Dancing Laptops Are Now A Thing
Computers have come a long way since the early days of the Apple II and DOS. Smaller, thinner, more powerful, more portable, what more could consumers possibly want? If you answered a dancing laptop, then you’re in luck! The Lenovo Auto Twist AI PC is just that.
The tech giant unveiled their newest proof-of-concept machine at the world’s biggest electronic trade show, the IFA in Berlin. Lenovo came to the IFA with a slew of new laptops—most sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chip—but none could compete with the company’s dancing laptop.
Lenovo didn’t reveal the Twist’s specifications because it’s essentially a prototype cobbled together to show how future models might operate. What more do they need to say, though, other than “it dances?”
To be clear, the dancing laptop doesn’t hop and bop around like the toaster from Ghostbusters II, but it’s impressive nonetheless.
Mashable editor Kimmie G posted a video on X of the Auto Twist in action. The Twist is voice-activated and responds to multiple commands from G, such as “Hi Twist, laptop mode” and “Hi Twist, tablet mode.” With each command, the Laptop contorts itself into a different position. The video’s highlight, though, comes when G says, “Hi Twist, dancing mode!”
With that simple instruction, the Lenovo Auto Twist opens with a picture of a ballerina on its screen and immediately emulates her moves. To be clear, the dancing laptop doesn’t hop and bop around like the toaster from Ghostbusters II, but it’s impressive nonetheless. We don’t see any Chromebooks or Macbooks out there cutting a rug.
The dancing laptop automatically closes its lid when you step away, preventing any Nosey Nellies in the office from spying on your work.
Lenovo equipped the Auto Twist with what is called “Dual Degree of Freedom” automatic rotation. This fancy term just means the screen can move in any direction. AI allows the Auto Twist to track your eye movements and move its screen accordingly. No matter what angle your head is tilted, the dancing laptop’s screen will always be in the optimal position.
Lenovo also built the Auto Twist with privacy in mind. The dancing laptop automatically closes its lid when you step away, preventing any Nosey Nellies in the office from spying on your work. According to Lenovo, the “Dual Degree of Freedom” tech also helps reduce eye strain, which anyone who’s spent eight hours in front of a screen can tell you is a pain in the, well, eyeballs.
While it would be easy to dismiss the Auto Twist as a gimmick, the dancing laptop has several practical applications. Assume for a moment that all of Lenovo’s future laptops come standard with voice commands and an automated screen. This would be a godsend for both the very old and the very young among us.
For now, the dancing laptop remains a pipedream for the average consumer.
Hands with arthritis or tiny fingers both have trouble opening clamshell devices. In the future, simple voice commands will make those same devices accessible to anyone, regardless of their dexterity level. Technology has become so ingrained in our everyday lives that we might as well make it as accessible as possible.
Lenovo has no current plans for the Auto Twist AI PC beyond proof of concept, so don’t expect them to be in stores anytime soon. For now, the dancing laptop remains a pipedream for the average consumer. Unless of course you have any pink slime handy…
