AppleInsider Staff
Lenovo on Monday unveiled an interesting, if not completely useful, "slate" PC in the IdeaCentre Horizon, a 27" multitouch all-in-one that can convert into a tablet-like device reminiscent of Microsoft's original Surface concept.
While obviously not designed to be used as a tablet, the Horizon boasts a large built-in battery the company says is good for two hours of on-the-go use, though portability is questionable as the unit weighs in at 17 pounds.
Lenovo is calling the computer a "table PC" in that it can be used as a traditional all-in-one, but transforms into a huge tabletop screen once its rear kickstand is folded down. When the unit is laid on a table, a specialized user interface dubbed "Moon Dial" pops up, allowing users to interact with the computer from any angle.
The Horizon features a ten-point multitouch screen with gesture controls suited for multi-person use either at work or at home. Also available are a number of accessories aimed at family gaming, including joysticks, dice and an air hockey mallet, all of which are designed to interact with the screen. Lenovo calls this functionality "phygital," a combination of "physical" and "digital."
In addition to the unique Moon Dial mode, users can switch to the base Windows 8 UI, though the resulting full-screen application windows appear to be somewhat clunky.
On its website, the company is branding the IdeaCentre Horizon as a "Tabletop Gaming PC" and lists the expected release date as Summer 2013.
Charles Martin
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49 Comments
i just don't understand the thinking on this product. Is Ballmer running Lenovo? Tablets are meant to be portable.
The notion of carrying this around seems wack but I have played with the Surface table and thought it rather keen. I wouldn't mind a table sized iPad especially if it was my home remote. Even just a table with a cutout for my iPad would work. Have a place for the dock connector cable to go underneath, some kind of safety glass piece to prevent spills. Could be awesome
How about 40" iTV but weighing less than 10 pounds that could also work as a table multi-touch computer?
stupid
[quote name="charlituna" url="/t/155353/lenovos-ideacentre-horizon-table-pc-is-a-27-portable-computer#post_2255512"]The notion of carrying this around seems wack but I have played with the Surface table and thought it rather keen. I wouldn't mind a table sized iPad especially if it was my home remote. Even just a table with a cutout for my iPad would work. Have a place for the dock connector cable to go underneath, some kind of safety glass piece to prevent spills. Could be awesome[/quote] With a 27" multitouch display and what I assume is an Intel Core processor and a GPU capable of running that display how long will it last on the battery? At 17 pounds I'm guessing not very long since even the new 27" iMac is over 20 pounds.