PaperFold Smartphone Can Be Unfolded Into a Laptop, Map or Tablet

Scientists have developed they call the world's first foldable smartphone that changes to a tablet and a notebook using a set of screens and hinges.

The shape-changing smartphone allows users to fold open up to three flexible electrophoretic displays to provide extra screen real estate when needed.

Displays are detachable such that users can fold the device into various shapes that can range from an ultraportable notebook shape to a foldout map.

"In PaperFold, each display tile can act independently or as part of a single system," said Dr. Vertegaal, a professor in the School of Computing and Director of the Human Media Lab at Queen's University, Canada.

"It allows multiple device form factors, providing support for mobile tasks that require large screen real estate or keyboards on demand, while retaining an ultra-compact, ultra-thin and lightweight form factor," said Vertegaal.

PaperFold automatically recognises its shape and changes its graphics to provide different functionality upon shape changes.

For example, folding the device into an ultraportable notebook form factor opens up a keyboard on the bottom screen. Users could use this form factor to type a search.

By flattening PaperFold's three displays, the user changes views to a Google Map that spans all screens.

Shaping PaperFold into a convex shape shows the map in Google Earth view.

Folding PaperFold into the shape of a 3D building on the map will pick up a Google SketchUp model of the building and turn the device into an architectural model that can be 3D printed.

Researchers said the inspiration for PaperFold came from its namesake: paper.

Typically, mobile devices require scrolling or zooming in order to see different parts of a document whereas paper can be folded, detached or combined allowing it to be accessed in multiple parallel forms.

"The development of electronic paper computers that can adopt similar qualities to paper has been an enduring research goal for our team," said Vertegaal.

"Books use folding as both a navigational and space saving technique, and paper maps have malleable display sizes.

"The PaperFold smartphone adopts folding techniques that makes paper so versatile, and employs them to change views or functionality of a smartphone, as well as alter its screen real estate in a flexible manner. PaperFold demonstrates how form could equal function in malleable mobile devices," Vertegaal said.

The PaperFold was unveiled at the ACM CHI 2014 conference in Toronto.

BlackBerry restocks Z10 smartphones in India at Rs. 17,990

Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry on Wednesday replenished stocks of its Z10 touchscreen model that was sold out in India after a 60 percent discount on the price.

"BlackBerry Z10 has now been restocked across BlackBerry's retail network across the country and on Flipkart.com," the company's director for distribution in India, Sameer Bhatia, said in a statement.

The device will be available for Rs 17,990, according to the statement.

BlackBerry launched the Z10 about a year ago for Rs 43,990. The price was dropped to Rs 29,990 in September.

On February 25, the company offered the phone at Rs 17,990 for a limited period. The model sold out within a week, although it was available on some e-commerce sites at a 22-50 percent higher price.

Blackberry lowered handset prices in the face of losses due to declining sales and build-up of inventory across the globe. In December, the company offered incentives on handset sales, especially devices built on its latest platform BlackBerry 10.

BlackBerry posted a loss of $4.4 billion in its third quarter ended November 30, mainly due to unsold handsets.

The company recorded a primarily non-cash, pre-tax charge against inventory and supply commitments of approximately $1.6 billion in the quarter of fiscal 2014, which was primarily attributable to BlackBerry 10 devices.

During the quarter, BlackBerry sold about 4.3 million smartphones to customers, of which 3.2 million were BlackBerry 7 devices, including models such as the BlackBerry Curve, Bold and Torch.