Lenovo adds Sprint 3G, 4G support across ThinkPad line
By Donald Melanson 
posted March 25th 2010 1:56AM
posted March 25th 2010 1:56AM
Lenovo's ThinkPads are already all available with 3G support, but the company has just announced a deal with Sprint that will not only add another 3G option, but 4G (as in WiMAX) support as well. That will be available across Lenovo's entire line of ThinkPads and, like other mobile broadband options, will come in the form a SIM card pre-installed in the device. You'll also be able to use Lenovo's Access Connection tool to manage both 3G and 4G connections, which Lenovo claims is the only such tool that can do so.
Waiting for the At&t to get 4G on the iPad
@iPad2010
lmao the iPad 4G?
the same thing, only BIGGER!
@iPad2010 atnt is a little slow. not to mention they screw you over and over charge you like a bat out of hell. they are aweful. sprint is far better.
im really excited for this 4g i mean 5g is bound to be 10 times better too right?
Id rather wait for LTE support, thats when I will finally be able to cut my needs for 802.11n.
..........................hopefully
This kind of comment reflects the fact that building mobile wireless functionality into the computer is a bad idea. Who wants the radio & communication standard built in and doomed to obsolescence? What happens when you switch providers and they use different networks? What happens when they roll out some new network?
Put an ExpressCard slot on the thing and be done with it. Problem solved.
I want to pay $30/mo. for data service, and I want a system that picks the fastest connection available wherever I am at whatever time. If for 2/3 of my network usage Sprint has the fastest connection , they get $20 of my $30. Sort of a cell phone carrier data pool. It'll entice the companies to expand data coverage and to speed it up as well.
I know this could never happen for a multitude of reasons, but I think it would be cool.
@DanMan im pretty sure that will never happen man. let me tell you how rediculous the thought is, mainly becaus there is bounds to be verizon coming down on there data/all prices sometimes sooon!.. anyways heres why: if you had 3 that werent good enough, why cant u just have one thats good enough. good enough would be having the best coverage and being the fastest, which verizon aims to be and is clearly the winner. sorry dude. think before u post
@emopoops I'm pretty sure he said it was rediculous, and i dont think its all that insane, even though i agree it will never happen. As good of an opinion as "verizon is the best just go with them" is... it isnt a very good opinion.
If there was a system that could just decide which network is faster at any given time, and you then use and are billed by them it would keep all of the operators on their toes at all times, they would constantly fight for dominance, cause if theyre slowest... they just dont get paid.
I do infact think its never going to happen for any of a billion reasons (as previously stated) but it is a nice dream.
case in point: I HATE when people tell others to think without doing so themselves. reading helps too btw.
WiMAX is the way to go in 2010
@Vitaliy
untill ATT & VRZW gets their LTE up
@abedinthehouse yeah,
@Vitaliy
While the rest of America, Cananda...well...The World runs LTE with unlocked phones, you will have a device tied to a very much unsupported technology. And then when Sprint does have to switch to LTE, your device will be a useless brick of a machine.
Sprint is like that commenter always yelling "First!". Just because you are first doesn't make you cool, especially when you aren't even on topic (using same standard) with the rest of the world.
@7egend
while I do agree that sprint will eventually have to change to LTE, which is kinda ridiculous. Your wiMax phone will not be a brick. a simple firmware update will make your phone LTE-compatible.
But isnt Sprints 4g wimax, Clear Internet just Resold?
Sprint owns 51% of clear and is just reselling it.
So in theory you can get UNLIMITED for 30$ a month with clear by itself
with no cap.
@culljosh
Sprint doesn't have a CAP on their 4G service
@drozek Well how much is the service?
"like other mobile broadband options, will come in the form a SIM card pre-installed in the device"
WTF? Sprint is CDMA, and CDMA doesn't use SIMs.
@Information Central they implamented them in this case. it is possible to do it it just wasnt deemed worthwile by vzw and sprint when cdma development first took place
Thanks for the info.
It would seem that SIMs would be good for consumers, since it makes it easier to switch phones (theoretically). Of course, not if you're Apple and go with some BS "micro" SIM that nobody uses.
Nice job Lenovo. ThinkPad definitely my next computer.
Wow! What a tasteful refreshment that thinkpad edge is! Very classy and clean.
Well Lenovo, I am glad you finally came out with a solutions to a product you already have, this is just PR at work. Lenovo already had the Gobi 2000 on their thinkpads, but it was locked down to AT&T and Verizon, it was very simple to trick the installer to use Sprints firmware and install packages. I did this a week ago with my new w510 laptop.
Maybe I'm missing something, but hasn't the WiMAX option been there for well over a year now? My ThinkPad X200 shows "Intel(R) WiMAX Link 5350" under Network adapters, and I bought it in January 2009.
@Mr Blurrycam OK I get it now, it is Sprint SIM option what's being added. RTFP next time I guess. DUH!
What model is the aluminum Thinkpad?