ThinkPad 15th Anniversary !!!
Today is considered the official date to celebrate the anniversary of the ThinkPad’s introduction. A lot has happened in the last 15 years, and we have more planned for the future. As a tribute to this milestone I thought I would list the 15 things I like best about my ThinkPad:
1. The simple black box design that never looks out of style, thanks Richard
2. TrackPoint, every time I try to use a touchpad I get frustrated
3. The best in the industry keyboard
4. My ThinkLight that lets me use my ThinkPad in some of the strangest places
5. Presentation director that simplifies one of the most commonly used tasks
6. Access connections, especially the saved profile function
7. The single handed latch, secure and easy to use
8. The asymmetrical unique ThinkPad logo, dead-center is so ordinary
9. The full screen magnifier function, leave the reading glasses at home
10. Scrolling with the center button and the TrackPoint
11. The integrated fingerprint reader, I’ve never forgotten my finger
12. Rock solid mechanical quality and physical integrity ensures it always works
13. The rubberized finish that feels so good and is easy to clean
14. The extended battery that keeps it running longer
15. Sitting on an airplane next to a guy using a really goofy looking notebook
Feel free to share your own favorites.
David Hill
Lenovo Meet the Modder Dean Liou
Lenovo Meet the modder- Chris Blarsky Dairy 2
Lenovo Meet the modder- Chris Blarsky Dairy 1
Lenovo H320 desktop
October 5th, 2007 7:40 am
- The wireless capabilities: sitting next to a guy enjoying good signal strength whilst he’s not even seeing a network.
- Repair service that actually returns a fully-working machine.
- Technical support and documentation that deserve the name.
- Software updates even when a system is older than a year.
- Image stable hardware platform.
Jan
October 5th, 2007 8:31 am
TrackPoint + ThinkLight combined are the best! The best to do WAH, the best to do WAB (Work at bed)
October 5th, 2007 8:38 am
Congratulations! David you are one of the first Design team members and have worked since the begining with Thinkpad, what an extraordinary work you have done, but please! bring some design innovation in the next models…
October 5th, 2007 2:49 pm
A ThinkPad is the only PC that makes me feel cool enough to be able to hang out with Mac Users.
October 5th, 2007 6:49 pm
I am new to the ThinkPad world with a Z61m and i really like these following features:
- The robustness of the lid
- The gap between the keyboard and the screen
- The WiFi and GLAN activity LEDs which are so often missing on laptops
- The very comfortable keyboard
- The TrackPoint (at first i thought i would never use it… but it is the TrackPad i actually never use)
- The silence of the fan (the hard disk is by far more noisy than the fan, i wish i had a solid state drive instead)
- The black, discreet, almost plain but professional design
October 5th, 2007 9:39 pm
* Drive bays! Want 500GB in your T60? No problem.
* Easy to change the main hard drive.
* Easy to change the keyboard.
* The TrackPoint, of course!
Still don’t like the rubberized finish, though. My A30p still looks like new – and never needs cleaning. Not like the T60p that always looks greasy.
October 6th, 2007 5:52 am
Yeah, I agree with Michael, after the obvious keyboard and trackpoint preferences, the ultrabay gets my vote as one of the best features, i love being able to swap in an additional hard drive or even the legacy ports when required. I’d still like to see a 17″ a-series replacement and get the dual ultrabays back and I think the ultrabay plus should make a comeback with things such as ipod docks.
I think too much is made of the ThinkLight – the only use I ever have for it is to read credit card numbers, if you need it to see the keyboard then learn to type properly. Same goes for the fingerprint sensor, its a gimmick that takes longer than typing a password and only makes it more likely you wont remember your password when you do need it.
Regarding the rubberised finish, make the palmrest material from the reserve edition standard coating for the whole range, when you use it you remember how inferior the plastic on the newer models is.
October 6th, 2007 6:59 am
Thinkpad, Air, Bread, Water, can’t live without them!
October 6th, 2007 1:04 pm
Some functions that i use daily:
Fn F3 for turn of LCD.
Fn F12 hibernation. (i really never shut down Windows, just monthly i make one or two restarts)
Fn F5 for switch of Wireless Radios and access to Access Connections where i have 45 different profiles saved.
Fn F9 for Easy Eject
SuperPower Scheme for extended battery life.
Sound Turn of button.
ThinkLight
Some great features:
Great cooling system, no fan on the bottom! So I can sit with my TP R51 on my knees.
Easy way to change brightness.
TrackPoint
Active Protection
Fn Spacebar for magnification.
One function i never used:
Web navigation buttons
October 6th, 2007 2:47 pm
(About my 560X) – you can take it apart and put back together 25 times without something major going wrong!
October 6th, 2007 8:40 pm
off topic: I’d love to have that “15″-wallpaper on my desktop!
October 7th, 2007 9:41 am
[...] The ThinkPad turned 15! [...]
October 7th, 2007 12:11 pm
The UltraNav, stainless steel hinges, spill-resistant keyboard and Rescue & Recovery (One-button recovery)…
October 7th, 2007 3:09 pm
In this world, there are three kinds of computer, Thinkpad, Macbook and the others.
Keep going! thinkpad, let this legend go on!
expecting a nother 15 year’s legend!
October 8th, 2007 5:39 am
David, you guys should have released a screensaver for thinkpads on this anniversary. I remember seeing the “Eye Bee M” one a few years ago, yet I fail to see any released by lenovo. Paul Rand did an amazing job on designing that bee logo, perhaps you guys should restart including that same screensaver again or introduce a new one. Being a marketing analyst for a company, I can tell you it is a free marketing technique too.
By the way I am very curious to know who designed the lenovo logo, the one in italic font?
Peter
October 8th, 2007 6:45 am
Being able to (confidently) carry my open ThinkPad about from the top of the screen!
October 8th, 2007 2:32 pm
One point was not mentioned so far:
- the complete lack of a blue LED
I found nothing as distracting for working in dark environments as a blue LED.
( I have a T42, I hope they did not change this on the newer models)
October 9th, 2007 1:33 am
> 13. The rubberized finish that feels so good and is easy to clean
You’re kidding, right? Don’t get me wrong; I love the finish, too, but…easy to clean?
I guess I should say that I have (and have long had) a love/hate relationship with this coating/finish, and I can only assume that the problems associated with it are why no current ThinkPad models are coated with it from head-to-toe like the old stalwarts were (770, 600, etc.).
The material attracts fingerprints and dirt like no tomorrow, and no amount of elbow-grease and liberal quantities of rubbing alcohol can make up for that fact. I’m pretty careful when handling it, and have fairly dry hands, but on any TP I’ve owned with that finish, the minute I’ve let any of my friends touch it I’ve ended up regretting it as a shadow of their fingerprint remains indelibly attached it it for the rest of its natural life.
It also scratches and shows wear extremely easily.
I guess all of those scratch and fingerprint marks add character…*sigh*.
BTW, one of the thing you left out of your list is the awesome In-Plane Switching technology used in the FlexView displays. Oh, that’s right; not an option anymore…
– Nathan
October 9th, 2007 3:15 am
Simon – I do that too, I really don’t think we are meant to
Nathan, the rubberised coating on the new models (with the exception of the reserve is very different to the ones from the 600/770, the main reason why that was stopped was because of all the troubles with the coating peeling of the metal after a while, I assume this must have been resolved on the Reserve Edition (it will stick better to plastic than metal), the problem with the coating for you is that it repels any grease – I personally find it easy to clean, whereas the plastic absorbs the grease so after a while some parts become glossy which cannot be cleaned. I love the coating so much i’m going to see if i can fit the Reserve Edition palmrest to a standard X60
October 9th, 2007 9:18 am
Snife & Nathan – check out David’s post Keeping your ThinkPad clean. I hear one of those “Mr. Clean Magic Erasers” works wonders to get the glossy build-up off your keyboard – haven’t tried it myself yet!
October 9th, 2007 12:26 pm
[...] David Hill wrote recently on a Lenovo Blog about the design qualities that make Thinkpads great. Whilst some of these are shared by other laptop manufacturers, I have to say I largely agree – even if mine is supplied ‘free’ for use on company business. After dropping it again the other day (yes, I’m clumsy, sorry boss), it took a huge chunk out of my wooden floor. But after the battery had been popped back in, it spun back up and back to life. Truly amazing. [...]
October 10th, 2007 8:53 am
Longevity. Still using my 240 at home. Looking just a tad underpowered these days but I just haven’t seen another laptop since that I would part with my own cash for.
October 10th, 2007 10:10 am
The last Thinkpad WORST thing: You have put mic & speaker connectors to the front of the notebook. What sick man did invent this?
October 16th, 2007 4:37 am
James have you seen an X60s? i was a big fan of the 240 but the X60s is a similar size but is a powerhouse performance wise. The X60 range are the best ThinkPads ever IMHO, if only the docking station situation could be sorted out as that is my main complaint.
October 17th, 2007 11:33 am
Do you plan to release blutooth versions of the best damn keyboard in the world or not?
The Travel keyboard would be the first candidate. Here is why. As more and more folks use their big screen TV as the center of their multi-media experience – it’s a perfect opportunity to hook them on the best damn keyboard in the world for a low price point. It becomes an introduction to Lenovo products and hooks them on a feature that they won’t give up when they go looking for a laptop in the future. And given the keyboard quality it creates an immediate good impression of the other product lines as well.
October 22nd, 2007 7:54 pm
Re: informatik
I remapped the web-back&web-forward keys to pageup/pagedown and have lived happily ever after.
And who do I like the best? It always works. Maybe it’s not the Mac-type “just works”, but I’m a programmer and can make WXP behave nice, if backed up by a solid hardware.
Only one thing bugs me a lot: Intel wifi card and it’s inability to “just work” – you need to “Repair” the connection each time the machine is recovered from sleep. Disabling power saving is not an option. I’m gonna exchange it for the Atheros one. Too bad you have to market Centrino.
I also like integrated WWAN, but models with this aren’t sold here, so I’m going to install it myself. If I succeed, then it’s going to be my second best feature.
October 22nd, 2007 7:55 pm
Typo: replace “who” with “what”
November 19th, 2007 5:06 am
The temptation of wanting to spill water on the keyboard, just to brag on how nothing happened
November 29th, 2007 7:01 pm
What I love about my thinkpads (X31+R61)?
All but one or two things that are a real design issue:
* The power cable connector.
On my bed, I’m always afraid to broke the connector because of some movements, we need a connector better integrated and rock solid!
* No USB port on the back. Just one please.
December 11th, 2007 6:48 am
I just hate audio connectors on the front…
January 22nd, 2008 6:22 pm
i’m not sure how you can claim the best keyboard in the industry when you have a non-standard function button where the control key should be???
have you guys usability-tested what percentage of your users actually use that button on a regular basis compared to the % of people using thinkpads who keep missing the control key =]
i’m just wondering why that function button can’t go next to the thinkvantage button or somewhere.
also, what’s with the back/forward navigation keys next to the arrow keys? does anyone use them? i know that’s where i usually rest my fingers and accidentally hitting them is now a common occurence.
i think the function button and nav. keys actually rank the thinkpad keyboard below a dell keyboard. man, if dells had a good trackpoint, they would kick arse! as for thinkpad keyboard layouts, they still leave much to be desired.
January 24th, 2008 4:26 am
Just please please reconsider these audio connectors…Like Tomas, I hate it. Just buy a good audio cabel and try to use it for a month and you will see
May 30th, 2008 3:23 am
My favorite: not worrying about my laptop breaking if I drop it – the ultraportable is so much more portable when it can handle a fall worry-free (all generations of X series).
November 8th, 2008 8:58 am
My favorites are the browser and the volume up and down keys. I also like the Thinklight.The keyboard is simply excellent. I have used keyboards that when I pressed one key it did not work or it was a bit difficult to press it. But not the keyboard of Thinkpads.And of course it has the lgendary quality of thinkpads
December 9th, 2008 4:00 am
The thinkpad light and the amazingly fast keyboard.
Although I feel Thinkpad has changed a little over the years. They keyboard and thinklight now isnt as great as it used to be in the older models like the R60. Any thoughts?
I am using a R61 now, want to trade in for a R60
December 9th, 2008 1:58 pm
Are you kidding?
I’ve got this beautiful leather briefcase I bring on sales calls – and inside is the older – but still drop-dead gorgeous X40 Ultra-portable.
I can’t tell you how many clients look at this tiny black notebook – and gasp as I open it to reveal a full blown Thinkpad.
The reaction is always the same – “whooaah! – is that a laptop ?).
Give me all the edge I need on sales calls.
Rob
December 9th, 2008 2:11 pm
PS Dave:
If you haven’t guessed by now – I’m totally infatuated with the X40 ultra portable – even after using it daily for years.
But I notice its replacement (X200) has a bigger screen – which I’m not all for.
Although I understand there’s nothing you can do about the TFT suppliers’ abandoning the X40’s aspect ratio (they’re going exclusively for the new wide screens) there are still some of us out here who just won’t trade up from that little X40 vixen!
Maybe some day you could share your thoughts about the X40’s development and your personal feelings about it, and keep its attributes in mind when you do another ultra-portable one day.
Rob
December 9th, 2008 5:32 pm
I Love Thinkpads. Long life to Thinkpads.
March 25th, 2009 2:56 pm
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September 15th, 2009 6:27 pm
Thinkpad rocks!
but I can do with better hinges