Mobile technology is getting too powerful for its britches. The pocket-sized devices of today have surpassed the desktop units of only a few years ago. Unfortunately, with all this portable computing power at hand, we are still only able to interact with our mobile computers via relatively small, static interfaces.

Remember processing video on your desktop in the late 1990s? Well, now the smartphone in your pocket has sprinted ahead in terms of speed and resolution, but only has a 4-inch screen to showcase it all.

So much computing fury with so little to show for it.

Some manufacturers are working on ways to project your portable device’s screen, but this is not an ideal solution: You are at the whim of the physical environment around you—it would be difficult to use when your surrounded by trees and grass, for example; the clarity of the image will suffer via the process of projection; and your “screen” is subject to the lookieloos of the world.

The best solution would be to have a physical screen that could be readily manipulated into different dimensions for different situations. And it seems that technology is on the precipice of making this solution a reality.

The team at German design firm Orkin has developed a conceptual solution with their ROLLTOP computer. The computer utilizes a flexible OLED display, so it is able to physically “roll-up.”

The ROLLTOP can fold part-way to create a classic laptop shape with a 13-inch display and touchscreen keyboard. Or it can be fully flattened out to create a 17-inch display (or perhaps, tablet computer).

Orkin’s site is less than forthcoming on what innards the ROLLTOP would allow—the computer seems to bend at defined points, meaning the motherboard and other electro-organs remain in static containers inside the machine. It would still necessitate an external speaker/power source to connect to the display. No word on battery life.

The tech here is promising, but raw. Is the knapsack shown in the animation really less of a hassle to carry than a 13-inch laptop?

Nearly all the major manufacturers (and several smaller players) are working on developing computers and displays in Fruit Roll-Up form. For those looking for tangible (non-animated) example of bendy displays, Sony had their flexible full-color display shown here:

Samsung recently unveiled a prototype for their full color, and quite bendable AMOLED display, which allowed for a WVGA 800 x 480 resolution. From the video, the display seems nearly as vivid as anything else in the category.

The development of Gumbyesque displays was, until recently, largely being propelled by companies seeking their piece of the e-reader explosion. The last few years saw several manufacturers unveil prototypes for anorexic readers that would more closely mimic the feel of paper. However, this dream of a paper-thin reader was ultimately, rejected by consumers. Not enough people harbored a nostalgia for the reading experience provided by the large, unwieldy newspapers of yore. For daily mass transit riders, a small solid display a la the Kindle or Nook is far more practical than a mess of dead trees.

The push into foldable readers seems to have taken a break as Kindle and company settle into the lead in the category. However, this research and knowledge could be integrated into the flexible, foldable pocket tech of the future.

Last year, LG unveiled thin (.3 mm) monochromatic screen that they have been able to develop into an intimidating 19-inch display size. The screen only uses power when refreshing, so it also boasts a long battery life. The company had plans to start mass production on an 11.5 inch e-reader last year, but as for now, it seemed to have failed to take flight.

A Laptop that can be Rolled-Up, Other Flexible Bendable Displays

In 2009, Arizona State University’s Flexible Display Center unveiled a flexible, ultra-thin touch screen. They are currently working with HP on developing a pliable color display. Here is video of an early monochromatic version:

It’s feasible that before the end of the next presidential term everybody will carry a pliable 20-inch display in their pocket. Forget this new rush to the tablet market, in the future; technology will more likely resemble a handkerchief (try very hard not to confuse the two).