Lenovo Blade concept is a 2-in-1 with built-in cover/stand

Lenovo may be rethinking the tablet computer. Again. The company that brought us the Yoga convertible design and the Yoga Book virtual keyboard seems to have a new idea for a 2-in-1 tablet called the Lenovo Blade.

According to a description at the iF World Design Guide Award website, the Blade is a multi-purpose tablet with a detachable keyboard and Miracast wireless display capabilities.

What’s interesting is that the Blade doesn’t have a kickstand like a Microsoft Surface. Instead it has a cover that acts as a stand, more like an optional iPad cover… but not really, because the Lenovo Blade’s cover is actually built into the tablet.

So here’s the idea: you can cover the screen for transportation. When you want to use the tablet in your hands, just flip over the cover flap so it’s on the back.

Want to prop up the tablet? You can fold the cover in ways that let you either stand it up for watching videos or lie it down at a nearly flat angle. Thanks to Miracast wireless display technology, Lenovo’s graphics suggest you could use the tablet as a toucshcreen keyboard in this mode, while beaming graphics to an external display.

There’s also detachable keyboard that connects to the system using magnets, allowing you to use the system in notebook mode.

The design documents are a bit vague on one key point: is the tablet section actually a full-fledged computer in its own right? Or is it just a wireless display and touch surface that connects to the PC components hidden in the keyboard base?

Notebook Italia speculates that both parts of the Lenovo Blade might actually have their own PC hardware: maybe the keyboard section has the guts of a Windows computer, while the screen can function as a standalone Android tablet? It wouldn’t be the first time Lenovo tried something like that.

It’s also not actually clear at this point of Lenovo plans to bring the Blade to market, or if it’s just a concept.