India's Micromax to join the dual-boot party with LapTab hybrid tablet

The past used to be so simple. You had Android on your smartphone or tablet, and Windows on your computer. That was it. Yet, somewhere along the line, Android gradually became more powerful and desktop-like, while Windows got a total mobile makeover. Both operating systems were decidedly heading into each other's direction, and a collision was imminent. Somehow, the fully featured Windows 8.1 started popping up on tablets, and Intel began pushing Android on PC architecture. Luckily, this was no traffic accident, but an experiment with a rather promising outcome.

While we are yet to discover the true advantages of being able to switch between Android and Windows 8.1 on a whim, we can't deny we are intrigued by the idea. So are manufacturers like Samsung, ASUS, and India's own technological success story - Micromax. Although the brand is very much unheard of outside Asian markets, its presence at this year's CES signifies a determination for global expansion.

Micromax's latest product is a hybrid Android/Windows 8.1 10.1-inch tablet with both a detachable wireless keyboard and a stand. Its name is LapTab. The device features a 1.46GHz Intel Celeron CPU, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage that's expandable to 64GB, 2MP front camera, and a 7400mAh battery. Unfortunately, unlike the competing ASUS Transformer Book Duet, the LapTab doesn't have an Instant Switch button. Therefore, the user will have to reboot to switch between the two operating systems, which undermines the notion of "multitasking between the two platforms" proclaimed by Micromax. It's not really multi-tasking if you have to save and close your work first, is it?

The Indian manufacturer is set to launch the LapTab in February (in undisclosed markets), and "an array of innovative products" across international markets in the next six months.

source: Indian Express via Engadget