After giving the new IdeaPad U110 its 15 minutes of fame in front of the camera, we got down to business. The 11.1-inch ultraportable is built like a tank -- a really, really lightweight tank. The uniquely-designed lid and (overly) glossy motif is a welcome change for Lenovo, but after a good bit of use, it's easy to see this one won't appeal to the masses. Click on for the full rundown of impressions and notes (and a video, too).

Though our pals over at Switched managed to snag some hands-on video with a red pre-production unit, we figured we'd grab hold of the classic black edition of the IdeaPad U110 and give you a closer look. Made available for order just this week, Lenovo's latest ultraportable is high on style (and way high on gloss) and possesses the price tag to prove it. Meander on into the gallery below for a veritable plethora of unboxing and hands-on shots -- and rest assured, impressions are on the way.

Update: Impressions, notes and video are all live. Check 'em out right here. Oh, and a few more comparison shots with larger machines were added to the gallery.

Just as expected, Lenovo has updated its webstore with the shiny new IdeaPad U110. The 11.1-inch ultraportable is available for customizing right now in black or red, and both hues start at $1,899. Currently, the red variant touts a 3- to 5-day wait before shipment occurs, while the black model isn't likely to head your way for 2- to 3-weeks. Of course, Lenovo may be padding those figures a touch, but there's your worst-case scenarios, anyway. Your route to being nearly two grand poorer starts at the read link below.

Get ready, ultraportable fans -- here's the dirty details you've been demanding. Lenovo's IdeaPad U110, which becomes available in the US tomorrow in black and red -- is all set to start at $1,899 directly from Lenovo. Wondering what that'll net you? Here goes:

• Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 CPU (1.6GHz, 4MB, 800MHz)
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• 11.1-inch widescreen WXGA (1,366 x 768) LED-backlit panel
• Intel's GMA X3100 graphics set
• 120GB 4,200RPM hard drive
• 2GB of RAM
  
• dual-layer DVD writer (external)
• 1.3-megapixel camera
• 10/100 Ethernet, WiFi and optional Bluetooth
• 2.4-pounds with 4-cell battery
• Dimensions: 10.8- x 7.7- x 0.72- through 0.88-inches

You'll also get a 1-year warranty, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, FireWire / VGA sockets, a 6-in-1 multicard reader, Mini-PCIe / ExpressCard slots, audio in / out and a pair of stereo speakers. It should be noted that the 4-cell battery is only rated for 2-hours of use, while the rig can withstand up to 8-hours if the 7-cell Li-ion expansion pack is utilized, too. You may also notice a slew of retailers carrying a $1,999 model starting in mid-May -- those come stocked with 3GB of RAM versus the standard 2GB on the $1,899 model.

We already knew Lenovo's 11-inch darling was shipping to eager US-based consumers "soon," but now we've got a definitive date for you to circle on that jam-packed calendar: April 29th. The IdeaPad U110 will indeed be available for order on Tuesday, and it'll be starting a full Benjamin less than we previously heard (down to $1,899, to be exact) directly from Lenovo. We're still waiting on the full list of specifications as well as the slate of retailers that will likely be selling it, but if you're anxious for more right this very moment, you can check out a promotional video of the unit in black and red right after the break.

Although officially unveiled at Intel's IDF forum last week, the UI of Lenovo's Ideapad U8 MID has remained a bit of a mystery. Oh sure, we saw the teaser video. However, that vid was all flash based animation. Now we've got the real goods thanks to the folks at PCHome.net. That ain't Windows kids, the U8 features a sexy Lenovo-grown UI which has us asking when we can get our hands on it outside of China... and for how much? Unfortunately, you'll notice some serious lag between finger touch and application launch in the video posted after the break. We'll attribute that to what we presume is a prototype device -- certainly it can't be the fault of Intel's highly touted new Atom processor could it?

P.S. Anyone speak the native tongue found in the video? We distinctly heard "SSD," "WiMax," and "SIM card" mentioned, all of which would be new details.

Update: Helpful readers Riceman and rdy0329 provided us with the following snap translations: definitely a prototype, will not include WiMax but will support China's 3G TD-SCDMA standard for voice and data, will ship in 4, 6, and 10GB SSD options.

[Thanks, Engadget Fan]

Oh my. Look at what Lenovo is cooking up with the help of Intel's newest Atom processor. Unveiled at Intel's IDF in Shanghai, the new Ideapad U8 device features a 4.8-inch touchscreen display and bullseye, optical mouse for (supposedly) one-handed operation while surfing the web over EDGE or 3G data -- presumably China's TD-SCDMA. The device also features "Live GPS," hand written note taking, and support for MS Office applications. We're guessing it'll also make a phone call or two with that 12-key numeric pad. And with Intel calling this a MID, don't expect to see a Microsoft OS riding that Atom, this pup's looking Linux to the bone. Check the video after the break.

[Via UMPC Portal]

Lenovo seems to think this whole "brick" terminology for laptop power adapters is some sort of slight on the good name of AC/DC adaptation, and is releasing a slim new combo adapter to fight that negative stereotype perpetrated by a biased media. The new $119 90W brick measures a half-inch thick and is about the size of a deck of playing cards. It can power your ThinkPad, IdeaPad or Lenovo 3000, but is also built to charge most phones and PDAs, and some music players if you buy the optional connector tips. The adapter can charge two devices at once, is 25 percent lighter than Lenovo's previous model, and is bricking up Lenovo's online store as we speak.

If you can't wait for Lenovo's $1,200 (starting MSRP) IdeaPad Y710 to hit the regular channels, you can order it today from TigerDirect with a "2 to 5 day" turnaround. Your $1,860 nabs you a 17-inch consumer slab with 2.5GHz T9300 processor, 2GB memory and 500GB disk, with Blu-ray disc drive a full 4 months ahead of the expected April release. Might be worth it, eh?

We caught some time with Lenovo's new Ideapads and they're pretty hot -- but a little bit bigger than we were expecting, particularly the 15-inch Y510. The ultraportable U110 was looking pretty flash in sparkly red, but suffering from a bad case of fingerprint-attraction -- enough so that one poor Lenovo PR dude was just hanging out waiting to wipe it clean every few minutes. We were told that the 17-inch unit here wasn't in fact the gaming-oriented version we'd heard about, but apparently we'll see that tomorrow at Lenovo's booth. Check 'em out in the gallery!

IBM Lenovo's Think brand (ThinkPad, ThinkStation) has gotten the company far, but it was clear those boring numbers (3000, 2000) just weren't cutting the mustard. Say hello to Lenovo's new global portable and desktop computing brands: IdeaPad and IdeaStation, respectively. While details on the IdeaStation desktop lineup are still pretty sparse, the laptop lineup has three machines running the gamut of sizes -- the Y710 (17-inch gaming rig), Y510 (15-inch workhorse), and U110 (11-inch ultraportable) -- all featuring VeriFace (facial recognition software), media keys, textured lids, and flush bezels, and available in April. Too bad none have WWAN -- that really would have made our day. Check out the specs:

Y710 (above)

• 17-inch WXGA (1440 x 900) CCFL VibrantView display
• Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 (2.5GHz)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD2600, 256MB
• Up to 4GB RAM, up to 500GB in drives
• Game Zone keyboard lighting, and auxiliary display with resource usage and performance controls
• Blu-ray reader with dual-layer CD / DVD burner
• 802.11a/b/g/n (but no Bluetooth, apparently)
• HDMI, VGA, S-Video
• (4) USB 2.0, ExpressCard, 1394, media reader
• 1.3 megapixel camera
• Dolby Home Theater sound: four speakers + subwoofer
• 15.6 x 11.2 x 1-1.5-inches, 7.9 pounds
• Starts at $1,200.

U110 (the rest of the specs are still pending)

• 11-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) CCFL display
• 0.7-inches thick, 2.3-pounds

Click on for the rest on the Y510; gallery below.