Will Laptop/Tablet Hybrids Ever Be Any Good? [Video]

Earlier today, we checked out Sony’s latest hybrid hopeful: the Windows 8-equipped VAIO Tap 11. You can see it in action for yourself in our hands-on video above. Does the footage convince you that the hybrid tablet PC is a viable productivity tool? Or is the technology still not quite there yet? Discuss…

The Sony VAIO Tap 11 is an 11-inch Windows tablet PC boasting a magnetic full pitch keyboard that also doubles as a protective screen cover. It’s similar in concept to Microsoft’s own Surface Pro although the keyboard doesn’t actually attach to the tablet while in use. On the one hand, this affords the user more versatility (you can use the keyboard to control the tablet from across the room, for example) but it also makes it more difficult to balance both on your lap.

Taking cues from Samsung’s popular Note range, the VAIO Tap 11 comes with a digitiser stylus which comes with two types of pen tips; a hard tip for “low frictional resistance” and a soft tip which replicates writing on paper.

Sony is also claiming that the Tap 11 has better touch sensitivity than previous tablets by positioning the touch panel sensor closer to the display. (Apparently, this eliminates the presence air in the construction.)

As you can see from the above video, the Sony VAIO Tap 11 is a sleek looking piece of kit. But we’re still not entirely convinced that a hybrid is the way to go. Whether for business or personal use, there’s a lot to be said for a dedicated product that does one job perfectly — which a hybrid clearly ain’t.

That said, the segment has come a long way since the days of the creaky Slate PC. We can appreciate the appeal that a two-in-one computing device brings to some users, both in terms of price and convenience/simplicity.

What’s your take on this burgeoning market? Have you ever used an Asus Transformer or Windows Surface Pro with Touch/Type keyboard attached? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

Here are the cheapest plans available for Australia’s most popular NBN speed tier.

At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Comments


6 responses to “Will Laptop/Tablet Hybrids Ever Be Any Good? [Video]”

Leave a Reply