Tablets today offer a versatile alternative to mobile electronics, bridging the gap between the smartphone and the more prosaic laptop. But sometimes, you just can’t decide which one you want to invest your money in. There are whole forums of discussion on the advantages and disadvantages on either one, though the question often boils down to the simple matter of what you’re going to use it for.

It’s the job of manufacturers to solve the problem for those who simply can’t decide, and Lenovo has taken up the task with great ingenuity with the release of the Lenovo Ideapad YOGA that transforms easily into a tablet. With 10-point touch on a capacitive touchscreen, it can easily match the functionality that makes a regular tablet so versatile (except maybe size and weight), while at the same time carrying all the benefits of a regular laptop (namely greater computing power and a standard windows OS). The YOGA is far from the first notebook-tablet hybrid, but its ingenuity stems from its 360 degree, dual-hinge flip design, a highly flexible setup that is obviously what it was named for. It carries at 3.1 pounds at 17mm thick and a 13.3″ screen. It is also promised to have an 8-hour battery life and has been designed to run Windows 8, so logically should be released around the same time. Lenovo’s modern design extends to the chiclet keyboard and leather wrist rest when in notebook mode.

With a supposed release in the second half of 2012, hopefully the YOGA will be a viable solution for the many who simply can’t decide between a notebook or a tablet, although the possible price of £1,200 for the basic model – a few notches above original estimate – might make some wince at the dent in their wallets.