If the dominance of the smartphone didn’t kill the humble laptop, the Superbook is looking to drive another nail in its coffin. The “laptop shell,” is set to begin shipping at the end of May and it is shaping up to offer anyone with a smartphone the ability to run a small laptop for as little as $120.
The Superbook is a universal laptop dock that made its debut on Kickstarter in August. For $100, it promised the ability for users to turn their smartphone into a laptop, add a second screen to existing tablets or improve input options for stick PCs. It was successfully funded, reaching almost $3 million despite its modest goal of $50,000. Now, it’s almost ready to ship.
To help celebrate, the developer of Superbook, Sentio, released a video showcasing some of its abilities. Hailing it as the “ultimate accessory,” the video shows the Superbook expanding the capabilities of a variety of different pieces of hardware. It is even shown working with Android, iOS and Windows devices.
The base model Superbook comes with an 11.6-inch 768P TN display, multi-touch trackpad, keyboard with Android hotkeys and a battery that should last up to eight hours. Since a number of the original campaign’s strength goals were met though, there will be some additional options for buyers when the Superbook goes on sale. Upgrades include a 1080P IPS panel and backlit keys, which add an additional $55 to the price tag.
There are also additional accessories like a universal side mount and a cord bundle for $25 each, as well as color options for gold, silver and black casings.
We’re told by Sentio that the Superbook will begin shipping at the end of May, though anyone pre-ordering now will need to wait until June or July depending on which version they pick, according to the official site.
Pre-orders are priced at $120, though when the Superbook officially goes on sale that will rise to $150.
