Sony Shows Off VAIO Slider Concept

by Jarred Walton on 1/14/2012 9:34:00 PM
Posted in Trade Shows , CES , CES 2012 , Sony , Slider

We’ve seen a lot of laptop ideas come and go over the years. One that seems to periodically resurface is the slider, a device that can function as a laptop in normal mode, or it can slide all the way open until the display sits on top of the keyboard and it’s in tablet mode. ASUS had the Eee PC Slider SL101 last year, but they seem to be leaving that behind and going more with the Transformer design for 2012. Sony had their own slider tablet/laptop concept on display at their booth, including a stylus to go along with the device. The hybrid system was behind glass and as a concept there’s no information on the hardware or software running inside the chassis, but for those interested in something other than the standard tablets, let Sony know you like their concept—or not.

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Print This Article 5 Comments View All Comments Post a Comment No screen protection? by secretmanofagent on Saturday, January 14, 2012 Am I understanding the sliding mechanism in that the screen would be exposed? I would be curious what sort of protection system they would envision working to protect the device when it's not in use. A sleeve perhaps? secretmanofagent Reply Sony Vaio laptop by adendanielson on Sunday, January 15, 2012 I really like Sony slider concept pretty much. I think it's one of the coolest device released by Sony. Slider concept main attraction is for me its requirement and incredible display. Thanks a lot. adendanielson Reply Width by Kiji on Sunday, January 15, 2012 How width is it ? 9'' ? Kiji Reply RE: Width by JarredWalton on Sunday, January 15, 2012 10.1" diagonal I think -- just a concept, though, so let's not get too excited. :) JarredWalton Reply Sliders and Transformers: Different, but Overlapping Applications by jah1subs on Monday, January 16, 2012 Using Asus' language for model names, I see Sliders and Transformers having different, but overlapping applications.

I say this because I believe that converting back and forth between the tablet/touch and notebook/keyboard modes on a slider is less error prone than it is on a transformer. As a salesperson, I would be much more interested in carrying a slider than a transformer with me. While driving, I can leave the slider sitting out in tablet/touch mode and easily look at email and other new work information on it when I stop. When I arrive somewhere with a chair and a table, I can most easily switch back to notebook/keyboard mode to respond to email and other new information.

As the article says, current experience with transformers shows that they are preferred over sliders on Android. This makes sense because most of Android's use from all accounts seems to be for media use.

Since I believe that my preferences would be representative of many prospective users of a Windows 8 slider, it seems reasonable that Sliders will be more popular, maybe much more popular on Windows 8 than they have been on Android. jah1subs Reply Subject Comment Post Comment Please login or register to post a comment.
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LG Optimus Q2 QWERTY slider unveiled

LG has shown off its latest Android and Tegra toting handset, the LG Optimus Q2.

Packing a decent number of stats, the Optimus Q2 is one of the first smartphones to be given a new dual-core 1.2GHz Tegra 2 chip – an update to the processor found in the LG Optimus 2x.

Like the Optimus 2X, the phone has also been given a 4-inch screen which is an IPS-based LCD. Unlike the 2X, however, this handset packs a flip out QWERTY keyboard.

Life's good

When it comes to size, the LG Optimus Q2 is a mere 12.3mm and weighs around 147g. It also comes with Wi-Fi Direct support, a 5MP rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera and runs on Android 2.3.

There's no LG Optimus Q2 UK release date, but the phone is coming out in South Korea next week.

Given that the original LG Optimus Q didn't actually reach UK shores, however, this may be one phone we will have to admire from afar.

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IFA 2011: Hands on: Asus EeePad Slider review

The much anticipated ASUS EeePad Slider emerged at IFA 2011, and we were lucky enough to grab a hands-on with this mythical portable at the Nvidia stand at the show.

You can't look at this tablet without getting down to its raison d'etre, and that's the built in keyboard which is revealed by sliding back the screen.

It's smaller than we'd have hoped, and more cramped than the Asus Transformer, which is its main competitor. If you have fat fingers then you'll need to find a different tablet to write your memoirs, but even chunky-digited folk will still be able to write an email comfortably.

The keys were basic and plasticky, but this is a pay-off for keeping the immensely thin design. We were expecting the presence of a keyboard to make this a chunky tablet, but it's no thicker than most of its 10.1-inch competitors, and remains supremely light.

Inside is an Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz chip, with 32GB of storage. We found the system to be extremely responsive, and loved the vibrant screen.

One thing we noticed is that the mechanism which slides the screen and keyboard wasn't as smooth as we hoped, and there was a slight grating which didn't leave us with the best impression. It's likely that this was a pre-production sample - and no doubt abused by enthusiastic IFA-goers - so we'll stay optimistic that the final release will sort this issue.

A browse of the built-in apps revealed Polaris Office 3.0, which is also shared with the EeePadTransformer. This is great for anyone wanting to work on the move, and proves that the EeePadSlider can stand out from the rest of the competition, in what is becoming a market crowded with similar, unspectacular tablets.

We were pleasantly surprised by the EeePad Slider. The added keyboard doesn't make this a bulky Android tablet, but something that gives you all the benefits of Honeycomb, with the option to get down to business when you need it. Those who really want to type will still be better served by the more spacious Transformer, but this fills a niche that we're sure will be appreciated.

There's still no word on the EeePad Slider UK release date or pricing, but watch this space for more information.

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IFA 2011: Hands on: Asus EeePad Slider review

The much anticipated ASUS EeePad Slider emerged at IFA 2011, and we were lucky enough to grab a hands-on with this mythical portable at the Nvidia stand at the show.

You can't look at this tablet without getting down to its raison d'etre, and that's the built in keyboard which is revealed by sliding back the screen.

It's smaller than we'd have hoped, and more cramped than the Asus Transformer, which is its main competitor. If you have fat fingers then you'll need to find a different tablet to write your memoirs, but even chunky-digited folk will still be able to write an email comfortably.

The keys were basic and plasticky, but this is a pay-off for keeping the immensely thin design. We were expecting the presence of a keyboard to make this a chunky tablet, but it's no thicker than most of its 10.1-inch competitors, and remains supremely light.

Inside is an Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz chip, with 32GB of storage. We found the system to be extremely responsive, and loved the vibrant screen.

One thing we noticed is that the mechanism which slides the screen and keyboard wasn't as smooth as we hoped, and there was a slight grating which didn't leave us with the best impression. It's likely that this was a pre-production sample - and no doubt abused by enthusiastic IFA-goers - so we'll stay optimistic that the final release will sort this issue.

A browse of the built-in apps revealed Polaris Office 3.0, which is also shared with the EeePadTransformer. This is great for anyone wanting to work on the move, and proves that the EeePadSlider can stand out from the rest of the competition, in what is becoming a market crowded with similar, unspectacular tablets.

We were pleasantly surprised by the EeePad Slider. The added keyboard doesn't make this a bulky Android tablet, but something that gives you all the benefits of Honeycomb, with the option to get down to business when you need it. Those who really want to type will still be better served by the more spacious Transformer, but this fills a niche that we're sure will be appreciated.

There's still no word on the EeePad Slider UK release date or pricing, but watch this space for more information.

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