Lenovo's prepping its first MID?

We're expecting to see MIDs aplenty (Mobile Internet Devices, a smaller cousin of the UMPC) at this year's CES, but we didn't know Lenovo would be getting in on the action. The Chinese company is most closely identified with the business-friendly ThinkPad line it bought from IBM, at least in the States, so the shiny device spotted in this video represents a bit of a departure for them. As depicted in the video after the break, the device has what looks to be an odd sort of numeric keypad. There's also a built-in accelerometer to sense orientation, and we can only hope a slide-out keyboard hidden underneath. UMPC Portal conjectures that the unit is running an Adobe AIR app to give it that flashy interface, but it certainly looks like the everything is awaiting a little bit of polish. We'll obviously be keeping a close eye on Lenovo for this one next week.

[Via UMPC Portal]

[erhan @ Jan 5th 2008 6:03PM]

Looks like the PSP. lol

[aznofazns @ Jan 5th 2008 6:15PM]

it's more like a PSiPhone

[Flashpoint @ Jan 5th 2008 6:48PM]

Atari Lynx

[Gremlin @ Jan 5th 2008 6:12PM]

iddqd? idkfa?

[aron @ Jan 5th 2008 6:25PM]

The Aigo MID on the UMPC Portal link looks even better. Although I guess the Lenovo interface is pretty slick.

[Homeboy @ Jan 5th 2008 6:27PM]

Not interested.


Next device please!

[john @ Jan 5th 2008 6:37PM]

What OS?

Does it have a slide-out hardware keyboard?

Wifi? Bluetooth (DUN, PAN, ?)? EVDO/HSPA?

The UI looks nice (and similar to the icons on my Samsung R410). Wish Nokia had gotten the finger scrolling and stuff done as well as this one (my one gripe about the NIT UI -- not finger friendly enough).

[Paul @ Jan 5th 2008 7:11PM]

The whole thing seems kind of big?

[MacVicta @ Jan 5th 2008 7:14PM]

A smaller cousin?

As big as that thing is, I'd hate to see the size of a UMPC if this is meant to be smaller.

[Yevon @ Jan 5th 2008 10:58PM]

Wait. Engadget calls everything with a touch screen "an iPhone knockoff" yet they do not mention how this really resembles a PSP? Come on, let's be balanced here...

[meike @ Jan 6th 2008 2:17AM]

i like how he just holds the stylus in his hand the whole time but doesn't use it once. hahah

[ytsejam_ @ Jan 6th 2008 2:37AM]

looks slow to me.. so slow to deliver a "fun" user experience..
it seems irritating that the touchscreen responds after a second or two after each tap..
makes you do accidental taps on the screen to be loaded, thus taking up more precious loading time..

[silverblackvoid @ Jan 6th 2008 3:41AM]

the curves are vaguely similar to the solid Nokia 6630

[wickedpheonix @ Jan 6th 2008 6:38AM]

That is the most un-Lenovo device I have ever seen. Even with the Idea line where they're trying to market more of their computers to consumers, none of those computers are based around curves but instead they're enhancing their linear form - meaning if they released a product that has as many curves as this one it wouldn't fit in with the rest of their product line. Think of it this way - it would be as if Apple released the candy iBook G3's with Intel processors tomorrow - none of Apple's other computer products are curvy like that anymore nor are they particularly colorful (except for the iPod nano - but that's not a computer product of theirs).

[Graham H. @ Jan 6th 2008 8:43AM]

looks like a sega nomad.

[Logan @ Jan 8th 2008 1:22PM]

LOL I love how in all these videos, the UIs are so bad they can't use them without making mistakes. If this is supposed to be a demo you'd think they would try to take a video without showing off how annoying it can be to use.

Reminds me of the f***ing ipod wheel.