize on Windows 8's dual-nature. Inside, you've got a fully functioning laptop and outside you've a touchscreen tablet that, yes, utilizes everyone's favorite proprietary stylus, the S-pen, and there's also a rear facing camera on the outside. Perhaps it's all that functionality packed inside, but this prototype is certainly heavier than your standard ultrabook, and unlike most systems, a lot of that weight is located in the display -- we're sure there's a fair amount of internals located up there. This being a prototype, the Samsung rep we spoke with had no clue on what such a device might cost or when it might come to market -- or even if this thing will ever see the light of day, so don't get your dual-hopes up just yet. The hybrid was sitting right next to the 2,560 x 1,440 Series 9 prototype we recently scoped out and in front of a wall of concepts that explore the brave new world of elastic form factors to their fullest. Check out a video and some notes on the other devices after the jump.%Gallery-164066%
LCD and E-ink dual-screen prototypes show up at IFA, one vendor already said to be on board
Well hells bells, it was only yesterday that the idea of an e-ink / LCD screen mash-up device was the stuff of patent dreams, and now it's a reality. The chaps at Stuff were shown the prototype handsets at a closed meeting at IFA, as expected with a regular screen on one side, and the e-reader-style display on the other. E-ink was apparently tight lipped about possible vendor interest, but they did confirm that one firm was working with the concept already. We're not about to make any leaps, but if we'd applied for the patent, we'd also want first dibs.
Sony patents a two-way folding device, wants you to have extra screen real estate where you need it
Phones with dual displays have been done, and Sony's foldable Tablet P brought similar functionality to tablets with mixed results. It looks like the Japanese electronics giant isn't done with such devices, however, as it's just been granted a patent for a gadget that can fold on multiple axes. The patent in question describes a device constructed of two rectangular casings that can be "rotated relatively in one of a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction orthogonal to each other." Translation: a sort of next-gen Jacob's ladder with hinges that open up on both sides of a right angle, which would allow you to set screens side by side or on top of one another. Want to know more? Check out all the patent claims and drawings at the sources below.
Microsoft's Mouse Without Borders: the KVM that killed the KVM (video)
Until now, running multiple computers with one keyboard and mouse has tended to require KVMs or wormholes, but Microsoft developer Truong Do has a better idea. Working at Microsoft's Garage -- Redmond's after-hours pet project program -- he built Mouse Without Borders: software that lets you control computers on the same wireless network with one set of inputs as if it was one machine with a multiple display. Up to four systems can be tied together and the software also provides for seamless drag-and-drop file transfer. Microsoft is releasing it free of charge at the source link, plus you can see Truong Do talking up his creation after the break.
Lenovo aims new ThinkPad Edge laptops and ThinkVision monitor at business weaklings
Lenovo's come to the aid of road-weary business users who want a second screen for their laptops but think a Spacebook is a little excessive. It's just released the 14-inch ThinkVision Mobile Monitor to accompany its new ThinkPad Edge laptops, which gets both power and data via USB, has 16 brightness settings and packs an independent kickstand. It can either be used as a dual display for those mammoth spreadsheets or as a presentation screen where lugging around a projector just isn't practical. The Edge laptops (a 14-inch E425 and a 15.6-inch E525) come with AMD A-Series APUs, an optional fingerprint reader and a choice of "midnight black" (seen above) or "heatwave red" (shot after the break). All three are promised to arrive this month, with the laptops starting at $549 and the monitor priced at $219.99. Of course, if you need a USB-powered display bigger than 14-inches, you might be better off trying one of these.
Apple leaks Cinema Display refresh, teases dual-monitor Thunderbolt setup?
The cat Apple is out of the bag, apparently. Thanks to a leak on its website, there's evidence that Cupertino's readying a formal introduction of Thunderbolt to more devices. Keen eyes from MacRumors have spotted products on the site now sporting OS X Lion backgrounds, notably, what appears to be T-bolt connected Cinema Displays. The images showing the hook-up no longer appear to be listed, but the dual-setup above sure looks nifty. Considering Lion's got about two weeks left to rear its head and meet that July release, we'd surmise it won't be long until you'll be able to opt for a similar rig. Now can we please just get an anti-glare option? [Thanks, Trey]
Onkyo's DX dual-screen laptop is a far better deal than Kohjinsha's DZ
Hellooo Onkyo. Sure, it's just a rebadge of the Japanese Kohjinsha DZ-series dual-display rig we've already seen. But Onkyo's DX raises the bar significantly by delivering a pair of 10.1-inch 1,366 × 768 pixel LCD displays (as promised at CEATEC) that easily trump the 1,024 x 600 panels used on the Kohjinsha without increasing the portable's overall size. While we're still looking at the same 1.6GHz Athlon Neo MV-40 CPU, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and 3x USB jacks, Oknyo's offering starts with 2GB (not 1GB) of memory standard expandable to 4GB, a 320GB 5,400rpm disk (not 160GB), Gigabit Ethernet, and 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. Here's the best part: it's priced at just ¥84,800 (about $966) compared to the Kohjinsha which lists for ¥79,800 / $909 on Kohjinsha's retail site or a steep ¥100,800 / $1,148 premium if purchased through the GeekStuff4u exporter. Guess which one we'd choose?%Gallery-79982%
Kohjinsha's dual-screen DZ Series laptop now for sale
Remember IBM's ThinkPad 701 with the butterfly keyboard? This isn't it, it's better... conceptually anyway. Instead of two halves of a keyboard magically jigsawing themselves together, Kohjinsha achieves a similar result with its DZ-series using a pair of 10.1-inch TFT displays with 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution (each) packed into an otherwise svelte 1.02 x 8.26 x 0.74~1.65 inches / 4.09 pounds (1.84 kg) portable. Best of all it's on sale now for ¥95,800 (about $1,110) with a Linux pre-load -- add another ¥5,000 (about $58) for 32-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. For that you get a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo with RS780MN chipset and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 3x USB, a 3-in-1 card reader, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 1GB memory (expandable to 4GB), and 160GB 5,400RPM hard disk with claimed 4.5-hours "max" of battery power (1.1V, 5200mAh) -- likely far less in real-world usage. Ships worldwide ($60ish for US or €50ish for European delivery) in 3 weeks if you order today. Video of the sliding action after the break from our hands-on session back at the CEATEC show in Japan.
EVGA's dual-LCD InterView display starts shipping
EVGA's unusual dual-LCD InterView display certainly isn't for everybody, but if you've got a desk-mate that you're constantly sharing a monitor with you'll no doubt be pleased to know that it's now finally available to order. Now selling for as low as $624.99 (or $640 list price), the monitor packs dual 17-inch LCDs that can either be used in a screen-spanning mode for an extra-wide 34-inch display, or be rotated and automatically reoriented for folks sitting across form each other. Unfortunately, each display packs a somewhat lackluster 1,440 x 990 resolution, and you'll of course have to make sure you have dual VGA or DVI inputs if you want to run it from a single computer. That'll no doubt be a small trade-off to some folks, however, especially considering there aren't exactly a ton of competitors to the InterView at the moment.[Via ComputerMonger]
