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Twin-Screen Vista Laptops

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the even-i-think-that-is-kinda-stupid dept.

An anonymous reader writes ""Asus has shown off a prototype of the first dual-screen laptop, the W5Fe. These laptops, bearing the Intel codename 'Newport' have a standard screen on the inside plus a smaller, additional colour display on the outside of the lid. The second display is capable of showing video, flight departure information, movie show times, alerts, games, movies, images and MP3s, all while the laptop is switched off. According to CNET, the battery requirement for such a screen is minimal — with standard laptop batteries providing hundreds of hours of use."

6 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. All this while switched off? by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Informative
    The second display is capable of showing video, flight departure information, movie show times, alerts, games, movies, images and MP3s, all while the laptop is switched off.
    Unless that second display is driven by a second motherboard, I don't see how it can do all that while the laptop is "switched off".

    Unless the author thinks that "closed lid = computer is turned off".
    1. Re:All this while switched off? by Panaflex · · Score: 3, Informative

      Think iPod - because it's about the exact same chip. It probably hooks up through USB internally even.

      More info here on the politics of this chip:
      http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml ?articleID=186100394

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      I said no... but I missed and it came out yes.
  2. this is not new... by chasingporsches · · Score: 4, Informative

    this is just an implementation of the windows sideshow technology shown atleast over a year ago by microsoft. more info here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/features/for everyone/sideshow.mspx

  3. Yes, they are off by hacksoncode · · Score: 3, Informative
    Wow, I shouldn't be surprised to see Slashdot blithering on about something it knows nothing about, but every time I see it I still am... almost makes me think I might be an optimist.

    Try reading the fine manual on Sideshow.

    Anyway, yes, the laptop is off when this thing is running (at least in the most classic implementation). They have their own ARM9 processor and memory. They work a bit like a PDA stuck to your laptop that syncs with the laptop when it's on and then can show information when it's off.

  4. Wrong by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is not a "twin screen" laptop your title-inventing fact-bending fact-manglers!

    This is an "aux" display which is part of the native Vista featureset, and FAR from being the first laptop manifactures with this facility.

    There you go

    And those that said it can't work with your laptop off: that's the whole point. Or you think I'm gonna spin my laptop all the time to see both displays?

    Yes, the aux display has standalone electronics, it wastes very little power, and it can sync with Vista and work with the laptop off. Only when you need to access the HDD (like, listen to mp3-s) the laptop powers up when you use the aux display.

    What kinda geeks are you, waiting for my sorry ass to explain all of this to you!

  5. Re:I think it's neat by bunions · · Score: 3, Informative

    > It's a PDA.

    Well, no, because it can access the laptops hardware, at least when the laptop isn't actually powered down.

    http://www.portalplayer.com/preface/whitepaper.pdf

    Reading is FUN-damental!

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    there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.