How netbooks will look in the future – 10 best concepts

With 2009 almost over, it’s time to think a little bit about the future. This year was more than great for netbooks, with hundreds on better and better products entering the market. However, there were some concepts and ideas that simply left me breathless, concepts i would definitely like to see in a near future (although some might be quite distant).

So, as a try to look into the future, I’ve gathered in this post a couple of the best such ideas. Check them out below.

iSlate – Apple tablet prototype with dual display

With rumors of an imminent Apple netbook earlier this yer, many designers came with different concepts of how this supposed device would look. This one is called the iState, a computer with two AMOLED dual screens, top hardware and very practical. More about it here.

iSlate concept of a future Apple netbook

Mobile Script Concept – phone and virtual laptop in the same device

This one is futuristic. As you can see in the picture, is looks like a regular phone with touch display. Fancy aspect, but just a phone. However, there’s a catch, as it comes with another bigger flexible display that can be pulled out from the side, transforming the gadget into a touch-laptop. You can read more about this idea here. And you have to admit that it looks amazing, but we’re still years away from the technology that will allow us to see such a device in practice.

Mobile Script phone + laptop futuristic concept

The Disposable laptop design – eco and green

With the eco current getting big in the last years, designers are trying to give a hand too, by coming with ideas as this one: green gadgets. In this case, we have a compact netbook made entirely from disposable materials, like recycled paper and glass. Kind of a long shot for now, but still, a very nice idea. More about it here.

Disposable laptop supports ecological movement

Lenovo Pocket Yoga concept

This is a very nice design very similar to the portable Sony Vaio P series, but with better looks, classier style and some extra features, like the touch foldable display. Unfortunately it’s only a concept and Lenovo announced they are not looking into making a production item based on it. But who knows what future might offer. You can check out more details and pictures about this Lenovo Pcoket Yoga here.

Lenovo Pocket Yoga concept

Kojinsha’s dual display mini laptop

What we have here is a netbook with a dual screens. On a first look it looks like a regular laptop, but behind the actual screen hides another one that slides open to give twice as big working area. This device is a prototype and its Japanese creators plan to launch it pretty soon on the Asian and US market. More about it here.

Dual display laptop prototype from Japan

Apple Mac Folder concept

There’s not much to say about this idea, a concept of a future to be MacBook perhaps. It comes with multi-touch display and a specially designed UI to allow you to benefit from all the advantages of this display, plus extra-thin shape and astonishing looks. It will also take some powerful hardware and it would be a perfect portable? More pics in here.

Mac Folder concept - perhaps a future Apple netbook?

Litl Webbook all in one device

This gadget from Litl is not meant to be just a netbook, but also a digital frame, touch-tablet, portable multimedia player and more. And it’s not really that futuristic, but more like a device that could enter our lives as soon as next year. Check out this link for more pictures and examples of how this Litl Webbook can be used.

Little Webook multipurpose netbook

DragonFly folding laptop concept

This is quite a bizarre concept of a netbook that comes with all the features o s stanrd laptop (display, wireless, keyboard, etc), but can also be folded and made so small it can fit your pocket. IT’s called the Dragonfly and a prototype of this device was made to show us that it really works. Looks are quite awful for now, but that can be easily solved in the future. More details here.

Dragonfly foldable laptop prototype

Dell XPS Baton laptop

This is a pretty amazing concept. Central unit is shaped as a baton, contains all the hardware, and comes with two OLED screens that can be attached to it, one for the display and one for the keyboard. If you don’t want the keyboard, you can only attach the display and get a touch netbook good for design, reading, etc. More details here. Still, we’re far away from seeing the idea behind this Dell XPS Baton PC implemented. Perhaps in a couple of years…

Dell XPS baton concept PC

D-Roll laptop concept for the future

From all the concepts in here, this one is the most “Star Trecky” one. Basically a laptop concept, it’s so odd and futuristic you won’t get it from a first look: it’s modular, comes with OLED display and a tube shaped central unit, plus a virtual keyboard and mouse. You can find out more via this link. For now, this D-Roll is just an interesting approach for a laptop/PC. But in 10-20 years it might be more.

D-Roll laptop concept

That’s about it for now. I’m pretty sure there are more interesting netbook concepts and ideas. So if you find something interesting, leave a comment and I’ll add them later on if they are really good.

Tags: Apple, Asus netbooks, concept netbook