Microsoft wasn’t showing off any Windows 8 tablets at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last week. The highly anticipated operating system is rumored to be coming out later this year, but the Redmond software giant felt it wise to avoid announcing any new devices specific to the OS at the show. That, however, didn’t stop Lenovo from announcing the intriguing IdeaPad Yoga Flip.
This Windows 8 laptop/tablet combo has a fascinating design premise. It can be used as a traditional laptop, but flipping the screen around nearly 360 degrees turns it into a tablet with the keys–now disabled–on the bottom. But it’s more than just that. Lenovo’s upcoming device also supports “stand” and “tent” modes for a total of four usage positions (see photos below).
On the specs side, the 0.67-inch thick device has a 13.3-inch screen at a resolution of 1600 x 900 and it supports ten points of capacitive touch. It will also have an Intel “Ivy Bridge” processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and eight hours of battery life.
The style is a little strange, but it just might work. Our only concern is how the device will feel in tablet mode. The keyboard will obviously be disabled, but will the keys be locked in place? How will it feel in your hands? We have a lot of questions, but we can’t wait to try it for ourselves.
