Still from ‘Project Valerie | Razer @ CES 2017’. Image: Razer/YouTube
Sparking fears of corporate espionage, two prototypes of the Razer triple-screen laptop have been stolen from CES 2017, with a reward being issued to whoever returns them.
The Project Valerie triple-screen laptop from Razer has been one of the most talked-about devices at CES for its peculiar design that allows a gamer to have a significant field of view in their game.
With a central screen as normal, the two additional screens fold out to provide three 4K screens in what would be the first model of its kind on the market.
But despite the seemingly warm welcome for the gaming laptop, Razer’s CEO Min-Liang Tan has taken to Facebook to reveal that the two prototype models displayed at the show have been stolen.
According to Tan, the prototypes were stolen from the Razer press room and this, if perpetrated by a rival manufacturer, would see the full weight of the law come down on the people responsible.
“We treat theft/larceny, and if relevant to this case, industrial espionage, very seriously – it is cheating, and cheating doesn’t sit well with us,” Tan said.
“Penalties for such crimes are grievous and anyone who would do this clearly isn’t very smart.”
‘Utterly ridiculous, but equally cool’
The company is now offering a $25,000 reward for the person who can provide enough information to get the laptops back to the gaming hardware producer.
Speaking to the BBC, a spokesperson for CES has confirmed that the laptops were stolen at the Razer tent.
“We express our regrets. The security of our exhibitors, attendees, and their products and materials are our highest priority. We use a wide variety of security measures at our show to combat theft,” she said.
“For example, we delay labour coming on the show floor until an hour after the show closes so that exhibitors have a chance to secure product before dismantling their booths.”
Despite the stolen prototypes, first impressions of the laptops have been largely positive, with Pocket-lint describing it as “utterly ridiculous, but equally cool”.
