The "Twin River" prototype can be used in regular laptop mode, with one display acting as a touch keyboard. (Source: The Verge)
In order to make laptop models as light as possible, Intel is trying its hand at fabric cases as seen on the "Twin River" prototype showcased at Computex this year. The fabric case is made of polyester, polyamide plus lycra, and it integrates a dual-display setup with 1080p touchscreens that can be used as a book / notepad or regular laptop mode with one screen acting as a touch keyboard.
Intel showcased a few unconventional laptop prototypes this year at Computex, and among these, the dual-display one that sports a fabric casing is probably the most interesting. Codenamed “Twin River,” this model attempts to reduce the overall weight to only 1.7 lbs by encasing the two 12.3-inch displays and the underlying hardware in a special case made of polyester, polyamide and lycra.
Both displays feature touchscreens with 1080p resolution; however, this is not a true convertible device, since the dual-screen design is supposed to act as a book or notepad. It can also be used as a regular laptop, with one display transforming into a touch keyboard. Additionally, Intel also provides a superthin Bluetooth-enabled tactile keyboard that can be stored between the two displays as a bookmark. While using it as a book / notepad, the displays adopt the appropriate screen ratio, and Intel also supplies a tactile pen.
Powering the prototype is a 15 W Intel Whiskey Lake-U quad-core CPU that uses a custom vapor chamber, so there are no noisy fans. Apparently, the motherboard is split between the two displays, while the CPU is oriented diagonally, plus each side comes with its own battery. No info on RAM and storage, and it looks like the prototype only has a power connector, with no other ports in sight.
Notepad mode with correct screen ratio adjustment (Source: The Verge)
One of the displays can act as a keyboard, but Intel also supplies a thin tactile Bluetooth keyboard that can be stored between the two displays as a bookmark. (Source: The Verge)
Bogdan Solca - Senior Tech Writer - 2193 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2017
I first stepped into the wondrous IT&C world when I was around seven years old. I was instantly fascinated by computerized graphics, whether they were from games or 3D applications like 3D Max. I'm also an avid reader of science fiction, an astrophysics aficionado, and a crypto geek. I started writing PC-related articles for Softpedia and a few blogs back in 2006. I joined the Notebookcheck team in the summer of 2017 and am currently a senior tech writer mostly covering processor, GPU, and laptop news.