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Razer unveils gaming concept mobile PC

by Sarah Griffiths on 7 January 2011, 12:23

Tags: Razer

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Cutting edge?

Razer has developed a concept notebook design based on Intel's Atom processor in a bid to bring PC desktop gaming functionality to gamers on the go.

Debuted at CES, the concept model is codenamed Razer Switchblade and while appearing to be an attractive compact Windows 7 notebook, the traditional keyboard and mouse have made way for a multi-touch screen and chunky dynamic tactile keyboard.

The UI adjusts the configuration and key layout based on game and user requirements, Razer said. The company hooked up with Intel to build the concept model from scratch, "focusing on the entire user experience of playing the extensive PC game library on a handheld device".

Min-Liang Tan, CEO and creative director at Razer, said: "The main problem with mobile PC gaming so far is that no one has been able to port the full mouse and keyboard experience onto a small size portable solution. By combining adaptive on-the-fly controls and display, we managed to maintain the full tactile keyboard in a miniature computer while saving valuable screen estate."

According to people that have got hands on with the concept device so far, impressions are favourable.  Engadget reported that it reckons Razer will put this concept model into production, although it will probably not be cheap given the technology involved and the prestigious gaming brand name.

The ‘seriously impressed' tech site said Windows 7 is fully-loaded onto the Switchblade but Razer has created an in-house overlay too making navigating the mobile device ‘a cinch'. It also raved about the 1024x600 screen resolution and the bonus features of a mini HDMI output plus USB 2.0 port making any handy peripherals possible. 

The Switchblade also reportedly sports a front-facing webcam, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios and there are rumours that it could hit the shelves in 3G and non 3G flavours.

Here are some images of the Switchblade.

 

 

 

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HEXUS Forums :: 7 Comments

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It sounds good in concept but for most games you play a lot you don't even look at your keyboard a lot.
Also whether the keyboards gives a good tactile response like a normal key will be interesting to find out about.

I think the changing keyboard thing is cool, would love to have it for knowing hotkeys when doing things like using paint or 3d software where remembering the hotkeys is annoying.

So if anything I think using this as a hopefully cheaper alternative to a Cintiq might be really cool, depending on how good the accuracy of the touch screen is and if it can tell pressure levels.
Was thr brief to produce something with insta-fail?

Anybody who ‘raves’ about 1024x600 res needs to resign on principal straight away.

What I see is a chucky, limited ability (and probably expensive due to pointless touchscreen and LED keyboard), underpowered system. Hell even the keys aren't aligned as they are on a normal keyboard, being vertical and columns and all.

What finally took the biscuit is the fact they promoted it's 1 USB point as a selling factor….o dear.

Can this thing actually do anything a £300 ION based netbook can't?

Facepalm.
I disagree, 1024x600 is about the same as what most console games run at and it's on a 7" screen

sure there are some things which will make it suck (Definitely lack of joystick, probably lack of storage) but it will likely be a success, a portable console with a screen 4 times the size of the iPhone which it seems will be able to play Crysis on high settings.

I can see a lot of people willing to pay £450 for this, I know I will
It is a bit of a fail for them to go with Intel on this TBH as they need to have an additional graphics card. The modern Intel IGPs are at best not much faster than an HD5450. Llano would have been a better solution IMHO.
As a concept it actually might just be quite good. A portable/handheld ‘console’ that you can run full PC games on. The res means that games probably won't look too bad even if it did have a bottom end gpu of some kind, and I can certainly see the attraction. Probably won't sell at all though in the end…