Meet the SL
As I promised in my first post, here’s a more detailed look at the ThinkPad SL. The first thing you’ll notice about the ThinkPad SL is that it has a glossy top cover and an angular, more contemporary design. These design elements help to set the SL apart from our other ThinkPads. All SL models also come with a VibrantView glossy display, and anti-glare versions are available on SL400 and SL500. The VibrantView displays project richer, more vibrant colors and crisper images. The keyboard area of the SL is newly designed and a large speaker grille just above the top of the keyboard hints at the multimedia features of the SL. The audio control buttons have been moved to the side to make way for the grille, while the status indicator LEDs are now on the right of the keyboard. The keyboard, as I already stated, retains the legendary keyboard feel of the ThinkPad family. Another ThinkPad feature that remains a constant is the UltraNav – the trackpoint and touchpad combination. I personally am a trackpoint convert and will never go back to a touchpad if I can help it, but touchpad users will be glad to know that the SL has one.
Of course, a ThinkPad isn’t a ThinkPad unless you can rely on it, and we built the ThinkPad SL to be no exception. While the ThinkPad SL doesn’t have the magnesium top or bottom rollcages of its cousins, the SL design was subjected to and passed extremely rigorous test criteria before it left our ThinkPad development labs in Yamato, Japan. Rest assured that before all is said and done, the SL-series will live up to its billing as a ThinkPad and will definitely put to rest any perception or claim that this is just a rebadged Lenovo 3000.
In my next post, we’ll explore some of the fun elements of this business machine!
September 15th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Sorry gentlemen, but we spoke about Lenovo SL series in many posts here.
So why create a new one ???
You haven’t enough?
The problem is that the controversy will rages again. So why create a new post ?
“Lenovo SL series, the only compromise Thinkpad”
September 16th, 2008 at 12:22 am
So it basically has plastic casing holding up the entire laptop??? Does the bottom case use Magensium like the Dell Vostro???
September 16th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Completely off-topic:
When trying to access one of your blog entrys directly via the “slider” on the lenovoblogs.com main page, one gets directed to entrys of the “worldsourcing” blog, and not yours. I didn’t find any email adress to contact the technical staff running lenovoblogs.com directly, so I post it here.
Slightly on-topic:
Interesting to see that the status leds have moved from the
front of the machine (like in earlier shots) to the right side.
Absolutely on-topic:
What I still don’t get is why this machine is badged as a “small business” notebook; I always thought that was the point behind the R series. In my opinion, the target group of the SL series is clearly the average home user who wants to surf the web and occasionally watch a dvd or something like that.
A suggestion:
The SL the series wich I think have great potential of being expanded into the “netbook” area – an SL200 or even SL100 would be a perfect cheap browsing machine (and the only netbook with a trackpoint).
September 16th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
Felix,
Regarding the OT: thanks for the pointer; it should be fixed now!
September 16th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
@Felix now the R series is marketed as a low end desktop replacement.
September 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
@ Felix:
I think I finally found out the reason why the SL is targeted for the “Small Business”. Because if you run a small business, you haven’t got the money to have your own office. That’s why you have to sit inside Starbucks to do your work. And that’s where you need a glossy cover!
September 17th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
It’s a very pretty machine.
I have to ask: why change the keyboard layout, with respect to the page up/down, insert/delete, home/end keys?
Is that really the level at which small business customers care about the appearance of the laptop?
I hope that the other Thinkpads continue the traditional layout of these keys!
September 18th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I make no apologies for my dislike of the SL series, i’ve used and supported every ThinkPad for the past 10 years and I know a ThinkPad (and i have the SL400/SL500 for testing), the SL are not ThinkPads, they very much remind me of the I Series 1400 which I also regarded as a ‘non-ThinkPad’ ThinkPad. In my humble opinion, if they were honestly designed by the same people as ThinkPads then they would have the ThinkPad BIOS first and foremost, they are clearly off the shelf systems from some ODM which ThinkPad customisations applied.
That said, what really annoys me is this SMB thinking – is someone considered stupid because they run an SMB? Why would anyone in business (small or large) want a fingerprint magnet instead of a matt touch paint on the outside (glossy isn’t necessarily bad but the glossy cover of the SL is), why would they prefer the ‘angular’ design which only serves to limit access to ports and fool people into not realising how thick the systems are, why would they prefer a more cramped keyboard and would they really choose a pointless indicator light over a useful Thinklight? Maybe I just dont understand the market but it seems like the SMB argument is getting used as an excuse for bad design and cheaply built systems.
I admit you guys are doing a remarkable job making these systems look good on the photos and are certainly talking them up but design/feature wise they dont really compare to the consumer offerings from HP/Dell/Acer and build/quality wise they dont compare to the business offerings from HP/Dell and they certainly cannot touch a proper ThinkPad.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Just would like to know, does the SL series have the “stereo mix” feature…? Is there a comprehensive table showing which ThinkPad model has or hasn’t it?
Thanks in advance.
References:
http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/b.....ead.id=316
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=52527
http://forum.notebookreview.co.....p?t=247719
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:02 am
Slanted edges remind me of the i1200, which was my entry point to TP world
Bad thing is, there are too many ThinkPad product lines now, no difference between SL and R series. In my opinion, Lenovo have to drop either SL or R series.
September 23rd, 2008 at 6:27 pm
R.A. -The i1200 was not a good ThinkPad. The SL is similar in quality to the i series but not to the R series – they are vastly different systems. I would however agree with the argument to discontinue the R series but due to the similarity with T series, reducing the models and part SKUs required for R series would ultimately reduce the cost of T series to R series levels for a superior system.
September 25th, 2008 at 3:49 am
Panasonic has a new ToughBook out. http://www.crunchgear.com/2008.....more-44298
When will Lenovo make an official ruggedized mil-spec laptop?
tOM
February 25th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Not a fan of the Glossy Finish at all. I like the Matte rubberized finished that we business users have come to enjoy with the Thinkpad line.
This seems like it’s moving towards the Dells and HP’s with gloss and shiny everywhere. It looks tacky for a business professional in my honest opinion.
Please never get rid of the rubberized matte finish….the x301 is a good example of professional look and feel.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Also I forgot to add while you guys were thinking outside of the box with the Thinkpad line…which is great for future development…
I was thinking it would be really cool to see the famous “Thinkpad Pointing Stick” glowing red with an led under or inside it and remove the little red led dot on the “thinkpad” name. A not to brightly glowing thinkpad pointing stick would be awesome.
That is a true marketing tool there….which is one of the un-deniable associations of the Thinkpad line.