Apple Tablet? I Rather the Lenovo IdeaPad U1.

As we get closer to Apple's January announcement, I'm reading more and more articles speculating about the Apple "Tablet" or "iSlate": How big will it be? How will you type on it? How much will cost? Is it just a giant iPhone? What is it going to be used for? Do we need a tablet?

I have the answer to all those questions: the Lenovo IdeaPad U1. It was unveiled at CES 2010 in Las Vegas last week and it has stolen the show amongst the geeks. The U1 came out of nowhere with little fan fare and it was met with a unanimous reaction of "that makes sense, why hadn't anyone else thought of it?"

What is it?

If you can't tell from the picture, it is a netbook-sized, dual computer: on one hand, it's a small and light computer that runs Windows 7 (read: full functioning operating system) that you use like a regular computer and when you undock the screen, the screen becomes a tablet PC running an easy-to-use version of Linux called Skylight. Is your mind blown yet? 

What can it do?

When I saw the post on Engadget, my brain went into overdrive over all the possibilities of using a U1. I've wanted a netbook since Asus debuted the EeePC, but I've been holding off for fear that I wouldn't use it enough to justify it's purchase. When I need to do work or serious computing, I use my Macbook Pro. When I want to check a movie on IMDB or Google the number for a pizza place, I use my iPhone. Where would a netbook fit in here? It wouldn't, but the U1 would. 

I can see myself surfing or writing emails on the couch with the U1, then undocking the screen and using that in the kitchen to follow a recipe or to watch a video on YouTube on how to install new ceiling lights. Who needs an eBook reader when you can just undock the screen and turn it to portrait mode? Say goodbye to eInk! 

Besides the uses, the genius of the machine makes me want to preorder one today. The screen is its own PC with its own parts, and when docked, it synchronizes with the PC in the keyboard. 

What about Apple?

Despite the title of this post, I like Apple...a lot. But I also think that Apple doesn't have a monopoly on innovation, and the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 proves this. It is well thought-out, has a great interface, and didn't need any hype to convince geeks that its cool. In two weeks, we'll know if Apple is even announcing a tablet/iSlate and weather it justifies the hype, but I'm not waiting.