Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Cylindrical Rolltop Laptops

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the why-this-is-a-slow-day dept.

akshaynhegde writes "Germany's Orkin Design has proposed this fantastic concept of a futuristic laptop. The rolltop is a 'rolled up' laptop. By using the flexible OLED and touchscreen technologies, the created concept is a cylindrical laptop which can be rolled out when it needs to be used and can be rolled up again when not used." Something tells me it will be a little while before you will be unrolling your laptop on a plane.

27 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. Enough is enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Something tells me it will be a little while before you will be unrolling your laptop on a plane.

    Enough is enough. I have had it with these motherfucking rollup laptops on this motherfucking plane.

    1. Re:Enough is enough by Lumpy · · Score: 2

      Dozens? I saw a mockup of a "roll up computing device" at Disneyland at Epcot when they first opened and had a mini "worlds fair"..

      1980 called, they want their roll up laptop idea back.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    2. Re:Enough is enough by Iron+Condor · · Score: 2

      Is it easier to carry a fat tube than a thin rectangle? Possibly.

      No. Definitely not.

      Anybody who has ever flown with a laptop (which will fit into any backpack) knows the practicality of that situation - but anybody who has ever tried to fly with any kind of tube, knows how next-to-impossible that is. The overhead bins are made for rectangular items, so is the space underneath the seat in front of you. And where do you put it after you unroll it?

      What possible advantage is there to something bulky that cannot be stacked; when we've already figured out how to make it razor-thin and infinitely packagable?

      --
      We're all born with nothing.
      If you die in debt, you're ahead.
  2. It's not a newspaper by GrumblyStuff · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And even if it was, do you know how god damn annoying it is to read a paper after it's been rolled up?

    Look, laptops do it right. The hinge? That's a crease, a fold line, and allows this thing that otherwise should not be bent to use space more efficiently. A cylinder is will have that big empty volume in the middle. Well, it will until the slightest bit of pressure to the sides squeezes it flat.

    1. Re:It's not a newspaper by shadowfaxcrx · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This. Just because you can make something doesn't mean anyone is going to want it. There's a reason we upgraded from scrolls to books. Rolled up things are an inefficient use of space.

      --
      "I disagree with you" does not equal "flamebait."
    2. Re:It's not a newspaper by Whalou · · Score: 4, Informative

      From what I saw, the 'big empty volume' in the middle is used for the cylinder that appears to hold the actual computer. The rolled up part is just a screen that you hook up to the base.

      --
      English is not this .sig mother tongue...
    3. Re:It's not a newspaper by captainpanic · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There's a reason we upgraded from scrolls to books. Rolled up things are an inefficient use of space.

      Could it be that we went to books because of the invention of the printing press, which was not able to print continuously on a long scroll (contrary to the more modern printers, starting with the matrix printer)?
      In the fluids / beverage industry, cylindrical containers are very common. Volumes range from a few milliliters to thousands of tons. Nobody ever complained about the volume taken up by the space between the bottles or tanks.
      In fact, cylindrical containers tend to be very strong, and that's a major plus.

      This. Just because you can make something doesn't mean anyone is going to want it.

      Just because it's not what you're used to doesn't mean it's a bad idea :-)

      And anyway, just because it's new, there are plenty of people who will want to buy it. Especially if it has an Apple logo.

    4. Re:It's not a newspaper by kevinNCSU · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think there are some pretty clear advantages to bounded books over scrolls especially considering they started hand-writing them long before the printing press. For example, have you ever tried reading your scroll with one hand and a drink in the other while lounging by the pool? And God help you if you drop it, that's when everything REALLY starts to unravel.

    5. Re:It's not a newspaper by camperdave · · Score: 3, Informative

      Could it be that we went to books because of the invention of the printing press, which was not able to print continuously on a long scroll (contrary to the more modern printers, starting with the matrix printer)?

      No. The change from scroll to book happened centuries before the invention of the printing press.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    6. Re:It's not a newspaper by Inner_Child · · Score: 3, Informative

      Nope, we went to books before the printing press, but nice try.

      Also, while cylindrical containers are strong, they also don't repel bears very well (which has about as much to do with which is more efficient for the printed word as your beverage example).

      --
      Today is red jello day - all workers must eat all of their red jello. Failure to comply will result in five demerits.
    7. Re:It's not a newspaper by Splab · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They aren't using cylindical forms because they want to, but they have to to contain the pressure. Trust me, they complain a lot about the space lost due to cylindical containers.

    8. Re:It's not a newspaper by capnkr · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Rolled up things are an inefficient use of space.

      Not necessarily. Next time you pack for a trip where luggage space is at a premium, try rolling up your clothing instead of packing it folded flat in your suitcase/seabag. When crammed full, not only will the result produce less wrinkles in the clothing (if care is taken with the rolling), but it is easier to go through the entire contents of the luggage container to find a specific item, and then remove it without 'upsetting' other items. Just sayin'...

      --
      "...there are some things that can beat smartness and foresight. Awkwardness and stupidity can." ~ Mark Twain
    9. Re:It's not a newspaper by AlecC · · Score: 2

      Look, laptops do it right. The hinge? That's a crease, a fold line, and allows this thing that otherwise should not be bent to use space more efficiently. A cylinder is will have that big empty volume in the middle.

      According to TFA, the hole in the middle contains USB ports, power connectors, speakers, webcam - basically all the PC except the keyboard/screen.

      --
      Consciousness is an illusion caused by an excess of self consciousness.
    10. Re:It's not a newspaper by vlm · · Score: 2

      Could it be that we went to books because of the invention of the printing press, which was not able to print continuously on a long scroll (contrary to the more modern printers, starting with the matrix printer)?

      Rotary press 1843 vs offset press 1903 vs Dot matrix printer 1964

      Pretty much everything printed on a modern press for about a century before the dot matrix printer was invented was printed on "scrolls". Newspapers etc are not printed on precut sheets. Other than modern desktop laser printers, pretty much everything for the last century has been printed on "scrolls" that are later chopped into pages. I am not counting artsy craftsy stuff like silk screening tee shirts here, rather the million times larger paper printing industry.

      If you want some fun you can troll printers (people who run printing presses, not inanimate objects) regarding the offset press from 1903 vs the rotary press from 1843. There's not a heck of a lot of difference but some argumentative personalities love to argue how they're obviously separate different inventions vs obviously the offset is a minor modification of the rotary scarely even worth commenting on.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    11. Re:It's not a newspaper by idontgno · · Score: 3, Funny

      I believe Dilbert discussed this.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    12. Re:It's not a newspaper by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Scrolls are sequential access documents, while books are random access. The advantages of a book over a scroll are completely unrelated to their uses as a computer screen form factor.

    13. Re:It's not a newspaper by redherring728 · · Score: 2

      Just because it's not what you're used to doesn't mean it's a bad idea :-)

      Am I the only one that's sick and tired of seeing this nonsense argument? At what point did he say "It's a bad idea because it's not what I'm used to"? Your reply is completely irrelevant. I could just as easily say "Just because it's not what you're used to doesn't mean it's a good idea."

    14. Re:It's not a newspaper by Culture20 · · Score: 2

      I do remember a sci-fi show (don't remember which one) in which the portable computers were held in one hand by a handle on the bottom and the top part could be any real shape, but it had a screen that could be rolled out of the side of the device while the device itself had the buttons for using it.

      Earth Final Conflict. Global Link Communicator
      http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/earth-final-conflict-global-link-closed-prop
      Earth Final Conflict Global Communicator Prop: http://www.movieprop.com/propscollectionother.htm
      http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/google-and-sirius-xm-build-my-dream-handheld/9233

    15. Re:It's not a newspaper by shadowfaxcrx · · Score: 2

      As someone else pointed out, rolling up clothes is one thing. Rolling up a $1000 computer is quite another. You're not going to be able to roll the computer as tightly as you can roll a shirt.

      --
      "I disagree with you" does not equal "flamebait."
  3. Re:Why roll-up? by Twinbee · · Score: 2

    A rolled up laptop essentially decreases a dimension of space you need to worry about. Therefore it'll take up less space and/or allow for larger screens.

    Since the material is flexible, it's also less likely to break when dropped etc.

    When it's uncurled it should be as flat to read as a normal laptop if the implementation is decent.

    --
    Why OpalCalc is the best Windows calc
  4. Re:Why roll-up? by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

    Exactly. Instead of roll-up, why not try and come up with a way that allows you to fold a laptop multiple times. If you can make a laptop thin and flexible enough to roll up like a newspaper, why not just try to make one that can fold up to the size of a paperback or small hardcover book? Hell, I'd be happy with a full-size laptop that can fold up to be the size of a closed netbook. Seems like that would be a lot more efficient and economical in terms of storage than rolling one up.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  5. Re:Why roll-up? by teslafreak · · Score: 2

    Exactly! Packs are all made to store many layers of flat material, a cylinder would actually waste space. I just don't get it.

  6. Seen this before... by khr · · Score: 2

    News?

    I'm sure someone sent me a link to a video around two years or more ago that looked almost exactly like that. Same shape, same blue shoulder strap, everything...

    Same speculation that it's coming right away...

  7. displays are terrible keyboards by mschaffer · · Score: 2

    When are designers going to get it into their heads that touch displays make terrible keyboards!!!
    I will gladly keep my rigid keyboard in lieu of the roll-up display.

    Besides, I saw sketches of something similar years ago. This isn't new.

  8. Re:Rollup monitor, not computer by bemymonkey · · Score: 2

    No thanks. Roll-up keyboards are already available, and they suck.

  9. Re:Why roll-up? by Zerth · · Score: 2

    Existing flexible displays don't tolerate hard creases well. Making it a cylinder reduces the angle necessary to flex.

    Now if you were willing to put up with some lines, a screen could be made of several 7" displays arranged much like a 2x2 desktop monitor array. But it would be very thick when folded and the keyboard would probably suck more than the usual laptop keyboard.

  10. Codex by alexander_686 · · Score: 2

    Mod parrent up.

    Also, codexes [i.e. bonded books]are able to access information dynamically [flip to page x] vs. sequentially. [i.e. unbounded books]

    If you want to find a good example of why this matters, look at early Christianity writings vs. Judaism writings on the same subject. Codexes were invented about the same time as Christianity was founded. The Torah is always read linearly on a scroll. The sense of time, relationships to the texts, etc. are very different.