During IDF 2012 Beijing, Intel showcased a hybrid Ultrabook prototype sporting Windows 8 and a sliding screen. The latter feature allows it to transform into multiple form factors: a tablet, an all-in-one PC, and back into an Ultrabook.
According to various reports, it's codenamed Letexo. As briefly seen in the video below, the screen is designed to sit flush against the keyboard when in tablet mode so that the device becomes one streamlined unit instead of a bulky "sandwich." The screen can also be pushed forward and propped up with a built-in stand, blocking access to the keyboard and serving as a small touch-based AIO PC.
Already there are comparisons to the Android-based Asus Eee Pad Slider. Like the Asus tablet, the Intel design doesn't require users to rotate the screen as seen with many hybrid notebooks available on the market today. But the difference is that Letexo provides a full-size keyboard and a screen that actually sits at the very back of the chassis when in Ultrabook mode, not half-way up the chassis like the Eee Pad Slider.
So far very little is known about Letexo other than it's based on Intel's Ivy Bridge Ultrabook platform. Other features seen in product images include an HDMI port and a pair of USB ports. There's also no indication that manufacturers have even signed on to produce products based on the Letexo design.
Will customers flock to the Letexo design? It certainly looks cool. But unfortunately for Asus, customers didn't rush out to buy the innovative Asus Eee Pad Slider. Instead, they chose the Eee Pad Transformer which featured an optional keyboard dock. Intel's design seems to combine the best of both Eee Pad designs without having to offer a standalone keyboard.
