The X100E looks to be a substantial physical redesign from Lenovo, who typically falls so thoroughly on the function side of the form vs function debate that they may not even be aware there is another side. The new chiclet (or “island”) keyboard looks great, much less busy than previous ThinkPad layouts, and the overall design seems to have calmed down significantly. Hell, it’ll even be available in colours. Colours! From Lenovo! (Looks like red, white and black are the extent of the palette, but still).

It should be packing a low-power AMD Athon “Neo” processor, 4GB of memory, up to 500GB of hard drive storage, and boast a 5.1-hour battery life while weighing less than 1.4kg. But the most enticing part has to be the price: Previous ThinkPads have been extremely pricey, often even more than equivalent Macs, yet the X100E is rumoured to come in at $US500 to start. No info quite yet on a release date, but we’ll keep you updated. [Ubergizmo]

Let’s hope this isn’t another disappointing and unholy union of a smartphone and a netbook. There aren’t many details available about the model as Qualcomm intends to truly show it off at CES 2010, but they do explain that the Snapdragon chip will result in “lower price and longer battery life than what netbooks offer”.[PC World via Electronista]

Let’s look at the best-case scenario: The A70z all-in-one. It’s thoroughly unremarkable in specs, offering a 19-inch LCD (isn’t that kind of small these days? Not that the iMac’s insane 27-inch model should be the benchmark, but still…), up to a Core 2 Duo processor, and up to 500GB storage in a decent-looking if not particularly noteworthy package (pictured above). It also boasts of a fast startup and shutdown time and is only 2.4 inches thick (the new iMac is about an inch thick, for reference, though of course it costs several times more). The A70z will start at $US500, which sounds pretty cheap, but the base model is likely to include a Celeron proc and a much lower-capacity HDD, for starters, so don’t get too excited. The Acer Z5610, for example, costs $US800 to start (not that far from an A70z with similar specs) in a much more slick package.

Winning second place (out of two) is the A58e tower. Clearly a $US350 business-oriented tower desktop that boasts of “up to 320GB of data storage, up to 2GB of memory and a DVD burner” isn’t exactly up our alley — but just as music critics must cover the latest Coldplay album, so must we bite the bullet and mention this snoozefest of a computer. Keep in mind that these prices aren’t actually that low: Dell’s base package Vostro desktop tower starts at only $US300, with similar specs.

It’s useless to brand computers like these objectively “good” or “bad”. The A58e and A70z don’t need to have catchy names, or up-to-the-minute specs, or eye-catching designs or even prices that are all that low. They will be bought, and they will be used. They will churn out Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoints and TPS reports, and they will suffice for those duties. They will provide no joy, unless you are a goofy salesman who sends adorable emails back and forth with your office’s frumpy-yet-cute receptionist, and even then it will take about four years before anything happens between you two, so maybe you should just get another job because this one is clearly sucking the life out of you. Yet, they will be bought.

These computers will also match your office’s Mr. Coffee. (Note: Speculation.)

At any rate, the 70z is available from the end of November, and the A58e is available now. [Lenovo]

Lenovo is fleshing out their all-in-one lineup (which already includes the cheaper C100) with the terrifyingly angular IdeaCentre B500. It’s got pretty decent specs, if you don’t want to wait until the new Intel procs take over. The 23-inch 16×9 B500 offers (at its best and most expensive configuration) up to a Core 2 Quad proc, 4GB memory, a 1TB hard drive, DVD or Blu-ray, and an optional TV tuner with remote, in case you want to turn it into a media centre. [Lenovo]

Besides that, it’s got a lot of juice available in options — up to 8GB of memory, 500GB hard drive, Nvidia GeForce GT 240M (1GB) graphics, an integrated subwoofer, and some kind of crazy “touch-sensitive slide bar for easy desktop navigation.” It’ll retail at around $US1400 to start.

It comes with Lenovo Enhanced Experience for Windows 7, basically optimisation that results in faster bootup and shutdown times as well as easier backup.

Lenovo New IdeaPad Laptops and IdeaCentre Desktops Deliver Style, Ease of Use and Multimedia Features for Consumers
New PCs Bundle Lenovo Enhanced Experience Certification for Windows 7 and complementary Intel Processor Technology
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – October 26, 2009: Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (ADR: LNVGY) today unveiled a lineup of new IdeaPad laptops – U150, U550 and Y550P – and IdeaCentre desktops – B500, K300 and H230 – designed to meet the performance, style and usability standards of today’s multi-tasking consumers.
The new Idea PCs combine stylish designs and innovative features enabled by the ultra low power Intel® CoreTM processor family of products and improved performance with an Intel® CoreTM i7 processor. These new products ship with Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system and also include the unique Lenovo Enhanced Experience for Windows 7 – the result of joint engineering by Lenovo in collaboration with Microsoft to provide users with faster system boot and shutdown, richer multimedia features and easy system maintenance tools.
“Our Idea products are designed with the user experience in mind – every aspect of product design and technology is engineered to improve how consumers seamlessly use these products to enrich their daily lives,” said Liu Jun, senior vice president, Idea Product Group, Lenovo. “Today’s additions to the Idea product portfolio are among Lenovo’s most feature-rich and powerful PCs to-date, providing our customers more choices to find the PC that best meets their unique digital lifestyle.”
“Lenovo and Intel share a vision to create products that are faster, lighter, thinner and with longer battery life and delivering them to consumers in the quickest and most cost effective way,” Gregory Bryant, vice president, Sales and Marketing Group, Intel Corporation. “Whether you are looking for ultrathin, stylish laptops with exceptional performance or beautiful and powerful desktops, Lenovo and Intel are working together to deliver Idea products with the right Intel® processor technology inside to meet your needs.”
“As a result of our joint engineering investments, Lenovo is demonstrating their commitment to Windows 7 by making significant improvements in important areas like start-up, shutdown and resume times. We congratulate Lenovo on its work, as we think it will help business customers and consumers benefit from a better computing experience on Lenovo’s leading products,” said John Kalkman, vice president of OEM Engineering and Services at Microsoft Corp. “With Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience, customers can be confident that their new PC delivers more of the exciting benefits that Windows 7 has to offer.”
Idea Product Facts
Lenovo’s latest IdeaPad laptops and IdeaCentre desktops meet consumer demands for mobility, added power to effectively multitask, flexibility to support professional and personal computing needs, data security, stylish designs and the latest multimedia features.
IdeaPad Y550P – Cutting-edge power for multimedia on the go
The Y550P is ideal for today’s multi-tasker and the most powerful laptop in Lenovo’s consumer portfolio. The Y550P is Lenovo’s first notebook to use the new Intel Core i7 processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology1 that automatically speeds up the processor when the PC needs extra performance. This high-performance laptop also features powerful NVIDIA discrete graphics, a 15.6inch HD widescreen display, Dolby® Home TheaterTM surround sound, and unique Lenovo tools like SlideNav – a touch-sensitive bar above the
keyboard that makes it faster and easier to navigate programs, documents and shortcuts, or even quickly change the desktop wallpaper on users’ systems.
IdeaPad U150 – Slim and chic portability
The U150 is just 13.5mm thick and weighs only 1.35kg2, yet under the textured red or black cover lies a range of features designed to strike the right balance between mobility and functionality. The ultraportable U150 with an energy-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo processor offers up to 8GB DDR3 memory, 11.6in HD widescreen display and long battery life. The Active Protection System on the U150 helps protect the hard drive if the laptop is dropped or gets bumped. A new version of OneKey Rescue System, Version 7.0, performs data backups up to twice as fast and includes more powerful antivirus scanning that can be run even before loading the operating system.
IdeaPad U550 – Ultraportable laptop with added flexibility for the office and home
At just 24mm thick and with a 15.6in wide HD wide screen display, the new IdeaPad U550 laptop with Intel Core 2 Duo processor includes a range of features that make it easy for users to transition between work and home use. For example, switchable graphics let users turn their discrete graphics card on and off at the press of a button to better manage PC battery life. Dolby® Sound Room surround-sound via the laptop’s large, integrated speakers brings presentations to life and makes games and movies more enjoyable. The Ambient Light Sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness based on light conditions, reducing strain on the eyes. An integrated DVD drive delivers added flexibility to access and share content. The integrated fingerprint reader and VeriFaceTM facial recognition software on the U550 provide additional ease of use when logging onto the PC.
IdeaCentre B500 – High performance all-in-one, immersive entertainment experience
Featuring an Intel® CoreTM2 Quad processor, powerful discrete graphics, up to 8GB DDR3 memory and 1TB HDD storage space, the IdeaCentre B500 all-in-one desktop is the ultimate PC for serious gamers and multimedia users. The 23in Full HD screen and high-quality JBL- brand integrated speakers provide a quality viewing experience. Coupled with a 4-in-1 remote control that acts as a motion-drive games controller, VOIP handset, air mouse and media remote, the B500 supports a dynamic multimedia entertainment experience. Additional unique Lenovo features on the B500 include CamSuite, a tool that helps to keep users in the center of the Web camera’s focus and adds special effects to live video feeds.
IdeaCentre K300 – Desktop PC with optimized power and control
The IdeaCentre K300 with the Intel Core 2 Quad processor is a performance desktop loaded with powerful technologies including high-performance RAID configured hard drives for added storage and peace of mind. It also includes the Lenovo Power Control Switch, which makes it simple for users adjust the level of power they need – from all-out performance to more energy-efficient modes.
Lenovo H230 – Functionality at a value price
Available starting at US $299 and equipped with a range of HDD and DDR3 memory configurations, the H230 is designed to offer consumers the perfect mix of performance and value. Integrated tools such as Lenovo Rescue System provide users a worry-free experience by enabling quick and easy data recovery and advanced antivirus technology.
Lenovo U350 and S10-2 – Eye-catching new textures and patterns marry fashion with functionality The IdeaPad U350 ultraportable laptop and S10-2 netbook are now available in a range of new textures and colorful patterns. The U350 can be purchased with a cool, eye-catching cover texture such as brown lizard print, white lamb skin print and red light weave. Using the latest PC cover-painting technology, the popular S10-2 comes in new colorful designs such as pop art, violet floral, red floral, green floral, phoenix, garden, sailing and origami.

[Lenovo]

Lenovo Boosts Digital Entertainment and Personal Productivity with Windows 7-Based PCs
Introduces New ThinkPad SL Laptops for Small to Medium Businesses

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – October 22, 2009: Lenovo today announced that it is now offering a broad portfolio of Think and Idea-branded PCs running the new Windows 7 operating system. Lenovo is also introducing two new ThinkPad laptops geared for the way small to medium businesses (SMB) work.

Packed with performance and the little extras that make a big difference, the new ThinkPad SL410 and SL510 laptops feature crisp and clear 16:9 high definition screens, make voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calls rich and seamless and sport a new look and feel with a matte-finish cover.

Lenovo has certified many of its Windows 7 PCs under the Lenovo Enhanced Experience program. This certification ensures the PCs provide powerful performance, rich multimedia and flexible ease of use. The combination of Windows 7 plus Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience certification represents a significant advancement in digital entertainment and personal productivity for consumers, small-to-medium business (SMB) and large enterprise customers.

“For three years, Microsoft and Lenovo engineers have worked tirelessly together to jointly create a PC experience that is better, faster, more stable and more secure,” said Rory Read, president and Chief Operating Officer, Lenovo. “This has been an unparalleled effort to integrate hardware and software from the ground up. As a result, we’ve created new innovations in touch technology, improved speed and performance across the board and developed a host of other enhancements that will make a meaningful difference to our customers worldwide.”

PCs That Work Hard and Play Hard for the SMB
The new ThinkPad SL laptops are the ideal technology companions for busy, on-the-go SMBs. Powered by Intel Core2Duo processors, these versatile laptops can power the next business meeting or help entertain off the clock. Along with their 16:9 screens, they support bright colours and reduced glare with VibrantView and Anti-glare technology. They also support HDMI and VGA output for high definition and standard external monitor displays. Using the two-finger multitouch touchpad, objects on the screen can be enlarged and minimised easily.

To stay connected 24/7 with business colleagues, family and friends, select models come with 3G connectivity. Ethernet and optional Bluetooth technologies are also offered. For a strong VoIP experience, Lenovo increased the resolution of the cameras, added a microphone mute button and improved the digital microphone for clearer, crisper sounding conversations. The new laptops are also some of Lenovo’s greenest. They are the first ThinkPad laptops to use post-consumer recycled materials, helping keep waste out of landfills, and are rated EPEAT Gold and Energy Star 5.0.

To keep connected, protected and productive, the laptops come with Lenovo ThinkVantage Technologies (TVTs) – a set of hardware and software tools that are particularly helpful for SMB users who often do not have a dedicated IT staff. These tools help make critical activities like connecting to the Internet, managing passwords, recovering data and updating the laptop easy. The laptops include a number of TVTs such as Access Connections, Client Security Solutions, Rescue and Recovery, Presentation Director and System Update. For times when IT help is required, Lenovo’s SMB service offerings include Priority Support and Online Data Backup.

“Customers expect a great PC experience, and that’s what Microsoft and Lenovo have worked together to deliver,” said Steve Guggenheimer, corporate vice president, Original Equipment Manufacturer division, Microsoft Corp. “Our collaboration and joint innovations have resulted in faster and more reliable scenarios so customers can use their PCs in more new and exciting ways.”

A Faster, Richer and Easier Experience
Lenovo Enhanced Experience certified PCs deliver a faster, richer and easier computing experience over identical configuration, non-optimised PCs. Business customers can choose from Think-branded PCs including the ThinkPad T400s, R400 and X200 laptops, X200 Tablet, ThinkCentre A58 and M58 desktops and ThinkStation S20 and D20 workstations.

Enhanced Experience certified PCs start-up significantly faster than identical configuration, non-optimised Lenovo PCs. For example, on select Think PCs, Windows 7 starts up to 56 percent faster compared to running Windows XP or Windows Vista, and shut-down in as little as five seconds.1

The PCs also include multimedia enhancements and easy system maintenance tools on Idea PCs, and performance-optimised ThinkVantage Technologies for advanced productivity and security on Think PCs. For example, Enhanced Experience certified PCs are giving customers a new way to reach out and touch technology with optional multitouch screens on the ThinkPad X200 Tablet and T400s laptop. Equipped with SimpleTap, users can easily manipulate hardware functions through the touch screen. More information on Enhanced Experience can be found here.

Pricing and Availability2
The ThinkPad SL410 and SL510 laptops start at AUD$1199.00 and AUD$1049.00 respectively and are available immediately through Lenovo Business Partners and at www.lenovo.com.au. All prices quoted include GST.

Some stress tests fall way outside the realm of predictable scenarios, and those are our favourites. At Gadgetoff 2009, Lenovo let some guys launch two ThinkPads from a trebuchet, just because. They get destroyed, but fare better than expected.

The team recovered the hard drives from their battered casings, and unfortunately they didn’t boot when inserted into another, less smashed ThnkPad. The data was able to be recovered, and once it was it booted up the laptop fine. Not too bad considering they fell hundreds of feet to the ground. [Thanks, Jeffery!]

Acer—which owns Gateway, eMachines and Packard Bell—scored 11.1 per cent of US computer sales between July and September this year, according to IDC. Gartner puts that figure at 13.9 per cent.

As you can see in the chart above, Garner also puts Dell in the top US spot with a 26.2 per cent share. IDC disagrees, placing HP first (25.5 per cent), Dell second (25 per cent), Apple fourth (9.4 per cent), and Toshiba fifth (8.1 per cent).

The two research firms agree on the rankings of worldwide sales, though their numbers are slightly different.

What’s also interesting is that total sales grew by as much as 3.9 per cent compared to last year. That’s pretty surprising when both predicted the down economy would make us all tech scrooges. Maybe Windows 7 has drummed up interest after all, what do you think? [Gartner Research via BusinessWire | IDC Research via Reuters] [Image Credit]

The Benjamin-a-year plan entitles the user to a service rep to come out next-day, no matter where on the planet you are — provided it’s somewhere reasonable, we’d assume. The tech guy came by his office and fixed exactly what was wrong, basically doing an in-house call that Apple stores, even with their notoriously decent service, couldn’t match. I mean, in-house? And they even ignored the fact that he put Linux on there instead of his original Vista?

He does some caveats on his experience with IBM/Lenovo as a whole, and you can check that out over at BB. [BoingBoing]

Lenovo’s first forays into multitouch are somewhat fresh, but being Lenovos, utterly familiar. The updated X200 is visually indistinguishable from its predecessor, though it’s earned a healthy spec bump across the board: The Core 2 Duo processor is now available at up to 2.13GHz speeds, HDDs now reach up to 500GB while optional SSDs go all the way to 256GB, and two new screen options have been added to the mix: and ultrabright outdoor-friendly panel, and a two-finger multitouch screen—both at 12.1 inches.

Lenovo’s also dragged the much more powerful 14.1-inch T400s business portable into its multitouch experiment, leaving basically otherwise unchanged from when it was announced back in June. However its capacitive touchscreen is itself a game changer as is capable of recognising for fingers on the screen. Don’t believe that?! Good thing we have a full review.

So, about that multitouch option! It’s there! That alone counts for something, but Lenovo’s made sure to give the X200 and T400s something a little extra in the software department, hoping to set them apart from your (soon to be) average Windows 7 multitouch wares. It’s called SimpleTap, and it invokes a pretty little pop-up grid of common functions like Wi-Fi switching, adjusting brightness, changing volume and the like whenever you double-tab the screen.

The refreshed X200 and T400s will be available starting today, with the multitouch versions coming in at $US1654 and $US1999, respectively. Weirdly, SimpleTap won’t be available as a download until October 22nd, but you can probably find a way to enjoy your multitouch tablet without it. [Lenovo]

Lenovo Adds Touch of Simplicity to New MultiTouch Screen ThinkPad PCs

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – September 15, 2009: Lenovo today is bringing business users a new way to work with multitouch screen technology1 on the versatile and portable ThinkPad X200 Tablet PC and slim and powerful ThinkPad T400s laptop. Lenovo is also introducing SimpleTap, an application that brings simplicity to the multitouch screen experience.

“We see now as the right time for multitouch screens on PCs,” said Sam Dusi, vice president, worldwide ThinkPad product marketing, Lenovo. “With touch screens increasingly becoming part of more devices we use routinely and continued improvement of the technology including the integration of touch in the upcoming Windows 7 operating system, the environment for making touch part of our Tablet PC and ThinkPad T400s laptop experience couldn’t be better. We’ve also extended the touch experience with SimpleTap to make frequent hardware-based functions touch-enabled and simple.”

Lenovo also today announced a new defence against the sun for outdoor workers with a new super bright optional screen on the ThinkPad X200 Tablet.

Personalizing Productivity on the PC with Touch

Users can now interact with their ThinkPad PC in a more personal way with multitouch screen technology. Designed for highly mobile users, the optional multitouch screen ThinkPad X200 Tablet caters to individuals in fields such as sales, health care and education. Already supporting one finger touch, these users can now use two-finger touch to perform a variety of gestures, including pinching, zooming, tapping and flicking through documents, web pages and photos instead of using a mouse.

The high performance ThinkPad T400s laptop serves professionals in engineering and design. Now these users can manipulate four fingers on the ThinkPad T400s laptop’s optional multitouch screen to not only replace the mouse but transform the way they work. They can now use four fingers to manipulate objects, move images with two hands and even have another person touch the screen to collaborate simultaneously. As new multitouch applications are introduced, there will be new possibilities for using multitouch screen laptops.

Using advanced capacitive touch, the screens are sensitive and responsive to even the slightest touch of the finger. Lenovo also optimised the firmware to help compensate for slightly imprecise taps on the screen, such as when closing a window or navigating the Start menu, helping make navigation easier for Tablet users. To combat fingerprints, an anti-fingerprint coating helps keep smudges at bay and the screen clean. The multi-touch screens also allow users to enjoy ultra long battery life with up to nine hours on the ThinkPad X200 Tablet.2

With upcoming ThinkPad X200 Tablet models supporting the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, these mobile users can also take advantage of improved predictive text over previous operating systems, improved handwriting recognition in more languages and formula input features for math and scientific equations.

More details on the ThinkPad T400s and X200 Tablet are available at www.lenovo.com.

Adding a “Touch” of Simplicity to Touch Screens

Touch screens are designed to make interaction with a PC natural and intuitive, however, often users must switch between touch screen gestures and pressing hardware buttons. Lenovo designed SimpleTap, a ThinkVantage Technology, to enable uninterrupted use of people’s touch screens by giving them access to hardware-based functions that may be more easily accessed via touch input. For Tablet users, that means staying in tablet mode longer while on-the-go, saving time and being more productive.

To use SimpleTap, simply double tap anywhere on the screen to launch the application. A clean and efficient grid of colorful and transparent square tiles, inspired by the classic 15 Puzzle, opens on top of the work beneath and allows users to choose several hardware-based functions including: turning on or off the wireless radio, ThinkLight and microphone, previewing the camera, enabling mute, adjusting the volume or screen brightness, locking the screen or putting the PC to sleep. To exit SimpleTap, just tap once anywhere on the screen to close the grid and continue working. As a quick access interface, SimpleTap allows users to get in, perform a function and get out quickly.

Designed to be highly customizable, individuals can create their own tiles to enhance their personal productivity. For example, a sales professional could create a tile that launches a sales presentation with just the tap of a finger. A health professional could similarly create a tile that pulls up a patient’s medical information instantaneously. Or a consumer could quickly access his or her favourite website. Users can arrange the tiles however they choose by dragging and grouping them together, and designed to be fun to use, the tiles can even be flicked around the screen.

Click here to see a video demonstration of SimpleTap and here to read more about the design and inspiration behind the application.

Brightening Tablet PC for Outdoor Light

To further extend tablet computing outdoors, users can now choose a super bright outdoor screen that displays images even in direct sunlight. For field engineers, sales professionals, students and others who work outside, outdoor viewability is critical. The new optional outdoor screen on the ThinkPad X200 Tablet offers excellent viewability with a bright 400 nit screen, low 1.2 percent reflectivity and wide viewing angle. Coated with a thin anti-reflective layer, the screen provides crisp and bright images that can easily be seen indoors or outdoors. Mobile workers can also stay productive with the Tablet’s all day battery life.

A photo of the ThinkPad X200 outdoor screen compared with a standard screen can be viewed here.

Pricing and Availability3

The ThinkPad T400s with the multitouch screen and the ThinkPad X200 Tablet with the multitouch screen and the outdoor screen will be available starting immediately through business partners and www.lenovo.com. Pricing starts at approximately $US1,999 for the ThinkPad T400s with the multitouch screen and $US1,654 and $US1,704, respectively, for the ThinkPad X200 Tablet with the multitouch screen and outdoor screen. SimpleTap will be available for download after October 22.