This AR Laptop Promises a 100-inch Virtual Screen, But Limits You to Web Apps
Apart from foldables and 2-in-1s, the basic concept of laptops hasn’t changed much in decades. A standard clamshell with a keyboard and screen that folds into a book. Sightful, a Tel Aviv-based startup that has raised $61 million in venture funding, is looking to change things up with its first product, his Spacetop.
You’re still using the clamshell, but the AR glasses are waiting for you when you open the spacetop (these are the nerial light) instead of the traditional screen. Spacetop claims this will give you a 100-inch screen at your disposal, but the reality is a little more complicated.
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 – Kryo 585 8-core, up to 3.1GHz |
| Graphics | Adreno 650 |
| memory | 8GB |
| depository | 256GB |
| battery life | About 5 hours (claimed) |
| port | 2x USB Type-C (3.0) |
| networking | Wi-Fi 6, 5G (Sub-6), Bluetooth 5.1 |
| webcam | 5MP, 2560×1920 |
| operating system | Spacetop OS (Android Open Source Project) |
| size | 266 x 249 x 40 mm (10.47 x 9.8 x 1.57 inches) |
| weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) |
| price | $2,000 (Early Access) |
First, Sightful founders Tamir Berlina and Tomar Kahan (ex-Magic Leap) told me that Spacetop is ready to start shipping today, but I’ll have to apply for early access. rice field. The company wants people to try Spacetop first, with many windows, mostly his web app, who they think can use this in the way they envisioned. Those who want more powerful hardware, such as gamers, will have to wait. If the applicant is approved, he will pay $2,000 for the hardware. Yes, they need to be approved at this point to receive your money.
The keyboard and touchpad feel like they belong in a laptop (made by laptop maker Wistron). However, the keyboard felt a little loose on the demo I tried. There are two USB Type-C ports on the side of the laptop that can be used to connect peripherals and physical displays. The unit also has a very small e-ink display, which Sightful only used to display its logo.
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The biggest draw, of course, is the headset. This is a customized version of Nreal Light, each eye has his 1080p lens, an integrated speaker, our own review, provided “excellent build quality”. I found that the images on the glasses looked great with crisp text and good colors. The founders said customization includes software changes to make text more crisp, as well as hardware changes (for example, cables no longer wrap around the back of the head and people with long hair can be painful for The AR glasses are permanently connected to your laptop. So if these things break or the cables get damaged, you won’t be able to see the screen at all unless you connect it to your monitor. I wish Sightful had considered connecting the glasses via her USB Type-C.
You won’t see Windows 11 or your familiar Linux distro with your glasses on. Sightful’s “Spacetop OS” Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and is currently quite limited. Each Spacetop unit I tried displayed a different window layout. A calendar here, a document there, a chat app in the corner, a web page in the middle. You can include social media posts in tall columns or wide spreadsheets. Here’s how Sightful illustrated it:
No software is displayed. Spacetop is currently limited to web apps. When I asked about the lack of a Google Play store (or any other app store), I was told they view the web as a “first class citizen.” Discord, Spotify, and anything else in the Start Menu actually acted as bookmarks for his website within the browser. This works, but as someone who meets the mobile, multi-window criteria Sightful is looking for, the lack of an app feels like a deal breaker. In effect, it’s a premium AR Chromebook.
I’m not sure Sightful lives up to its 100-inch virtual screen claim. But I feel like I have a lot more screen real estate than my laptop. But that also means new complications. Instead of shuffling windows, she has to find the one she wants and zoom it in with her three fingers on the trackpad to make it easier to read. When moving, hold down the Shift key on both sides of the keyboard to reposition the desktop in front of you and center it. It also has a limited field of view, requiring you to turn your head to see part of the “screen”.
In one unit I tried, the screen stayed in its original position when moved (which was expected), but in another unit it showed what the screen looked like when moved. I was. It’s nice to have the option, but the fact that they were still working on this a week before he launched means this is going to be hot. But what excites his multi-monitor avid users is that he was told there was no particular limit to the number of windows he could open. It is limited by computing power and resolution.
The SoC that powers Spacetop is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 with 8 Kryo 585 cores up to 3.1 GHz and Adreno 650 graphics. This SoC of his was originally launched in 2020 and has had several successes in the mobile space since then. The founders told me they used Qualcomm because it has spatial technology that Intel doesn’t yet offer.
There are a few caveats. Every time I put on my glasses, I would often wrap the cable coming out of the front around my laptop’s left arm. And each time, like clockwork, one of the founders or a publicist reached out to move the cable between my arms. They decided it was best because it didn’t get in the way of other objects and it didn’t tip the drink. It should be my prerogative.
I don’t wear glasses or contacts, but when I entered my prescription when ordering, I was told they would arrive in a box ready to attach to my glasses at no extra charge.
Webcams don’t seem to be well thought out either. When the base unit is on your lap, the camera looks up from your neck to your chin. Even if it sits on your desk, it still does, albeit to a lesser extent. This is the angle you look at your eyes under your glasses. This looks weird, as if you weren’t paying attention. Of course, a Sighftul rep said they would ask what those cool glasses people were wearing on them. However, it would be very distracting if someone could see such an angle.
Also note that each of the three systems we used during our hands-on time crashed at some point during the demo. Some were in shortcuts, others were simple system freezes. Hopefully the production unit will fix this issue.
If I sound like I doubt it all, it’s because I doubt it. But I’ll tell Sightful this: I’ve seen similar tech before, and it wasn’t as good.i already tried ThinkReality A3 for PCs from Lenovo This makes the app more flexible where it can be used and results in better image quality. But they run Windows and can run many of the non-browser apps I use in my daily life.
I’m afraid all this isn’t a little late. Rumor has it that Apple is developing a mixed reality headset that will likely include a new take on computing, while Spacetop is anchoring AR in its existing vision of computing. And the Spacetop is heavier, thicker, and has a shorter battery life (nominal 5 hours) than the notebook it’s replacing, so even the challenge of a traditional laptop comes at a cost.
There is one area where I see this working well. It’s privacy. I have seen many people on planes and trains put special privacy films on their screens to prevent prying eyes from seeing what they are doing. HP also makes some laptops with these built in, called Sure View. But in those cases, it might be easier to fit the glasses into your existing work laptop than to get used to a new restricted Android-based OS. For travelers, Sightful says it will enclose his 5G SIM card with free service for one month so that customers can work on the go.
Will AR enthusiasts take the plunge and buy Spacetops? Only time will tell. But I definitely think that more than just web apps might need a little more refinement and support. You may need more time to get used to this idea. Or maybe I’m not for early access.
Those who want to see Spacetop in person can do so at the AWE conference for XR businesses and enthusiasts in Santa Clara, CA starting May 31st.
