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Thursday 03 January

IdeaPad Yoga 13 - It's a laptop! It's a tablet! It's both!

It may come as no surprise that I have been in the market for a new laptop for some time, especially because I mention my antiquated Dell Vostro any chance I get. Anyone who has to wait seven minutes for their computer to start up can empathize. The thing is, every time I start looking at options, I'm just amazed at the kind of innovation I'm seeing, including the new increasingly viable tablet-laptop hybrids. (Which is even more reminder of how old my sputtering machine is).

IdeaPad Yoga laptop + tablet hybrid by Lenovo
One such example is the IdeaPad Yoga 13 by Lenovo. At first glance, it looks like your modern, slim and sleek laptop with a bright 13" screen, but when you get in closer, you realize that it's a whole lot more. And that's just what I've been able to do, ever since we got a quick demo of the IdeaPad at the CES Show a year ago at its launch. 

Now? I really want it.

 


Dubbed as an Ultrabook and tablet combo that weighs just over 3 pounds, the Yoga takes you from full-on working-at-the-desk mode to walking-around-with-a-tablet mode with one easy turn of the screen--in fact the screen actually rotates a full 360 degrees and offers four different modes of usage. Kind of took me a second to grasp how cool the completely rotational screen is. 
From a utility standpoint, the Yoga 13 runs the new Windows 8 platform which gives it an even more futuristic feel. And start-up doesn't take seven minutes. (Ha.) The constantly updating live tiles of Microsoft's new operating system make the desktop seem fluid and modern. And it comes with everything you'd expect a laptop to have, like maps, mail, messaging, photo/video/music player, webcam, USB ports, even popular Windows 8 apps like Evernote and Skype. And of course, you can download more at the Windows App Store.

To navigate the screen, you can either use the traditional trackpad on the bottom of the keyboard (which is a little temperamental, I must say), or simply take advantage of the touchscreen when you're working in traditional laptop mode. 

IdeaPad Yoga | Lenovo

Watching multimedia on the Yoga is fun, because you can prop up the screen in so many ways. But here's where the "convertible" tablet/PC novelty gets a little iffy--in tablet mode, it feels weird for the backside of the "tablet" to be a keyboard with buttons that you're constantly pressing against (even though they're disabled). And when the unit is in stand mode and the keyboard is face down on the desk, same thing. You just feel like you're squishing the keys. 

IdeaPad Yoga | Lenovo

If you're used to using tablets like the Kindle Fire and iPad, the Yoga 13 as a tablet will feel a bit big and heavy in comparison, especially if you want to hold it with one hand or use it as an e-reader. But even with these limitations, the fact that you can have an instant tablet from your PC is pretty neat.

While I'd probably still stick with my smaller tablets for things like browsing and reading on the go, having a bigger tablet with a screen this large could come in really handy for when the kids want to watch a movie or play a game, making it a nice option if what you really want is something you can travel with that's more than a regular tablet. With all the tablets out there that are trying to take the place of PCs, it's nice to see a unit that does it the other way around. -Jeana 

For more information about the IdeaPad Yoga 13, please visit the Lenovo website. Pricing for this sleek machine starts at $999.

Find More: 'Puters, Apps for Windows, Laptops, iPads + Tablets

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