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Get Ready For The 20-inch Laptop
linumax writes "With so many DVDs featuring letterboxed or wide-screen versions of films, consumers' fascination with larger screen sizes is changing the size and shape of the laptop industry, stated an IDC report issued on Monday. The wide-screen format, found in only 39.2 percent of laptops expected to ship this year, will become dominant in mid- to late 2006. It will nearly eclipse standard screen dimensions by the end of 2009, the market research firm estimates. Samsung has already unleashed its upcoming 19-inch laptop. The product is expected to ship later this year. Dell, a major partner of Samsung, could easily adopt the large screen format for its high-end XPS laptops. And, LG Philips is also touting its 20-inch LCD displays for laptops."
I don't want to sound too much like flamebait but how on earth is this a Laptop?
I thought my brothers 17" Notbook was beyond portable, but this thing should come with a gift certificate to a chiropractor.
Pretty soon laptops screens will become so big that you won't even be able to carry them around, and you'll have to keep it permanantly on your desk. They'll have to come up with a new name though, I mean if you keep it on your desk, how about instead of "lap-top" call it something like "desk-top"?
I assume this is being marketed in America?
The rest of us don't have laps that big.
Well.... I guess some of us have to make up for our shortcomings somehow (not that *I* have that problem).
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
Widescreen format may seem like it's aimed at windows users, but it's really a boon for us nerds, too!
I spend a lot of my day wishing I had a wider display, about another 4", for those stupidly-wide Oracle SQL*Plus queries, other-people's code which uses insane tab widths for indenting (I use two spaces), and so forth.
Really, I rarely want a widescreen when in GUI land, but wish for one daily as I live in Terminal Land.
Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
If the business people walked around with these things like 80's boomboxes, and doing the moonwalk, I'm going to be sick.
Bigger laps, bigger laptops!
Perhaps you could turn the widescreen laptop on its side (and plug in a usb keyboard and mouse)?
Of course, that doesn't exatly solve the problem, since you also need to rotate the image. I suspect there are some gfx cards that allow you to do this.
Some widescreen monitors support 90 degree rotation. I remember a monitor by Iiyama that is rotateable, but I don't know if they still sell it. I wanted one to play Ikaruga on, but I thought it was perhaps a bit extravagant.
-Eric
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
I thought it was part of an an international conspiracy to irradiate the reproductive organs of /. readers to keep them from breeding.
I'm pretty sure that will take care of itself.
I was quoted out of context in my autobiography...
Is this in responce to the fattening of America? (I want a laptop that makes me look skinny)
"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus."
It's two thousand and freaking five, for crying out loud.
Can't we at least say 500mm Laptop ?
Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
But, of course, the manufacturers will need to make two versions: US-Letter sized for the USA and A4 for the rest of the world. :-)
Actually, maybe a third version for the legal industry as well.
Agrajag: "Oh no, not again!"
dual screen laptops!