Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga

We haven't had a chance to fully test this product yet, but we've assembled this helpful overview of relevant information on it.

Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga is called a tablet but it comes with a keyboard but the screen can rotate 360 degrees but it has a touchscreen. It's also an ultrabook.

If you take the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga as just a tablet then it has the largest tablet screen on the market at 13.1-inches. However, this tablet also includes a full chiclet keyboard. If the tablet is in 180 degree mode the keyboard works but if the screen is pushed beyond that it stops working and instead becomes a stand and the screen enables touch capabilities. The screen is attached to the keyboard via a dual-hinge flip design that can swivel 360 degrees. The touchscreen displays in HD with a resolution of 1600 by 900 pixels. The operating system on the Yoga is Windows 8 and an intel processor powers the tablet. Inside the machine 8 GB of memory is available  coupled with a 256 GB solid state drive. The sound is provided by a Dolby Home Theatre V4 and it has a Lenovo High-Sense (720p) webcam. Bluetooth, Ethernet and WiFi connectivity is available plus a USB port. The memory can be expanded using the SD card slot.

Features List:

- 13.1-inch screen

- Double-hinge 360 swivel design

- Full keyboard

- HD display

- Windows 8 OS

- 8 GB of memory

- 256 GB SSD

- 720p Webcam

- Bluetooth, Ethernet, Wi-Fi

- SD card slot, USB port

Digital Trends’ Tablet Buying Tips:

Battery Life

At the moment tablet battery life ranges between 7 and 10 hours, with the iPad 2 leading the pack at over 10 hours. As a rule of thumb you’ll want to at least make sure the tablet will last you through the day, so consider what your average usage might in a day be before purchasing a tablet.

What Operating System should I use?

It’s very important to choose an operating system that is easy to use and intuitive for you. Currently, the two dominant platforms are Apple iOS, which powers the iPad, and Google Android, which powers most of the non-Apple tablets. Fans from each camp could go on for pages about either OS, but the decision boils down to several key differences. Android has a number of exclusive features like Flash streaming support and home-screen widgets, but the iOS is generally a more stable and slick experience with more available apps. Mac or iTunes users will find iOS more accessible, while geeks and tinkerers will enjoy some of the freedoms Android offers.

What are tablets?

Tablets are small touch computers meant for a broad array of tasks. Though some are marketed for specific purposes, tablets are meant to be good at a number of things including e-book reading. Though Microsoft failed to get stylus tablet PCs to take off eight years ago, Apple reinvented the category this year. Thanks to the overnight success of the iPad, tablets have begun to pop up everywhere. Modern tablets usually have a full-color LCD touchscreen measuring between seven and 10 inches diagonally, are great at video and Web-related tasks like e-mail, can install applications, and run on smartphone operating systems. Due to a lack of a physical keyboard, these devices are better for consuming entertainment than creating it. The Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and HP Slate make up the first generation of touch tablets. If you have a strong hankering to browse the web, stream movies & TV, check your email, download apps, play Angry Birds, or look at anything in color, a tablet is probably best for you.

Wi-Fi or 3G?

Internet access is vital to tablets. As cool as these gadgets are, without the Internet, they can’t do much of anything.

Though Wi-Fi versions of most tablets are available, getting an always-on 3G connection is expensive. On most carriers, 3G access will run you about $30 a month for 5GB of “unlimited” data. On a tablet, it isn’t difficult to download 5GB of images, audio, and video from the Web in a month. AT&T is worse, offering only 2GB of data for $25 a month. Some carriers are even offering a $200 discount on the Samsung Galaxy Tab if you sign a two-year 3G contract. Before signing up for a plan like this, ask yourself if the $200 savings is worth the cumulative $720+ you’ll pay while locked into contract. Two years is a long time, especially in the tablet market.

Apps

Apple’s App Store is more robust at this point than Google’s Android Market, and has more apps customized for larger tablet screens. Before you buy, it’s a good idea to search for a few apps that you consider high priority.