Asus's Folding Notebook Concept Slated for 2009

When we first saw the Asus ‘folding’ notebook concept at CES, we figured it was just a design exercise and that it wouldn’t be something heading into production anytime soon. But straight from CeBit is word that it’ll be something hitting the market this year.

The futuristic-looking Asus folding concept should soon be in production and is set to be commercially available in Q3 this year, according to TechRadar. News of this supposedly came straight from the mouth of Asus CEO Jerry Shen, who also revealed that the concept notebook is collaboratively developed by groups of designers from France, Italy and Korea.

What we saw at CES wasn’t a machine in operation, but rather just a demonstration in form factor. While it may be called a “folding” notebook, technically, all notebooks fold, but the Asus concept folds in a manner that adjusts the keyboard as the screen is lifted up. The keyboard goes from a resting flat position to a raised, angled setting that’s more friendly for the user. Moreover, the keyboard also lifts to reveal venting that in theory should allow for more efficient cooling.

Check out the images below for a sneak peak at the concept!