Hands-On with Intel’s UrbanMax

Leave it to Intel to keep wowing the geeks. Just when we thought we had seen all the cool innovations in notebook technology for the day Intel shows off its UrbanMax. The UrbanMax, which sounds more like a Nike sneaker than a mobile device, is part laptop, mobile Internet device, and tablet.

In terms of form factor the UrbanMax is like nothing we have seen before. It is most comparable to the HTC Shift: when it is in tablet mode the keyboard is hidden, but when the keyboard is slid out, the screen tilts upward to create a laptop-esque device. The UrbanMax is about the size of a larger 10-inch mini-notebook.

But the insides of the UrbanMax are far from that of a low-cost laptop. It is powered by Intel’s Centrino 2 (Montevina) platform and the device is capable of handling high-definition video (it has an HDMI port for sending that 1080p video to the big screen). It is also primed for WiMAX.

While the keyboard on the device was comfortable (and interestingly shaped), the Intel engineers see it primarily as a touchscreen device. Intel has teamed up with N-Trig, the company responsible for incorporating multi-touch in Dell’s Lattitude XT. As you will see in the video, the capacitive touchscreen on the UrbanMax can support multi-touch gestures.

At this point, the UrbanMax is only an Intel design and development concept. Check out the video below and cross your fingers that some OEM thinks this is as sweet as we do.