Subj : This new laptop replaces the physical screen with a 100-inch virt
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Thu May 18 2023 21:00:03

This new laptop replaces the physical screen with a 100-inch virtual display

Date:
Thu, 18 May 2023 19:46:07 +0000

Description:
The Spacetop can hide your work in plain sight. However, its performance may 
disappoint.

FULL STORY
======================================================================

Since their inception, laptops have had the same clamshell form factor. It's 
a tried and true design. Tech startup Sightful, though, is doing something 
different, taking the screen virtual. 

The company recently launched the Spacetop , a laptop that consists of 
nothing more than a keyboard connected to a customized pair of NReal 
augmented-reality (AR) glasses . 

Putting the glasses on allows users to view a massive, 100-inch AR display 
that only they can see. Multiple windows can be opened at the same time as 
the screens curve around your point of view in every direction. To see a 
specific window, all you have to do is turn your head to face the app. The 
projection is also static, so you dont have to worry about the windows moving 
around. Nor do they totally block the real space in front of you. You can 
still see the world around you. 

The Spacetop runs on the proprietary Spacetop OS, but it also runs some 
third-party software like Microsoft Word and Spotify. The on-device browser 
does appear to be first-party, however. Specs 

Regarding its specs, the Spacetop isnt the most powerful laptop; it 
apparently runs on smartphone hardware from 2020. 

The Spacetop is powered by a combination of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 
chipset, Adren 650 GPU, and 8GB of RAM. The keyboard measures 10.47 inches 
wide and 9.8 inches deep with a height of 1.57 inches (266 x 249 x 10.5 mm). 
In total, it weighs 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) without the NReal glasses (the glasses 
add an extra 0.2 lbs). Battery life lasts a mere five hours on a single 
charge. Additionally, the Spacetop only comes with two USB-C ports (although 
they do support fast charging), plus 256GB of storage. 

Performance-wise, it's a pretty lightweight laptop. So if youre a gamer 
looking for a new way to play the latest titles, you might want to pass on 
this one. In fact, most people will probably pass this up. 

Sightful is pitching the Spacetop as a new way to work remotely. However, a 
recent report The Verge shows the laptop doesnt perform all that well. It 
crashed early in [the publications] demo session and had to be rebooted. 
Scrolling through windows was slow. Resizing windows, a pretty benign action, 
also took a while. The browser even crashed while trying to play YouTube 
videos. Availability 

Despite the middling first impression from The Verge, the system was 
apparently fun to use. So if youre looking for a unique, lightweight laptop 
for doing work on the road, Sightfuls Spacetop might fit the bill. Early 
adopters can purchase one of 1,000 laptops currently available from 
Sightful's website . The price tag is unknown although some reports claim its 
$2,000 a pop . We reached out to Sightful for clarification on the price. 

Something we neglected to mention is audio comes from the NReal glasses 
meaning other people can hear you, but the Spacetop does support Bluetooth, 
so get those earbuds ready. 

For those interested in buying this one-of-a-kind laptop, we recommend you 
first check out TechRadars list of the best wireless headphones for 2023 .



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/news/this-new-laptop-replaces-the-physical-screen-wi
th-a-100-inch-virtual-display


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