Google Patent Reveals Strange New Tablet/Notebook Device

A device that appears to be a half-breed between a tablet and a notebook has been developed by Google.A new patent titled “moveable display portion of a computing device,” describes a transforming laptop-tablet hybrid with the capability to flatten into a tablet and expand into laptop without any additional pieces has been filed by Google. Some observers are claiming that it could be a new Google Nexus device that can even swivel on a corner. (Anyone have any ideas why?)

J. Gold Associates analyst Jack Gold said “No” when asked whether he thinks the device described in Google’s patent is a good idea.

Tech Radar said that In Gold’s opinion, the Android ecosystem is becoming far too complex, and it wouldn’t make sense for Google to add yet another possible form factor to the mix.

“The issue is that there are so many different form factors and different models,” Gold said.

“On the other hand, if you get too complicated and too complex, especially if Google’s doing it, one, you compete with your ecosystem, and two, people don’t know what to make of it.”

In Google’s latest patent, the screen slides forward over the keyboard and then lies flat to transform the device into a touch tablet. But Gold says that design may be too complicated and prone to breaking down.
“What people want – what people mostly want today – is simplicity,” he said.

“They also want functionality, but you know, if it’s something weird, you have a hard time selling it.”

Past transforming laptops haven’t been terribly successful for a number of reasons, Gold said, one being that they simply don’t work very well.

He added that the Microsoft Surface’s solution – which adds a physical keyboard to the tablet’s magnetic cover – is “actually pretty elegant.”

“There’s no connector to break. It’s fairly simple and straightforward,” he said.

“Simple is good,” he concluded. “It really is, when you start talking about these devices.”