Virtually all laptops come with a webcam these days, nestled either in the bottom or top of the screen's bezel. They're generally not very good as the available space constrains how big the camera can be. Well, Lenovo's latest ThinkBook 13X and 16P laptops sport a new 4K webcam that's (a) absolutely massive and (b) fully modular. Yes, that's right: If high-res images of your face, warts 'n' all, aren't needed, then you'll be able to replace the webcam with a host of other devices. How does an aromatherapy scent emitter sound?
Lenovo calls the device the Magic Bay, and it attaches to the top of the aforementioned laptops through a combination of magnets and spring-loaded connectors (aka pogo pins). Unveiled at CES 2024 (via PCWorld), only the webcam is available for now though the company is currently exploring a range of different modules for the market.
Going by the name Magic Bay Studio, it's a beast of a webcam: 4K HDR output, 90 degree field of view, 4x optical zoom, two 2W speakers. That kind of camera is normally connected by a fast USB cable but Lenovo's system eschews that entirely, utilizing the pins on the laptop for power and signalling.
Admittedly, it looks a tad ridiculous perched on top of the laptop's screen but at least you can remove it. Not just for the sake of portability but also to replace it with another Magic Bay accessory, should you want to.
At CES, Lenovo demonstrated a range of other devices it's currently exploring: an omnidirectional microphone, an SD card reader, a small LCD screen, a personal cooling fan, and even something that can spray scents into the air.
Not all of these will come to market, at least not directly from Lenovo. I should imagine that it may consider licensing the
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