Lenovo's X300 gets photographed in the wild
By Darren Murph 
posted February 14th 2008 9:50PM
posted February 14th 2008 9:50PM
posted February 14th 2008 9:50PM
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I don't know what games he plays but I use the trackpoint for games.
I play FPS (and I normally am in the top 3 at the end of the round.)
It is great for snipping; you don't run out of mousepad(or space)
RTS (yes I have played starcraft with it. also many other RTS games.)
It is also good for simulator games in which you must control a plane or ship (it is like a mini joystick.)
I play solitaire on my T20 a ton and no problems!
@mike:
Get a tablet.
They are awesome for solitaire. not that the TrackPoint isn't.
I would be worried about scratching the screen. Plus I can just play it on my iPaq.
Trust me. It takes some getting used to, but after you get the hang of it, its the greatest way to play an FPS when your on the go and the laptop is actually sitting on your lap. I used to be able to circle-strafe like a pro. Cant even come close with a trackpad. I say all gaming laptops should get these, because with the size of the keyboard in those, it wouldn't make a difference having it there anyways.
Like others have said, its like a mini-joystick.
I havnt used one in a while, but the one in my old Portege and my even older Satellite made navigation, regardless of what i was doing, really easy.
Oh, and for the finger going numb. I would often alternate my index and middle finger after each hour. The pain goes away over time.
That's where the revolution wireless mouse steps in
this looks, ugly. I dont know how anyone finds this sexy. I always get the feeling IBM's look a tad retro with such distasteful colours, perhaps its what people like?
Oh. And doesnt this look exactly the same as every other IBM? side the little shiny thing at the top left? Excuse my ignorance I am pitch forking the hay right now...
1) Many people (myself included) feel that ThinkPads look damn good.
2) And I should care if my laptop (that I use to do actual work and not as a fashion accessory) looks good/bad/ugly why again?
Yup.. they all look nearly the same. Form follows function and thinkpads found the perfect combo and stuck with it rather than trade productivity for ego. They are durable, dependable, and clean as a whistle.
I wouldn't trade my x60 table for anything.
Distasteful? It's black ... which happens to not even be a color.
I'm one for function over form and ThinkPads have been function for many years. My i1400 is still working after some 8 years of heavy usage. It was my 24/7 downloader/server for a couple years. I've even done some electrical and mechanical modding and it takes it like a trooper without loosing anything.
Personally, I prefer something that doesn't:
A. Fell like it is going to slip between my fingers.
B. Is Stackable:
http://ntw1103.googlepages.com/doublestack.jpg (the shiny one messed up the stack.)
C. I don't like loose edges in my laptop bag, which would give the thing more room to slide around and be damaged. (corners can take a beating, rounded edges just well... you lose an edge and the end is near.)
D. I like straight lines and structure in art, they make more sense.
E. I'm a Computer guy, who cares what it looks like, what does it do!
F. Proprietary systems stink. LINUX FTW
Think Pads are excellent examples of minimalistic industrial design and very durable to boot. I hated giving my T series back to IT to get a Dell. Personally, I'm not fond of the blue enter key, but that's as far as my criticism goes. You want ugly? Dell's got all kinds of ugly: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1730 Complete with color changing LEDs in the front speaker grill and illuminated "tail lights" for what reason only Michael Dell and his Analyst know. Cool if you're 12 I guess...
personally, i rather my laptops looking like Russian tanks rather than pancy aluminum glowing apples
Can we make a petition or something to have lenovo bring back the red-green-blue IBM logo?
Or is this gone forever?
Lenovo had the rights to use the IBM logo when they bought the computer division but for only so long, after that, they gotta go with what they got. They're doing nicely enforcing the fact that they are selling Thinkpad laptops not IBM laptops. Some day we'll all forget these were ever made by IBM...maybe.
For god's sake, it's a fucking THINKPAD. They ALL LOOK ALIKE. They have for like 15 *years*. Nothing to see here. Move along.
15 years but they keep selling and refuse to change the design, I think they're doing at least something right.
Besides, ThinkPads are not intended solely to be plopped down at Starbucks at the largest table by yourself while you sip your expensive latte and pinch your photos.
Replaceable battery?!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38381753@N00/2265455185/
Upgradeable RAM?!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38381753@N00/2266244416/
This is madness!
THIS IS THINKPAD!!!
(sorry I couldn't resist)
I'll admit to being a Thinkpad fan. They aren't perfect, and a few models have their problems here and there, but by and large, Thinkpads are built extremely well. I'm a few years behind the curve, and still own only pre-Lenovo Thinkpads, but they are still some of the best laptops out there.
Some people say "If you want the best laptop, get a Mac. If you want the best windows laptop, get a Thinkpad." With Apple switching to Intel, that may not be as true as it once was. They are very nearly on an even playing field. Both Apple and Lenovo are making thin and light fully featured laptops (MacBook Pro vs Thinkpad T-series, now the X300), and have been for a considerable length of time.
I think it comes down to a few simple decisions:
- Choice of pointing device
If you recognize the Trackpoint as the superior pointing device, the Thinkpad is a natural choice. (Everyone I know who has used one for more than a week does.)
- Operating system
At this point, with Mac OS being BSD based and running on Intel machines, it's not as polarizing a decision as it once was. These days, even if you don't like a trackpoint but have to have windows, you can have it on a Mac - so much the better!
- Design aesthetic
Apple has cornered the market on simple and hip (chic?) designs. This started with the iPod and iBook (2nd gen, not the clam), and spread from there like wildfire. There's no questioning their ability to make a sharp looking and functional piece of art.
Lots of people don't seem to understand the Thinkpad design aesthetic. To these people, it seems to be a throwback, or dated design decisions. The Thinkpads are modeled after the Japanese lunch box, also known as the Bento box. It's a simple, flat, black lacquered wooden box. The reason they haven't changed this design as a whole, is because it looks professional, and provides maximal usable volume in the smallest space. It's not an '80s throwback, as the first Thinkpad came out in 1993. Before that, laptops were beige monsters.
This is why modern Thinkpads look like the first Thinkpads.
People don't fault a modern Porsche 911 for looking like an old Porsche 911... yet they have the same basic design, and is recognizable as such. It's all about the incremental improvements.
Both Apple and Thinkpad laptops say something about their owners. Usually the owner's taste, and desire for a piece of technology that works well. As such, it seems to me that Mac and Thinkpad fans are often at opposite ends of the same boat, trying to escape from the other by paddling as hard as they can.
It must not be too far from the truth - look at the increasing numbers of companies copying both Macbook and Thinkpad designs.
There's nothing wrong with the Thinkpad design. It's bad-ass. I am writing this on a MacBook Pro - if I ever have to get a PC laptop, I will get a Thinkpad.
That said, I don't think Lenovo or IBM ever really "got" that design. It's based on the IBM PS/2 machines, but evolved, and I think both IBM and Lenovo didn't change it because they didn't want to mess with a good thing.
But IBM put blue keys on it - bad -, the Thinkpad logo is cheeseball and doesn't mesh with the design, and both IBM and Lenovo are plastering it with ugly stickers. If they understood and respected the design, they wouldn't have done that. Just look at the MacBook - no stickers anywhere in sight. And the underside is as meticulously designed as the top.
Take off the stickers and logo, and live with the blue keys and it's still cool though. Darth Vader's choice.
Oh come on, the Porsche keeps the overall look, but it's being redone every 5-6 years to be inline with the current trends. It keeps the overall form, but constantly changes the details.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1976-porsche-archives.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:P997_carrera_s_frontview.jpg
none of these comments are making me want to buy a macbook air. actually, it's making me dislike mac fans even more, and wanting to support apple even less.
ps: steve jobs thinks you're an illiterate moron.
thanks for sharing. that was totally interesting.
Seriously, who uses the trackpoint anymore?
Those uses who own a Thinkpad (or Toshiba laptop), and kind of prefer to use trackpoint. It has its inherited disadvantages, so does hand held mouse, trackball, touchpad. I do not know how many feel that the trackpoint is a selling advantage, but there are some.
I've said it once, I'll say it again. I don't get why some of you have to fight for a machine to the death. Both other them have their own strong points, and are maybe worth a comparison, but folks let's stop the fighting. The x300 is obviously geared more for the business user so it is designed more for usability and durability. The MBA is geared strongly for the consumer market with it's looks as a major selling point. They are clearly aiming for different people as many people mentioned.
I personally like thinkpads more, but I see many people using the x300 as a chance to bash the MBA as slow, expensive, and useless. Let me just say it's mostly on par with most of the higher end consumer ultraportables (which usually tend to be expensive, less powerful and without optical drives), except for the missing ports and maybe being more expensive for the performance (as you can get a sony sz w/ 2.1ghz for $1.7k). Sure it's missing a few ports, but there ARE customers who are looking for a ultraportable like the MBA. There's really no need to bash the MBA. Yes I know it can get distressing when new phones get compared to the iphone and many of you fear this will become a norm with the Macbook Air too. So most of you just want to bash any Apple product any chance you get, for revenge, but you are just making it WORST by bringing up the MBA EVERY DAMN POST about the x300 (actually this is partly the article's fault but we have responsibility too). So next time avoid mentioning the MBA unless it is genuinely constructive comparison. Can't we all get along?
"(actually this is partly the article's fault but we have responsibility too)"
Mistake on this part as I just copied this comment from another related post. In this case it was a commenter's fault and not the article's fault for ONCE AGAIN mentioning the MBA.
as a new macbook air owner, i just wanna chime in and say that i think the monolithic black slab design is just as elegant and attractive as my macbook air. infact i think the thinkpad is damn sexy. *gasp* yes, i said it. way sexier than those sony tx series and on par with the macbooks. i'd have gotten/waited for one if only there was a macintosh os option.
I completely agree. Those who complain about the Thinkpad design haven't a clue about design.
What prevents it from true greatness is some stuff you won't see on a Mac: Stickers, the Thinkpad logo, the underside (again, full of stickers). And these blue keys should be black. And it wouldn't kill them to make a backlit keyboard would it?
Still, way sexier than any Sony, Asus, HP, and others that shall remain unnamed in a post about design.
I agree. I have a MBA (which I love), but the x300 looks damn nice.
I've always preferred the trackpoint to the touchpad. But the MBA touchpad is big enough that I quickly got used to it. Why is the touchpad so small on the ThinkPads? Do people just bump the sensitivity up so they can cover more screen real estate with shorter movements?
*sounds the trumpets
MBA and Applet fanboy army! ATTACK!
"Thinkpads are ugly" complainers! ATTACK!
Oh, snap theres too many of them :/
If this wasn't engadget, I'd be asking about why everyones complaining and flaming in favour Apples...
(And in case you are wondering, yes, there will be 50 comments flaming me for this. If not more. Along with a Bob vs MBA or iPhone comparison war.)
I like the thinkpads and recently bought a T61p after using a T41 for 4 years. The T41 still works, but it needed a major overhaul and clean out. The T61p has been great, though I think the 41's keyboard is a little better, and I am not crazy about the new track pad (the drivers seem to oscillate between great and moderately annoying- this time it works like the trackpad I had on a Dell 87 years ago).
Anyway, overall, the T61p is fast, the battery life works for me, the ThinkVantage software is better than ever, and I can do a lot more now.
FYI: Anyone, ANYONE who harps on the ThinkPad's design should not have to worry. Lenovo makes two different series of laptops for the US and Europe that have different looks:
The 3000 series, which is for cheap home business use and has a more Chinesse look.
The Ideapad series, which looks like the Thinkpad had a one night stand with Sony's Vaio computers.
Neither of them have the same level of support, security, or business features of the ThinkPad, but if you're harping on the Thinkpad's asthetics, you don't really care about those things.
They also both have ultraportable varients.
Make that 7 or 8 years ago, not 87 years ago!
p.s. We have a macbook in the house and it is fine. I used to be a Mac user, but after a decade on pc's, I don't find the Mac's as intuitive as they used to be (I may just be getting old).
Does it have a glossy screen? I hate glossy screens.
"PLEASE...don't compare the Lenovo to a Macbook Air.
It will only go to show you that the Mac Book air is a poorly designed piece of crap meant to make people using it feel important."
No, it will only show they are in different parts of the marked. this is business-oriented, the air is a laptop computer for the ipod generation. I really like both Apple (The OS rocks and the computers are stylish) and Lenovos (because I had two thinkpads, and they were the best computers in build quality I ever had) so I oppose comments like that just because they both are great in their different ways.
Everyone who sais the MBA is better is sooooooo WRONG. I like Apple products for their design but when it comes to aesthetics vs. practicality they always choose aesthetics.
The Thinkpads are a laptop brand with a very long heritage for quality, practicality and i even think the X300 looks better than the MBA.
Thinkpads are for the elite of programmers and other researchers, MacBooks are for Design-freaks and Apple-fanboys...
May the flaming begin ;) I'm sure now every Apple-fanboy here will call me a Thinkpad-fanboy :D
releasing a new business notebook in that pricerange and not providing dvi/hdmi, not even on the docking station is a major flaw in my opinion. but one, not only made by ibm, but also by others. i stumbled over the hp 2710p, which i very much like featurewise, but it too is missing any possiblity to connect via hdmi/dvi.
as it is today larger displays become cheaper and cheaper, resolution increases and so does the need for digital video interfaces. most people chose to go with 22" screens or greater today i believe, i am myself very happy with my 24" dell display, so using vga to connect is realy not an option, not only because it does degrade image quality but also because dvi has been around long enough to be implemented.
There are very few businesses that use projectors that have DVI/HDMI, and if you want to use it with your monitor, most of the time you get a dock that you keep at work, which might or might not have DVI connections.
While including an HDMI connector would be effortless, its not necessary in the business world.