Flex: The Collapsible Tablet Computer

If you were to bend any tablet on the market it would most likely break.  All the tablets out there are rigid and straight. However, that may all change.  The name of this tablet computer concept fits it very well, it’s called the Flex.  As you can imagine, with such a name, it does exactly what the name implies.

Yes this tablet concept is a whole lot different than your typical rigidly straight tablet.  However, in slate mode, which is similarly rigid as other tablets, the touch screen would measure out at 14″ 3:4.  But the cool thing about this tablet is that it would go to 18.5″ when it’s expanded out.

The Flex gives the user quite a bit of, well, flexibility.  The spine would have a flexible core which allows the user to bend the tablet, screen and all, in a variety of different ways.  When not expanded, the tablet would act just like any portable tablet.  When expanded you can bend it to look like a laptop, share the screen with another person on the other side or pull the loop stand out to make a nice movie screen.

Even though the Flex looks impressive, what’s truly impressive is what would be underneath the screen.  The body of the Flex would be made of a bioplastic shell that would most likely make it lightweight and sturdy.  The cool part is that the Flex would be built with flexible batteries that would reside within the porous biopolymer spine.

Designer René Lee got the idea from history.  The design of tablets and notebooks go back many years.  The scroll though  gave the inspiration for something similar, but different.  The scroll had the ability to expand and flex.  Thus, the concept of the Flex was born, with a rollable screen just like that of an ancient scroll but with the abilities of a tablet and notebook of modern days.  So don’t go bending your current tablet, it will break.  Although still a concept, the Flex may revolutionize the future of tablets and notebooks alike.

For other cool concepts take a look at the recyclable computer and eNpad Tablet.

Via: Tuvie / René Lee