Gateway Convertable bad idea to me

[TheCotMan]

First, I do not like Gateway.

I saw a commercial for this Gateway Convertible Notebook and can't help but be reminded of the IBM Butterfly keyboard laptops.

One of the things that commonly breaks in older laptops is the ribbon, or conductor conduit from laptop motherboards to the display. Since wear seems to be associated with movement and range of movement increases metal stress and fatigue, this seems to me to be a bad idea, and another place for failure.
In the commercial, they show a person rotating the screen, but is that worth the added cost of potential failure?
They also show a person rotating the screen 180, and then closing the laptop to expose the unprotected display to risks of having things placed on top of it. (Hot coffee cups, or liquid, or splash, or people using it as a hard surface for writing on a piece of paper.)

(The IBM "butterfly" keyboard laptops provided wider keyboards by adding a "puzzle-like" keyboard that was broken in thwo halves that would slide and move as the laptop was opened, to provide a keyboard wider than the laptop. This was a point of failure with more moving parts, and the sides that extended beyond the edge were at risk for torque, and the keys seemed to be less durable than other notebook
keyboards.)

What do you think? Good idea?Bad idea?

[octalpus]

A cursory glance at their product page says the hinge is alloy anchored in magnesium. Possibly a well thought out design.

[TheCotMan]

A cursory glance at their product page says the hinge is alloy anchored in magnesium. Possibly a well thought out design.

Though the hinge is a worry, I have more concern over the wires that send the video signal will be bent and twisted so many times that video signal to the display is broken.

[allentrace]

Though the hinge is a worry, I have more concern over the wires that send the video signal will be bent and twisted so many times that video signal to the display is broken.

If all else fails just write something derogatory in the flash they so kindly provided. Wont really matter but it might be self soothing

[bascule]

Though the hinge is a worry, I have more concern over the wires that send the video signal will be bent and twisted so many times that video signal to the display is broken.

It's most likely a flexible ribbon designed to bend without being damaged by tension and stress.

[alklloyd]

It's most likely a flexible ribbon designed to bend without being damaged by tension and stress.

You would hope..

Al

[allentrace]

You would hope..

Al

It is because the industry standard for such things, wiring, cable, etc... has not changed in a long time. In the US we have amazing new technologies that could replace the current guts of any laptop/tablet/desktop but progress is a slow process especially in the computer industry. I think if Gateway wanted to make an indestructible laptop they could. As could could any PC manufacturer (though it may not be cheap or cost effective but that goes back to industry change being a slow one) but I think they would rather make money off warranties and protection plans then delivering a durable product.

[klepto]

It is because the industry standard for such things, wiring, cable, etc... has not changed in a long time. In the US we have amazing new technologies that could replace the current guts of any laptop/tablet/desktop but progress is a slow process especially in the computer industry. I think if Gateway wanted to make an indestructible laptop they could. As could could any PC manufacturer (though it may not be cheap or cost effective but that goes back to industry change being a slow one) but I think they would rather make money off warranties and protection plans then delivering a durable product.

That's because buying the "new" stuff for companies is not a good "investment". The profit margin is smaller when they roll out these types of technologies. One reason why the rest of the world is on fiber-optics and we're here stuck on old types of broadband, despite the fact that US corporations are many millions richer.

It's greed.

[Voltage Spike]

One reason why the rest of the world is on fiber-optics and we're here stuck on old types of broadband, despite the fact that US corporations are many millions richer.

That's a really simplistic view (and very off topic).

First off, companies in countries such as the United States have invested heavily in the current infrastructure. As a result, they are able to squeeze a level of performance that is acceptable without additional upgrades.

Second, replacing the infrastructure in many other countries is far cheaper than it is here. Part of that is because our population densities are much lower and the wiring architecture is much older (at least in some parts).

Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised if other governments were subsidizing those upgrades.

Do you really believe that foreign corporations are so altruistic that they will sacrifice their own profits so that a very small percentage of their customer base (i.e., those like us ) can get excited? It seems to me that greed doesn't know international boundaries.

PS: I don't know where you live, but you probably have the option to use fiber optics today. Most cable companies use it right up until the so-called "last mile".

[skroo]

First, I do not like Gateway.

Nor do I, particularly. Just getting that out of the way.

What do you think? Good idea?Bad idea?

Dumb idea: it's basically a gimmick to make tablet computers more palatable. The problem with tablet PCs is mainly an interface one: people can generally type faster than they can write, so not tablet PCs having a keyboard negates any benefit of lugging around a computer. Paradoxically, attaching a keyboard to a tablet PC negates the point of having one in the first place, because all you've really ended up with is a laptop with a touchscreen.

You'd figure that after a good three years of nobody really being interested in tablet PCs the industry would give up and at least rethink them - but no, they just keep banging on with the idea and not addressing any of the shortcomings. Not real bright.