sus Taichi Windows 8 laptop, tablet hybrid is a new concept. Here we discuss its specs and features

One of the great things that Windows 8 platform has done is give a fillip to hardware innovation. There isn’t a hardware maker in the game who isn’t innovating on hardware to better adjust to the massive redesign of the Windows 8 platform. Most of these innovation focus on making hybrids – the tablet laptop combination.

In recent months devices like the IdeaPad Yoga from Lenovo and the Dell XPS 15 have captured the attention of prospective customers. But none of them pushed the envelope quite like the Asus Taichi. This tablet, laptop hybrid is a strange beast to say the least. It packs not one but two screens, one on the inside of the laptop cover that faces towards the user when the keyboard is open and work is being done, and the other is where the back cover should have been.

Strangely, the screen facing inside is not touch sensitive, it is only the one on the outside that could be used as a touchscreen. The idea apparently is that when you close the laptop the device converts into a tablet. But at 11.6 inch across and packing an entire keyboard, it is a rather big and bulky tablet. It is a safe bet to say that the Taichi would mostly be used as a laptop, but then the appropriate screen for that mode is not touch screen, while the one facing the other side does.

As far as specs are concerned, the Taichi is no slouch. It packs Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, 4GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. What is even more impressive is that both the displays are full HD, that is 1080p displays. The whole is heavier than tablets, but is on the lighter side as far as laptops are concerned, it weighs on lighter side at 1.1kg.

Despite this major problem, the Taichi does everything to make the form factor painless to use. There is a bright hot key button on the keyboard. When you press it, you will be given the option to choose from 4 different modes. The tablet mode, the laptop mode, the dual use mode or the mirror mode.

The tablet mode shuts off the keyboard and lets you use the outer screen as a tablet, while the laptop mode shuts off the reverse display and you can use the one in the front as you would in a laptop. The mirror mode mirrors whatever you are doing on one screen on the other screen. While the dual mode allows you to use both the displays separately.