How would you change Lenovo's IdeaPad U110?

When Lenovo's oh-so-nimble IdeaPad U110 crashed onto the scene in January, intrigue was high. After all, it came packing a lightweight frame, a couple of longevous batteries, a respectable price tag and a decent list of specifications. After spending some quality time with the ultraportable, we came away less than enthused, but that's not the point here -- we're asking you, dear readers, to toss in your own two pennies and let us know how you would've done things differently on this here machine. Would you have stripped off a coat or two of that gloss? Shoved in a more potent processor? Pre-installed just a bit less bloatware? Wrack your brain and let us know, alright?

[Mr Mook Mook @ Aug 15th 2008 6:36PM]

Make it have a Intel Core i7! And 20 hours battery life!

[Mush @ Aug 15th 2008 6:37PM]

less glossy

[Bleck @ Aug 15th 2008 6:39PM]

I do not understand the point of these "How would you change.... blah". How about we just love what we bought eh? Its not like they even read these posts anyway. If they did.. then there would be nothing to change, now would there?

[JR @ Aug 15th 2008 6:51PM]

I think you have a good point. There's no way to weed out who has or has not purchased or even used the machine, and it usually just turns into a hatefest for between zombie-like fans and hot headed haters.

[Jason @ Aug 15th 2008 7:26PM]

Yeah, but then Engadget could only post 6 different stories on the same darn thing.

[GatgetMan @ Aug 15th 2008 7:34PM]

Yes, well you are missing the point... If it weren't for these "How would you change it" sections...


How would we get wonderful comments like:

"Make it a Macbook Air"

[d @ Aug 15th 2008 6:40PM]

I could do without the lame design on the back. It makes it look like a lame HP "personal computer." No matter who's software you prefer, the Apple exterior design is great.

At the time of writing, there are no other comments on the page, which would suggest I'm first.

[Phoenix @ Aug 15th 2008 7:16PM]

Oh god... your post was going so well too.

Most well-disguised "first" post I've ever seen.

But it doesn't suggest you're first, it suggests the comments system is broken. For the real number, look at the number on the front page

[Jason @ Aug 15th 2008 7:29PM]

Or it suggests you TOOK FOREVER writing that crap and thereby blew your one purpose in life.

[Phoenix @ Aug 15th 2008 7:47PM]

It was posted 4 minutes after the first post... Hmm... nobody could take THAT long for that...

Except... he IS an apple-fanboy-FIRST-troll. So yeah. Plausible.

[Barry @ Aug 15th 2008 9:59PM]

You're first, it's true...at FAIL.

[Rick @ Aug 15th 2008 6:42PM]

Get rid of the super-glossy display screen, with the option for a matte screen.

[KazO @ Aug 15th 2008 6:50PM]

So far I've only played around with it in-store for a few minutes, and it seems good overall. It's a gorgeous machine. This coming from someone who's only ever owned plain black ThinkPads for nearly 15years. The one thing I'd change is the keyboard. A friend bought a Y510 weeks after I got a T60, and the keyboards were kissin' cousins. The 110's keys are loose, glossy (slippery), have poor travel and feel, and there's no space between the keys so it's easy to mistype. VERY disappointing. I'm sure the 1.8" HDD isn't going to do it any performance favors either.

With the rise of 10" Netbooks and the Y410 gone, I think they should aim for a larger screen 'consumer x300' device for a followup.

[PynkFloydd @ Aug 15th 2008 6:57PM]

I'd buy it if it had a matte screen and the awesome frame of the X200 (with spill-proof keyboard).

[DaveS @ Aug 15th 2008 7:01PM]

How to improve ANY laptop...
- Longer battery life.
- The latest processors / SSDs.
- Enough ports so I can plug in the mouse/modem/usb drive etc.
- Screens and keyboards which get the the edges, no lame bezels.
- Design. I don't care if its not to some peoples taste, just don't make it anonymous.

[Gravy @ Aug 15th 2008 7:03PM]

Do away with the squiggles.

[SirronD @ Aug 15th 2008 7:12PM]

It needs a track-point. I have purchased 3 thinkpads over the years. The track-point is one feature that keeps me coming back.

It would also be nice to be able to purchase with linux (and working drivers) out of the box and not have to pay for a Windows OS that would not be used.

[SuperQ @ Aug 15th 2008 7:22PM]

+1 for the track-point. Trackpoint + 3 mouse buttons are required for me. Thinking about getting an X200 to replace my X60.

[J. Ortiz @ Aug 15th 2008 7:21PM]

I've had the U110 for almost three months now and there are very few things I would change. Those stating that it needs a more powerful processor have to realize that this is not intended as a powerhouse machine; rather it is focused on mobility. In terms of performance, I have not noticed any lag. I am able to run Photoshop, Illustrator, and Outlook simultaneously with no problem at all. Battery life is great with the included extended battery as long as you know how to manage it well (don't use it at full brightness for the sake of it). I don't mind the gloss but the keyboard was disappointing. I have gotten a bit used to it now but I still have a small twinge of regret in having purchased the U110 over the Sony TZ. Other than the keyboard, I am extremely happy with the purchase and would not change anything about it.

[Zenka1 @ Aug 15th 2008 8:23PM]

Come up with a better "Idea".

[Fanfoot @ Aug 15th 2008 8:28PM]

Sorry, but its too expensive. For this price it should be a 13" screen with more horsepower.

Right now it straddles the line between the ~$500ish 10" mini laptops and the ultralights that generally have 12" or 13" screens. This competes with the latter on price. So either its too small for the price or too expensive for the size.

And yes, it needs a nipple. I use a mouse with my thinkpad most of the time, but the trackpoint is acceptable when I have to use it. The trackpad is NOT.

[GatgetMan @ Aug 15th 2008 10:06PM]

Why the hell do you have a picture of ketchup?

[Minilap @ Aug 15th 2008 8:30PM]

How would I change the U110? I make the sure that every U110 that ships has engadget.com blocked so people don't have to read these useless articles.

[Willie @ Aug 15th 2008 10:28PM]

I've considered buying it and everything in the package is great, hardware-wise. However if it can be preinstalled with Vista business downgradable to windows XP I'll jump straight into buying it. I hope it can be done soon. Fellow readers .. any idea of how to install XP on it? There doesnt seem to be any XP drivers available yet.

[Alex @ Aug 15th 2008 9:55PM]

I have the IdeaPad Y510 and I love it. The Y and U are very similar other than the hardware inside.

I actually like the glossy screen. I can look past it.
The back design (although different from Y) is very cool and low-key.
Face recognition is also nice.

[db cooper @ Aug 15th 2008 10:03PM]

Totally would put a trackpoint on that badboy. It should be an option for all Lenovo laptops.

[k4ffy @ Aug 15th 2008 10:13PM]

make it $1000 cheaper.

[Dan C. @ Aug 15th 2008 11:27PM]

I have had the U110 since launch and I absolutely love it. I have not been disappointed in the least. At the time i purchased it i knew that I would be in for some cleaning of the keyboard and sides of the screens, due to the shininess of the laptop. It does collect fingerprints like nobody's business, but they can only be seen when lighting is very good or only at certain angles.

I love the performance of the laptop. J. 's comments were right on the money as far as performance, and the only time I had it slow down was when i was doing multiple things while running a virus scan. The webcam isn't bad, but there's definitely room for improvement. I love the keyboard actually, and I think that vaio users (my previous machine) will find it very easy to type on.

The extra battery was an amazing add-on, and it's great to have, especially on that flight to aruba when I had to watch The Dark Knight. If you manage everything correctly, you can expect to get about 4-5 hours out of the large battery. The small one can only give you about 1-2.

I absolutely love this laptop, and I would highly recommend it to someone looking for a more powerful mobile machine. I would love to se this with an instant-on os like the one in the new Voodoo Envy. The speakers could also use an upgrade. While they are very crisp and good at producing mids and highs, they have virtually no bass. A built in dvd-rw drive would be great also, but I would be amazed if they could fit it lol.

That's about it. How it helps to anyone looking to buy or anyone thats just wondering.

[4lex @ Aug 15th 2008 11:37PM]

Have had the black U110 for a while now and love it. Only issues I have are:
- standard 4-cell battery is rather useless, the extended life battery basically becomes the only battery you'll ever use
- Veriface technology has been in my experience useless bloatware
- the entire machine is a fingerprint magnet, after even a short session your entire keyboard and palm rests are covered in fingerprint smudges (I carry a microfiber cloth to clean it up)

Otherwise I love the size, design, and the computing power is more than enough for a laptop this size. I needed an ultraportable for work and couldn't wait for the next gen Sony TZ, as I feel the current gen Sony TZ is overpriced and underpowered.

[SNP @ Aug 15th 2008 11:40PM]

I want a nipple!

[Dante @ Aug 16th 2008 4:33AM]

Don't we all.

[Chris @ Aug 16th 2008 2:53AM]

Agree, all Lenovo laptops should have a TrackPoint.

Now that Lenovo have added SSDs, they need to get rid of the fan - perhaps use metal casework to dissipate heat or something.

The first manufacturer to give us a truly silent laptop is going to get trampled in the rush!

[Susan @ Aug 16th 2008 5:27AM]

I would have added a program that automatically corrects "alright" to "all right."

[happy_penguin @ Aug 16th 2008 11:29AM]

I would take it out of that picture and put it into my hands.

[aldo @ Aug 17th 2008 2:53AM]

What about changing the FN key for the control key, that will be awesome
Or at least support a software key remapping function
I have one lenovo laptop and the key positions is the only thing that annoys me.
See a standar keyboard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_keyboard
"CTRL" should be at the left
"F1" should be at the rigth of "1" or at least in the same column

[Slowmotion @ Sep 24th 2008 10:06PM]

Got a U110 for nearly a month now. Very impressed with its mobility.

However there are a few things that Lenovo needs to learn from its Thinkpad:

- Keyboard. Thinkpad is way better, and yes the gapless design of U110 keys does no good to touch typing;
- The glossy screen. It is fashionable but hardly practical. Bad visibility under sunlight too;
- The build quality. There is gap between the LCD and the lid - very small but surely visible and potentially can get dust inside. Apparently it is not properly glued. Lenovo is willing to replace the LCD but from I know every screen has the same problem so don't bother to replace it at the moment.

I boosted the U110 to 3GB RAM and merged the C: and D: together to 100GB so it is now very usable. For light weight computing this is a very handy machine, and it is smaller than X200s. If Lenovo can fix the above problems then Ideapad can be as good as a Thinkpad.