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Lenovo has introduced a $1,000 hybrid notebook tablet with a detachable screen.

The IdeaPad U1 offers users two PCs in a single device – each with its own processor and operating system – that work together and independently as either a clamshell laptop or a multitouch slate tablet.

“The IdeaPad U1 hybrid notebook is a game-changing technology in the PC industry that lets user switch their PC experience within a single device to match their dynamic lifestyle,” explained Lenovo spokesperson Liu Jun.

“By fusing the functionality of a notebook with the slate tablet’s rich multitouch entertainment and mobile Internet experience, U1 provides consumers the freedom to choose the device they prefer for any activity.”

The IdeaPad U1 weighs 3.8 pounds and features an 11.6 inch HD LED screen along with Windows 7. However, when the 1.6 pound multitouch screen is removed, the U1 becomes an independent slate tablet with a powerful ARM processor, running Lenovo’s customized Skylight operating system.

“Leveraging the benefits of both CPU, the two devices can synchronize to work as one with the ability to share battery power, 3G wireless, data and documents,” said Jun.

“In this way, the base laptop system can serve as a hub and docking station and the slate tablet as a mobile device. The two PCs have been engineered to work together and independently through Lenovo’s Hybrid Switch technology that enables seamless toggling between the two processors.”

It should be noted that the hybrid notebook also features a customized “Me” centric tablet interface for easy landscape and portrait viewing.

Indeed, users can switch between a four and six section display, with the latter designed to enhance the mobile internet experience with easy multitouch access to multiple Webc-based applications.

LED-backlight LCD monitors are expected to become the mainstream models in the global monitor market in 2010, the schedule is push back from previous expectations of in 2009, according to market sources.

Strong LED demand for backlighting from notebooks and LCD TVs are taking up most of the current LED supply, and the remainder is not enough to fulfill demand from monitor panel backlighting.

Price is another obstacle for LED models to become mainstream, the sources said. The price gap between a 18.5-inch LED-backlit and CCFL-backlit monitor panel is about US$5, while the retail price of a 18.5-inch LED-backlit monitor is about US$30-50 more than a CCFL-backlit model.

LED-backlight notebooks currently account for 60-70% of total notebooks, while LED TVs are expected to account for 15-20% of total LCD TVs shipped in 2010.

Asustek Computer is reportedly considering closing down the departments that handle the development of its Eee Stick, LCD TV and monitor product lines due to unsatisfactory shipments and profits, according to industry sources.

Asustek has converted its optical drive department into a unit for developing opto-mechatronics products such as the Eee Stick after the company ended its partnership with Pioneer, but the opto-mechatronics department has not seen significant results, with the number of team members dropping to only 20 from the original size of about 100, the sources said.

Meanwhile, although Asustek has recently cleared its LCD display inventories and landed some new orders for LCD monitors to be bundled with its desktops in the procurement market, the fierce competition from other players is still inflicting losses on Asustek’s displays department, the sources noted.

The sources also noted that Asustek originally planned to reduce its investment in Eee PC development, but it has changed its mind, ready to increase its investment in Pine Trail-based netbooks to compete against Samsung Electronics and Acer and maintain its share in the notebook market.

Asustek has denied that it is considering closing down the departments.

Nvidia has selected the launch date for its next-generation DirectX 11-supporting GPU (Fermi) to be March, 2010, while AMD will launch more GPUs in January-February, according to sources from graphics card makers. Nvidia also plans to have a live demo of the product at CES in January.

According to market rumors, Nvidia had originally scheduled the launch of Fermi for November 2009 but then delayed the planned launch until CES in January 2010 due to defects. However,the sources stated that Nvidia recently notified graphics card makers that the official launch will be in March 2010, which is consistent with previous Nvidia comments that the product will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2010.

Commenting on the news, Nvidia stated that its planned schedule of product shipping in the first quarter 2010 remains unchanged and any rumors of defects are completely false.

Nvidia plans to launch a 40nm GDDR5 memory-based Fermi-GF100 GPU in March, and will launch a GF104 version in the second quarter to target the high-end market with its GeForce GTX295/285/275/260, the sources pointed out.

For performance level markets, Nvidia will allow its GeForce GTS250, GT240/220 and 9800GT/9500GT defend against AMD’s Radeon HD 5770/5750, 4870/4850 and 4670/4650.

For the mainstream market, Nvidia will mainly push its GeForce 210.

Meanwhile, AMD will launch 40nm Radeon HD 5670/5570 (Redwood) and HD 5450 (Cedar) GPUs at the end of January or in February 2010, the sources noted.

In related news, although Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC’s) 40nm process yields have already improved, capacity is still not sufficient to supply the two GPU giants fully which may have an impact the launch schedules, the sources added.

AMD did not respond by the time of publication.