A friend sent me this YouTube video of a new concept in laptop computers – The Rolltop. Always the one to oohh and aahh at new technology, I have watched this video about 10 times. I am trying like this new machine, and I am trying to see why I will need this in the near future. I am not convinced.
First, try to look past the goofy animated dude (in a previous life, I would have called him a PUHA, but that is a story for another day. Hint: Check out how he walks). Anyway, I am hoping that the new and cool machines coming in the near future will get smaller, not more flexible. As much as this computer looks cool, it still takes up the same amount of space on a desk or a lap. Actually, when spread out, it is even bigger than my current laptop.
Second, I hope the “tablet” feature that lets you write on the screen with a stylus pen works better than ones I have used. I have just started to mess around with a new Dell Latitude XT2, and so far, I am not blown away by it. More to come on that in a week or two. Basically, guys like me, with terrible handwriting, will need a really smart computer to decipher my writing and convert it into readable text.
Then, there is the rolled up carrying case design. Do I want to walk around with that on my shoulder? Will it fit in my briefcase, and what if I grab it in a rainstorm, thinking it is an umbrella? (OK, that would be stupid, but I have done dumber things before – like that time when I was showing my kids that I could still do a head stand, and I fell over and smashed a big hole in the wall.)
In the future (like next week), I want a new computer that is the size of my iPhone with a projected infrared keyboard that can be adjusted to fit any flat surface, and a projected screen that also can be adjusted to view anywhere.
What is your opinion of this rolltop computer? Does it look user-friendly or is it a silly gimmick?
