Lenovo to launch new ThinkPads, probably on April 22

Those wily social media hounds over at Lenovo are at it again, this time teasing us with a crossword puzzle relating to a new "ThinkPad Series" of machines. Referencing our handy, and so far wholly accurate, leaked slide from February shows that the only Think-branded laptops not yet revealed are the midrange L series. Positioned to replace the aging R models, the L400 and L500 are expected to slot in as bulkier alternatives to the premier T-label ThinkPads. This puzzle tells us that whatever the new computers, they'll be firmly focused on energy and resource efficiency, and for an extra bit of PR kick, they are likely to be announced on Earth Day 2010, which just happens to be this April 22nd. Let's wait and see what Lenovo does to justify the name change and grab for green attention, eh?

[sshole Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:33AM]

lol liking the crossword

[rob72 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:49AM]

If this is about the new L412 and L512 the specs for those can already be found in the latest tabook
http://www.partnerinfo.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/tabook.pdf

[abedinthehouse Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:37AM]

Crosswords = ThinkPad????

guess now I know.

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:24AM]

@abedinthehouse

Think it could be the fact "Thinkpad" is INSIDE the crossword puzzle?

[scl23enN4m3 Posted Apr 15th 2010 11:02AM]

@BigJayDogg3

What?

[jalexoid Posted Apr 15th 2010 5:02PM]

@abedinthehouse The next thing you know Apple will be sueing Lenovo for using Pad in ThinkPad.....

[Treefingers Posted Apr 16th 2010 3:17PM]

@jalexoid I'll just pretend you didn't say that. Let's keep this thread Apple-free people!

[zargon Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:38AM]

I think our Lenovo rep mentioned something about this last time she visited. I wasn't really paying attention since she didn't take us out to lunch. Plus, we are extremely happy with the T4xxs series.

[MRCUR Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:13AM]

@zargon - We've been very happy with our Lenovos as well. We have about 25 T61s and another 25 T510s.

[zargon Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:26AM]

@MRCUR I never got a chance to deal with IBM/Lenovo until I started working at my current job and I can say I have thoroughly been impressed. I was nervous when Lenovo took over since we have had such good experience with IBM, they are rock solid and failures are far and few between. Lenovo hasn't let us down yet and I feel they have kept up the standard, actually having bringing some much welcome improvements.

I actually own two Lenovo laptops at home because of my great experience with them at work, it is a product that I fully back and recommend to friends and family.

I would like to upgrade to a T410s for home use, I love the T400s that we are using here at work, good performance with good portability (not much heavier than the X200 series, with a bigger screen and a media drive). Too bad I have to get the wife a new laptop first and she is saying she doesn't want a Lenovo, but I am sure I can talk her into it. :)

[Exbloder Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:11AM]

@zargon How much did they pay you for saying that?

[zargon Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:35AM]

@Exbloder Sadly, nothing, I have been trying to get a free laptop from them though. :)

I did win an Ideapad S10e from a vendor event not too long ago. Would have never bought one my own since I don't buy into this whole netbook thing, but the wife seems to use it from time to time.

[KAL326 Posted Apr 15th 2010 11:44AM]

@Exbloder I would have to agree that its probably free advertising that is well deserved. We buy 500 to 1000 Lenovo laptops per year. Started with z61m, then two different r61's, and now t500's. Did learn on thing on the t500, stick with intel wireless. The thinkpad ii wireless n has a glitch in it where it stays powered down, even if you swap it into another machine it acts electrically dead. Finally figured out the issue was software/firmware related after swapping around 10 of them out.

[MRCUR Posted Apr 15th 2010 12:27PM]

@zargon - The first Lenovos we ever purchased here were a few T60s for the IT department. This was still at the time when Lenovo was transitioning the ThinkPad line to their branding, and hadn't made many changes yet. The T60s still have the IBM logo on them.

After that we purchased a bunch of T61s (as I mentioned before) and loved them. We then got used (off corp. lease) R52s for our less tech savvy teachers and they're great. Our latest bunch of T510s are also very nice. It's amazing what little changes Lenovo has made, but I still think it looks like the ThinkPad of the future.

[Exbloder Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:45AM]

Damn the crossword puzzle is already solved :(

[testsoftvision Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:01AM]

@Exbloder
haha, too bad..

[Plazmic Flame Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:06AM]

@Exbloder

Not entirely, 4 Down = fail

[Exbloder Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:39AM]

@Plazmic Flame http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day

The fail is on you

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:25AM]

@Exbloder

I think he's referring to the fact "Earth Day" is two words. Not one.

[Exbloder Posted Apr 15th 2010 2:26PM]

@BigJayDogg3 2 words are always without a space in between in crossword puzzles, research!

[DrewVL Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:46AM]

Hoping new X series from Lenovo :)

[pgk2009 Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:50AM]

Instead of launching new models they should probably focus on fixing their supply issues: the X201t is now listed as $0.00, and clicking the 'view product' link leads to 'this product is no longer available: http://goo.gl/zcTW . For an entertaining list of customer frustrations, see Maddy's post: http://goo.gl/LqzB ..

[Punchy Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:36AM]

@pgk2009

Could not agree more...I work for a reseller in Canada and there is no stock to be found anywhere across multiple distribution points. Typical delivery to customers is 4-6 weeks now. Horrendous. Combine that with a huge increase in failure rates, DOA units and defective bits and pieces out of the box and I have now stopped recommending Lenovo to any of my Corporate and Government customers. These failures should never make it passed quality control and leave the factory, but based on the supply shortage I guess they are just shipping whatever they have to appease customers further shooting themselves in the foot.

So, okay, they are shipping junk, but how is the support? Even worse. I have tech. reps. showing up on-site without spares, troubleshooting and then going back to find out they do not have any spare parts in stock. When we contact our Lenovo reps. we just get more kool-aid.

For me, Lenovo has completely jumped the shark.

Punchy

[Shalabi Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:51AM]

I appreciate the faux 'balance' after the Macbook pro over-coverage, but this is not deserving of even a mention.

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:27AM]

@Shalabi

New laptops from a major brand isn't deserving of a mention?

Please exit stage left.

[Shalabi Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:43AM]

@BigJayDogg3 No, not unless people are lining for them or delaying purchasing one for months waiting for the new model. I don't see how this is worthy of a story.

[BigJayDogg3 Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:35PM]

@Shalabi

And you dint think people wait for Lenovo laptops? Just because it isn't an Apple laptop doesn't mean it shouldn't get mentioned.

[Treefingers Posted Apr 16th 2010 3:24PM]

@BigJayDogg3 Who's going to line up for a lappy that hasn't been announced yet? Not even the Jobsians do that!

[stoffer Posted Apr 15th 2010 7:57AM]

L400 and L500? Why not R410 and R510?

[zargon Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:07AM]

@stoffer I think what our rep said, the R series was too close to the T series, so they discontinued it. I think the L is suppose to fall in the lower end, below what would be the R. Like the SL, but geared more towards business... maybe, like I said, I wasn't paying too much attention to our rep.

[stoffer Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:03AM]

@zargon That actually makes sense. When I was buying my T400 I looked at the R400. The differences between the two, for the basic versions of both, were carbon-fibre in R400 and magnesium roll-cage in T400 and 1 year warranty for R400 vs 3 years for T400. R400 with 3 years warranty would cost almost the same as T400 so I went for the T400. I do not really know anyone having an R400. Everyone went for the T400, so probably introducing the L series makes sense. I did not even look at the SL400. The glossy lid and screen were screaming "I am a crappy consumer product".

[burned Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:37AM]

they are called L412 and L512, successor of R400/R500 ;-)

[Flowbee Posted Apr 15th 2010 12:19PM]

ThinkPad? More like ThinkTampon, right?

Wonder if I can get a Think(mini)Pad and a Think(maxi)Pad?

What, suddenly the Pad/Tampon jokes aren't popular on Engadget anymore?

[canarsieville Posted Apr 15th 2010 1:43PM]

@Flowbee

What?

ThinkPad = Classic.
Your iPad = Tragic.

[Flowbee Posted Apr 15th 2010 2:10PM]

@canarsieville

Oh, I understand. *Pad names weren't funny until Apple did it. Gotcha.

[rosebowl23 Posted Apr 15th 2010 2:17PM]

too many hippie words in there, it lowered my excitement significantly.

[JoeJoeJoeJoeJoe Posted Apr 15th 2010 4:21PM]

They ought to bring back that R series laptop the QXGA screen!

[sboardr22 Posted Apr 15th 2010 11:38PM]

Woot! on my Birthdayy!!

[HotDogWater Posted Apr 22nd 2010 2:24PM]

Ok I've been waiting for this... where are they

[HotDogWater Posted Apr 22nd 2010 2:25PM]

@HotDogWater
well, answered my own question
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/20/lenovo-thinkpad-l-series-arrives-for-the-eco-conscious-professio/