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Spacetop: A No-Screen Laptop with AR Glasses Providing Huge Virtual Monitor

Augmented Reality's impact on product design starts now

By Rain Noe - May 22, 2023

in Tech | UX

With the exception of Pokemon GO, Augmented Reality has always seemed like an "in the near future" kinda thing. But a startup called Sightful is "committed to moving AR beyond the hype and to create solutions that are immediately valuable and intuitive." To that end, they've insightfully wielded the technology to rethink a commonplace object: The laptop. Sightful's first product, the Spacetop, is a laptop with no screen. Closed, the form factor resembles a sneaker in profile:

Opening it looks like this:

Through the glasses, the company's technology delivers a virtual 100" monitor with a 2K resolution, allowing you to spread windows out.

Never mind working in a Starbucks; can you imagine what a difference this would make on an airplane, where there's never room (at least in Coach, where I sit) to open a laptop all the way? Another benefit is that no one else can see your screen.

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The company is currently taking sign-ups providing "the opportunity to own an Early Access Spacetop" (price unspecified) here.

I just remembered an earlier post we did, "Moneymaking Multi-Monitor Mayhem," where we looked at the extreme monitor set-ups common in the financial industry:

That was ten years ago. In another ten, I think it's fair to say those desks are going to be a lot less cluttered.

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. JC

a year ago

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Xreal (Previously Nreal) and Rokid Air makes more sense, as while screen real estate is great no one at this point will want to wear it constantly.
While it is a good personal computer, it is horrible if you need to collaborate face to face inside an business environment.

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- Leandro Heck
  
  . JC
  
  a year ago
  
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  Why would someone collaborate face to face inside an business environment? This is nonsense. Seriously, just use the chat dude. Also, a monitor screen is more than enough. We really don't need this kind of nonsensenes.
  
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Raymond Alderman

a year ago

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When it comes to viable AR I will believe this product is when Jeri Ellsworth says it is and not till then. "Wear glasses, see big screen" tech has been promised and around for years but never lived up to the hype.

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- Kivi Shapiro
  
  Raymond Alderman
  
  7 months ago
  
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  The price has since been announced, it's $2000. But there's a form to fill out "to ensure Early Access is made for you."
  
  Another thing that has happened since this piece was published was the announcement of Apple Vision Pro. I think viable AR may be closer than @Raymond thinks.
  
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