Gizmodo: Lenovo

Start Your WiMax Engines With Laptops From Acer, Asus, Lenovo and Toshiba

matt buchanan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:45:00 EDT

Sprint's Xohm WiMax network got extra super official today with a party and all, so laptop makers are tossing out confetti in the form of WiMax-enabled notebooks. Here's what you've got to pick from. Acer dropped a pair of Aspire cheapies in 14- and 16-inch sizes, while Asus's 14 and 15-inchers are a bit mo' better for a bit mo' money. Oh, there's more.

Toshiba's offering is a nicely spec'd 13-inch Satellite, which seems to be the sweet spot of the bunch. And finally, Lenovo is hitting us with a brigade right off the bat—Thinkpad X301, T400, SL300 and SL500, though eventually all of its laptops will have WiMax options. Dell, Sony and Panasonic will be bringing theirs out sometime next year, so unless you're looking for the fruit, basically any maker you're a fan of will have something for you (and don't forget Nokia's N810). [CW, Electronista]

Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet, 12 Inches of Touchtasticness

Mark Wilson — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Lenovo's X200 tablet isn't the best kept secret, but it's a nice looking convertible laptop now that we have the full specs. At 3.5lbs, the configurable tablet features a 12.1" touchscreen (in pen or finger input options) Core 2 Duo processors up to 1.86GHz supported by 4GB of RAM, and available upgrades to 128MB SSD, WiMax, integrated camera, fancy dual array mic (designed to cancel ambient noise) and thumbprint reader. But that's not all!

If you're willing to dock in to the optional UltraBase port, you can output HD A/V through the DisplayPort (DVI replacement) and add goodies like DVD burners and Blu-ray drives.

The graphics setup is integrated, the Intel GMA4500—not a powerhouse but capable of displaying 1080P content from that Blu-ray add-on.

And if you stick with the standard 4-cell battery, the X200 can run for about 4.2 hours with a jump to 10 hours if you upgrade to the 8-cell. According to Lenovo, that's a 50% improvement on battery life from their old tablets.

We don't know the price, but expect to pay a bit for the premium system.

Lenovo ThinkPad X200t Photographed in the Wild

Dan Nosowitz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:45:00 EDT

The tablet version of Lenovo's ThinkPad X200 laptop, sensibly named the X200t, was photographed in the wild, looking pretty much like an X200 with a swiveling screen. (That means it's also awfully similar to Lenovo's last tablet, the X61t.) Tablets don't really rock our world, but the X200's form factor and build quality should mean the X200t is also a solid machine. [GottaBeMobile via Engadget]

Intel Opens Door for Army of MacBook Air Clones

matt buchanan — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Muffled by the cacophony of like a million netbooks and the wireless power that'll power our cyborg brains at the Intel Developer Forum was the low-key introduction of Intel's next-gen 45nm dual core chips for ultra-thin notebooks—i.e., the dwarven chips that made the MacBook Air possible. Now that everybody can snag them, expect a surge of similarly limber notebooks that can suck in their gut to fit into narrow pockets of ugly paper.

Lenovo's X301 and HP's 2530p already use the new chips. The SL9400 and SL9300 running at 1.8Ghz and 1.6GHz, respectively, both have a 1066MHz FSB and appear to be the Core 2 Duo Low Voltage (LV) chips with a TDP of 17W, while the SU9400 and SU9300 are the ULV variants, clocked at 1.4GHz and 1.2GHz with a 10W TDP.

While the clock speeds of the LV chips are the same as the MBA's, the switch to the 45nm process and faster front-side bus should yield both performance gains and power savings. More importantly, their ready availability for all-comers could make the ultra-thin market a lot more interesting, though we're kind of afraid at this point of what Asus will do with them. [Ars Technica]

Lenovo's S9 and S10 Both Pass FCC Certification Just In Time

Matt Hickey — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:00:23 EDT

The Lilliputian IdeaPads from Lenovo are coming, as we know, and now they're a little closer, having passed through the FCC's certification process. This is the final regulatory hurdle the IdeaPad S9 and S10 faced before going on sale in the US and comes just in time, as the duo of subnotebooks are expected to hit shelves next month. [Engadget via SlashGear]

Lenovo's Ideapad U8 MID Under Starter's Orders at Olympics

Kit Eaton — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:59:00 EDT

Way back in April was when we first showed you details on Lenovo's Ideapad U8 mobile internet device, and Lenovo's just launched it at the Beijing Olympics. The palmtop phone/PC has an Intel Atom Z500 ticking away inside at 800MHz, GPS, dual cameras, and with 1GB of RAM and a sizable 6GB SSD. Connectivity-wise, it's fully loaded with 802.11 b/g wi-fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G support and apparently "WiMAX support." There's also a dongle for picking up China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting signals so you can watch the Olympics for free. But therein lies the rub: The 10.6-ounce, vaguely PSP-like U8 is a China-only gizmo, so you won't care that it'll have a price "equivalent" to other smartphones. [Pocketables]

Specs and Prices for Lenovo's Ideapad S9 Lite Notebook Hits Web

Kit Eaton — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:43:38 EDT

Lenovo recently went official with details on the upcoming Ideapad S10 ultra-portable notebook, and now there's data on a little brother version, the S9 Lite. The S9 will have a slightly smaller screen, at 8.9-inches, with a 300-kilopixel webcam, 512MB of RAM and a 4GB SSD. It's got the same Atom N270 and 945 GSE chipset, though, so it sounds very much like its bigger S10 brother, and comes with Linux and a "multitouch function" trackpad. In three colors, the diminutive PC will cost you $370 upon launch in Hong Kong. [UMPCFever via Engadget]

Lenovo Unveils ThinkPad X301 With Centrino 2 and 128 GB SSD

Adrian Covert — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:17:00 EDT

Lenovo is following up on their solid X300 notebook with the Thinkpad X301, which will have the Centrino 2 chipset and the option for a 64 or 128 GB SSD. Set for official announcement next week, the notebook will support DisplayPort, Ultra-Wideband and models with integrated mobile broadband will have GPS navigation capability. The notebook will be available for order on August 26, and pricing starts at $2600. No word on how expensive the SSD upgrade will be. [Lenovo]

Lenovo Expands Ultra-Thin, Ultra-Light ThinkPad X300 Notebook PC Family
Delivers Next-Generation Processing, Greater SSD Storage and Enhanced
Multimedia Experience

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – August 18, 2008 – Lenovo today announced the
ThinkPad X301 notebook PC, taking the thinnest and lightest full-function
notebook in its class1, to new heights in performance. Like its predecessor,
the industry-acclaimed ThinkPad X300 notebook, the ThinkPad X301 notebook
offers cutting-edge features and technologies in a thin and light form
starting at less than three pounds and one-inch thin. The notebook offers
even greater storage capacity with choices of either 64 GB or new 128 GB
solid state drive storage available in September. The ThinkPad X301 notebook
provides on average nearly 20 percent better performance over the ThinkPad
X300 notebook due to the latest DDR3 memory and the latest Intel(R) Core 2 Duo
ultra low volt processor2.

"Lenovo continues to push the technology envelope by giving road warriors
the latest enhancements in solid state drive storage and digital display
technologies with the new ThinkPad X301 notebook PC," said Sam Dusi, vice
president, worldwide notebook product marketing, Lenovo. "This announcement
extends our commitment to blending ultraportability and functionality, and
equipping today's business users with the most advanced, highest-performing
computing tools."

New support for DisplayPort makes viewing high definition content easy and
ideal for models with the ultra-thin DVD burner. With support for both
DisplayPort and VGA, users can even watch high definition content on
multiple displays. Designed for maximum options for wireless connectivity,
the ThinkPad X301 notebook offers models with high-speed mobile broadband3
and WiFi3 to connect wirelessly to the Internet, and also with Bluetooth and
Ultra-Wideband technology to connect wirelessly to other devices. Lenovo
offers improved uplink performance by up to 250 percent for models with AT&T
mobile broadband over previous ThinkPad notebooks with AT&T mobile
broadband4. Models supporting WiMAX will be available later this year.
Additionally, GPS on notebook models with high speed mobile broadband5 allow
travelers to more easily navigate to the office or airport.

The notebook also includes Lenovo's ThinkVantage Technologies, unique
hardware-software tools designed to maximize user productivity. With
Lenovo's improved Access Connections tool, users can navigate a
user-friendly interface to easily find and access Internet and network
connections. Also, Lenovo's improved Power Manager gives users more control
over notebook functions to enable longer battery life.

The ThinkPad X301 notebook also continues Lenovo's focus on
environmentally-responsible design. Its 13.3-inch LED backlit display, solid
state drive storage and other energy-efficient technologies help make it
rated Gold by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. This
designation adds to Lenovo's portfolio of Gold-rated ThinkPad notebook and
ThinkCentre desktop PCs.

Pricing and Availability6
Pricing for models of the ThinkPad X301 notebook starts at approximately
$2,599. The notebook will be available on August 26 through Lenovo Business
Partners and www.lenovo.com.

Lenovo ThinkPad W700 Has a BUILT-IN Wacom Tablet and Professional Grade Screen

Adrian Covert — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:01:00 EDT

Lenovo's ThinkPad W700 is a 17-inch behemoth that's the first notebook ever with a built-in Wacom digitizer. Designed for professional use in industries such as graphic design, photography and CAD, the digital tablet lets you manipulate images in programs like Photoshop without any extra gear. In addition, the 8-lb notebook features a professional grade, WUXGA screen with 400 nit brightness (it's actually stunning) and an auto color-calibration sensor that lets you adjust display settings on the fly. Except for the fact it runs Vista, it's like the perfect pro photographer's workstation.

As far as nuts and bolts go, the W700 has a 3.0 GHz Core 2 Extreme quad core processor, up to 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1GB NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M graphics and dual HDD Bays configurable in RAID 0 or RAID 1 (SSDs are an option). Display outputs include Dual-Link DVI, VGA and Display Port (no HDMI, sorry). The computer also has a full number pad, 7-in-1 card reader, five USB Ports, and the option for a BD-RE Drive and Compact Flash reader (you can finally leave your card reader at home).

The Lenovo W700 will be available in September, starting at around $3000. But with RAM and HDD configurations, that price could be much higher. [Lenovo]

Lenovo Unleashes PC Beast on Mobile Workstation Market with ThinkPad W700
Delivers Industry's First Built-in Digitizer and Color Calibrator Along with Ultimate Power, Multimedia and Display Technologies

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – August 12, 2008: Lenovo today introduced the ThinkPad W700, a 17-inch widescreen mobile workstation engineered with game-changing technologies and innovations to exceed the demands of the most data and graphics-intensive users. Lenovo brings the industry's first built-in digitizer and color calibrator to a mobile workstation and combines these innovations with first-in-market technologies such as new NVIDIA® Quadro FX mobile graphics and supporting the upcoming Intel® mobile quad core processor. Other features such as optional dual hard drives with RAID configurations, up to 8 GB of high speed DDR3 memory, a range of wireless connectivity options and excellent multimedia capabilities including an optional Blu-ray™ DVD burner/player make the ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation the standard-bearer for power and performance in a mobile workstation.

"Lenovo has engineered a new breed of mobile workstation with the ThinkPad W700," said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Notebook Business Unit, Lenovo. "No other PC manufacturer has a mobile workstation that delivers the sheer power, performance and cutting-edge innovation that Lenovo has packed into the ThinkPad W700. The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation flat out delivers the command performance our customers demand at the desk as well as in the field."

According to IDC, the compound annual growth rate for the worldwide mobile workstation market has been more than 60 percent per year since 2002.1The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation extends Lenovo's commitment to workstation users, complementing Lenovo's W500 mobile workstation and ThinkStation S10 and D10 workstations. As workers in fields such as digital content creation, computer-aided design and manufacturing, digital photography and science fields including the oil and gas industries become increasingly mobile, they are demanding the full-featured performance of a desktop workstation in a mobile workstation.

First-in-Industry Engineered Innovation
The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation takes customer driven innovation to a new level with an optional built-in palm rest digitizer and color calibrator. Lenovo and Intel collaborated to integrate the color calibrator and digitizer into the ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation. Designed for digital content creators and users, the mobile workstation's digitizer helps them easily configure an image, either mapping it to the entire screen or to an area defined by the user. High performance users, especially digital photographers, will benefit from models with the built-in color calibrator as color continues to play an important role in their work. The calibrator automatically adjusts the display's color in up to half the time of many external calibrators and with higher accuracy, resulting in the most accurate, true-to-life images in an integrated package. Together with the upcoming Intel® mobile quad core processor, multimedia designers and animators now have outstanding quad-core processor performance and true color replication that is critical for realistic digital creations and workflow efficiencies.

Super-Charged Performance Unleashed
Supporting the latest Intel processor technologies including the upcoming mobile quad core processor, the mobile workstation can be configured with up to 8 GB of memory with an additional 2 GB of Intel Turbo Memory. Lenovo also offers models with Intel® vPro™ technology for complete manageability. The mobile workstation can be equipped with dual internal hard drives, including solid state drive storage. The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation offers both the NVIDIA® Quadro® FX 2700M and 3700M Open GL graphics processors with up to 1 GB of dedicated video memory for exceptional graphics performance in a 17-inch mobile workstation. The hard drives can be configured for RAID 0 to help users access and save their data faster than traditional disk-writing methods, or users can choose RAID 1 for mirrored data redundancy.

The mobile workstation includes WiFi wireless connectivity. Additionally, users can connect to other devices wirelessly using mobile workstation models featuring Bluetooth and ultra wideband technology. Models supporting WiMAX will be available later this year.

New Heights in Display Technology and Multimedia Excellence
As the company's first product with a 17-inch display, the ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation delivers an unparalleled viewing experience with a combination of leading technologies. Its optional 400-nit WUXGA display provides up to twice the brightness of earlier ThinkPad mobile workstation models, and the 72 percent wide color gamut provides more than 50 percent greater color intensity. The high resolution, extreme brightness and wide color gamut coupled with the NVIDIA Quadro FX MXM graphics solution results in a user experience unequalled in a mobile workstation today. For external connectivity, the ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation provides support for Dual Link DVI, Display Port and VGA. A 7-in-1 multicard reader, and five USB ports give users flexibility in transferring and accessing digital content. Additionally, the workstation comes with an optional compact flash reader and Blu-ray™ DVD burner/player. An optional mini-dock extends the mobile workstation's capabilities with eSATA and digital audio ports as well as convenient cabling for power, external monitors and peripherals.

Packed for extreme performance, the mobile workstation also features BIOS/port disablement and an optional fingerprint reader, a smartcard reader and hard drives with full-disk encryption. It will carry more than 20 certifications from independent software vendors.

"Our engineers use Lenovo ThinkStation workstations to help them design the next-generation Williams - Toyota FW31 race cars, aiming to make them faster and more agile, with greater performance than the competition," said Chris Taylor, IT manager, AT&T Williams. "We're
thrilled to see Lenovo deliver the workstation performance we've come to rely on - now in a mobile, portable solution."

Pricing and Availability2
The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation will be available beginning in September with models starting at $2,978. It is available through Lenovo Business Partners and www.lenovo.com.

[Lenovo]

Lenovo's Olympics-Themed Flash Drives Go From Cheesy To Luxurious

Kit Eaton — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:25:00 EDT

Lenovo got to design the Olympic torch for this year's Games, and to celebrate they released a bunch of different USB flash drives, each one with an Olympic theme. Over at EverythingUSB they've detailed all of them: perhaps the sleekest being the one that looks like the torch itself, and is made from the same material, which is why it costs $142 for 4GB. The cheesiest have to be the Mascot and Medallion series: they're printed with a Fuwa image, and though the Medallions have sold out, the Mascots cost $29. Top of the range are the swiveling titanium drives. They come in a set of five 1GB drives, and though the price is unclear it's likely to be big: the set comes in a mahogany box. [EverythingUSB]

Lightning Review: Lenovo ThinkPad X200

matt buchanan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EDT

The Gadget: Lenovo's ThinkPad X200, the leeettlest member of their revamped X notebooks, with Intel's recently released Centrino 2 inside.

The Price: The X200 starts at $1434 at Lenovo's store, though they initially announced it at $1199. The model we tested was close to $1800.

The Verdict: On the whole, the X200 has more going for it than against it. We think 12 inches is the sweet spot for a compact but full-fledged notebook, and the X200 is just 0.8 inches at its thinnest point. It's actually smaller than it looks—Lenovo seems to employ reverse optical trickery to make it look bulkier than it is.

A few exceptional points: The keyboard really is fantastic to type on. Battery life is damned impressive too, delivering between five and six hours of standard use (browsing, video watching, music playing) with the brightness turned most of the way up. There's a lot of power and battery management tools too, for the power anal. And it's got the usual Lenovo build quality.

The potential dealbreakers: There's no trackpad—it's just you and the nipple. If you love the nip, ignore this point. Not ignorable, though, is that the screen is way too dim, even on max brightness. On a screen that small, brightness and clarity are paramount. So that's a big ol' suck. The mono speaker is fairly atrocious (and our headphone jack was bad on this unit, so it was a definite sore point). Oh, and it's not pretty. In sum, it's not a sight and sound machine.

It doesn't have a built-in optical drive, but honestly, that's a consideration more than a black-and-white downer. (They do include the external gratis.)

Here's what the X200 comes down to: If you want a solid but small notebook for reliably getting work done, this is it. If you want more than that, you probably want something else.

Dan Nosowitz contributed to this review.

ThinkPad X200 Tablet Revealed in Spec Sheet

matt buchanan — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:39:00 EDT

Well, look at what's hiding out in the spec sheet for the X200 UltraBase docking station: a listing for a ThinkPad X200 tablet. The X200 is a perfect size for a tablet, and it'd solve our slight anxiety over just having the nub as an input. If it had some capacitive multi-touch like Dell's Latitude XT in addition to being bulletproof like ThinkPads ought to be, consider us sold (if it's not, you know, some insane price). [UltraBase Spec Sheet (PDF) via Engadget]

Lenovo IdeaPad S10 To Ship With XP In US; No Linux Option

Matt Hickey — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:29 EDT

If you're interested in the recently announced Lenovo IdeaPad S10, and you're in the US, we hope you like Windows XP. The US market won't get the Linux option the rest of the sub-notebook's customers will, but any self-respecting Linux user would wipe the drive and put their own favorite flavor on, right? [IT World]

Lenovo Apologizes for X200 SSD Mixup with a Free 64GB SSD

matt buchanan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:45:00 EDT

A lot of people (one of my friends included) jumped on a mixup on Lenovo's site that appeared to let you pack a 128GB SSD drive in an X200 for the tasty price of $0. It was a mistake and they're not honoring it (boo), but to make up for it, they are offering everyone who ordered it a free 64GB SSD. It's not quite as awesome as completely owning their boo-boo, but it's damn close. The one catch is that you have to get back to them by August 11, or your order will be canceled. Moral of the story: Taking advantage of big companies totally pays off.

Dear Valued Lenovo Customer,

We are contacting you with regard to your recent Lenovo X200 order.

Please note that we recently experienced a web error which caused the price of the 128GB Solid State Drive to be erroneously listed at $0.
Unfortunately, we are unable to honor this pricing; in addition, the part is currently not available.

As a token of appreciation for your patience and understanding, we are pleased to offer you a substitute of either a 64GB Solid State Drive
or a 200GB Hard Disk Drive (7200rpm) free of charge in place of the 128GB Drive.

To accept this offer, please reply to this email and fill out the below fields by Monday August 11th with your selection.
*** If we do not receive a reply by that date, your order will be cancelled at that time.

[Lenovo - Thanks Alvin and Hex!]

Lenovo Webstore Mistake Makes X200's 128GB SSD Option Cheaper Than 80GB HD

John Mahoney — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:40:00 EDT

Get your orders in now, because you won't see a 128 GB SSD going for these prices, well, anywhere for several years—yet alone inside the tasty 12.1" Thinkpad X200. Yes, you're seeing it correctly—that's subtract $70 from the total, which comes to $1,434 with the mistake. Also notice the 64 GB SSD going for a real-world $830 premium. No word on how IBM will handle the mistake of course, but if you were planning on buying an X200 anyway, might as well give this a try and play dumb. UPDATE: Party's over, unfortunately. The 120GB SSD option has been yanked.

UPDATE 2: Someone who placed an order and called in to Lenovo has told us that Lenovo will be contacting everyone who went for the SSD and letting them know they won't be getting it, sadly. They will be offering their student discount rate though, which is nice. Thanks Alvin! [Lenovo]

The Olympic Torch Transformed Over History

Mark Wilson — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:30:00 EDT

We'd never want the burden of carrying the Olympic torch, not so much because of the pressure, but because we're out of shape and there's a distinct possibility that we might burn ourselves. However, we're more than willing to look at the NYT timeline of the Olympic torches over the last 70 years and appreciate the torch's evolution from crude, mace-like fire stick to long fire rod. And this year's red scroll designed by Lenovo (yes, that Lenovo) might actually be our favorite. Read more coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games. [NYT]

Lenovo's Ideapad S10 Ultra-Portable Notebook PC Officially Due in September

Kit Eaton — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Lenovo's gone official with details on its Ideapad S10 ultra-portable notebook: it'll come with Windows XP pre-installed, measure 9.8 x 7.2 inches, weigh just 2.4-pounds in its lightest configuration, and pack in a LED back-lit 10-inch screen. Powered by Intel Atom N270 and 945 GSE express chipset, the diminutive PC also has some advanced heat-dissipation tech so that your lap and wrists won't get overheated. Interestingly Lenovo notes that "In some countries there will be 9-inch versions," different colors and "Linux preloads"... but doesn't say if those systems will hit the US eventually. Initially then, the S10 will cost you either $399 for a 512MB memory, 80GB HDD model or $450 for a 1GB, 160GB HDD model, and comes in black red or white. Press release info below.

• Integrated 1.3M Camera
• 2 stereo speakers
• Multi-touch Pad & near full size Keyboard (85% full size)
• Integrated Wireless 802.11 b/g,10/100 Ethernet, Bluetooth
• Express card slot for WWAN expansion
• Up to 2-GB Memory
• 4in1 Multi-card Reader
• Form factor: 250.2 x 183 x 22-27.5mm, lightest configuration of 1.1 kg
• Large Panel 10.2” wide, LED backlight 1024x600 WSVGA
• Intel Integrated Graphics GMA 950
• Intel N270 CPU 1.6 GHz & Intel 945GSE Chipset
• Large HDD capacity 160G 9.5mm 2.5” SATA HDD (5400 rpm)
• Battery up to 3 hours with 3-cell battery, and up to 6 hours with 6-cell battery

The S10 also comes with a dedicated Lenovo graphical UI for best energy management options so you can optimize its battery life, and a "one-touch" rescue data recovery system. With Lenovo's might behind it, does it sound like an Eee PC killer? What do you think, chaps? [Lenovo]

Sneak Peek: Lenovo's Upcoming $399 IdeaPad S10 Ultraportable

Jack Loftus — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EDT

Liliputing links to a video this evening of what they describe as a first look at Lenovo's upcoming low-cost ultraportable laptop. The video's creator said he shot the video at an "electronics holiday preview show in New York a few weeks ago." These mystery Lenovo laptops will purportedly come in 8.9 inch and 10.1 inch screen sizes with a 160GB hard drive, for a $400 to $600 price point. Due date? September, possibly, and not a boring black case in sight. Update: Turns out it's the IdeaPad S10 and it'll start at $399. [Liliputing]

Lenovo's Ultra-Cheap Notebooks: IdeaPad G-Series

matt buchanan — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Yes, netbooks and ultra-cheap lappies are being pumped out by everybody, and frankly, boring. But a Lenovo-made cheapie that brings some of their standard features and serious build quality down to a netbook pricepoint would be a bargain-bin laptop worth looking at. Supposedly the first in their IdeaPad G-Series will be 14.1-incher running on Centrino 2. Hopefully the pricepoint is in line with (or better than) its smaller competition. [DigiTimes via I4U]

Lenovo IdeaPad U330 is Super Shiny and Slim

Adrian Covert — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:01:45 EDT

Lenovo launched the 13.3" IdeaPad U330 laptop tonight at Intel's Centrino 2 launch event, and it looked pretty nice. As far as specs go, the Centrino 2-powered device is 0.9 inches thick, under four pounds and has five hours of battery life, with a Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz P7350 at 2GHz, and Lenovo's standard active protection system.

The U330, which is the cousin to the U110, also has an integrated webcam with facial recognition software, touch sensitive media controls, HDMI out, and an LED-backlit display. Lenovo is also dropping a couple other consumer notebooks: Y730 and Y530 update the Y710 and Y510, while Y430 throws in a 14-inch version. Lenovo expects to release the U330 in the fall.

IdeaPad U330
Lenovo designed its "U" series to be all about expressing ideas with style. The IdeaPad U330 notebook is a super-slim ultra-light addition to the widely-acclaimed IdeaPad U110 notebook, introduced in the spring. Available in a glossy Indigo blue and Bold black, the notebook starts at 0.9 inches thin and weighs just over four pounds. Equipped with the latest version of VeriFace™ facial recognition technology, consumers can now access encrypted files and record a 30-second video message for other users. Designed with Dolby® Home Theatre and touch-sensitive multimedia controls, the notebook comes equipped with HDMI and an optional built-in DVD burner.

The IdeaPad U330 notebook also includes switchable graphics. This enables the user to run energy efficient integrated graphics while on battery power and then switch to discrete graphics for more powerful performance when "plugged in." The notebook also includes an LED backlit display, five hours of battery life and Lenovo's Active Protection System (APS), a feature pioneered on ThinkPad notebooks. Lenovo's APS technology helps protect the data on the hard drive if the notebook should fall. And if the operating system should crash, users can recover their data at the touch of a button with the One-Key Rescue System1.

IdeaPad U330

Black/Blue

Display – 13.3 WXGA LED AG panel

Graphics – ATI M82SCE-256M

Processor – Penryn P7350, GM45 chipset

H2G (1066) DR3

320G (SATA-9MM/5400)

Wireless card – Intel 5100 a/g/n

Optical – Rambo tray in (9.5mm)

Vista Home Premium 32

Lenovo Active Protection System

Fixed camera

Array mic

HDMI

Bluetooth, 10/100M Ethernet

IdeaPad Y430

Black/Red

Display – 14.1 WXGA

Graphics – Intel integrated

Processor – Intel GM45

250 or 320 GB hard drive

Wireless card – Intel 802.11n

Optical – DVD + RW

Fixed camera

6-in-1 card reader

HDMI

IdeaPad Y530

Black

Display – 15.4 WXGA (anti-glare)

Graphics – NB9M-GS-256M

Processor – Penryn P7350

Memory – 1G + 2G (667) DDR2

Hard Drive – 250G (SATA-9MM/54)

Wireless card – Intel 5100 a/g/n

Optical – Rambo tray in (12.7 mm)

Vista Home Premium 32 – SP 1

Fixed camera

Array microphone

Bluetooth, 10/100 Ethernet, modem

6-cell battery – 2.6 A

90 watt adapter

IdeaPad Y730

Blue, Game Zone models come in Valencia orange

Display – 17.1 in WUXGA glossy

Graphics – ATI M86-ME-512M

Processor – Penryn P8400

Memory – 2*2G or 1 + 2G (1066)

Hard Drive – 320G (SATA-9MM/5400)

Wireless card – Intel 5100 a/g/n

Optical – Rambo tray in (12.7mm)

Vista Home Premium 32-SP 1

Fixed camera

Bluetooth, 10/100M Ethernet, modem

Fixed camera

Array microphone

GameZone has secondary display

6 cell battery – 2.6A

135 watt adapter

[Lenovo]

Hands On Lenovo X200: Tiny, Cheap, Means Business (But Forgot the Trackpad)

John Herrman — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:33:27 EDT

Lenovo officially announced its Centrino 2-based X200 ultraportable notebook today, confirming what we have known for a while now. Namely, that it's the smallest member of the X-family (12.1-inch screen, 0.8-inches thin) and very powerful. Powered by the new Centrino 2 platform, it's got a full arsenal of wireless communication interfaces (including WiMax, WWAN with GPS and Ultra-Wide Band for peripherals), yet it's a slight 2.9 pounds, a hair less than its older brother or perceived competitor. (No optical drive helps there.) And it starts at a much more affordable $1199. But where the hell is the trackpad?!

At first glance, it's fairly unremarkable. The bland case design is standard Lenovo fare, it's functional and super-solid. Base model's battery life is 3.1 hours, with the 6 cell and 9 cell batteries enabling 6.2 and 9.4 hours, respectively. Yeah, that's right, the X200 proudly forgoes a trackpad for the classic red navigation knob only, granting the keyboard a bit more space but possibly alienating users not raised on "the nip." Given the size, the weight isn't much of a surprise. Where the X200 excites, though, is under the hood. The specs run from respectable on the base model to downright impressive on the high end. Check below for a gallery and a full spec sheet.

Lenovo IdeaCentre K210: Desktops Are Still Cool, Right Guys? Guys?

Mark Wilson — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Lenovo is preparing to release a fancy new desktop, the IdeaCentre K210. Featuring specs up to an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, 3GB of RAM, optional Blu-ray drive, multicard reader, webcam with VeriFace recognition and anti-bacterial keyboard, none of the specs will scream ultimate gaming machine, but the PCs start at just $379 (with the 22-inch monitor costing an extra $299). As for the style, it's pretty much how I picture a sci-fi movie from the early '90s depicting computers of the future—shiny, but with the same basic shape they had when Sandra Bullock could pass as a hacker. Read on for the entire spec rundown.

Lenovo Enters Global Consumer Desktop Market With ``IdeaCentre'' Brand

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Lenovo has announced the launch of the IdeaCentre K210 desktop, marking the company’s global entry into the consumer desktop market outside of China. This announcement follows the recent debut of Lenovo’s IdeaPad series of notebooks, which signaled Lenovo’s dramatic jump into the worldwide consumer notebook business outside of China earlier this year.

Lenovo’s IdeaCentre and IdeaPad introductions are timely, as IDC forecasts worldwide consumer PC demand to grow by nearly ten percent a year between 2007 and 20111.

The IdeaCentre K210 is designed for user comfort and convenience. For example, Lenovo is the only worldwide PC maker to offer the cutting edge “Bright Vision” technology2, which actually detects how far the user is from the monitor and adjusts the brightness accordingly.

Your face is your password

Among the new technologies the IdeaCentre K210 utilizes is VeriFace™3 facial recognition technology that allows the user to log in by having the camera recognize his/her facial image. The K210 is the only desktop PC to offer this distinctive feature. Additionally, The K210 features an anti-microbial keyboard that uses special material to inhibit bacterial growth. This is especially helpful for families that have numerous people using the same keyboard and are concerned with “keyboard germs.”

For ease of use and system recovery Lenovo offers the Lenovo Vantage Technology (LVT) menu. With just a single touch the user can more easily recover from system crashes or viruses. The File Management feature helps save critical data on a special system partition in the event of system failure. And for the “easy open” experience, Lenovo has built in its tool-free design which allows for easy expansion, serviceability and modifications.

Industry leading system specs include:

* Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Processors

* Intel® GMA 3100 integrated graphics

* Blueray HD-DVD Combo accommodates home theater

* High definition audio 5.1 for reverberating sound

* Gamers will love the optional upgrade to ATI Radeon 2600 XT (512MB)

Pricing and Availability

The IdeaCentre K210 is available on Lenovo.com, at various retail outlets in the United States and through Lenovo business partners. The starting price is $379 (after mail-in-rebate). The L195W, 19-inch monitor is priced at $229 (after mail-in-rebate). The L222W, 22-inch monitor is priced at $299 (after mail-in-rebate).

Lenovo's X200 Photos Leaked

Brian Lam — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:47:09 EDT

We broke the news on the X200's specs but here's the first photo. Looks like a Thinkpad. (Minus the trackpad, as Engadget notes.) [51nb.com via Engadget]

Rumor: New Dell Inspirons Take Shot At Macbook Air, Lenovo X300

Mark Wilson — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:50:00 EDT

While Apple and Lenovo may have started the latest thin laptop trend, Engadget reports that Dell is entering the ring with their Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735. The three laptops are said to share a similar design, with a graduated thickness from 1 to about 1.5 inches. With processors up to Core 2 Duo 2.16GHz, each model will support optional 3G and slot-loading Blu-ray. It sounds good so far, but we'll have to see how competitively they are priced if/when the first of the models hits later this month. [Engadget]

Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Review (Verdict: Short Ride In A Reasonably-Paced Machine)

Mark Wilson — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 comes in the wake of America's new obsession with tiny laptops. I could tell you that it's powered by a 1.6Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (4MB, 800 MHz), packing 120GB of PATA storage and up to 3GB of RAM (2 tested), but all you want to know is that it's over half a pound lighter than the MacBook Air and will impress the fellow yupps at Starbucks. Still, if you're interested in seeing if beauty is more than ultra-glossy skin deep, hit the jump to see what I loved and hated about the Lenovo IdeaPad U110.

The Decor
The top is a sharp red with tendril textures—actually quite classy in person. Flip it upside-down and you'll see that even the air vents feature a touch of style.

The Weight
Lenovo's U110 weighs just 2.42 pounds (and 2.92 with the larger battery). That's only .4 pounds more than the Eee and, trust me, it's freakin' light. So you know though, 2.92 pounds feels way, way heavier than 2.42. The "ohhh" factor is lost with the bigger battery.

The Screen
In the past, I've found that the Eee screen was too small for enjoyable use. The HP Mini Note was borderline. Now I've found the perfect size. 11.1" WXGA (1366x768) is just right for comfortable multitasking. And it's LED. Ooooh!

The Keyboard
I'm digging the keyboard. The Backspace button has been chopped a bit beyond my penchant for typos, but the keyboard is generally spacious enough for sure. And the subtly concave "piano painting" buttons feel excellent to the touch.

Glowy Button Things
Touch the panel above the keyboard for a tattoo-like glow of buttons. They offer some hot key support and extra sound control. Looks kinda neat, works kinda crappy.

The Footprint
The 10.8" by 7.7" by .72"-.88" dimensions can be tough to picture. That's quite small. Just know that it's officially beyond impulse purse stuffing size.

The Hookups
Tons of good stuff here: 3 USB ports, FireWire, multi-card reader, Mini-PCIe, Express Card, mic, headphones, Ethernet, and VGA out.

Little Extras
Lenovo packed in the little details. You get two batteries (4-cell and 7-cell) depending on your desired weight load. You get an external USB DVD drive since it lacks one of its own. Oh, and you get a cloth for the unbelievable smudgetastic glossy finish.

The Speed
The Lenovo U110 is not a speed machine. You can look at Vista's performance rating of 3.5 to draw your own conclusions (3.0 is Aero graphics minimum), or you can know that, more often than not, it can become a bit irritating waiting for programs to launch. It's not a "OMG THIS IS SOOOO SLOOOW" slow, but it is "Boy, I wish Office would load a bit faster" slow.

The Battery
The 4-cell 1750mAH battery is rated at two hours. In the default "balanced" processing mode, I received less than an hour of runtime from normal use. Since the 7-cell battery is rated at six hours of use, expect only three.

VeriFace 2.5
VeriFace scans your face and loads your computer without the need for typing. And it works great...when it works. Booting Vista, a Veriface animation pops up for about three seconds and loads with no problem. But for some reason—and correlation is by no means causation—I found that when waking the computer, VeriFace had recognition problems quite often. You are left sitting there like an idiot, double checking your lighting, positioning and hairdo...realizing that maybe you aren't pretty enough to touch this beautiful computer.

The Price
It's $1899. That's $100 more than the MacBook Air. For that, many Windows lovers may consider Lenovo's X300. And they'd be right to. EVDO and a solid state drive would be great additions to the U110. And for not much more money, size or weight, you can get that with the X300.

Should You Buy It?
Let's put it this way—it's buyable. It's not the fastest Vista laptop, and if you want any decent battery life you'll lose a chunk of the ultra-sexy form factor. But if you want a fully-capable laptop that's extremely mobile—one that I'd say can conceivably function as your main computer—then sure. Because while the smaller battery's life may be less than optimal, the real purchase-preventer here seems to be the price. And if you don't care, neither do we.

Lenovo Parodies MacBook Air Ad For X300

Jason Chen — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:50:00 EDT

Most parody videos are lame in the sense that they take one joke and stretch it to 60 seconds, but Lenovo's one joke actually works when properly executed. Not to spoil anything, but it's a send-up of the MacBook Air in favor of Lenovo's own X300. According to Fake Steve, it's been sent around to component suppliers and contract manufacturers in China, no doubt eliciting much har hars as they forward it on to their friends. [Fake Steve - Thanks Dave!]

Final Specs for Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Notebooks, On Sale Tomorrow

matt buchanan — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:48:50 EDT

We've got the final spec sheet for Lenovo's 11-inch LED-backlit U110 lappie, and it looks like past price/specs line up, though this is the first we're hearing of the "bezel-less screen that looks like an infinity pool." Inside is a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo L7500 (4MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB), up to 3GB of RAM (part of retail package), Intel X3100 integrated graphics and up to 120GB hard drive. It's also got facial recognition security jazz, not to mention the swirly design lid. Goes on sale tomorrow at Lenovo.com starting at $1899, hits retailers mid-May for $1999.

Processor (speed, L2 cache, FSB) Intel® Core™2 Duo L7500 (1.60 GHz, 4 MB, 800 MHz) Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium Display/resolution 11.1" widescreen WXGA (1366 x 768) LED backlit Video graphics Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 Hard drive 120GB 4200rpm Parallel ATA Memory 2GB PC2-5300/667 MHz (up to 3GB in retail) Optical drive Dual Layer CD/DVD Recordable (external via USB) Camera 1.3 megapixel integrated camera Sound 2 speakers, Dolby® Home Theater™ Integrated communications 10/100 Ethernet, Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG, Bluetooth (select models) Weight 2.4 lb. with 4 cell battery (1.09 kg) Dimensions 10.8'' x 7.7'' x 0.72''-0.88'' (275mm x196mm x 18.4 -22.4mm) Warranty 1 year system /1 year battery Battery life (4-cell Li-Ion plus 7-cell Li-Ion) Approx. 8 hr. (4-cell approx. 2 hr., plus 7-cell approx. 6 hr.) Expansion 3 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394, VGA, 6-in-1 card reader (SD/SD Pro, MS/MS Pro, MMC, XD), Mini-PCIe slot, Express Card slot, microphone jack, headphone jack Included software VeriFace™ 2.0; EasyCapture 2.5; OneKey Recovery 4.65; Energy Management 3.1; Adobe Reader 8.1; Power2GO 5.5; Shuttle Center 2.0; Norton Antivirus 2007 (90 days of virus definitions); Microsoft Windows Live™ portal; Microsoft Office® (trial version)

[Lenovo]

Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Ultraportable Notebook Surfaces for $1999

matt buchanan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 14:10:00 EDT

Lenovo's IdeaPad notebook line basically takes their staid but solid engineering and design and candycoats them with more consumer-oriented flourishes, like textured magnesium lids, shiny keys and touch media controls. J&R has a "coming soon" listing for the sweet 11.1-inch widescreen U110 shown at CES for $1,999, configured w/ a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo L7500, 3GB DDR2 RAM and 120GB hard drive. It also has HDD crash protection in case you drop it, plus face recognizing biometric logins. It weighs in at 2.3 pounds, actually a little lighter than the CES spec. If the X300 is a bit too boring or pricey, this might be your ultraportable. [JR via JKontherun]

Lenovo's Entire New ThinkPad Line Leaked, X300 Gets Siblings

Mark Wilson — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:49:00 EDT

A few months back, we broke news on Lenovo's ultra-thin, ultra-functional X300 laptop. Now we've gotten an update on what the company's been up to during the interim. All of their lines are seeing a major refresh, but the biggest news is that starting this September, the famous X300 will have a family.

Soon joined by the 12-inch X200, the 14.1-inch X400 and the 15.4-inch X500 (all armed with 45nm Penryn processors), customers will be able to pick the precise display size of their choice on one of the most lust-worthy laptops on the market. The X-Series will also feature HSDPA and EVDO, 25% improved battery life, beefy 6MB L2 cache and lots of fanboy drool.

Here's the rest on Lenovo's new ThinkPad line-up:

R-Series (refreshed)
This line will continue representing the entry level. We're light on specs, but we know it will include the R400 (5.1lbs) and R500 (6.4lbs). Expect these to be refreshed in July 2008.

T-Series (refreshed)
This line will continue to represent the mid-range, featuring 256 or 512MB ATI HD3650 discreet graphics that can be turned off to conserve battery life. We don't have sizes, but the T400 will weight 4.3lbs and the T500 will clock in at 5.8lbs. Shipping starts June 3rd, 2008.

W-Series (brand new)
The W-Series is a completely new line. Where the "W" used to stand for "Widescreen," now it stands for "workstation replacement." Described to us as less bulky than similar machines from Dell, the 15-inch W900 will feature the same discreet graphics as the T-Series. A 17-inch version is in the works for the future.

And here's the good stuff:

Many or All Models Will Have:
• 6MB of L2 cache
• Turbo Memory option (think Ready Boost, up to 2GB)
• Blu-ray drive option
• Two PCI Express Slots
• 1.6GHz DDR3 RAM
• LED Backlighting (excludes R Series)
• HSDPA and EVDO (Lenovo claims to have no deals with Sprint)
• 9 cell batteries (same form factor as former 6-cell, 25% more life)
• GPS, WiMAX, and wireless USB are scattered through models
• The x300's solid state hard drive option (excludes W)

Lenovo is starting new ThinkPad manufacturing in May so that there are plenty of units to fuel demand. And from the sound of it, some of the X300's most appealing features are making their way to the entire ThinkPad line. We're just wondering what the pricing will look like between the X200 and X300. Will we be paying a premium for size or for screen space?

Thanks Odd Job!

Is WiMax All Washed Up? An Open Letter

Adrian Covert — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Dear Sprint and Intel,
I'm sorry to hear about your recent WiMax delays and struggles, I really am. The Xohm service was originally scheduled to launch this month, but all you've given us are a few prototypes and half-baked demos in controlled environments—the public has yet to see the technology truly in action. WiMax in general and Xohm in particular have the potential for greatness, but you guys seem to have lost your way. Here are all the signs that WiMax may be washed up:

• When the rollout is already slower than people initially hoped, the aforementioned delays are never good.

• Aside from the Nokia N810, Asus Eee PC and Everex Cloudbook, Xohm lacks any mainstream WiMax-compliant devices, and we were hoping CTIA 2008 would be a good time to hear about them. An infrastructure is only as good as its end-user products (and vice-versa).

• Speaking of that, where are Intel's WiMax-compatible chips? What about the 20% of 2008 devices scheduled to have WiMax? What about the Montevina chipsets allegedly eagerly awaited by Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Panasonic and Toshiba? WiMax needs some love from its $2 billion champion.

• Xohm partners we spoke to were under the impression that a full Xohm demo would be set up for CTIA. However, Wired's Joe Brown attended Nokia's press conference and noted the N810 WiMax Edition Tablet was demoed over Wi-Fi. What's up with that?

• Similarly, while previewing the N810's HAVA Player at Nokia's booth, the Hava rep told me he was using Wi-Fi for demos because the Xohm booth just across the hall didn't have a strong enough WiMax signal. Laptop Magazine even suffered dropped connections inside the Xohm booth. What ever happened to 10Mbps at 10 kilometers?

• The WiMax demos that did work seemed promising, but the people running the booth operated with a healthy amount of paranoia. We weren't allowed to get too hands-on and they tried to kill our photos, suggesting perhaps things weren't as fully functional as they seemed.

• An early WiMax service rolled out in Australia last month suffered an EPIC FAIL, quickly closed up shop and prompted the CEO to say "WiMax may not work." Could Xohm be suffering from similar problems?

• WiMax's direct 4G competition, LTE, chosen by America's two biggest and most powerful wireless carriers, already seems to be gaining steam, not to mention showing well in recent demos.

So guys, anything we can do to help? I want the future of technology to actually make it to the future. Lord knows I'd feel better knowing I could play World of Warcraft lag-free while sitting in the middle of the Mojave Desert, not that I own WoW or plan to visit the Mojave Desert, but you never know. Seriously, just give me my damn WiMax already!!

Signed,
Adrian Covert

IdeaPad U8 from Lenovo Has Intel's Atom, GPS, EDGE

AddyDugdale — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:22:00 EDT

This is the IdeaPad U8 from Lenovo. With Intel's Atom chip inside it, the Mobile Internet Device has an optical mouse to let you fiddle one-handed, supports 3G and EDGE, has GPS, a 4.8-inch touchscreen, a Paul Smith-esque striped back (hope that stays) and an annoying ambient bongo player (either that goes or I do.) Video after the jump.

Engadget also reckons you'll be able to make phone calls as well, and that it's Linux-based. I couldn't possibly comment. [UMPCPortal and Engadget]

Dealzmodo: Thinkpad Laptops and Tablets up to 50% Off at Lenovo Outlet

Sean Fallon — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:30:07 EDT

If you need a new laptop and you are pressed for cash, or you enjoy the heart-pounding thrill of values, the Lenovo outlet is having a firesale on new R, T, X and Z series laptops and X series tablets—many of which are being sold at 50% off. Who knows how long the deals will last, so you had better jump on 'em while you can. [Lenovo Outlet via Crunchgear via JkOnTheRun]

Lenovo's Official X300 Comparison vs. MacBook Air Shows Why It's Better For Business Dudes

Jason Chen — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:55:59 EST

You saw the 5 takes on the Lenovo X300, the X300 benchmarked vs. the MacBook Air, and even Mossberg's review, but what does Lenovo think about the comparisons between the two laptops? Well, obviously, they think their machine is better, but the reasons given for why it's better appeals to Lenovo's core audience—the traveling corporate worker—and not the MacBook Air's core audience, weaklings who like shiny laptops. Hit the jump for a big version of the image and realize that these two aren't really competing for the same credit cards. [Thanks Justin!]

5 Takes On the Lenovo ThinkPad X300

Mark Wilson — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:25:20 EST

After Apple stole the show with their amazing Macbook Air, it was easy to overlook Lenovo's announcement of their own 0.73 inch thick, 3ish pound laptop—that, by the way, features a 13.3-inch display, 64GB SSD, DVD burner, EVDO, WiMax, GPS, 3 USB ports, and a blessed swappable battery.

And at $2,680.00 (2GB configuration), it may seem a bit expensive...but compared to the Macbook Air's $3,098.00 (solid state configuration), it seems like a steal. So what did the reviewers think? Here are five takes on the ultraportable:

PCMag
Like the MacBook Air, the X300's wider dimensions allow not only for a bigger screen but also for a full-size keyboard, and who better to take advantage of this than the makers of the ThinkPad keyboard. It's arguably the best typing experience on a laptop keyboard, better than the Air's oversize phone-pad keys.

CNET
The matte-finish display itself features a 1,440x900 native resolution that's sharper than that of the MacBook Air and other similarly sized screens, resulting in text and icons that are a bit smaller than you'd expect...The trade-off: more screen real estate for multitasking and, when it's time for a break, beautiful video.

CMP Channel
It's cool. Not stylistically, but thermodynamically. Two hours into testing, running a movie, the keyboard's temperature never got above 86 degrees and the fan vents never climbed above 92 degrees. The only way this could run cooler was if it were dead.

Notebook Review
How about this, the X300 actually has good sound and speakers that are well positioned! For an ultra thin notebook, that's astounding...ThinkPad X300 equipped executives will never have to tote their external speakers to watch DVDs by night in their hotel rooms again.

Walt Mossberg
I can recommend the X300 for road warriors without hesitation, provided they can live with its two biggest downsides: a relatively paltry file-storage capacity and a hefty price tag.

- It's too bad that the X300 didn't hit the market with something other than the solid state drive option. Shave several hundred off the price and you'd have a total Air killer on your hands. But if you have the money and like the OS (XP comes stock, by the way), it seems like the Lenovo X300 is a no-brainer.

ThinkPad X300 Now Available for Just $2,404

Jesus Diaz — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:24:11 EST

MacBook and MacBook Pros may be coming later today to the Apple Store, but the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 is available now at the Lenovo online store, starting at a "sale price" of $2,404 instead of $3,006 (Lenovo's "previous price") or Mossberg's $2,476 quote. Full configurations after the jump.

ThinkPad X300 13 inch widescreen with integrated graphics and DVDRW Price: $2,488.80
System processor[1]
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo SL7100 (1.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB)

Display type
13.3 WXGA+ TFT (LED backlight) 3x3 UltraConnect II

System graphics
Intel® Graphics Media Adapter X3100

Total memory[8]
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)

Hard Drive[4]
64 GB Solid State Drive

Fixed Bay Device[5]
Ultrathin DVD Burner

Wireless Card[10]
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG (supporting Centrino Pro)

Battery[60]
ThinkPad X300 Series 3 Cell LiPolymer Battery

ThinkPad X300 13 inch widescreen with integrated graphics and 3 cell bay battery
Price: $2,404.80
System processor[1]
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo SL7100 (1.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB)

Display type
13.3 WXGA+ TFT (LED backlight) 3x3 UltraConnect II

System graphics
Intel® Graphics Media Adapter X3100

Total memory[8]
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)

Hard Drive[4]
64 GB Solid State Drive

Fixed Bay Device[5]
ThinkPad X300 Series 3 Cell LiPolymer Bay Battery

Wireless Card[10]
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG (supporting Centrino Pro)

Battery[60]
ThinkPad X300 Series 3 Cell LiPolymer Battery

[Lenovo]

Lenovo X300 Benchmarked Versus MacBook Air

Jason Chen — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:20:28 EST

Although Mossberg's Lenovo X300 vs. MacBook Air fight compared things like weight, portability, inputs and functionality, it didn't compare the thing that power users care about—performance—in absolute numbers. Notebook Review did. In their CPU benchmark, the Air finished the test in 68 seconds while the X300 took an almost double the time at 118 seconds. Things flipped around when they tried another benchmark.

When using the PCMark05 bench, the X300 took the lead once again at 3,467 points, beating the Air, which had 2,478 points. Part of the reason why the Air did worse in the PCMark05 test, which scores based on all the system's components such as the "processor, hard drive, memory and OS." Their Lenovo contained a solid state drive, but their MacBook Air did not, which makes us wonder if the gap would be closer if they re-did the test with a SSD-enabled version. [Notebook Review]

Question of the Day: Lenovo X300 or the MacBook Air?

Sean Fallon — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:40:39 EST

An interesting battle is brewing between the upcoming Lenovo X300 and the MacBook Air. The esteemed Walt Mossberg has already threw in his two cents, and now you can too—complete with a fancy percentage breakdown. So which is it going to be? Are you in Lenovo's corner or Apple's?

First Video Walkthrough of the Lenovo X300

Brian Lam — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:54:32 EST

Laptop Mag posted this nice little tour of the Lenovo X300. Looks great, covering so many of those shortcomings of the Apple Airbook, at the cost of more girth. The guy in the video hefts it around, making it implicitly clear that it is not nearly as thin as the Air, but what's a few more millimeters? The bigger issue for me will be Windows Vista. A Mac OS X powered Lenovo x300 is the magic unicorn I want to ride. Professionally. Just saying. [Laptop Mag]

Lenovo X300 vs MacBook Air Mossberg Bitchfight

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:08:19 EST

After rediscovering the Lenovo X300, the Mighty Mossberg has analyzed it, inevitably pitting it against the Apple MacBook Air in a classic fight of blood, dead and more blood and dead. And you know exactly what the outcome is.

Here are the main points of the Lenovo X300, compared to the MacBook Air, according to Señor Don Walt Mossberg:

• Is thicker than MacBook Air. Winner: MacBook Air.
• Is heavier than MacBook Air. Winner: MacBook Air.
• Has less battery life in both tests and normal use (so much for SSD.) Winner: MacBook Air.
• Has way more ports. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has built-in DVD possibility. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has SSD drive built-in. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has WiMax connectivity. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has USB Wireless. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has GPS location-finding. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has higher screen resolution. Winner: Lenovo X300.
• Has a screen that stands up higher, leaving less viewing angle while travelling on plane. Winner: MacBook Air.
• Has slower processor. Winner: MacBook Air.
• Doesn't use Mac OS X Leopard. Winner: MacBook Air.
• Is more expensive at $2,476 with half battery and without DVD. It has SSD, but it doesn't add any advantage. More popular configuration is $3,000 with full battery and DVD drive. MacBook Air base model is $1,799. Winner: MacBook Air.

That's seven wins each. Does this mean there's no winner? It may look like technical tie, but my feeling is that he prefers the MacBook Air. At the end, it's all about the software and Walter Mossberg preference for Leopard (which could be debatable, even while I agree with him) plus the price, physical specs and battery life, makes the MacBook Air come ahead.

Still, it seems that both computers are right and wrong. At the end, it all depends on your personal taste, priorities and pet peeves. Or as Caesar Mossberg politely puts it: if you have the money and "you're happy with Windows," the Lenovo X300 is a "notable engineering accomplishment." [All Things D]

Backstory and Teardown of the Lenovo X300 (Components By Weight!)

Brian Lam — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:10:53 EST

Here's an interesting bit: The Lenovo x300 almost had the old IBM butterfly keyboard of old. This detail and others were revealed in a Businessweek cover story on the ultrathin, quickly being recognized as the antithesis to the Apple Air. The piece has a lot of other interesting background, like the above info graphic of a teardown with weight for each component. Also, it nearly had a 10-inch screen.

Businessweek's headline confuses me, a bit: Building the Perfect Laptop. David Hill, father of the x300 and chief Lenovo designer says, "I'm a bit tired of looking at silver computers. I'd never wear a silver business suit." The comparison is lost on me. Many of the people the Air was designed for simply wouldn't wear a business suit; why is wearing a suit a given for computer user? Sounds like the same kind of thinking that kept IBM trailing in the personal computer race before Windows. The piece is worth reading, especially for the opening section where the Lenovo people, tuned into Macworld Keynote coverage, scrambled to see if the x300 also fit into a manila envelope. It did. [BusinessWeek via BBG, more X300 on Giz]

Butterfly Keyboard: