Lenovo Could Remake the ThinkPad X300 With Current Technologies 219
MojoKid writes: The ThinkPad brand has been around for a long time; the first model was introduced by IBM way back in 1992. And although technological advances over the past two decades have lead to Lenovo ThinkPads that are lighter, much faster, and highly more cable than any model in the early 1990s could have ever imagined, there's still a clear visual link between yesteryear and today with regards to design cues. Well, apparently, Lenovo is seriously toying with the idea of making a "unique" model that would incorporate some of the strong ThinkPad language that has been erased in recent years. "Imagine a blue enter key, 7 row classic keyboard, 16:10 aspect ratio screen, multi-color ThinkPad logo, dedicated volume controls, rubberized paint, exposed screws, lots of status LEDs, and more. Think of it like stepping into a time machine and landing in 1992, but armed with today's technology." It might not be for everyone but some execs at Lenovo think there might be a market for it.
Holy Cow (Score:5, Insightful)
Shut up and take my money!
Re:Holy Cow (Score:5, Interesting)
The biggest thing that could help the X301 replacement would be price. They've got experience with Netbook form factors, and with tablet and convertible tablet form factors, so if they can keep the price down along with the weight then it could be a good choice if they can also keep it durable.
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Just reformat the hard disk and install Linux. Job done.
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My brother has a thinkpad that came with win 3.1 but was somehow upgraded to 95 siting on a bookshelf when ever I go over to his house I have to plug it in and boot it just to see if it still works. He wanted me to put linux or something on it to make it useful again but all it has is a 3.5 floppy.
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Just get a PCMCIA network card and use network boot disks - still available for some distros. I think at least Debian still provides them.
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I broke the cable on mine plugging it into an ethernet port on a badly built computer; one of the little tags that fold over on the case was in the socket.
The irony being that (as I know now) it wouldn't have worked anyway.
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I have a brand new T-series and while the keyboard is mediocre, the truly awful part is the spring loaded touchpad. You can't just use the trackpoint either because the buttons are built into the bouncy touchpad which has a terrible time registering clicks.
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What makes the newer keyboards mediocre is the change in layout, not the keys. The new layout removes some keys and changes the position of some others. Some models even have dedicated function keys removed. This, along with the removal of switches and indicator lights, is an attempt by Lenovo to out-Apple Apple in sleekness -- at some point you're just removing functionality that will be missed. The hardware minimalism has gone too far (and in the case of missing airplane-mode switches, robs of useful secu
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At work we use Lenovo. I haven't met a single person that likes the "clickpad". Tap to click works ok for left clicks (like any other touchpad). I struggle to get right click to work. I go to right click and the cursor always moves off the target.
Highly more cable (Score:2)
Lenovo ThinkPads that are lighter, much faster, and highly more cable than any model
As in wall-hugger?
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>> Re:Highly more cable
Do NOT Google that.
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>> Re:Highly more cable
Do NOT Google that.
"My god... It's full of Liefeld!"
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highly more cable (Score:4, Funny)
"have lead to Lenovo ThinkPads that are lighter, much faster, and highly more cable"
I would've thought modern Lenovo's would be highly more WiFi than cable
First Thinkpad (Score:5, Funny)
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I had the same thing. Then I installed Windows 95 and finally it was useless
Re:First Thinkpad (Score:5, Insightful)
That's exactly the reason I would hesitate with this throwback thinkpad, and haven't owned one in almost 2 decades. I just don't have the time nor desire to carry around a cinder block with me everywhere I go anymore. Back then it was cute because people would notice I'm a geek who could afford nice tech. Today a ThinkBrick is just too impractical.
It's also rather impractical to slide your brand new cell phone in your pocket only to watch it bend.
Presumably this is the result of two identical twins who entered the marketing arena about five years ago. One of them stood in a corner and started screaming "LIGHTER! LIGHTER!" while the other one ran to another corner and started screaming "THINNER! THINNER!". They haven't fucking shut up since.
Of course common sense tried to talk them off the ledge, but got trampled by the consumer mob of idiots who now put fashion over function every time, hence the reason Lenovo execs are drooling over something as superficial as a blue enter key.
16 cores and the latest 3D memory you say? Yeah, fuck all that, I'm just here for the rubberized paint.
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"It's also rather impractical to slide your brand new cell phone in your pocket only to watch it bend." -geekmux
Better than becoming a hunchback from lugging around a Thinkbrick. I'll let my phone's warranty deal with the cost of being able to wear skinny jeans.
Forget the warranty issue, defending those fashion choices says it all.
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It wasn't too long ago that the ThinkPad T-series had a magnesium cage inside protecting all the parts, and stainless steel hinges that would not break. Don't know if that's still the case now, but Lenovo kept to that when HP and Dell went with cheap plastic shit that would wear out through normal use, much less any form of accident or abuse.
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hear hear
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WAT? (Score:3, Funny)
Insensitive clods.
*Please* don't use the old-style keyboard light! (Score:5, Insightful)
Neat idea. But please ditch the old keyboard light. It was cute back in the 90ies, but seriously not anymore.
Individually lighted, dimable keys please. If Apple can do it, so can you.
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I say move the lights to the sides of the screen and use a backlit keyboard. This allows for a document to be lit next to the laptop (this would be nice for gaming in the dark when taking notes).
And put a light on both sides rather than pandering to right-handed people...
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For a technical user why are lights even needed?
Because wiring closets are often poorly lit, and some of us work in the real world. I've been a lab administrator, that's nice work. It's not all work.
I have a macbook from work and find it incredibly annoying the damn keyboard lights won't stay off.
That's funny given that macs are supposed to just work, but how does it reflect on the concept of a backlit keyboard that doesn't suck?
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Gosh, you are the most awesome person ever. Can I subscribe to your newsletter? Man, I wish I was as cool as you.
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Because wiring closets are often poorly lit.
Somebody mod that up. I got no points when I need them.
I might add, lights also come in handy when servicing blackouts and your UPS's are gasping their last breath, and on red-eye flights.
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Neat idea. But please ditch the old keyboard light. It was cute back in the 90ies, but seriously not anymore.
Individually lighted, dimable keys please. If Apple can do it, so can you.
I prefer top lighting, but it doesn't really matter. It is a feature I use only a few times a year.
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They do that. My broadwell X1 Carbon has nicely backlit keyboard (though I never use it).
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i've had thinkpads with both the top led and the backlit keyboard. I prefer the latter, but it is quite nice to have the LED illuminate your work space a little. Maybe there could be room for both.
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I never liked Apples Keyboard light, I ended up disabling it. As when it there is dim light, the keyboard letters are at the same light color as the key background making it hard to read.
The thinkpad light can light up other stuff such as any paper you are looking at too.
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I use the backlit options all the time, don't think I've ever done much but blow past the overhead light though.
Superfish (Score:2)
Would it have superfish and other viruses on there? Because I don't really remember IBM doing that. Lenovo might want to leave the Communist malware off. Or maybe they don't want to.
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Think before embarrassing yourself.
Re: Superfish (Score:2)
at least the name superfish isnt missleading, if not ironic.
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Note that Lenovo gets blame, and Superfish gets blame, but let us not forget that the critical flaw originated with Komodia, which managed to get their mistake into more than just Superfish. People who didn't even have superfish were exposed to the exact same problem.
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California is in America.
**drumroll**
Superfish is an American company.
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Because it is based in America. It's not a difficult concept. Ask a grown up to explain it to you using sock puppets if you are still struggling with it.
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Give it up. You've lost. It WAS an Israeli company, but it IS a US company. Understand the distinction?
Old keyboard (Score:2)
take my money (Score:2)
16:10 screen on a laptop, where do I sign up ??
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Screw that can I have a 4:3 one please. I still hang onto my 1400x1050 14" Toshiba Tecra M5 for this reason.
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If you are buying Lenovo, avoid Ideapad's (Score:2)
Since the post is related, I will take my time to off-topically cast my votes as a consumer:
avoid Lenovo "ideapad" line like you'd avoid hell.
Mine has the worst screen I had ever seen in my life - worst contrast and highest reflection ever!
(it can't beat a generic sub $ 60 Chinese Android tablet's). Sound volume is poor almost as if non-existent,
keyboard build is flimsy.
Just say NO. And even if going to other Lenovo product lines, I'd be extra careful checking the overall building.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:no, just stop. (Score:5, Informative)
Superfish should be all the average slashdotter needs to know about this company
Now you need to stop. The average slashdotter already knows that the Lenovo / superfish problem never included any ThinkPad laptops, period. It included basically every non-ThinkPad laptop made by Lenovo but no ThinPad ever shipped with superfish installed.
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Superfish was never on the ThinkPads. I agree it reflects poorly on the company moral, but at least they know better than to try anything like that on their holy cash cow.
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One: Superfish was not exactly a Lenovo invention, it was crap shovelware that was gimped by their use of highly insecure Komodia (which also got their insecure interception into other products, just Superfish via Lenovo was the most notorious vector). All the PC/laptop vendors were basically playing russian roulette with crapware to get costs down and Lenovo lost. The somewhat silver lining is that it was a wake up call to the industry that crapware comes with a very real and very high risk.
Two: Superfis
701c or go home (Score:2)
give us the butterfly! The only cool IBM laptop.
Blue enter key? Are you kidding me?
Also, some OS/2
And a steam release, pressure gauge, and governor (Score:2)
I mean, if you're going to go old school, you need to go old school.
FWIW, I thought the colored stuff on the old thinkpads was pretty awful anyway. Kind of how we knew parachute pants and double shoulder pads were a bad idea. Fun to look back and laugh at, but not something we really need to bring back.
Aritcle about a POSSIBLE new product??? (Score:2)
Worse, the vaporware they are talking about doesn't even have anything new - it's just talking about design elements and style - that a company MIGHT return to.
Hey, can I write an article about a theoretically possible new car that has an expresso machine built into the engine, using it for heat?
How about my pipe dream of a house where all the furniture is built into the walls?
Link to original Lenovo Post (Score:5, Informative)
Thinkpads are not really customizable (Score:5, Informative)
After buying some Thinkpads X230, I discovered that I can only use the mini-pci slot with cards approved by Lenovo, and included in their stupid BIOS whitelist.
I won't buy a Thinkpad again until Lenovo stops this abhorrent practice.
And please, no more excuses for this behavior.
This could never happen with an opensource BIOS.
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Rumour says the PCI whitelist is no longer the case in the latest generation Thinkpad. I haven't tried it out myself personally though.
http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog... [lenovo.com]
Regulatory approval issue? (Score:2)
I got burned by this trying to switch someone with cheap ThinkPad Edge systems over to 5GHz - turned out those cheap systems were sold with no choice of wireless, so the whitelist was very short. We ended up replacing some net
Or... (Score:2)
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How about an Amiga made with current technology?
Amiga fanatic from way back here.
When you say "Amiga with current technology", what exactly are you referring to?
Both CPU lines the Amiga used are dead.
The true power of the Amiga was how the custom chips worked together; those chips hit an evolutionary dead end about the time Windows 95 was released
The OS, whilst remarkable at the time, is sadly lacking in comparison to today's OS's in terms of services offered (think TCP/IP, for a start)
Amiga, Inc [amiga.com] have tried many iterations of a business plan to get going
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Steve Jobs once said the Amiga was an inspiration for the NeXT computer (as I recall, he was quoted in BYTE magazine). What made the NeXT really interesting was not just on the software side (with heavy object-orientation and display postscript) but also in its hardware: DSP, smart IO controllers and plenty of DMA channels echo the Amiga's coprocessors attached to DMA channels.
Still has the Fn key where it doesn't belong! (Score:2)
I've always hated the Fn key position, I use the Ctrl key way to often to like that.
That being said my W540 is the best laptop I've ever used.
Do it. (Score:5, Insightful)
That may not be fun feedback; but it's important to know your strengths; and your limits.
I'll buy one now (Score:5, Interesting)
Please Lenovo, take my money. :-)
Seriously, this may end up a very good example of a company finally getting the message and listening to what customers want. I have been a huge ThinkPad fan for ages, even when they were made by IBM and impossible to afford unless your company bought one for you. The last three generations of ThinkPad T-series models have taken away the traditional IBM keyboard (although the replacement is still half-decent), TrackPoint buttons and LED indicators, probably in an attempt to look like a MacBook Pro. The last model (T450/550) restored the buttons on the TrackPoint, but still lacks the lower physical buttons on the touchpad.
All this time, all the traditionalists have bitterly complained and taken their money elsewhere. I'm living with the T540p now, hate the touchpad but I can't find another non-rugged laptop that can take the daily abuse it gets. (Funny note - being a product engineer for our company, I just had a meeting with a bunch of product managers last month. Each one of them had an identical MacBook Air. I hauled out my monster ThinkPad, and they said, "Heh, we need to get you a new laptop.")
It's kind of like Windows 8. Yes, _most_ people like shiny flashy things; that's why Apple products sell well. But there's another market segment that appreciates solid design and functionality. Alienating these people, who have just as much money to spend as the shiny flashy people do, is a good way to lose customers!
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Yes, _most_ people like shiny flashy things; that's why Apple products sell well.
Yeah. 75 million people per quarter buy Apple products because they're shiny and flashy.
It couldn't possibly be because they're also solidly designed and functional.
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Most of the traditionalists don't hate Apple products -- I don't, I have an iPhone and a MacBook at home. The problem is that Lenovo just saw Apple as the design leader, when the reality is that they are the design leader _in the market segment they're famous for catering to._ ThinkPads are workhorses, boring solid business laptops that people in that segment like. Turning them into a consumer-focused MacBook clone to chase some kind of hipster cred that is exclusively the domain of Apple made them not appe
Don't forget the other modern change... no qa (Score:2)
Thinkpads used to be good, but after having been burned and/or frustrated by several recent Lenovo purchases, I'm loathe to buy from them again. Doesn't seem to matter what it is... servers... laptops... it seems that all their care about nowadays is that when you push the power button it turns on. Whether it works properly after that is a different question entirely.
If the original Thinkpads were released with the quality Lenovo puts out now, they would never have been heralded as the durable workhorse t
Sign me up! (Score:2)
Perhaps Lenovo reads their mail. I have sent many suggestions to them like this.
Spot-on (Score:2)
innovation (Score:2)
Not sure if this is actually an innovation, but it is a rare attempt to 'think different'. Remember that phrase? As an Apple evangelist for 36 years, I appreciate anything that goes beyond 'clone' status. Anyone who moves technology forward. Do we want adventurous leaders in our industry or do we want commodity followers?
16:10 (Score:2)
16:10 again? Yes please very much.
None of those things sound like 1992... I don't think there even *were* widescreen laptops in 1992? I certainly never saw them, at least - was all 4:3 back then. I don't remember seeing too many 16:10 laptop screens until the mid-2000s?
16:10 is definitely my preferred aspect ratio, so if this were to happen, and I could get it with everything else I would want in a laptop (17" screen, decent graphics card, SSD primary and large HDD secondary drive) for a reasonable price, I
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I second that. Anything between 16:10 and 4:3 would be an improvement. 16:9 doesn't suit the presentation of data.
I like the idea but for one thing (Score:2)
I can't go back to a laptop without touch. I still have and use my thinkpad T500 as a test machine. Every time I use it for more than a few minutes I tap the screen and feel frustration that it doesn't do what I want. Touch should just be standard these days.
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If they can match quality... (Score:2)
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I might get crucified but.. (Score:5, Interesting)
If I want to buy a laptop and want to use it regularly for a long time without having to think about buying another, I buy a Thinkpad.
I'm buying! Give me two!!!11 (Score:2)
An ideal notebook will have:
1) a MATTE screen (no glassy nonsense, please!), preferably 4:3 (important for people who actually DO the job on the notebook instead watching films)
2) traditional, normal, sane keyboard (no ridiculous chicklet, please!)
3) decent computing power
4) standard power cable (like on all other Thinkpads)
5) ability to disassemble the whole thing with a screwdriver
And like other Slashdotters
Stand in line to purchase it? Where? (Score:2)
Though if they can make a new X300 and put it in ultrabook pricing, I would rush to their website to make it mine.
How is this a "throwback"? (Score:2)
I'm confused. I have a T320. It's about three years old. With two minor changes, the "mock-up" picture is identiacl to my T520. The only differences I can see are the ugly "ThinkPad" logo which in no way is reminiscent of the old, multicolor IBM logo.and the status LEDs being moved from the bottom edge of the lid to the keyboard where they replace the useless "ThinkVantage" button.
Identical TrackPad and buttons. Identical fingerprint reader. Not very different. Makes me wonder what the latest ThinkPads look
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The trackpad is useful. The Window and Menu keys can be used with keyboard shortcut combinations. Taking away functionality that users have grown accustomed to and is expected by the OS is not a good business decision.
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Why? Is the cheerleader open source?
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when was the last time you used Linux?? Running Ubuntu Mate on a T61p right now, never skipped a beat from the moment it was install.. Compare that to my POS win7 work laptop that has been higly crappified by security and you'd choose linux everyday too.. Apple bahhh walled garden
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+1 to that.
Windows is no longer useful to the power user or developer in a corporate environment (that doesn't grok these things), just because security policy will usually demand that your computer is made to be useless, because an unrestrained computer is a powerful general purpose tool, and in most people's hands, a powerful tool is going to lead to unpleasant injuries fairly quickly.
The effort then required to work around the security so you can actually do your job gives me an acid stomach. The new fad
Re: Literally the only useful thing to me (Score:2)
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And the policy has a lot to do with the OS and the design of it's default apps, which encourage people to shoot themselves in the foot.
* No "executable" flag for files
* Hiding file extensions by default
* The whole notion of embedding arbitrary binary code in webpages (ActiveX)
* Training people to click "yes" on everything by spamming approval dialogs for everything
Even as a local administrator, and with the rights to approve of any executable, this whitelisting software was an obstacle. And sucked performan
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As far as OS you might want to give Linux Mint a try. They do a respectable job of polishing Ubuntu into a quite capable system.
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It's impossible to know if it's doing anything at times and it's frustrating as hell.
You mean a HDD light? Then why not an USB light, CPU light or RAM light?
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Really wishing that my ThinkPad x61T were a real replacement for my Fujitsu Stylistic ST-4121 --- features I need:
- better stylus implementation (Wacom EMR is fine, so long as it's done well, Samsung certainly has this down, Toshiba w/ Wacomâ(TM)s new AES has done well)
- daylight viewable display --- that's the big failing on most machines now, one can only get a true daylight viewable display on rugged machines sold to (and priced for) military, LEO and construction
Ye olde EEE slate had both of these features in one package, but it's pretty poky. Fujitsu T900 will let you have wacom pen plus daylight viewable or you can have wacom pen+touch without daylight viewable, plus it's really thick and heavy. Maybe there's something newer that doesn't suck?
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Mah I considered the x1 but the super small laptop isn't for me I need a full sized keyboard and no num pad throwing off the alignment of the keyboard with the screen.. Lights instead of back lit keyboard that just sounds annoying.
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The fact that it has less horizontal resolution makes it better?
Now when they moved to the Wide screen models, it was a fancy trick to lower the Vertical resolution, while offering a larger screen size. But that was when the average Resolution was around 72ppi. Today we are having much higher resolution screens, so going with this model will just cut away your horizontal resolution for you nostalgic feeling.
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