It's a phablet
Phablets -- a cross between a phone and tablet -- have typically divided gadget fans, either they are too big, too small or not powerful enough.
A team of researchers in Canada have created a potential solution with a device that changes from a phone to a tablet and a notebook, using a set of screens and hinges.
The foldable gadget can be made smaller for texting, or larger for reading maps, and can even create a makeshift laptop with a keyboard. Called PaperFold, the shape-shifting smartphone lets users open up to three flexible touchscreen displays. Each screen can be removed so users can fold the device into various shapes.
Queen's Prof Roel Vertegaal and student Antonio Gomes unveiled the PaperFold at this week's human-computer interaction conference in Toronto.
"In PaperFold, each display tile can act independently or as part of a single system," said Vertegaal, a professor in the School of Computing at Queen's University.
"It allows multiple device form factors, providing support for mobile tasks that require large screen real-estate or keyboards-on-demand, while retaining an ultra-compact, ultra-thin and lightweight form factor."
Typically, mobile devices require scrolling or zooming in order to see different parts of a document whereas paper can be folded, detached or combined allowing it to be accessed in multiple parallel forms, explained the research team.
PaperFold is only a prototype at the moment and the researchers have not revealed details about whether it will go on sale commercially.
Comments