Lenovo's IdeaPad U8 makes official Olympics debut

Well, there it is, the Lenovo IdeaPad U8 launched official at the Beijing games just as we expected. With the launch come the final specs for this Asia-only MID we've seen incubating now for months: 4.8-inch touchscreen; the latest, sub-3 watt processor from Intel (uh hem, that'd be a Silverthorn-class Atom); 350-grams and 21 x 173 x 84-mm; up to 2GB memory and 6GB flash storage; dual-cameras; support for China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting (CMMB) digital television via that protruding USB dongle; and 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, EDGE data and China-specific TD-SCDMA 3G, presumably. Expect to see it trotted out tomorrow as Intel's San Francisco IDF gets underway -- with any luck, it'll be sporting WiMAX for a North American / European release.

[Via Pocketables]

[Jeremy @ Aug 18th 2008 5:18AM]

That's got to be the ugliest damned thing I have ever laid eyes upon.

[deyanimay @ Aug 18th 2008 5:50AM]

Besides your self right?

[Will H. @ Aug 18th 2008 6:26AM]

I agree. If you don't think it's ugly, just picture yourself sitting in public using it... yeah, there you go, ugly.

[AL @ Aug 18th 2008 11:27AM]

What's with the ugly dismissal? I guess you agreed with China's decision to swap out the little girl who sang at the Opening Ceremony.

I want gadgets that work. I'm not going to be walking down a fashion catwalk with this. Are you so self-conscious that you must be seen with it? What's important to me is whether the damn thing works well and has purpose.

[loosely_coupled @ Aug 19th 2008 2:21AM]

Completely agree. It's not only ugly as hell, but totally impractical for any real purpose. What use is that when you have iPhones, ultraportables, and netbooks? To fit something in between those sizes is going to require an incredible innovation in concept and utility. I don't know if it will be some type of touchscreen mini-tablet ala Nokia N800 or a iPod touch with a 5" screen, but it will certainly have to be unique to sell.

[captain underpants and the bringdown gang @ Aug 18th 2008 5:19AM]

The look is a very n-gage-ing design.

P.S. First! (first time saying that so shut up everyone who is going to laugh at me)

[King Mook Mook @ Aug 18th 2008 5:24AM]

Yeah, its also the first time that you failed!

[DarkLight @ Aug 18th 2008 5:31AM]

Oh, so it's your first FAIL?

You FAILed like a pro, I'd think you have more experience at FAILing

[deyanimay @ Aug 18th 2008 5:51AM]

Saying "first" is no laughing matter, its serious businesses.

[Rogue_Genius @ Aug 18th 2008 12:20PM]

Not quite first.

Looks like the captain got caught with his underpants down.

[Bad Beaver @ Aug 18th 2008 5:20AM]

Somehow I doubt it's only 3,5g. Even 3,5 ounces might be a little on the light side.

[MICHAELSD @ Aug 18th 2008 5:21AM]

It would be sweet if we could get some kind of UMPC that doubles as a cell phone.

[King Mook Mook @ Aug 18th 2008 5:25AM]

It is a mobile phone, why do you think it has a num-pad on the side?

[dennis @ Aug 18th 2008 8:38AM]

I thought the number pad was one of those Asian things, like on the Creative X-Fi, because apparently people in Asia have extraordinary T9 abilities.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/11/creative-zen-x-fi-gets-us-pricing-details/

[MICHAELSD @ Aug 18th 2008 5:36AM]

I couldn't tell that it was num-pad from the pictures. Wow, it's 3.3" thick, and it isn't even a true UMPC...

[King Mook Mook @ Aug 18th 2008 6:35AM]

Yeah, it is defiantly not an UMPC. Its a MID, as it does not run Windows, it runs Linux and is not for hardcore office use.

[webterractive @ Aug 18th 2008 5:39AM]

I don't understand something? what is the whole point of these little computers? I mean stuff like the iPhone, ok its cool but do you really want to surf half a web in small screen like it and then again the Eee and Idealpad, is this all just a fad, whats next who's typewritter can type faster?

[webterractive @ Aug 18th 2008 5:41AM]

You see all these new technologies that are nothing more then things to come in many many years from now, look at 3G they've talked about it forever and now its what just capped data rate of just over 500kbps I don't understand whats the point of all these protocols and devices that don't really have real world use.

[BobTurbo @ Aug 18th 2008 5:59AM]

It is funny, Lenovo are the IT partner of the olympics yet all of the computers judging the gymnastic are Dells (with all of their logos covered up everywhere). :)

[ipubs bastard child @ Aug 18th 2008 6:34AM]

I laugh in the face of your new technology !

http://www.vidgame.net/SEGA/Sega/Game_Gear/gg_tuner.jpg

[ipubs bastard child @ Aug 18th 2008 6:42AM]

dammit..


http://www.weblogsinc.com/common/images/2409628963995839.jpg

[webterractive @ Aug 18th 2008 6:42AM]

Hey Game Gear was crazy, it had the first tv tuner, not even Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii has that. And the first gaming outside your console was done by Sega with the Sega Channel.

[r3loaded @ Aug 18th 2008 7:12AM]

What is it with China and trying to come up with its own standards? We've got Chinese-made 3G, mobile TV, DVD, high-definition discs etc. and no one else will want to buy them..

[Jeff @ Aug 18th 2008 8:36AM]

If you're going to carry around something that big why not just get a laptop?

[konshuss @ Aug 18th 2008 9:12AM]

this makes my dongle protrude

[Ian @ Aug 18th 2008 10:05AM]

Too big to fit in your pocket (unlike the iPhone, HTC Touch, etc), and not big enough to use for work or real play. I don't understand why it exists. It's too big for what it is, and it's hideous.

[ecormany @ Aug 18th 2008 10:41AM]

horrendous, but you can watch handball on it, so why wouldn't you want one?

...what's that? the olympics end in a week? oh screw it.

[simbiot @ Aug 18th 2008 10:56AM]

I guess it's designed for consumers, but I can see it being helpful in the medical community.

[TIMMAH! @ Aug 18th 2008 7:37PM]

Yeah, having stuff stick out like that isn't inconvenient or anything...

[WILLX @ Oct 5th 2008 5:00PM]

This is the best mini computer I've laid my eyes upon, so COOL, where can I buy it?