An Alaskan company named gScreen has plans to produce a dual-screen laptop before the end of the year. Called the Spacebook and availabl...
An Alaskan company named gScreen has plans to produce a dual-screen laptop before the end of the year. Called the Spacebook and available on Amazon, it will be the first laptop with a built-in secondary screen that slides out from behind the primary one. Here's a summary of what to expect:Screen size: two 16- or 17-inch screens with a 13- or 14-inch model to followOperating system: Windows 7 (Vista or XP are optional)Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.80 GHz or 2.53 GHz)Memory: 4 GBsGraphics card: Nvidia GF900M GTBattery life: nothing mentioned, but it will contain a 9Cell, li-onWeight: around 9 poundsPrice: around $3,000One of two concerns I have about these units is how long the battery will last having to power two screens.
I couldn't find any information on battery life or about what type of screens the Spacebook will feature (TFT or LCD), but it may very well prove to be a challenge to accomplish any mobile work with one of them. If I were going to buy one, I would definately purchase an extra battery or two. Considering how much juice laptop screens require, I think the Spacebook would be a great candidate for eventually incorporating a new type of screen technology called OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes).
The first single screen laptops featuring OLED won't appear until 2010, but these models boast an amazing 9 hour battery life. Unlike LCDs, which are constantly consuming power, OLED displays only use power when they give off light. This translates into a power savings of about 75%. In my opinion, this would be a much better choice for a dual-screen laptop.
Using OLED technology would also help out with the second concern of mine--the weight issue. OLED displays don't have to be backlit, so the components to do this can be eliminated from the unit, therefore making it lighter. The screens are much thinner, provide better color, and have a better viewing angle as well.
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