This Brit biz's seven-screen laptop is something to behold
- Reference: 1612854046
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/02/09/seven_screen_laptop_expanscape_uk/
- Source link:
The bonkers gizmo, named the Aurora 7, was shown off around this time last year, as evidenced by the tweets below. The casing looks 3D printed to us, but we could be wrong.
[1]
Email enquiries@expanscape.com to order the 2020 laptop that takes no prisoners! [2]#ExpanscapeUk [3]#TeenySERV [4]#7ScreenLaptop [5]#MultiscreenLaptop [6]pic.twitter.com/GjUzxn6kCk — ExpanscapeUK - Multiscreen Mobile Devices. (@ExpanscapeUK) [7]February 12, 2020
It appears tech journos [8]clocked the [9]thing this month, wrote it up, generated a buzz on social media, and Expanscape found itself apparently [10]deluged with questions. We imagine you have a lot of questions.
[11]
The biz says it created the beast depicted above because it thinks there’s a market for “a proper mobile Security Operations Center.”
Two of the machine’s monitors are 17.3-inch, 3840x2160 affairs in portrait mode. Another two have the same spec but are in landscape mode. The remaining three are mere seven-inchers but still pack 1920x1200 resolution. One of the seven-inchers is embedded in the machine’s palm rest and is touch-sensitive.
The machine’s [12]specs sheet lists a 1.44 inch, 128x128 “system status mini display.” Could that be an eighth screen?
Before unfurling, the dimensions are 51cm x 34 cm x 11cm. Once unfolded, it’s 96cm x 6cm x 59cm. Images on Expanscape’s site show it [13]held together with Velcro when folded.
The machine weighs “around 12 kilograms”, packs an eight-core Intel Core i9 9900K with a base speed of 3.6GHz, four NICs, at least 64GB of RAM, two M.2 disk slots and a pair of SATA slots that collectively offer 4.5TB of storage. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and three gigabit NICs let the machine talk to the world, while three USB 3.1 ports and a Thunderbolt slot let it chat to peripherals. HDMI is offered if you need more screen real estate. A 2MP webcam means the machine can Zoom.
An Nvidia GTX 1060 is aboard, presumably to help out with all those displays.
One battery powers the PC, another handles the screen. Neither will get the machine into a second hour of unwired operations. Yes, the battery capacity lasts less than one hour.
Portable workstations are nothing new: The Register has often rhapsodized over big beasts from the likes of [14]Eurocom , HP and Dell. Multi-screen laptops have also appeared: in 2019 ASUS gave the world the “ZenBook Pro Duo” with a second screen above the keyboard.
But The Register has never beheld anything like the Aurora 7.
It’s not hard to guess why this has not been done before as the Aurora appears to be a large, heavy, and an unpleasing jumble. And it is surely possible to create a more elegant mobile command centre or screen-heavy portable workstation rig.
Excited about dual-screen laptops? Make your own with duct tape and the ThinkVision M14 [15]READ MORE
The Register can imagine a pair of fifteen-inch USB-C portable monitors, now available for not much more than US$100 apiece, would slip into a laptop bag without making it indecently bulky. 15-or-17-inch desktop monitors could fit into carry-on baggage, along with a power board and cables. A custom bag could keep them, and a mobile workstation, snug and safe.
Portable workstations from the likes of Dell, HP and Lenovo have another advantage: Xeon CPUs that can handle more RAM and PCIe lanes than the gaming-centric Corei9 Expanscape has chosen to deploy.
Details of on-sale dates and prices are fuzzy – you have to send in an email or fill out a form to request one of these prototypes – and little is known about Expanscape. The address listed on the company’s website names a serviced office in central London. There’s no shame in that. Indeed, we’ve occupied some of those ourselves.
A [16]Companies House listing for a company called “Expanscape” with a different address is late with some filings and is at risk of being struck off. Which is concerning but not vastly so as Companies House offers a disclaimer about accuracy of filed information.
i7 Quadcore 4.2GHz+, 64GB RAM, Multi TB NVMe and 2 7inch 1920x1200 screens and it can fit in a larger pocket! [17]#TeenySERV [18]#ExpanscapeUK [19]#DualscreenPortableServer [20]pic.twitter.com/V3ybqfhCDl — ExpanscapeUK - Multiscreen Mobile Devices. (@ExpanscapeUK) [21]February 12, 2020
The Register cannot be certain the two Expanscapes are the same entity. But we do recall the 2012 prank involving a [22]proprietary Apple screw that wasn’t and the long-running saga of the [23]ZX Spectrum Vega+ .
[24]
This vulture hopes the Aurora 7 is real and sells by the truckload, and that Expanscape’s other product ‒ a dual-screen pocket server that looks like a [25]Psion Organiser gone wrong ‒ also delights users for decades to come. ®
Get our [26]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YCJrTd1gaE2trSht7uTAmAAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://twitter.com/hashtag/ExpanscapeUk?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3] https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeenySERV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4] https://twitter.com/hashtag/7ScreenLaptop?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5] https://twitter.com/hashtag/MultiscreenLaptop?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6] https://t.co/GjUzxn6kCk
[7] https://twitter.com/ExpanscapeUK/status/1227459475990339586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8] https://www.tomshardware.com/news/expanscape-aurora
[9] https://gizmodo.com/its-no-surprise-this-absolutely-obscene-7-screen-laptop-1846222859
[10] https://twitter.com/ExpanscapeUK/status/1358642945134592000
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YCJrTd1gaE2trSht7uTAmAAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://expanscape.com/the-aurora-7-prototype/aurora-7-prototype-specifications/
[13] https://expanscape.com/the-aurora-7-prototype/screen-transition-method/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2016/02/05/eurcom_sky_x9w/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2019/10/07/lenovo_thinkvision_m14/
[16] https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12187484
[17] https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeenySERV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[18] https://twitter.com/hashtag/ExpanscapeUK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[19] https://twitter.com/hashtag/DualscreenPortableServer?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[20] https://t.co/V3ybqfhCDl
[21] https://twitter.com/ExpanscapeUK/status/1227465459169157121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22] https://www.theregister.com/2012/08/13/fake_screw_snares_commentators/
[23] https://www.theregister.com/2019/02/22/retro_computers_ltd_winding_up_backers_creditors/
[24] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YCJrTd1gaE2trSht7uTAmAAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[25] https://www.theregister.com/2012/11/02/a_history_of_computing_in_20_objects_part_two?page=4
[26] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Timber!
I'm with you, chivo243.
My first thoughts are that a flight case or Pelican case would be a better starting point for a multiscreened portable workstation.
This thing at 12 kilograms still has to be periodically stowed and removed from a protective bag (an awkward operation), whereas a flight case base design can just be 'unfolded'.
My other criticism of this design is that the ergonomics - as dicticated by the height of the keyboard above the desk, and the height of the main screen with respect to the keyboard - are not optimal. Again, a flight case design could use use a standalone keyboard.
So, flight case design advantages: quicker deployment, better ergonomics in use, more durable in transit, components such as keyboard easily swapped out.
Re: Timber!
It will probably have a starring role in Bruce Willis' next 'Die Hard' film (is he up to number 10 yet?).
At 12kg in weight that is almost the same as the Compaq portable from 1983.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compaq_Portable
The main selling point of a laptop is that it is portable and can be put in a bag. You would be better off with a decent spec single screen machine and the monitors rigged up on a desk for when you are in an office. Would you want to try and unfold that on a train or in the car?
" Would you want to try and unfold that on a train [...]?"
Sure, just imagine the looks of your fellow commuters! And if one or more decides to take an unhealthy interest, it seems by the weight alone it would double as an effective bludgeon.
" Would you want to try and unfold that on a train [...]?"
A lot of power sockets on trains are labelled "MAX $smallnum Watts". So it'd need an octopus power cord to stay under that per-socket limit.
> Would you want to try and unfold that on a train or in the car?
No, I wouldn't! It's clearly 'designed'* to be used with external power.
Outside film crews and military command types - folk who have a need for quickly deployable multiple screens and good ergonomics - tend to roll their own solutions from flight cases or Pelican cases.
*At the risk of denigrating the discipline of product 'design' by associating it with this laptop. I suspect it may have been designed to get attention, in which case it is successful.
military command types
I can see them requiring armour plating on the back of the screens so they can just keep working while under fire.
Now they just need to refine the idea a bit, into a wrist wearable that uses a holographic projector for all those screens.
And whilst we're waiting for the holographic display, the VR headset with an 8K per eye microLED display rumoured to be coming from a fruity company might serve as a reasonable stop-gap... if you can touch type!
Sells by the truckload.
That's about three of these things then.
ThinkPad W700DS dual screen
From 2008, the ThinkPad W700ds had a secondary portrait screen (same height as main screen ) that pulled out. It also had a Wacom digitiser built in to the left of the trackpad for good measure. (And a ThinkPad nipple, too!)
It was sold as a Mobile Workstation, and contained nVidia Quadra graphics.
Central Serous Rentinopathy is the new RSI for IT workers, available at any LED screen near you...
That many LEDs will emit a lot of high energy blue light. I've got CSR, and my retinas are leaking blood just looking at the photo.
Give it a year or so... Samsung Display is said to be ramping up production of laptop-size OLED screens for OEMs. OLED screens produce far less blue light than standard LED displays.
The potential for saving energy by using OLEDs (depends on drivers and colour scheme of desktop theme and applications) would be useful for this multiscreened machine.
Re: Central Serous Rentinopathy ..., available at any LED screen near you...
>That many LEDs will emit a lot of high energy blue light.
But probably a lot less (high energy blue light) than the 50" TVs sitting in many peoples homes...
But is it upgradeable!
Does it run Windows!
Interestingly, none of the spec's indicate which OS the beast is actually running.
My assumption from the screenshot is that it is running a customised Linux variant.
Aside: I like how they apologise that currently due to chipset choice they are limited to a max. of 64GB of RAM.
One small piece of criticism about the article itself...
A lot of companies block Twitter, Facebook etc. The only image of the machine in question was via a Twitter link, which if blocked renders the reader pretty much blind to what is being discussed. Serving a header image from your own domain would go a long way to fixing this.
I acknowledge there are difficulties around sourcing and licensing images, which might be the case here as the beast in question seems pretty elusive.
Watch out for Linus
This reminds me of something similar (less over-the-top) made by Razer a few years ago, Project Valerie (can't be bothered to google which one is correct), that was jokingly "stolen" by Linus Sebastian (of LTT).
"The machine’s specs sheet lists a 1.44 inch, 128x128 “system status mini display.” Could that be an eighth screen?"
You can see it just above the primary screen, on the left hand side, it looks like a small blue square.
Required accessories
A carrying frame with castor wheels.
50Ah Li-ion extended runtime battery
Further options (not yet available):
A porter.
A small forklift
Re: Required accessories
Too many years back I was called upon to design a mobile system for the army. An ex-soldier advised me when I asked about portability and weight, that anything that could fit in the back of a jeep and be carried by two squaddies qualified as portable.
Why?
What is this for? Who needs seven screens at once (including three teensy ones)?
I guess this is another example of the numbers game for overpaid "executives". More memory, more speed, more screens ...
BTW, funny how words change their meanings. "Executive" originally meant someone who carried out other peoples' orders to do things - now it means someone who sits on their arse looking important and telling other people to do things.
I used to require 2 screens, believing nobody could be efficient with 1
Since WFH in pandemic I've managed fine for the last year with no external monitors even though I have a few spare ones. Dunno, alt+tab solves most problems. Only issue is I can't remember how to do the alt+tab equivalent in Firefox between tabs
Re: I used to require 2 screens, believing nobody could be efficient with 1
Depends on the kind of job you have. Very much.
Just now I have two 21" screens attached, one with a VMware session running a couple of putty terminals (just four today, well over a dozen yesterday). the other with a manual and a checklist open plus a few other windows I need to check occasionally behind them, and Teams on the laptop screen itself.
Re: I used to require 2 screens, believing nobody could be efficient with 1
Ctrl-Tab
Re: I used to require 2 screens, believing nobody could be efficient with 1
Every day's a school day
Re: I used to require 2 screens, believing nobody could be efficient with 1
Ctrl+W
Imagine the fear you'd experience if you owned one of these.....
I'm not talking about the worry of not having a power outlet available, or of a screen getting broken, or even of it getting nicked.
No, it's the terror of seeing someone breezing into the office and unfolding their new nine screen laptop.
Timber!
Looks a bit top heavy... there must be a better solution?