Lenovo Yoga Book

http4 of 4 people found this review helpful 2017-02-02 Lenovo Yoga Book Pros: Powerful, Slim, Versatile, Real Pen and Real Paper note taking. Cons: Not enough connection ports, large bezel At the time of writing this review, I have a fairly hectic lifestyle. I'm currently working an average of 14 hours per day, studying for an exam, writing, producing videos, running a website and juggling family life. There is literally not enough hours in the day. This means that I am heavily dependent on a variety of devices from Desktop, Laptop, mobile and tablet devices. All of which run different operating systems, which in turn can cause problems when transferring files. I decided that I needed to streamline. Enter the Lenovo Yoga Book. The Lenovo Yoga Book a 2 in 1 notebook and tablet combination and is available in both Windows 10 and Android operating systems. The Android is currently running Marshmallow (6.0), but will likely receive a Nougat (7.0) update in the coming months. I opted for the Android version as Google have a range of apps that make transferring files between Windows and iOS very simple and straightforward, meaning no matter what I'm doing I can port documents and files wherever they need to go without formatting complications. The Yoga Book has 64Gb of internal storage and a port that supports a 164Gb microSD. The first thing you'll notice is the build quality. The Yoga Book is encased in Gun Metal Grey Brushed Stainless Steel with a truly beautiful Watchband Hinge, similar to that found on Lenovo Yoga Laptops. As the name implies, the Yoga Book really does resemble a small book. It measures 4.05 mm (0.16 inches) on its thinnest side and only 9.6 mm (0.38 inches) when fully closed. It also weighs a meager 690 grams (1.52 pounds). Yoga Book is one of the and lightest 2-in-1 devices. It has a 10.1 inch 1080p touchscreen display, which is crystal clear. The screen bezel is large for a modern device, but when you consider the tech that Lenovo has crammed into the guts of the Yoga Book, you understand why. And the large glass bezel doesn't detract from the aesthetics of the device. Ports Micro-USB Micro HDMI: Up to 3840×2160 (4K) SIM slot (Nano SIM - not available on all Yoga Books) Micro SD slot AUX port The major innovation that attracted me to the Yoga Book is the Halo Keyboard, a touch keyboard. Touch keyboards are common on most tablets, but what sets the Halo keyboard apart from a standard touch-screen keyboard are several things: A thinner device, a typical keyboard requires space for switches and mechanical parts. The Halo keyboard has no moving pieces and uses its own touch panel to save on space and opens up room for additional features. The keyboard can appear or disappear with the press of a button or touch of an icon. More screen, better experience. A traditional on-screen keyboard takes up screen real estate and makes for slow, awkward thumb typing. The Halo keyboard is separated from the display screen and provides the user with a more familiar 10-finger clam shell typing experience. The Halo keyboard uses a layer of Gorilla Glass with anti-glare coating with a matte and grainy paint for a better feel and recognizes your typing. By removing the mechanical component of a keyboard, the Yoga Book becomes a unique 2-in-1 device. Taking that innovation one step further, Lenovo has layered into the Yoga Book another feature called the Create Pad. This is a layer of Electromagnetic Resonance (EMR) film that resides under the keyboard that is powered by Wacom Feel technology. This Wacom digitizing pad supports up to 2048 levels of pressure sensitivity and 100-degree angle detection. The Create Pad’s EMR waves are sent from a sensor, receiving the signals returned by the pen. These signals are then processed through algorithm-based analysis, allowing written on the paper or multi-use pad. Lenovo claim that you never have to charge or replace the real-pen accessory and it’s batteries. It's easy to instantly collaborate and share notes and drawings with colleagues on the Yoga Book. Students and professionals can quickly digitize their lecture or meeting notes. Artists and creatives can sketch their ideas that get immediately backed up. A practical feature of the Real Pen is the ability to transition from digital stylus to a mini-ballpoint ink tip. Simply use the cap of the pen to swap out the tips and start writing on the Book Pad. Lenovo has included the Book Pad pad that holds a stack of paper. There is no special technology within the pad or paper itself. It simply helps align the stack of paper with the underlying digitizer. The pad can be refilled with standard A5 sized paper. In the Box with the Yoga Book comes: 1 Real Pen 1 Book Pad 20 Paper Book Pad Refills 3 Real Pen Ink Refill Another surprise feature was the inclusion of Dolby Atmos. I was sceptical about how well, if at all, the Yoga Book would handle 3D sound. It is very impressive and I'm still wondering how Lenovo and Dolby manage to produce sounds that sound like they are coming from above and behind you from 2 tiny speakers on the side of the Yoga Book. In summary, the Yoga Book, while it will never replace my desktop PC for many dedicated tasks, it has replaced my laptop, mobile phone and notebook for all other tasks. The battery will last anywhere between 10 and 15 hours, which is impressive and frees me from always looking for a power outlet. The Yoga Book far surpassed my expectations, and can easily out perform the likes of the iPad Pro in terms of a professional tablet. And the ability to digitise handwritten notes using a real pen and paper has been a godsend while revising. I can't recommend the Yoga Book highly enough, it is everything you expect from a notebook, a tablet, and more.