New Decade. New ThinkPads.
January 4, 2010
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ThinkPad Edge 13″
Lenovo is starting the decade out right with the announcement of two new ThinkPads. I made a couple of short videos that talk about the design thinking that went into each of them. I plan to write a few blogs during the next week or so with more details about keyboards, the color red, and something we call sophisticated simplicity. Enjoy.
Interesting article by Sal Cangeloso at Geek.com regarding the introduction of ThinkPad Edge as a compliment to the ongoing classic line.
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
January 4th, 2010 1:22 pm
sad day for all thinkpad fans…
January 4th, 2010 1:24 pm
For the Edge:
Is it really a glossy screen?
And are that really function keys without Fn, like the MacBooks have?
(Well, and I already mentioned the missing SysRq on twitter…)
For the X100e:
Looks beautyful, but who needs a Touchpad on a laptop of this size? Noone needed on the X-series up to X61 and X200…
January 4th, 2010 1:35 pm
Re Evgeni:
If a touchpad fits, it’s IMHO nice to have. But if it comes at the expense of keys on the keyboard, I’d prefer the keyboard. Good to know that there is still a trackpoint, so we are still better off than MacBook users.
January 4th, 2010 1:39 pm
Re Christoph:
Well, I have a Touchpad in my X300, and I still wish there would be a Touchpad-less palmrest for it…
1. The Touchpad keys (and the pad itself too) feel different then a plain palmrest.
2. As mine is turned off, it confuses ppl using my laptop, because they first try to use the Touchpad – never happend on my old X31
So the real solution would be: make it optional, for people wanting it.
January 4th, 2010 1:47 pm
It is not bad but it is not ThinkPad at all. Why these models are marketed as ThinkPad ? Are you trying to wipe out the ThinkPad features from the Earth replacing them with cheap fancy stuff ?
The X100e would be interesting model if it were ThinkPad (by classic design and keyboard layout). IBM did it almost ten years ago by unique S30 model. Why you can’t simply upgrade it ?
January 4th, 2010 2:03 pm
Why are the arrow keys so short? The arrow keys on other ThinkPads (or even the S12 netbook) are taller, and it is easier for me to find and to use the arrow keys if they are taller and extends somewhat lower than the other keys on the keyboard. Surely there is enough room?
January 4th, 2010 2:14 pm
The real atrocity is that we are losing 16:10 displays in favor of the awful 16:9 ratio. The move to widescreen was bad enough, but at least UXGA gave decent resolution on the high end 15″ models.
January 4th, 2010 2:37 pm
Both of these lappies shouldnt be called thinkpad … Im dissapointed.
January 4th, 2010 2:38 pm
Matthias, ThinkPad Edge introduces choice for a new target audience. If you prefer a classic version we continue to make them.
January 4th, 2010 2:41 pm
I can’t believe Lenovo is lunatic enough to sully the TP brand like this.
The keyboard looks like a macbook. Maybe I should bite the bullet and buy a mac to get build quality.
January 4th, 2010 2:46 pm
Judging from the video, it looks like this has the same poor displays that Thinkpads now mostly have?
I ordered a WXGA+ X200s and had so much eyestrain 3 days later, I had to send it back. And it wasn’t due to size, it was the poor contrast ratios that I haven’t seen since early active matrix displays. Same goes for my father’s T400 (although he can’t send it back b/c it’s his work machine). I don’t understand why Lenovo can have great IPS/AFFS displays on their tablets, but can’t source proper LED-backlit LCDs as I’ve seen PLENTY on competitors’ machines that look great.
I’ve moved on to a 13″ Macbook Pro and haven’t looked back. Maybe I’ll revisit when my eyes heal themselves from the pain inflicted by short affair with the X200s.
January 4th, 2010 2:49 pm
I’m terribly disappointed in the gloss finish picking up fingerprints so badly. I first saw the Edge on Gizmodo and Engadget today.
Isn’t there a better solution to the metallic ‘look’ finish than the silver paint? I’m not sure what your budget restrictions were, but maybe there’s a different chassis treatment that makes sense and won’t wear as poorly as silver typically has?
Now that I’ve seen the red version in the video, I can see where you’re going with it – but the black gloss review versions on Gizmodo and Engadget just aren’t nice looking. I found the yellow of the power port especially unpleasant in the sideview. Proportions and rounding are good, and the red makes sense – but that’s not what the press is putting out there for people to see.
January 4th, 2010 2:50 pm
You say that chiclet keyboard are better … so now on next gen after Calpella all Thinkpad models will have this type of keyboard ?! I didnt like big esc and del keys but this is just insane …
If you keep going this way and change well designed things to me more trendy, flashy, stylish real thinkpadders will stay with older models and keep buying spare parts …
January 4th, 2010 2:53 pm
David, there is nothing wrong to target new audience. But the wrong direction is to lose the current one. The whole discussion is about (mis)using of ThinkPad brand name for completely different product line.
It is like making a cheap car model closer to Trabi car and call them Rolls-Royce. Both products targets its customers but both deserves its own brand name.
January 4th, 2010 3:07 pm
My father and I are long time ThinkPad users – I have a W500 and he has his worked issued T61. We are both thinking about buying something smaller for when we don’t need the regular system. We can’t really afford x301 but still we wouldn’t buy this instead. It really looks like a IdeaPad with a modified ThinkPad keyboard. Two great features missing are matt screen and also matt cover. Is it really glossy cover only?
My father is almost settled on a samsung ultraportable and, really, I see no reason for him choosing a new lenovo like x100e or ThinkPad edge. Too ugly for a glossy laptop, too glossy for a work-grade computer.
Regarding the leds:
Isn’t it easier to have the leds to indicate battery strength and power supply? At least it seems important and this info cannot be displayed on system startup. The rest of leds is probably doubling the windows tray icons but still I’d like to have them, they do not bother me.
On a positive note I recently bought the Lenovo Toploader case and I’m really stisfied. I’ve read the blog entry here and I appreciate how good design decision are applied even to most basic things like carrying cases =)
January 4th, 2010 3:11 pm
I’m with everyone else. Those may be perfectly fine machines, but they’re most certainly NOT ThinkPads.
Why didn’t you brand these IdeaPads or create a new brand for them?
January 4th, 2010 3:12 pm
Personally I think the edge shouldn’t be called a thinkpad. Rounded corners, aluminum trim, and glossy red (!!!) are as fare removed from the sober elegance IBM introduced us to.
It looks like lenovo took some hints from apple, applied them to its ideapad line and decided it was worthy of the thinkpad name (and price, I assume).
January 4th, 2010 3:13 pm
@David Hill
Thanks for your reply. I understand that lenovo has to open up new groups of buyers.
what i don´t understand – as many others – is, why you sell these notebooks under the thinkpad logo.
in my opinion you´re weakening the brand. these machines have nothing to do with what thinkpad stands for.
where are the edges on the edge that made (my) t41 (without touchpad) a design icon?
why is there a touchpad? most people know, that the trackpoint is the far superior pointing device. educate the few who don´t know by just leaving it away.
please don´t bring touchpads to the x-series. otherwise the x200s will be the last thinkpad i´ll ever buy. it´s an annoying redundancy.
January 4th, 2010 3:25 pm
Am using X200 and was going to switch to X301, but as I see the trend towards which Lenovo strives I am certainly not interested to participate in that somehow metro-glam-trend-crusade.
January 4th, 2010 3:27 pm
Point of design clarity for all those interested. ThinkPad Edge is available in gloss black, gloss red, or matte black for those worried about fingerprints.
January 4th, 2010 3:31 pm
Count me as one of the many die hards who are disappointed. Had these things been called IdeaPads then no one would have said a peep.
It’s all marketing and you’re really insulting the ThinkPad brand with these things.
That being said, I have to quote VG here, why is there so much gloss? Can’t you tone it down a little?
January 4th, 2010 3:45 pm
Wow, X100e looks great! What is the resolution on it? CPU? Graphics card?
January 4th, 2010 3:46 pm
Since this is design blog I’d like to point out the development in digital cameras industry. I’m going to be envious that I need notebook rather than digital camera for my work. The whole industry is just like a dream ! You still have *BROAD* choices from cheap models to expensive ones depending on your needs (and budget). There are extremly expensive full frame DSLR camera bodies which aren’t sold in higher volumes but they are still available. No excuses like “We don’t have full frame CMOS sensor vendor so we have switched to small CCD sensors used in consumer compact cameras”. The price is in par with features and quality.
Another interesting aspect is that there are still new cameras with very old-fashioned design which has been proven in the past. Check “Olympus Pen” or “Leica X” for instance. There is no need to misuse the brand name for a cheap plastic compact camera.
January 4th, 2010 3:46 pm
I don’t love the watering down of the ThinkPad brand either, but I’m accepting of it. Understand the effect though: I can’t recommend ThinkPad as a *brand* anymore. I’ll still recommend the T/R/W series, but I can’t cleanly recommend the entire X line anymore and I certainly can’t just say “ThinkPad”. I’m responsible for ThinkPad purchases for my friends and family, which have totaled probably 20 machines over the years, and I was responsible for corporate purchasing of over 200 ThinkPads piecemeal over the last three years.
So, that’s what hurts about this. What would help is better screens on the models I can still recommend. And don’t get me wrong, I realize that some of these new models might be stellar. I just can’t depend on that yet and wouldn’t ask anyone else to. Kudos to Lenovo if you can branch out while maintaining excellent quality, but I’ll believe it when I see it, and I’ll have to see it without betting my own money in the process.
January 4th, 2010 3:47 pm
I don’t understand either why the Edge series is marketed under the Thinkpad brand. Why couldn’t you just have called those things “ThinkEdge Series”, short “ThinkEdge”
It’d be shorter, it be different from Thinkpad but still close enough. The customers of the real Thinkpads would be happy because there’d be that difference and the new customers which want 16:9, glossy screen, glossy case, round edges etc. get what they deserve… (And be happy because it’s also branded Think.
)
January 4th, 2010 3:55 pm
David, your explanation for the Edge makes sense and it looks nice on the inside, but, at least in the photos, very ugly on the outside. Although I probably aren’t in the target audience.
As for X100e, I’m not convinced that it’s a real X-series ThinkPad, I feel that it will be closer to SL-series, but we’l have to wait for reviews.
I’m looking forward to your blog posts.
January 4th, 2010 4:03 pm
One of my favorite features on the thinkpad keyboard is the insert/delete/home/end/pgUp/pgDn key block. Neither the Edge or the x100e have this.
I agree, this is a sad day for Thinkpad fans.
January 4th, 2010 4:06 pm
I am new to Thinkpads, started using one last year (X301). I got it because Thinkpads distinguished themselves from the pack. This new Thinkpad certainly takes the edge away from the brand. Nothing wrong with expanding the Lenovo customer base, but attaching the name Thinkpad to this line was a bad move.
BTW, I love the X301 except for the keyboard that did not live up to expectations (F2 key vicinity sinks in when pressed), and I wish the hinges were metallic like the rest.
Keep up the blogging.
January 4th, 2010 4:35 pm
I think that a bit of variety to old boring Thinkpad line is a nice thing. Why are thinkpad users so reactionary?
I always loved the design of thinkpads, but what always turned me off from IBM/Lenovo offerings is the lack of options such as glossy screen, availabity of a touchpad on the X line and lack of more screen resolution options. The keyboard on my current T400s is a huge improvement from older models as well. I think Lenovo is doing the right thing by offering more variety. Old thinkpad users will always recognize the brand. Whats wrong with trying to attract some fresh new customer base to the brand? Very few “average” computer users recognize the brand as it is.
January 4th, 2010 4:37 pm
I certainly see them targeted at more “style-conscious” users. I was wondering for a long time why there was no “business-class netbook” named X100. When I saw the first leaked pictures (glossy screen, touchpad, glossy cover), I though “oh no, they blew it”, but then I noticed the “e” in X100e, and remembered the ultra-low priced entry level R50e, for example.
Now I desperately hope that Lenovo has a “regular” X100 in planning that meets more “old-school” demands.
My Proposal: Just take an X61s as a starting point. Build a keyboard like the one in a T400s, but shrunk like an X61 keyboard wrt. a T61 keyboard. Replace the disk with an SSD (starting at affordable 16GB). Remove the ExpressCard slot and then cut the excess volume away from the palm rest to make the base size a tight fit for a 10.1″ 1366×786 _non-glossy_ screen (Please, no 2cm plastic border like on my X200). Use premium materials like magnesium alloy to provide a base weight of under 900g, beating all consumer netbooks on the market. That’s it, I would not even care whether an Intel Atom or Intel Core 2 Duo SU CPU is inside. Just don’t remove the ThinkLight, Status LEDs or the SysRq key. Leave the silk-finish cover and the dual screen locks. Don’t add a touchpad but use the space for a bigger keyboard. Keep the legendary Linux compatibility from the X200/Txxx/Xxx/Txx series, not like the SL series that is just not a ThinkPad in ACPI sense under Linux. That would just be perfect.
January 4th, 2010 4:49 pm
David
Nice video… Makes you look years younger
T
January 4th, 2010 4:51 pm
Just a quick comment from a programmer who has been using ThinkPads for 5 years – X60T and W500, and a used A31P. I’ve bought ThinkPads because there’s nothing better for programmers, after extensive research each time. The keyboard, solid case and design, and the trackpoint, not to mention 1920 x 1200 resolution on the W500 and 1400 x 1050 on an ultraportable.
I have been hoping Lenovo (or somebody) would build a TrackPoint-enabled full-sized keyboard “netbook” for months now, so that I can work conveniently in coffee shops, sitting on the couch, etc, connecting remotely to my desktop server or to my W500, but without having to always lug the big W500 around taking up loads of tablespace and knocking into things. I do use my X60 for this but I end up bringing my W500 instead, using the X60 only as a backup (because the W500 is so much more powerful). At this point I want something new to fulfill this purpose – but I won’t spend $2000 for a new X-series for this; a trackpoint-enabled full-size-keyboard netbook is exactly what I have been looking for.
I’ve been looking around pretty exhaustively, and I have so far resisted purchasing any other netbook because none of them meet these basic criteria. Now that Lenovo is making a ThinkPad Netbook – smaller than the X series and *one-third* the cost, and the first Netbook I’ve seen from any company with a trackpoint and a full-sized keyboard – I am actually not just happy, but relieved. I’m grateful that finally a company is making a Netbook that is good enough for me to actually use – and, once again, it happens to be a ThinkPad.
The icing on the cake for me for this model is the fact that it’s actually got a reasonably powerful CPU and can take more RAM than a typical Netbook – i.e. in a pinch, I can actually use it by itself to do things I wouldn’t be able to do with the other Netbooks. This thing is the right combination for me – mostly a Netbook, but more powerful. Somehow I’d feel weird if Lenovo made a top-of-the-line Netbook and placed it in the IdeaPad line, one level up from the S series but with a trackpoint.
But I could care less if they call it a ThinkPad or an IdeaPad. It does seem natural, though, to give a top-of-the-line Netbook the ThinkPad label – nobody expects it to have the power of a full-sized or $2000 ThinkPad, because it’s a Netbook. You’d expect it to be a top-of-the-line Netbook.
I’m writing this only because I see so many negative comments on this forum, and I wanted to chime in to let it be known this is a big deal for me – from someone who actually needs a high-quality trackpoint-enabled solid full-sized keyboard Netbook and has been exhaustively looking for one for months – and no other company makes one like this – “ThinkPad” or not.
Thanks,
Dan
January 4th, 2010 5:11 pm
granted i have not tested your assertion that the new “island-style” keyboard is /better/ (though i find it dubious), i find it absurd that you would so drastically change the thinkpad brand. the thinkpad has a rabid fanbase and you’ve just changed two of its most distinguishing characteristics, the keyboard and the matte display/cover. introduce it as another brand and if it really is better, users will begin to move. didn’t you just see from that keyboard survey how many people are crazy enough about their thinkpad keyboard that they would pay nearly 100 dollars for a poor imitation (thankfully apparently the standalone thinkpad keyboard is much better now, but i’m still waiting for a wireless version). in the last 3 years, i can recall 6 thinkpad purchases from people impressed with mine. my T43 is still going strong, but i hope by the time i need a new one, lenovo will have rediscovered the ibm vision. also, please come to terms with harvard again so i can get my 43% discount…
January 4th, 2010 5:24 pm
Great commercials… without a doubt wonderfull products, but – in my humble opinion – a wrong shot to call it a ThinkPad.
January 4th, 2010 5:35 pm
Just two pictures two compare:
X100e
http://www.flickr.com/photos/l.....4/sizes/o/
T60 La Defense
http://www.widter.com/foto/len.....fense5.jpg
Which one is the ThinkPad ?
January 4th, 2010 5:36 pm
First of all, loving the new design direction for ThinkPad. The bento box design had a great 20+ year run but it was time for a change. Great job!
Second, am I seeing things or is the Edge’s keyboard backlit? It’s not mentioned in any marketing materials or reviews, but in David’s video I swear it’s there. If so, does the x100e have this feature? I’m probably buying one anyway, but a keyboard light would be great. ThinkLight was always one of my favorite features.
January 4th, 2010 5:37 pm
And the stupidity from the new owners continues…
January 4th, 2010 5:45 pm
Congrats on the new products i don’t mind them as long as my good old T “classic”
is still there!
January 4th, 2010 6:01 pm
I think both new ThinkPad lines are interesting — especially given that the “traditional” models will still be produced. I like the design stretches and effort to simplify. Without a push or challenge, things can become stale — these shake things up a bit.
Two best changes: the keyboards and how plain the bottom cases are. Island-style keyboards are the best — I only wish that the “Enter” key was still blue. I think it will be a net positive in the long run. By any chance are either keyboards backlit?
Nice job on the new designs — I look forward to picking up an X100e soon!
January 4th, 2010 6:25 pm
I dig the x100e. And seriously, I couldn’t care less whether my machine is called thinkpad, ideapad or mickey mouse as long as it is solid and does its job well. Looking forward to the first batch of reviews..!
January 4th, 2010 6:31 pm
I just noticed you also removed the 2nd windows key on the 100e. Nice move.
January 4th, 2010 6:33 pm
The first thing I thought was: where has my bigger delete and escape and arrow keys gone? Can I cope without them?! I really like the reviews I’ve been hearing about the keyboard feel otherwise.
Next thought was can I get the Edge 13 with a 16:10 to fill that ugly bezel, 1440×900 resolution, a 60 GB SSD and a Core i7-620LM?
January 4th, 2010 6:39 pm
The “X100e – Midnight Black” design would be attractive if it was “X100″ with real keyboard including proper layout and ThinkLight. I’m waiting for Matt’s X series CES article but mostly waiting in fear.
January 4th, 2010 7:28 pm
@David Hill,
Since Lenovo has moved to Polycarbonate casing for most of the thinkpad line and in the process of dumping of magnesium rollcage…. is there a possibility that we will ever see a Thinkpad with magnesium or aluminium external case material?
January 4th, 2010 7:53 pm
I’m always of mixed minds when reading comments about ThinkPads, especially when they get all nostalgic about the past. I’ve been a user since the 755C and 760 (and through the years 390/E/X, 560, 570, 570E, 600X, T20/21/22, X20, X31, T30, A31p, T40/41, R50/51/52, and currently T60 and X200) so I’ve seen a thing or two. These have been engineering and design marvels. And each of these has had its own share of moronic lapses. The 760 was like typing on top of a pup tent. The 755CX died so often it became it’s permanent condition. The 390 had a hinge design made for MAACO. The T30 memory slot suffered from Alzheimers. The T40 series had such a problem with flex that it flipped the video chip. So a salt lick is necessary for some of these comments about screen size, keyboard design, etc. Didn’t they put a ThinkPad in leather a few years ago and have celebrities sign select machines?
What’s easier to clean? the rubberized surface or some glossy plastic one?
So cheers to ThinkPad design team for putting together a classic ThinkPad netbook. I love me my trackpoint something fierce, but having a touchpad on it makes it appealing.
And so long as they fight the temptation to put out a model in two-tone cerulean blue and glitter then all will remain right in the world.
January 4th, 2010 8:01 pm
generally: they look great.
what i am really disappointed is the missing gaps between the F-keys … they were such a great design detail every other notebook maker just missed by not thinking about. whenever someone said “this is ugly” i could say “maybe, but it’s just useful”, and now they are gone?
will they still be there in “larger” thinkpads (i am thinking of R- and T-series especially)?
January 4th, 2010 8:10 pm
Home, End, and Delete are still miles from up/down/left/right/page…
Doesn’t anyone at Lenovo use an English keyboard?
January 4th, 2010 8:56 pm
[...] ThinkPad engineer David Hill posted a short video on the Lenovo pattern blog to speak about the ThinkPad X100e. You can check it out after the [...]
January 4th, 2010 8:59 pm
Wow, this is the first Macbook after MBA that looks good to me. What a shame that the keyboard layout was sacrificed to the altair of appearance.
Seriously, this is a joke of the same kind like SL?
January 4th, 2010 9:05 pm
With the tons of comments about the exterior of these new machines, I’d like to ask about the interior. I’d like to assume these have the sturdiness and durability the ThinkPad brand is famous for, even if, say, the 7-row keyboard, exclusive black feature is not there.
As Engadget said in its review of the Edge, the keyboard, while somewhat Chiclet-like, still has a solid feel. Let’s hope user feedback bears this out. If it becomes available in the Philippines soon I’d like to try it hands-on and see for myself.
I think David and Co. knew the risks and anticipated the backlash from loyal ThinkPad users. It’s understandable, after all. (For the record, I’m an Ideapad owner because until the X100e I couldn’t find a ThinkPad within my budget. That could change. I’m sorely tempted pass my S10 to my mom and snap up the X100e.) But if they feel that based on market resarch and surveys that there are workers and offices willing to buy a netbook-sized and -priced ThinkPad and are willing to accept a few “compromises”, then it justifies bringing out these new models. Any numbers, David, to support my guess?
Hand-in-hand with the quality of the product is ease of use and customer support. ThinkVantage is there, along with corporate OS support. Provided Lenovo keeps new X100e and Edge (Edge E30 according to some Chinese-languages forums) owners happy and satisfied the its done it job.
I’ll be hopeful.
January 4th, 2010 9:28 pm
I’m not sure, if it is still the thinkpad philosophy. Where is the forgotten beauty of functionalistic technical design? The last place of racionality is lost. Money again wins.
January 4th, 2010 9:32 pm
Congratulations with this release. Great way to start a new year and decade. The new products looks to be well designed. I look forward to trying them first hand.
From what I can gather from the pictures: I like the the ThinkVantage button is gone. If the Enter button replaced it, then a blue Enter key will make it more distinct.
I might be one of the few users that use the Pause/Break key. It stops my run-away text search in Lotus Notes.
Whether to swap the location of PgUp/PgDn vs Home/End is a toss up. I can always remap the keys in the registry to see which way is better.
January 4th, 2010 10:10 pm
David,
congratulations! It took your team a few years but eventually you’ve noticed we no longer live in the ’90s
I actually like the design of the keyboard (backlight! no contextual menu key!)
I also like omitting some LEDs but… WHY DOUBLE the stand-by/on LED? What is the purpose of having it on the inside? It should be obvious for the user that the computer is on or off (or in stand-by mode.)
The other thing I have doubts about is the lack of a physical wireless switch. Is Win 7 stable enough to get rid of it?
January 4th, 2010 10:16 pm
The Edge leaves me sick about the future of the ThinkPad. It’s becoming just another consumer notebook. What are you going to slap the name on next – a Packard Bell? Rent it out to Toshiba?
Pah.
January 5th, 2010 12:11 am
well to me the Edge is cool. But one should not forget that the black, original ThinkPad is not dead. Even they rolled out 4 Ts and 1 W – the ThinkPad that most of the guys prefer. SO I don’t think that the coming of Edge is a threat to the mighty brand. It’s just that, it’s an innovation. The more the merrier isn’t it?
January 5th, 2010 1:36 am
My Lenovo rep promised me an Edge and x100 to eval at some point, so I’ll hold on full impressions till I get my hands on them.
That said, this is not the first time a differently targeted line debuted. IMO the i Series tried to pass themselves off cosmetically as ThinkPads, and were anything but. At first glance, it’s pretty clear these aren’t ‘regular ThinkPads.’ Those are still over <– there.
The Edge 13 is personally interesting to me, as it seems to be 85% IdeaPad U350 (look at the port locations) 15% X300 (note: I currently own one of each, and like them for different reasons).
January 5th, 2010 1:46 am
David, while certainly see a lot of appeal in this (What took them so long to throw a TrackPoint into a netbook?), please tell me that we’re never going to lose the classic keyboard on the professional models. Or at least a hundred years; I never want to have to type on a chiclet keyboard in my life (I’m both beig optimistic ad erring o the side of caution).
January 5th, 2010 4:48 am
David,
I have very mixed feelings about the latest round of new products. I have a long history of using ThinkPads. I worked at IBM during my college years and I was around before ThinkPads ever existed. I used to carry around a PS/2 Model P70 with the gas plasma display to our various trade shows and used a PS/2 Laptop 40SX. I’ve used nearly every ThinkPad for the first 10 years of the brand. It’s been a condition of employment for me at several companies, even shops that were Dell. To this day, I insist on using a ThinkPad at work as my only computer and that’s even harder now that I work for the US federal government which as most people know is primarily a Dell shop.
I always look forward to new ThinkPad announcements. While I agree with most of the comments on here both positive and negative, I wanted to add some of my personal opinions.
1. I’m not price sensitive for my laptop purchases, especially when it comes to buying a ThinkPad. In 2004 I spent nearly $4,000 on a ThinkPad T41p. It still runs to this day. I’ve made a rule for myself, I let myself buy a new laptop every 2 or 3 years, depending on how exciting they are. I’m willing to pay a significant premium for the best laptop computer in the world.
2. I do feel that a lot of the newer computers have diminished the value of the ThinkPad brand. I was sad when Lenovo purchased the PC unit from IBM and I was worried that the quality would go downhill. I’ve bought 3 ThinkPads since then (obviously ignoring my own 2-3 year rule) and I have to say that the quality of the product has remained high. What has gone downhill is features and innovations.
3. As Lenovo has decided it wants to have a bigger market for all of their computers, then please do something about how/where we buy Lenovo products. I live in Hawaii, and there is barely anywhere that I can go to look at a ThinkPad. Once in a great while BestBuy has one, but it’s usually a single model, and something low end like an R model or something. It’s sad that I have to fly to Japan to see current models like the X300, X200, X200t, T400, etc. If you want people in the US buying the product, how about making it easier for us to actually see one in person? People need to see and feel the differences when they are buying a premium product.
Ok, now the meat of what I’m going to say and hopefully something you can glean some information from:
What makes a ThinkPad for me?
1. The keyboard – oh god, don’t mess with the keyboard.
2. The TrackPoint – PLEASE get rid of the stupid trackpads. They all suck!
3. The black rubberized paint. No glossy anything anywhere.
4. The high-resolution high-quality displays. We’ve already been down this road before and it looks like Lenovo can’t do anything about this. I’d be personally willing to pay $500 more for a 4:3 aspect ratio, high-resolution 1440 x 1050 IPS type display on any of my laptop purchases, even if the display was only 10.1″.
5. The ThinkLight – I still don’t understand why this wasn’t included in the X60t or X6t models. You can’t have a ThinkPad without the TrackPoint and without a ThinkLight.
I will probably buy an X100e, mostly because it has a Trackpoint and because I can get it in black. I have a cheap Acer Aspire One, but it was the first generation with the ridiculous trackpad keys on the left and right of the trackpad. The keyboard is horrible. Otherwise the build quality is pretty good for a $275 machine. While I don’t like what has been done to the other ThinkPad keyboards (big ESC and Del key are a waste since it moves the F keys and the insert key), I’m willing to try the new chicklet keyboard. I think it is possible to have the same feel even if the look is different.
Now here’s a few comments on innovation. Why is it that most major premium laptop manufacturers now include some sort of indicator on the battery to tell the user how much power is left and Lenovo can’t add this to the ThinkPad line? I consider this a premium feature and can’t figure out why something this simple can’t be added. Sony put a little ring of color on the computer end of their power cord so that the user knows that it’s plugged in. I think Apple also does something similar. This is also a great feature and something premium that Lenovo could incorporate. In fact, as a designer, you should take a visit to Home Depot and look at the corded power tools that are made by Rigid. They are easy to spot since they are all orange. They feature a innovative power cord that has a small picture of the tool and a lighted connector on the AC plug side. This makes it very easy to identify which cord belongs to which tool. I think this would be nice on a computer as well. A backlight keyboard would be a nice option to a ThinkLight, especially on the tablet models where the ThinkLight was neglected. HDMI and eSata ports have been around for a long time and have been missing from premium Lenovo products. I see that some of these are finally making their way into ThinkPads, but why put them only on the consumer grade (diluted) ThinkPad models?
The 701C was a truly innovative design, as was the 560 and 570 series. I haven’t seen anything innovative from IBM/Lenovo for a long time and I really hope that this changes. You read the blog and other web sites I’m sure, so please tell us, as popular as the S30 seems to have been, why not resurrect that model and make that the new entry level ultra-portable?
Bright colors and glossy screens are for people who are in the market for shiny Sony computers. Let them continue to buy that crap year after year (if they even can last that long) and save the ThinkPad brand for innovation and premium products. If you need to have more volume to compete with the lesser brands, then introduce those products as IdeaPads, PonderPads, or whatever. PLEASE save the ThinkPads for those us us who really want the best laptops in the world and are willing to pay for it.
January 5th, 2010 8:55 am
It is definitely disappoint me…. It is some kind of degrading of ThinkPad name…
January 5th, 2010 10:04 am
These are not my ThinkPads. Please!!
January 5th, 2010 12:03 pm
Congrats! +1 to Dan Nissenbaum comment… the new machines look very nice!
I recently purchased an X200e for a “travel” Linux development machine. I’m loving it, but the X200 design is unquestionably dated. These new models are very appealing to me. I just wish they had been available last fall when I was shopping around!
January 5th, 2010 12:34 pm
Only think that disappoints me about the X100e is battery life – will there be a 9-cell battery?
January 5th, 2010 1:49 pm
TO Phil at comment 36 you say “The bento box design had a great 20+ year run but it was time for a change”.
Hmmm. Why was it time for a change exactly? Just because it’s been going 20 years doesn’t mean inherently it must be changed. Why did it last 20 years? Because it’s the best laptop design of all time, and didn’t need changing. every x series since the X61 has been a step backwards. it’s like the porsche 911. The ultimate driver’s car. All porsche do it just invent new insides. result: best car ever, everyone happy. Lenovo have chucked out their 911 and with it are haemorrhaging their loyal fanbase of serious, discerning users, and so have to seek new markets with these non-thinkpad thinkpads. the company’s current scenario very much reminds me of Apple’s wilderness years in the mid-90s before steve jobs’ return. Lenovo needs a steve jobs to put their thinkpads back on track. otherwise, game over.
January 5th, 2010 2:20 pm
David, Contrary to most of the comments here, I think the new Edge looks very nice. Simple, clean, and elegant — just the way I like it. Congratulations to you and the rest of the design team for this forward-looking product. I hope it does well.
January 5th, 2010 3:02 pm
I just updated this post to include a link to an interesting article from Geek.com
January 5th, 2010 3:16 pm
@David, posting links has little effect on my opinion.
Re his comment about the long-time ThinkPad fans “I don’t think one aspect of the new computers was left unscathed. Some points are valid, many are overly harsh, but the fact that the ThinkPad has fans like these is worth a lot.”, how long do you think you’ll have fans like us once the “Classic” ThinkPad is gone? Remember what happened to New Coke.
January 5th, 2010 3:28 pm
@Jane, come on please! Innovation requires change. The classic Thinkpad is still available. The best of these new designs will make it into the “classic” version.
January 5th, 2010 4:23 pm
David, I think now you understand what the Porsche 911 designers go through. You can’t radically change the design even if it’s an improvement.
Personally it’s too much like Apple’s keyboard philosophy. Maybe they got it right, maybe it’s better. But maybe not, and maybe that’s not what Thinkpads are about. I’ve owned Thinkpads since the mid 90s, and I don’t know if “simple” would be in the top 5 adjectives that come to mind.
January 5th, 2010 4:25 pm
Whoever authorized those #$%$% oreo-challenged Thinkpads, should be fired. I’ll be shorting your stock for the next couple of months. How much money do you think I’ll make?
January 5th, 2010 4:36 pm
And by the way, for the non-car fans, the 911 is based on a Beetle and continues to have its engine in the wrong place.
January 5th, 2010 4:40 pm
Bill Wood:
“The best of these new designs will make it into the “classic” version.”
That’s exactly the problem… The classic version doesn’t have to be changed and people don’t want it to be changed!
The greater part of the Communitiy don’t want cheap Thinkpads either…
I really don’t like phrases like “Feature xyz has been remove to reduce costs.”. Especially if the costs were talking about are only a few dollars…
Look at the T400s for example. An awesome notebook (I’m sitting in front of one.) and it can’t really be called inexpensive. But for example the clamshell design isn’t anymore. There’s a tiny bit left of it on the front, but protection at the sides are gone.
Or for example the keyboards on the T400. I don’t want a cheaper Chicony keyboard in my thinkpad, I want a good NMB keyboard. (And the price difference we’re here talking about is less than 10$, comparing parts prices from IBM.)
Or as for another example. I don’t want software controlled mute buttons. I want to mute the thinkpad whenever possible, even during the start up of the computer.
I don’t want less screws on the case either just because it “looks tidier”.
It should be as few as possible, as many as necessary for still having easy access to all components and easy replacement of them.
Or as a last example regarding the service. I don’t want have to speak to somebody on the hotline with an accent so bad, you barely understand him. I want to speak with somebody who speaks my language well and understands all the words I use…
And for all those things I am (and other people as well) willing to pay.
January 5th, 2010 5:30 pm
THATS THE UGLIEST THINKPAD I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!!!!!
January 5th, 2010 5:35 pm
Please, all you moaners, see Matt Kohuts blog post as to why these are ThinkPads. Still, I’m with you that glossy plastic just doesn’t cut it. If it only was anodized metal instead, and matte screens, I would say these are truly ThinkPads. Now I won’t. At least, they’ve got the TrackPoint.
Now David, won’t you please take the ThinkPad badge away from these, since they are not really ThinkPads? The main problem is glossy screens, the second problem is glossy plastic. Fix those and I’m happy with calling them ThinkPads regardless of color!
No one would say these are not ThinkPads, right?http://www.colorwarepc.com/imagegalleries.aspx?galFilter=6
They’re in all kind of colors, even with paintings on them, still they are ThinkPads.
And I need to bring back the nice idea I got when the color was on topic last time here, make it raw metal instead. Or carbon… have you seen Koenigsegg Trevita? http://www.koenigsegg.se/image.....menu=media
White carbon is beautiful!
/O8h7w
January 5th, 2010 5:43 pm
are you planning to release a real Thinkpad called the X100?
I love lots of things about the X100e, but I want matte black case, 4:3 screen, and a Thinkpad keyboard
January 5th, 2010 6:02 pm
Based on your video, you view the new Thinkpad Edge as a new design to complement your existing range of Thinkpads. It feels like the Z series and SL series again, testing the waters and see how it goes. Bringing in things like glossy screens, widescreen, glossy lids, keyboard changes etc.
I view this as brand dissolution, previously when someone just said Thinkpad, you know exactly what it stands for and what it means. When you introduce new product lines that do not follow the true values and origins for the brand, the brand looses it’s value.
So now if someone asked about Thinkpads, you will get a mixed response. One such response is: depends which model, if you want the classic style Thinkpad, make sure you buy abc ranges and not the xyz ones. If you want the consumer attributes, get the SL or Edge. You can no longer just give a blanket response of: every model has the same “greatness”, pick whichever suits you best – price, portability or performance etc. Point is that the bar has moved, and it has moved lower, and not higher this time around.
You could even say the X40, X60 or X61 would easily match the X100e in size, portability etc. They are still thinner than the X200, however lacks the full sized keyboard due to the 4:3 screen. I would personally prefer an X61 over any netbook…
The T400s and X300 series definitely were great high end models, but introducing new models on the other side of the spectrum, in my opinion does not help the value and image of the brand, as it pushes it over the line towards the low end.
An example is the Apple Macbook range, in general most of them are expensive and the components, product design and quality matches the cost. But what you do find is that across their whole range from low end to high, a lot of the design attributes are the same. You have the same keyboard, track pad, buttons, same type of LED indicators etc. Whereas the low end just loose some of the nicer features or components, while maintaining consistent design and usability with the rest of the product line.
So if you buy a Macbook instead of a Macbook Pro or Air, it still has the same keyboard and trackpad and buttons, which means that it still feels the same, but with slower or less components. People won’t have to deal with very obvious variations in the models, as the main components that effect usability are the same. The Thinkpad 40 and 60/61 series were the last models that still followed this (X61 excluded), they all had that great same feel when you use one. Back then I could confidently say, pick any model and you can’t go wrong.
January 5th, 2010 7:29 pm
David,
PrtSc/SysRq key copies screen image to clipboard (in MS Windows). Useful for making screenshots. Anyone knows this
X100e as a “professional netbook” is good, but 16:9 screen is not.
January 5th, 2010 8:38 pm
I’m not using Thinkpads for such a long time(i’m just not that old) but wasn’t there the Thinkpad i-Series?
Manufactured by ACER for IBM.
And our beloved Thinklight was introduced with these series.
I hope the EDGE and X100e are worth to carry the name.
Is it possible to open them without hold down the palmrest?
Thinkpad is a brand of high quality, always stay with that, please!
PS.
Somehow i hope this makes the trackpoint more popular. By now the choices are limited…
January 6th, 2010 1:09 am
So much for the magic SysRq key on Linux.
January 6th, 2010 5:58 am
They are damn sexy!
But call a cat, a cat. So please don’t call them Thinkpad because they aren’t.
January 6th, 2010 7:48 am
Actually, I really like the x100e, the Edge – not so much. What I actually miss in x100e, is DisplayPort or HDMI. Most current projectors do have dvi input so both these ports could be converted to it and there would be no need for the vga out. About the SysRq – yeah, it’s probably not needed, but Print Screen is actually very useful for doing screenshots in windows for instance. Pretty useful even for developers, especially those involved in doing GUIs.
Despite that, I’m sold on the x100e, great work!
January 6th, 2010 8:03 am
The new decade will start in 2011.
January 6th, 2010 11:47 am
Looks like someone at Lenovo decided that Thinkpads need to be as similar to Macbooks as possible. Every SINGLE change is directly from Apple’s laptops! Island keys, reduced keyboard, fewer LEDs, even the mantra “sophisticated simplicity”. Boo…
January 6th, 2010 12:13 pm
To be honest, I wished the X100e would have been more extraordinary outstanding in it’s design, something like…
http://journal.mycom.co.jp/news/2001/06/27/s30.jpg
http://image2.sina.com.cn/IT/c.....119173.jpg
…which makes directly visually more clear, this is and can only be a ThinkPad, nothing else.
Instead the X100e and especially also the Edge, do look to me like most other fashion oriented netbooks and notebooks on the market today. If they wouldn’t have a Trackpoint and a Thinkpad logo, I would have difficulties to determine those from a far distance as being Thinkpads at all. – And that’s the main point of my criticism, beside other internals, like missing a Thinklight and optional Fingerprint reader etc. for a business oriented device like a X100e.
On the other side I believe, that David and his team might have tried their best, in order to make those new Thinkpad systems more fashion like and thus attractive for a wider audience/consumer base. And although that new keyboard design might be usable (I don’t know), I personally still do miss something here, maybe some of the more extraordinary classical ThinkPad design and identification looks.
January 6th, 2010 12:41 pm
Cute little machine that I’ll recommend to family, and the woeful, TrackPoint-less netbook users. At the same time, I’m not at all disappointed in my recent ebay purchase of a 2nd SXGA+ x60 tablet…
Anyway, it is nice to see a tiny ThinkPad outside the serious/business user price range… Happy 2010, the year 4:3 comes back into style.
January 6th, 2010 4:15 pm
These commercials trying to convince us that EDGE is Thinkpad are as sad as “Windows 7 Release Party” ads.
January 6th, 2010 5:35 pm
Seems like you’ve got the 6-row keyboard right for the Thinkpad EDGE. Hopefully this will propagate to the SL-series.
In my opinion, the classic T/R/X/W lines should keep the classic keyboard options, matte screen, etc, while new lines should be introduced for features that break away from what the brand is traditionally known for, like the SL that sported the 6-row keyboard layout and glossy screen options. At the very least, features remain consistent across lines – there’s not much benefit at this point to introduce yet another brand.
The classic T/R/X/W lines have the traditional distinction as serious work machines that there’s not much need for drastic design changes that breaks away from the mold but rather incremental improvements. The entire notion of the Thinkpad experience is based on the classic line – the keyboard, the screen, the support tools, reliability, etc.
January 6th, 2010 6:53 pm
What were you Thinking?
Seriously, since I’ve figured out that the X100e has the TrackPoint, a good keyboard, a sturdy build quality and a matte screen, I consider it a ThinkPad. But I still don’t like the glossy plastic outside of it. Make it brushed and red-anodized aluminum instead, I would even buy it.
Yes, I’ve got a rubberized black ThinkPad… a good old T43. Win7 runs like a charm
But the big question is, who was stupid enough to put a touchpad on such a small thing? And, given the touchpad is a must, why did you put buttons beneath it? That’s just plain stupid following of old rules… The touchpad could have been almost big enough if you skipped those buttons, that really screams duplicate functionality – and they’re not in a better place than the TrackPoint buttons. It’s almost easier to reach the buttons in top of the touchpad…
Anyone remember Bang&Olufsen Serenata? It was overpriced and had a bad UI, but the hardware and thinking behind that was excellent. Even before I saw that one I used to wish I could flip the screen top-to-bottom on an Ipod Nano…
Wait, what about the keyboard again? David Hill, let me ask you politely, how is your memory? Do you know anything about a keyboard heat map? In spite of Esc and Delete being supersized on the new standard layout, these are shrinked? And the arrow keys are small… if you tell me it’s a space issue I’ll start all over with the touchpad!
Wait another minute. Where’s my beloved (and hated) hidden numpad? This is a notebook without the ability to write numbers? No, I won’t buy it.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
More nosy design ideas from O8h7w
Don’t stop me if you’ve had enough of it!
January 6th, 2010 9:09 pm
Thinkpad EDGE with the AMD processors seems to be the better deal compared to the ones sporting Intel’s CULV. Sure the Intel CULV boasts better battery life, but it comes with Intel’s garbage graphics.
Hopefully there’ll be more Thinkpad models with AMD options – even in the classic line.
January 7th, 2010 6:40 am
3 USB Ports, one powered.
Does this really mean that only one Port is able to power f.e. an USB Stick or Mouse? That would be ridiculous.
Regards,
vsnap
January 7th, 2010 12:47 pm
I wish this had not been called a ThinkPad. I could care less if it shares the same internal hardware – that’s not what makes a ThinkPad a ThinkPad to me. The quality is important, but without the industrial design sense, it’s just not the same.
Bigger key-tops with the same spacing makes a keyboard harder, not easier to use. There are less clues to your fingers as to where they are touching the keyboard. At least you didn’t make them flat. But the spacing between the key-tops is what matters. Ins/Del/Home/End/PgUp/PgDn block missing? Less is not always more. Moving PgUp and PgDn to the arrow key block is just annoying. This MAY be an unfounded worry, but one of the best things to me about the ThinkPad keyboard is the ability to remove the keytops and clean out any dirt that happens to get in there. Is that possible with this, or are the keys sealed?
The X100e’s keyboard is marginally better. At least both have the trackpoint. I have been holding off on getting a netbook sized laptop until one with a usable trackpoint was available, but the keyboard’s sacrifice to add wristrest and touchpad space are having me seriously question it now. And yes, what about the number pad?
There are reasons the TP keyboard layout hasn’t changed much in over a decade. I am SERIOUSLY unconvinced that imitating other 6-row rectangular keyboards on the market is a step forward in any sense of the word.
I wish I could say that if you made a rock-solid small laptop with an excellent keyboard and trackpoint, then the world would beat a path to your door. Oh, right, That’s the X200. Is it not selling well? Maybe it’s too expensive. It is for me.
There’s so much more I wish I could say, but this is just a blog comment. Few people will ever read it anyway. I understand why you’ve done this, but I’m disappointed that I can no longer simply say “Get A ThinkPad.”
Never forget that a ThinkPad is a tool, not an accessory.
January 7th, 2010 1:49 pm
“Never forget that a ThinkPad is a tool, not an accessory.”
@John B, your last sentence quoted above sums up my objections to the current direction Lenovo is taking the ThinkPad with the Edge in particular and, to a lesser extent, the X100e and the changes to the “classic” series.
January 7th, 2010 1:58 pm
For the record, I’m in the camp that digs these new ThinkPads. Would love to get an x100e to replace my aging X61 – but no fingerprint reader and no SSD option kind of killed that for me.
How come the models in the videos have fingerprint readers, but the website doesn’t offer this as an option?
Why can’t we replace the standard HD with an SSD?
And while I’m at it – how come the Edge only comes with 64-bit Windows?
January 7th, 2010 9:50 pm
ugh. looks like upper management said “make it look more like a macbook”
January 7th, 2010 10:44 pm
But why offer it in red and white as well? Black is enough…
January 8th, 2010 8:34 am
vsnap, “powered USB-port” means it remains powered when the computer is turned off. I charge my cell phone from my TP, so good news for me.
January 8th, 2010 7:39 pm
go aluminum with the edge line! if you gonna go consumer-oriented at least make them gorgeous! The edge doesn’t look as nice as some asus and hp ultraportables and it loses all thinkpad classics
January 8th, 2010 10:35 pm
I have other positive/negative thoughts about the x100e, but I only have one real comment here. The word “backspace” on the backspace key almost runs off the key. looks a little weird
also, the x100e seems to clearly be more popular than the edge
January 10th, 2010 3:14 am
@95 yeah, when it works. mine is sooo flaky
January 10th, 2010 12:00 pm
I don’t see why people are making a fuss about the Edge carrying the ThinkPad name, especially when the classic line is still there.
Looks don’t make a TP. Reliability, best in class hardware, and the distinctive keyboard are the DNA components of a TP as far as I’m concerned. As long as all those components are present in the Edge, then it’s a ThinkPad as far as I’m concerned, and a good looking one at it too.
January 10th, 2010 12:31 pm
@Ahmed – if the distinctive keyboard that we’ve known and loved since the mid-90’s is a DNA component of a ThinkPad, then the Edge fails immediately – it’s a 6-row chiclet.
Look, while I think the original ThinkPad look is classy, I’m really indifferent about what the outside looks like or how many blue/green/red blinkenlights they can cram on it.
There are only two things that are really important to me in a notebook computer – the keyboard and the screen because I work for a living and type on a keyboard and stare at a screen All. Day. Long.
A 6-row without the Ins/Del/Home/End/PgUp/PgDn block is inconvenient. I don’t like that.
A shorter screen means I have to scroll more reading long documents or e-mails. That is inconvenient and time-consuming. I don’t like that.
And it makes me angry that Lenovo has decided to value style over substance and is watering down the ThinkPad brand with the Edge. Yes, the “classic” lines are still available, but how long will that last?
January 10th, 2010 9:04 pm
I think the Edge and X100e, not having the roll cage and 7-row keyboard, were meant to be a step sideways, not backward. The development of the ThinkPad doesn’t follow a straight line; rather it branches. There are small iterative features; and then big, innovations that bring the line forward. Maybe they have some structural features that are comparable to the roll cage; maybe not. At least they’ve spill-resistant keyboards based on the video.
Users’ expectations of what a ThinkPad *should* be have changed and grown over the decade+ of its existance, all the way from the original 700/700c with its bento-style rectangular edges and corners. So when a feature that was added mid-stream is then removed from a branch of the family, it’s seen as a step backward. Of course, to a first-time user who may not be aware of all the history of the ThinkPad, such omissions will not be glaring, at least at first.
From using a keyboard without a Ins/Del/Home/End/PgUp/PgDn block, I’ve learned to adapt my habits from typing on a desktop keyboard *with* that block. Sure, it won’t work for all, but for others it won’t matter (maybe even some business users). The success of the new lines will hinge on whether users will be just as productive, without running into niggling inconveniences.
I understand your right to be angry, Jane. You, unlike me, have been a long-time ThinkPad user and have specific needs that won’t all be answered by what is being offered. I, on the other hand, will likely become a first-time ThinkPad users after graduating from a being a IdeaPad user. If you’re worried about the classic line not holding out, well at this point it’s all pretty much in the air. IMO of course.
January 11th, 2010 1:39 am
I have tried SEVERAL Chiclet-style keyboards over the years, from the (yes) PC Jr, to the latest Macbook pros. The ALL were horrible for the touch-typist! Maybe, some day, some vendor will make a good one. I’d like to believe that Lenovo will be the one . . . perhaps there is still some keyboard design DNA left from the old IBM buckling spring keyboards (that I still use every day) to today’s IBM, er, Lenovo keyboards. But count me down as skeptical!
Thinkpad ‘Edge’ ? –> Brand devaluation!
January 11th, 2010 1:43 am
What did I see on the very first photos of the new Lenovo machines? Shiny (mo’ bling mo’ bettah) cases. Which translates to: slips out of your hand at the worst possible moment. And also translates to: lots of ugly thumbprints (you can see a bunch already in the press photos)! If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it. PLEASE.
January 12th, 2010 5:01 pm
Please let the edge be the only exception in the history of Thinkpads. Or you’ll let people going for Dell machines.
Protip: the perfect Thinkpad is made from an S30 (non glossy) design and X32 size (and audioplugs!), with toughness of a T43.
January 13th, 2010 9:41 am
mac pro body + sony keyboard?
January 13th, 2010 11:14 am
For at least some reviewers, the keyboard may look chiclet, but feels solid:
http://windowsitpro.com/articl.....nkpad.html
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/.....584,00.asp
January 14th, 2010 12:26 pm
Not bad – I think I would rather prefer just the joystick since I have had the old THinkpads and make the key board bigger.
Not really seeing the advantage of the Edge over the U350 otherwise though now that you can get an 8-cell battery.
January 14th, 2010 3:19 pm
[...] Design Matters » Blog Archive » New Decade. New ThinkPads.The keyboard on my current T400s is a huge improvement from older models as well. I think Lenovo is doing the right thing by offering more variety. Old thinkpad users will always recognize the…http://lenovoblogs.com [...]
January 14th, 2010 5:12 pm
I don’t understand why the X100e doesn’t have lowered arrow keys like the real ThinkPads. Even the IdeaPad netbooks have this, so I don’t understand why something that is supposed to trump the typical netbook lacks this.
January 24th, 2010 1:42 pm
I had a brief encounter with the X100e at a local Lenovo shop (yes, they’re shipping!), and I was pleasantly surprised at the build quality. While it’s not the tank some older IBMs were, the two X100es on display were well-made and not creaky. Also, the outer shell was not some glossy fingerprint magnet (apologies if you did mention this); it has a very nice smooth fine texture that feels very nice to touch. So while it might be plastic, it’s very NICE plastic.
As for the inside, the keyboard feels pretty good. I won’t say it’s far behind the usual Thinkpad keyboards. In fact other than the chiclet design I don’t think the mechanism has changed. What has changed though, is the switch to a 6 row keyboard layout. I was trying to find the specs of the machine with my usual Win+Pause/Break combination, I realised that no such key, not even as a Fn shortcut, was present. I know that not many people would need such a key but having left it out of a machine that comes from a “serious” line still feels odd. Also, not having the usual 6 navigation keys clumped together feels weird.
All-in-all it looks pretty competent. Only downside is the potentially average battery life. Spoilt by 6 hour sessions with 3G on my X61, I have…
January 25th, 2010 5:26 pm
To add to YS’ comment, I just received my X100e and the build quality is excellent. Better than the X61 and T61s I have owned.
The keyboard is excellent as well — definitely ThinkPad quality. And I can say with relief, the screen is nice and bright, too.
All in all, an excellent value.
January 26th, 2010 2:59 pm
[...] ThinkPad EDGE and X100e CES – New ThinkPad Roundup New Decade. New ThinkPads. [...]
January 31st, 2010 6:21 pm
X100e probably needs a dual core processor and 2 GIGS of RAM as the base model, without delay, and a really competitive price to make it a big winner for Lenovo in the today’s marketplace.
February 13th, 2010 4:27 pm
I’m in agreement with a lot of the other respondents: you’re diluting the Thinkpad brand with the EDGE innovation. It would probably be better to start a “ThinkEdge” sub-brand, as another member suggested, to sell consumer-level and budget Thinkpads. Keep the Thinkpads as premium laptops with premium quality.
May 21st, 2010 8:37 am
The ThinkPad X100e is a great effort Lenovo. You guys take a beating on the comments here but keep up the good work. Just keep making great keyboards, trackpoints, IPS displays, and black matte, and you will have me for life.
May 21st, 2010 2:33 pm
Why did you remove the blue enter key?
I saw it in the prototypes, like here:
http://www.itechnews.net/wp-co.....view-1.jpg
June 3rd, 2010 6:16 pm
I quite like the Edge 13 as a low budget alternative and would have bought it, but the glossy screen kills it for me. Completely. Even Samsung, Sony and Apple (!) has enough sense to offer matte screens, and now Lenovo is moving to glossy with the Edge? Especially in a small, light notebook I want a matte screen, if possible one from Pixel Qi. And not glossy crap. I even dislike that my phone has a glossy screen.
July 27th, 2010 11:52 am
Wow! I am a big fan of the inexpensive IdeaPad S10, which is why I am shocked with the 1 hour call I just finished with Lenovo support (sales, tech support, warranty support, out-of-warranty support, three support techs, one supervisor and NO RESOLUTION) for what should have been the simplest issue. I slowly let all of the rubber feat fall off of my S10 before I got around to trying to replace them. My S10 is now two years old and out of warranty, so I fully expected to purchase the replacement rubber feet. I knew this would not be easy when I could not find the part listed on the Lenovo website. I called sales and was told they did not have the part to sell. I called warranty support and was told they could send the part out if I was still under warranty, but could not sell me the 4 rubber feet. After being transferred multiple times and requesting a supervisor, I was told they could sell me the four small rubber feet for a cost of $167.00 plus tax & shipping. Wow. No budging, no way to escalate the matter to another level, feigned empathy, just pay $167.00 for .10 worth of adhesive rubber!
I am not easily insulted, but this insulted me and was poor customer service and Lenovo has lost a repeat customer for life over less than a dollars worth of rubber.
Very Disappointed.