The Spacetop G1 has a similar travel mode that will allow you to continue using the machine when traveling on some type of transportation. I couldn’t leave the building with the demo unit, so Berliner hilariously drove the office chair he was sitting in around the room and I watched as my virtual screens remained right above my keyboard. There was a lot of nervousness, but Berliner says it was due to the fact that they were rolling me around in an office chair. I will test it properly on a plane or in a car in the fall.
It wouldn’t be a new hardware launch in 2024 without mentioning AI. Berliner says there will be an AI button on the keyboard in the final version and that it will be able to offer context based on what’s on your virtual screens. either what is happening in the physical space around you. He didn’t say much more about it, but some AI announcements are expected in the coming months.
The AR Laptop
When I think of augmented reality computing, I think of stylish glasses and… nothing else. With the Spacetop G1, you still have to carry a laptop-sized machine, one that weighs a little more than 3 pounds (1.4 kg), with a cable that runs from the center of the keyboard and runs behind your ear. Not exactly the future of light computing I was thinking about.
That said, when I used the Apple Vision Pro, one of my favorite features was using it for work, especially while traveling. Being able to sit in a cramped airplane seat and recreate the effect of multiple screens around me made me super productive and I wrote a 2,000-word story in the air. There is no screen forced to bend according to the will of the recliner in front of you.
I’d rather have the custom keyboard and trackpad solution here than the afterthought that is Apple’s input system (a Magic Keyboard and a Magic Trackpad), although I wish it were all wireless. The G1’s glasses are also much lighter than the Vision Pro’s, which were tiring after several hours of use.
However, I’m not sure if most people are ready or even interested in wearing a computer on their face. Apple’s Vision Pro had a lackluster launch and is barely a topic of conversation anymore. a few months after its launch. It doesn’t help that the Vision Pro cost $3,499, but the Spacetop G1 isn’t cheap. Its starting price is $1,900; you can buy a more powerful laptop for that amount of money.
Sightful is venture-funded, has raised about $61 million to date, and was founded by former Magic Leap executives, which was far from a consumer business success: the company focused on serving business sectorwhich is not something I would rule out for Sightful.
While the Spacetop G1 seems like the kind of product you’d see me wearing at a trade show like CES, the reality here is that it could be a few more generations before it starts to appeal to most people.
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