The Rolltop

[AerisAndMe]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Apple/?p=6275&tag=rbxccnbzd1

I mean, it's just a concept right now, but it's a pretty damn cool one.

[pritam]

Damn that's sweet, I especially like the pen/tablet thing with it. Although I still really like the book shaped laptops.

[LeonBlade]

...the fuck?

Do they plan on using OLED for that screen or what? I don't see how else they plan to make that fucker fold like that...
I personally don't like the way you have to use that tube you carry it in, it looks ugly in my opinion.

[eatcomics]

I think its pretty cool. But I really doubt I'll see one of these in my lifetime, if so it would probably be something that looked cool, but in practice didn't work, or was just a passing fad, or never really makes it big

[Live-Dimension]

The technology already exists for this. Mostly.




Note how OLED's are bendable AND can be transparent? Awesome!
Dealing with hardware could be abit of an issue, but I think smart use of ribbon cable and PCB layout *might* work around that.

[eatcomics]

I knew OLEDs were flexible, but all the hardware folding? I mean maybe, but I find it pretty unlikely, but who knows...

[Live-Dimension]

It's split into sections, and chips tend to be pretty small. So you have rectangular sections of PCB with the boards needed. Where the bends are you join it all with ALOT of ribbon cable or something similar (IDE cable anyone?)

Bendable plastic keyboards already exist. I think the tech exists.

[dandymcgee]

Bendable plastic keyboards already exist. I think the tech exists.

If you look inside just about any keyboard nowadays you'll find the circuitry consists of 3 thin sheets of transparent and very flexible plastic. The only thing not bendable is the controller and that's pretty damn small.

[LeonBlade]

Bendable plastic keyboards already exist. I think the tech exists.

If you look inside just about any keyboard nowadays you'll find the circuitry consists of 3 thin sheets of transparent and very flexible plastic. The only thing not bendable is the controller and that's pretty damn small.

Exactly.

The computer can roll but it can't separate. So, like Dime said, you could just ribbin the components together using some other form to keep the components wired together without using a circuit board. This technology is very possibly, I don't know how much those OLED screens can bend however...

[eatcomics]

Yeah, I'm sure it will be possible, but I doubt it will catch on... I mean if its not problems with folding the laptops, it'll be making it stay upright, or a faulty touchscreen, due to the segmented parts, or something like that...