MSI isn’t the only company showing off a dual screen netbook concept at CES this week. I stopped by the international exhibitor section this morning and spotted a dual-screen model from Korean company dnb.
The dnb Dual netbook prototype isn’t quite as elegant as MSI’s solution. Basically, it looks like someone took a standard 10 inch netbook and hacked off the keyboard and replaced it with a touchscreen and virtual keyboard software. The lower screen doesn’t quite sit flush with the unit, but what we’re looking at is just a prototype. The company is looking for partners to help bring the netbook to market.
The demo model features two 10 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel displays, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU, and runs Windows XP, although I doubt these specs are final. dnb is highlighting the fact that the second display isn’t just for a keyboard. You can use the extra screen real estate to display a running application in each window, a web browser in one and a spreadsheet in another, for example.
The dnb dual screen netbook is much larger than the MSI prototype, and it doesn’t feature the vibrating feedback when you hit a key with your finger. I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
More photos after the break.
I disagree with MonkeyKing1969. A soft keyboard is totally practical today. The quality must be very high, but it is practical and would be quite desirable for most users if the feedback to the touch is good enough. The iPhone keyboard works great. This look for this concept needs some work, but it is an awesome concept.
A touch screen keyboard at the bottom just does not see like an option most people would want for their ‘carry around’ everyday machine. Its might be handy a few times a day when you need to screen or you want it as an e-reader. But, most of the time, people would really just rather have a keyboard, right?
Neat…but just not practical.