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10 most intriguing tablets of 2012

From the inevitable iPad 3 to the mysterious Google Nexus tablet, here are the 10 tablets to watch in 2012.

4. Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga

Lenovo
The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga is a two-in-one tablet, with hinges that allow it to transform into a laptop computer.

  • By Megan Riesz

The IdeaPad Yoga tablet, as its name suggests, is one of the most flexible tablets out there. Lenovo’s newest creation can morph from a tablet to a svelte laptop. Stand it up, sit it down, or even put it in tree pose.

Unveiled at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Yoga prototype has a 13.3-inch screen and weighs about three pounds. This’s big for a modern tablet. Most tablets stick to screen sizes between seven and 10 inches and weigh less than two pounds, but the Yoga makes up for that in versatility.

While virtual keyboards can be laborious, that’s not a problem for the Yoga. In a matter of seconds, its virtual keyboard can be replaced with a physical, tactile keyboard. The handy attachment doesn’t extend the battery life, estimated to be about eight hours, but it comes at no extra cost.

Still, don’t hold your breath for this hybrid quite yet. Because it’ll run on Windows 8, which is in its development stages, the Yoga has some time before it hits shelves. It very well could be worth the wait, though – Monitor reports say Windows 8 will be extremely tablet-friendly, “a fundamental shift in Windows design [not] attempted since the days of Windows 95.”

Screen size: 13.3”

Price: $1,199 (estimated)

Network: Wi-Fi

Available: Late 2012 (estimated)

The hook: It’s one of the most versatile tablets

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

Dear Reader,

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