Lenovo IdeaPad s12 now available (at least for pre-order)

At long last, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is available for pre-order. The 12.1-inch, WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution netbook, if you've forgotten, boasts an Intel GMA950 chipset (and will have NVIDIA's Ion chipset as an option in September), an Intel 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 memory, 160/250/320GB HDD options, an optional 6-cell battery, Ethernet jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, three USB 2.0 sockets, an ExpressCard slot, a 4-in-1 card reader and VGA / HDMI outputs. It also has a full sized keyboard, and optional 1080p video playback. Starting price for the base model is $499. Hit the read link for the full host of options -- we'll let you know when it's shipping!

[gabe @ Jun 24th 2009 3:02PM]

hello

[Mazzani @ Jun 24th 2009 3:21PM]

I was eating strawberry.

[OneLove @ Jun 24th 2009 3:25PM]

How do you select the "1080p video playback" option?

[joe23521 @ Jun 24th 2009 3:43PM]

No comment.

[tyama9390 @ Jun 24th 2009 4:15PM]

What does hello I was eating strawberry mean--I've seen it a few times on the interweb.

[htd @ Jun 24th 2009 3:03PM]

very nice, netbook is just a cheap laptop, it can use atom for 'enough' computation power, it can save power and save money.
netbook is dead, long live netbook.

[yokel @ Jun 24th 2009 3:21PM]

My brain just exploded reading that.

[NOCknock @ Jun 24th 2009 3:46PM]

What???

[NoAndThen @ Jun 24th 2009 4:01PM]

@yokel: lmfao!

[fggggg @ Jun 25th 2009 5:07AM]

LOL

[J D @ Jun 24th 2009 3:05PM]

I must be looking in teh wrong place, because all the s12's I see start at $499

[mikecel79 @ Jun 24th 2009 3:39PM]

I am seeing the same thing....At $399 I would be ordering one today!

[LondonConsultant @ Jun 24th 2009 3:46PM]

Yep, either this Engadget article needs an update or the Lenovo site is wrong...

[GadgetNut @ Jun 24th 2009 7:30PM]

It's April's fools day....in June I think :-(

[cocoviper @ Jun 24th 2009 3:05PM]

I think the $399 is for the 10" version...

[htd @ Jun 24th 2009 3:06PM]

I dont see no ION! it's still intel 950, so no HDMI, only 12" 1280x800 screen and it starts at $499, not $399!

[GRAMMAR POLICE @ Jun 24th 2009 3:10PM]

Engadget screwed up. The ION version will not be available until possibly September.

[Jason @ Jun 24th 2009 3:20PM]

You're right. I was excited for a moment and now I realize this is another pointless netbook I don't want. Thanks for bursting my bubble, Engadget. :D

[GRAMMAR POLICE @ Jun 24th 2009 3:23PM]

Yeah, they managed to get both the price AND internals wrong. Oh, and the "read" link doesn't go to the S-12 page.

I'm not sure there's any more that could possibly have been screwed up in this post.

[Coocha @ Jun 24th 2009 3:23PM]

I talked to a Lenovo chat agent this morning before this broke on engadget. He said both listed SKUs (the 55 and the 54) have Ion, but recommended I call sales to confirm, and find out the actual difference between the model numbers. He thought the only difference was the color.

[Jason @ Jun 24th 2009 3:27PM]

I bet the sales agent you talked to mistook the fact that it has a Lithium-ION battery in it as having Ion. Good naming convention there. :)

[Coocha @ Jun 24th 2009 3:29PM]

That could very well be. I did specify Nvidia Ion Chipset though. I'll find out for sure when I call tonight. Do Want!

[Mike10010100 @ Jun 24th 2009 3:33PM]

Yeah, it's pretty much been publicly accepted that the ION chipset for the Lenovo netbooks will not be ready until September. I did a facepalm when I read this, as I had just gotten an EEE PC 1000he. However, now I don't feel so bad. lol

[TR @ Jun 24th 2009 3:06PM]

Also, I see no ION S12 listed in the options?

[buttons @ Jun 24th 2009 3:08PM]

ARG. Where is my ion netbook option? It doesn't ship for a month and I still can't get it with ion?

[lxuke @ Jun 24th 2009 3:08PM]

s10 is a great machine, runs a little hot though wonder if they fixed that

[ROBertO @ Jun 24th 2009 3:10PM]

Don't forget the U350.
It's also finally available.

Not a netbook though, but still a very nice, affordable notebook.

[Sica @ Jun 24th 2009 3:12PM]

and the two s12 models (black or white) both have the intel GMA950. So the Ion option once added will push this thing to $549. So I guess ill be waiting a while to see this below $400.

[fastm3driver @ Jun 24th 2009 6:07PM]

Did you happen to see which one is black or white? I've looked up and down and see no way to tell which one you are buying. Who is the fail here?

[loci @ Jun 24th 2009 3:16PM]

euro version will not have the ion option and that sucks

[teiresias @ Jun 24th 2009 3:17PM]

Geez, can this "article" even possibly be full of anymore wrong information? From price, to specs, for crying out loud Engadget!!

[Justin @ Jun 24th 2009 3:19PM]

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[BigD145 @ Jun 24th 2009 3:22PM]

No Ion. Not $399. Is anything in this post true?!

[Sable Drakon @ Jun 24th 2009 3:25PM]

If the pricing on these at the Lenovo site is correct, then these systems aren't worth it. The configurations on the site were promised at 450, not 500. The nVidia ION version of this system was supposed to be the 500 dollar unit. At this rate, the ION enabled version of the S12 is gonna be 550. Dunno about you, but unless the price drops down to what was promised, this laptop isn't worth it and is just going to make the S10 that much more attractive. I was hoping that this was going to be the PC equivalent of the old Apple 12" PowerBook Titanium, guess I was wrong.

[OneLove @ Jun 24th 2009 3:29PM]

"... Ion, however, won't make its way to production units until an unspecified "late summer" date, and it'll cost a $50 premium over the standard, Intel-based solution."

[htowngator @ Jun 24th 2009 3:29PM]

looks like $499, not $399

[skyler l @ Jun 24th 2009 3:41PM]

No ION. 12 inch is 499.
This post is completely false, made me cry.

[Art @ Jun 24th 2009 4:19PM]

12 inches+N270=meh. All that screen size and no power...

[OneLove @ Jun 24th 2009 7:19PM]

thats what she said.

[Warren @ Jun 24th 2009 3:45PM]

I'm surprised you guys didn't mention the multitouch trackpad. Nice feature for Windows, especially on a netbook.

[Ualdayan @ Jun 24th 2009 4:07PM]

Why would you pay $499 for a netbook when you could get a full fledged ULV thin and light notebook for $598? (The Acer Timeline line) I thought the point of netbooks was they were cheap, and much smaller than notebooks so you'd overlook their lower processor power.

[NOCknock @ Jun 24th 2009 4:17PM]

Agreed. I was looking forward to this, but the price/size is going to be a deal breaker for me I believe...

[BigD145 @ Jun 24th 2009 5:06PM]

Intel graphics? No thanks.

[bkero @ Jun 24th 2009 4:07PM]

I'm really struggling to call this a netbook. I don't accept that the definition of a netbook necessarily contains an Atom processor. At 12 inches, what makes my old iBook not a netbook?

[tyama9390 @ Jun 24th 2009 4:12PM]

Price

[David S @ Jun 24th 2009 4:17PM]

It's also a lot lighter than your iBook.

[tyama9390 @ Jun 24th 2009 4:12PM]

INVIDIA, as they said, sounds like a quality KIRF-brand to me...

[Ducman69 @ Jun 24th 2009 4:41PM]

I've been excited about the ION S12 (or well, any ION netbook for that matter), but these specs for this price fails hard. I'll take a Dell Mini 10 from the outlet, thanks, but no thanks... -_o

[dustandechoes91 @ Jun 24th 2009 5:31PM]

I might pick one up once they start dropping in ion chipsets.

[Wayne @ Jun 24th 2009 5:56PM]

I thought this s12 cost 449 with intel atom. then later on, late July, Ion S12 will be released with 499. And something must be wrong here or there?? Lenovo....