At CES 2012, Lenovo introduced a versatile new laptop called the IdeaPad Yoga.  The name of this new laptop must refer to its flexibility — a patented dual-hinged screen flips 360 degrees to turn the Yoga into a tablet or to create a self-standing screen to watch video and films.  When you flip it into a tablet, the Windows 8 OS automatically switches to the Metro UI. 

The Yoga features a 13.1 inch screen with a resolution of 1600×900.  According to Lenovo, the Yoga is the thinnest and lightest convertible ultrabook, weighing in at a mere 3.1 pounds. 

Read more about the Lenovo Yoga at Wired’s Gadget Lab blog.

We always like to let people know when we’ve spotted a winning gadget.  Two years ago we wrote about Chumby, the “computer in a beanbag” which provided a 3.5″ screen and a custom Internet feed.  It was a quick way to check websites like Facebook without turning on a computer.  The latest version of this little gadget is Chumby8, which is actually the third version to be released.   The beanbag is gone and this new Chumby comes with and 8″ touch screen display and more than 1500 familiar apps including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Pandora.   Probably it’s most useful app is an alarm clock that can wake you up music or any other scheduled app.  You can also insert a flash drive or SD card and play music or view photos from the device. 

The Chumby8 is no replacement for a tablet or smartphone, but it you’re looking for a digital photo frame or alarm clock with all the bells and whistles, check out Chumby8.  The price is about $200, which is the same as the original Chumby.

Read a complete Chumby8 review on CNET and visit the Chumby website for more information.