Lenovo unveils ThinkBook VertiFlex laptop and Smart Motion dock innovations at IFA, featuring rotatable displays and AI-driven docks that track your movements continuously
Lenovo, the global technology company, has revealed two intriguing concepts, the ThinkBook VertiFlex and the Smart Motion, designed to revolutionize the ThinkBook product lineup. These innovations aim to enhance productivity and user experience, particularly in the ThinkBook VertiFlex laptop with its rotatable 14-inch screen and the Smart Motion multidirectional laptop stand.
The ThinkBook VertiFlex Concept
The ThinkBook VertiFlex Concept, also known as "Project Pivo," weighs a modest 3.06 pounds and is 0.7 inches thick, placing it comfortably within the ultrabook territory, although it is not as thin or light as some ultraportable laptops. One of its standout features is the instantaneous switch from landscape to portrait mode, making it a versatile tool for various tasks.
The ThinkBook VertiFlex's display rotates from landscape to portrait mode by simply grabbing the corner of the screen and pulling it up into vertical mode. This design makes it more ergonomic for editing documents or displaying code, and it also offers a useful feature for mirroring smartphones using Lenovo's Smart Connect software.
The Smart Motion Concept
The Smart Motion Concept, like the ThinkBook VertiFlex, may face little resistance in the potential path to production. This innovative dock features a motorized gimbal system and AI features that could potentially reduce the need to replace these components when upgrading to a new laptop.
The Smart Motion Concept serves as a stand for laptops, aiming to maintain ergonomic efficiency through motion tracking. It takes input from a laptop's microphone to track where voice is coming from, adjusting the laptop position accordingly. The Smart Motion Concept also boasts standard dock functionality, including USB, video, and Ethernet ports.
The functionality of the Smart Motion Concept is similar to last year's Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC concept, but integrated into a dock. This integration allows for a more streamlined and user-friendly experience.
Lenovo's Experimental Approach
Lucas Rossi, Executive Vice President of Lenovo and President of the Intelligent Devices Group, stated that Lenovo takes risks and experiments with new projects. These latest concepts are a testament to this approach, pushing the boundaries of laptop design to improve productivity and user experience.
However, it's important to note that the ThinkBook VertiFlex Concept and the Smart Motion Concept are not guaranteed to make it to production. Lenovo's first foldable laptop concept was showcased in 2017, but the technology wasn't immediately applicable to a production product. The intellectual property from Lenovo's foldable project was later used in the Moto Razr smartphone, which is now selling in the millions.
In conclusion, Lenovo's ThinkBook VertiFlex Concept and Smart Motion Concept represent exciting steps forward in laptop design, offering innovative solutions for improved productivity and ergonomics. While their future in the market remains uncertain, these concepts demonstrate Lenovo's commitment to experimentation and pushing the boundaries of technology.
