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Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 review
Before we talk about the ThinkPad Tablet 2, Lenovo's new Windows 8 hybrid, we need to talk about the original ThinkPad Tablet, the one that came out in fall of 2011 to mixed reviews. It was an okay device, when push came to shove, with useful features like a full-size USB port, 1080p output and pen support -- a rarity on Android tablets. But the tablet itself was bulky, performance was sluggish, battery life was mediocre and there weren't even that many Android apps designed to be used with a pen. It was a concept that didn't totally work -- at least not with that OS -- and indeed, Lenovo's long since discontinued it. Fast-forward to the present, and the ThinkPad Tablet's been resurrected in the form of a 10.1-inch Windows 8 device, one that starts at $579 and can be used with an optional keyboard dock. It's a much lighter product, at 1.3 pounds (down from 1.58), and although it uses a heavier-duty Atom processor, battery life is said to top out at about 10 hours. (The original lasted eight in our usual test.) Like the OG version, it allows for pen input on select models, but of course, Windows comes ready-made with a larger selection of apps where a pen might actually be useful. So is the second time a charm? In a word, yes.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 priced at $649 and up, still on track to ship this month
Back when Lenovo formally announced the ThinkPad Tablet 2, it shared almost everything there was to know about its new Windows 8 slate: specs, an approximate shipping date and details on the optional accessories. The one thing Lenovo didn't reveal? The price. Well, you can rest easy now because the company just announced the tablet will start at $649, making it slightly more expensive than other Atom-powered slates running Windows 8. (To be fair, it does offer NFC and pen input, so perhaps we can all agree to call it even.) As a quick refresher, other key specs include a 10.1-inch (1,366 x 768) IPS display, a 10-hour battery, dual 2MP / 8MP cameras and optional 3G / 4G connectivity, with AT&T's LTE network being the spectrum of choice in the US. You'll also be able to buy it with an optional keyboard and a dock with three USB ports, HDMI-out and an Ethernet jack. That's all coming soon, so hopefully our full review won't be too far off either.
Windows 8 RT tablets to sell for $300 less than Intel-based counterparts, says Lenovo exec
Microsoft and its OEM partners haven't been particularly forthcoming on how much the first round of Windows 8 tablets are going to cost, but one Lenovo executive just gave us a hint. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, David Schmoock, Senior VP of Lenovo's North American division, said that full-on Windows 8 tablets would ring up between $600 and $700, noting that ARM-based Windows RT slates would sell for $200 to $300 less. "RT will play in consumer and retail at very aggressive price points," he said. This echoes previous reports that suggested Microsoft would introduce the Surface with a competitive $200 price tag. The Lenovo VP didn't reveal any specific prices, of course, but his estimates would put the ThinkPad Tablet 2 somewhere between $300 and $500. Schmoock also commented on Ultrabook sales, stating that he didn't think Intel would meet its lofty saturation goals: 40 percent of the market by the end of 2012. "They'll be a lot bigger than they are now," he admitted, "but I don't know if it will get all the way up to 40 percent."
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 official: Windows 8, NFC and a fingerprint reader, arrives in October
If you've been paying attention, you not only knew Lenovo was readying a ThinkPad-branded Windows 8 tablet, but you probably already noticed all the leaked specs, too. Indeed, we first saw this thing all the way back at Computex, where Lenovo gave us a fairly hands-off peek, taking care to conceal most of the device's specs. Later, it turned up in the FCC and in official documents, letting us know the slate would actually be arriving quite soon. And here it is! As we previously reported, this is a 10-inch slate running Windows 8 and an Intel Atom processor. And yes, it will replace the current ThinkPad Tablet, which runs Android. Other key specs include a 1,366 x 768 IPS display, a 10-hour battery, optional 3G / 4G, micro-HDMI output and a pair of 2MP / 8MP cameras. For the most part, that cellular connection will take the form of HSPA+ but in the US, at least, the tablet will be available on AT&T's LTE network. And, as we learned in more recent leaks, this 9.8mm-thick tablet makes room for an NFC radio, along with a fingerprint reader and a pen, which can be stowed in a slot on the tablet. Additionally, it will be sold alongside an optional keyboard, as well as a dock with three USB ports, HDMI-out and an Ethernet jack. The one thing we don't know? The price. So far, Lenovo is only saying the tablet will be available in October, when Windows 8 starts shipping. For now, we've got a mix of glossy press shots for your viewing pleasure, along with some hands-on photos we took in advance of tonight's announcement.%Gallery-162031%%Gallery-162016%
Leaked Lenovo Windows 8 ThinkPad Tablet 2 specs tip NFC, keyboard dock, uninspired name
Back in June at Computex, we got to spend a little quality time with Lenovo's forthcoming Windows 8 tablet -- not too long after, the FCC got to play around a similarly specked device, as well. Now, courtesy of some leaked info, we're seeing a slate from the company that looks awfully familiar. According to the spec sheet, which compares the product head-to-head with Apple's iPad, the Windows 8 ThinkPad Tablet 2 will feature a 10.1-inch 1,366 x 768 IPS display, in excess of 10 hours of battery life and two cameras, including an eight megapixel one on the rear. Also on board is NFC and a fingerprint reader, all packed into a 9.8mm body. Oh, and in keeping with the Lenovo's businessy focus, we've also got a glimpse of a very ThinkPad-looking keyboard dock, complete with the customary pointing stick. Check that out after the break.
Lenovo ThinkPad tablet with Windows 8 and Intel Inside stops by the FCC
Bearing a TP00043AWD model number, Lenovo's Windows 8 ThinkPad tablet has apparently stopped by the FCC for testing, making it the second we've seen after ASUS' Tablet 810 made the rounds. Although there aren't any glamor shots or specs available, the design shown closely matches the tablet we spent some hands-on time with at Computex in June and a quick zoom in the lower right corner reveals that new Windows logo alongside another one for Intel. When we saw it last the spec list included a 10.1-inch 1366 x 768 display, Intel Clover Trail CPU, 2- and 8MP cameras front and back plus the usual assortment of connectors. Check after the break for a bigger look at the diagram and zoom of the revealing logos, or hit the source link to go through any unsealed documents with a fine toothed comb.
Lenovo begins Ice Cream Sandwich rollout to ThinkPad Tablets stateside
Today may be the day the world meets Jelly Bean -- Android's 4.1 evolution -- but that doesn't mean the 4.0 upgrade train needs to stall. While overseas owners of Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet began to see that software update hit a few week back, statesiders are just now beginning to enjoy the benefits of the soon-to-be-passé ICS OS. If you claim this Honeycomb tab as your own, you should soon be receiving an OTA notification prompting you to install the software which adds stock features like face unlock, screenshot sharing, multi-tasking and resizable widgets amongst others. So, congratulations -- you're once again yet another step behind Google's mobile evolution.
Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Ask Engadget: Best tablets for students?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from a pair of guys called Joe on opposite sides of the planet that both need a tablet-based solution for their higher education woes. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.Joe from New Zealand writes: I'm a second-year university student with a health issue that means I can't carry round heavy textbooks. I've been looking at tablets that I can use as a replacement for textbooks and paper notes. I think I need a tablet, pen and software combo that'll let me read, edit and annotate ebooks, PDFs and PowerPoints, have a day-long battery life, display A4 sheets and a camera that can take pictures of textbook pages -- but I've only got a budget of $600. Thanks!Joe from America writes: I'm enrolled in a class where my professor won't post his power points and talks too fast to handwrite notes. I'd type on a laptop, but I don't wanna be that guy. Is there a physical keyboard that's silent, or an on-screen keyboard that'll work as well as a real one?Our thoughts skipped to the solid if underwhelming ThinkPad Tablet, which has a stylus input, decent camera and eight hour battery life. If you could get it to play nicely with Thanko's Silent EX keyboard, then both Joes would be happy -- but what do we know? They asked us so we could ask you guys, share your wisdom in the comments below.
Lenovo confirms ICS for ThinkPad Tablet, gives us more reason to look forward to spring
Love your ThinkPad Tablet, but hate staring at its somewhat outdated operating system? Great news! Your stylus-friendly slate will be getting a heaping helping of Ice Cream Sandwich come spring, according to Lenovo. As part of the company's commitment to "future proofing" its devices, the update will begin hitting the tablet over-the-air in May. The Android upgrade will bring with it browser enhancements, voice input, face unlock and general frozen deliciousness.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet joining the Ice Cream Sandwich party in Q2?
Wondering who's next in line to promise a tasty Ice Cream Sandwich update? According to PC World, Lenovo has said that it plans on bringing the latest and greatest from the Android platform to its ThinkPad Tablet sometime during Q2 of this year. As we've become accustomed to of late, Lenovo joins other fellow manufacturers on the pledge to update its devices to ICS. Unfortunately, there's no details past its estimated second quarter availability, so while we know you're eager to get your hands on the holo-coated upgrade, you'll have to keep waiting like the rest of the frowning pack.
Lenovo teams up with National Academy Foundation, teaches high schoolers about app development
Lenovo's not just staying busy pumping out Android handsets and tablets, but now the Chinese manufacturer is teaming up with the National Academy Foundation to launch a mobile app development program for high school scholars in the States. The project is part of the NAF and Lenovo's "innovative curriculum," which hopes to induce knowledge in areas like science, technology, engineering and math. Once the dev program gets rolling, it'll be available at five schools within the NAF network, but the eventual plan is to bring the app-creating party to all of the foundation's 100 academies. As part of the venture, the ThinkPad creator also donated some of its own slates and all-in-ones to "aid the students and teachers implement the curriculum." Take a quick peek at the PR below to find out if you (or someone you love) are part of the lucky few.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet gets probed by the FCC, will play nicely with all the networks
Mr. & Mrs. Lenovo packed young ThinkPad Tablet on its big trip to Washington, smiling all the while. When it arrived, it was dragged into the FCC's underground bunker and subjected to horrifying experiments by our boys in blue lab coats. Turns out they were looking to see what kind of gear it was packing. They stumbled upon a Qualcomm Gobi 3000, which will happily connect to AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile's 3G internet (nothing faster, though). To show there were no hard feelings, the FCC approved the Tablet and handed it a carton of juice before sending it on its way.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet review
Lenovo adds ThinkPad X1 to laptop comparison guide, outs IPS screen, USB 3.0, and optional SSD Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video) Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet gets probed by the FCC, will play nicely with all the networks When Lenovo announced a pair of Android tablets this summer, we didn't even pretend it was the IdeaPad K1 we were most jazzed about. Sure, it was exciting to see Lenovo enter the Android tablet market on any terms, but it was the ThinkPad Tablet that set our curious minds rolling. There was the design, for one -- an obvious homage to those black, red-nubbed laptops with the same name. It has personality, one that's inextricably tied to Lenovo's laptop know-how. It offers a full-sized USB port, an SD slot, 1080p output, a 3G SIM and a slew of accessories that includes a dock, pen and keyboard folio case. It's the kind of tablet we don't review all that often: one that might actually make for some painless productivity on the road. As you can imagine, we've been waiting months to learn more, and if your tweets, comments and emails are any indication, so have you. Well, wait no more, friends. We've been spending almost a week with one and have oh-so much to say. So what are you waiting for? Meet us past the break, won't you? %Gallery-134930%
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1... fight!
We've seen it before, but not against one of its chief rivals: the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Now here they are, sharing a little table space -- but not getting along too well. On one hand the Tab 10.1 is thin and light on its feet. On the other, the ThinkPad Tablet is large and would very much like to be in charge of your corporate lifestyle. Due to Honeycomb's limited customizations, Lenovo's tackling this angle thanks in large part to some enterprise- and stylus-friendly software, much of which the device comes with pre-installed. Join us after the break for a quick demonstration, plus a look back at our first hands-on with the thing. %Gallery-132052%
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet now available for order, priced at $500 and up
It's been a while coming, but Lenovo's ThinkPad tablet has finally made its way to market. As expected, the line of Honeycomb slates is now available for order on the company's product page, with the 16GB, WiFi-only model priced at $500 and 3G-enabled versions going for $570 (32GB) and $670 (64GB). The 10.1-inch, NVIDIA Tegra 2-powered tablets are expected to begin shipping on August 29th, but you can order one now, at the source link below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet visits the FCC, meeting described as business-like
This isn't a case where an FCC appearance offers our first hint of an imminent release, but those holding out for Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet instead of the company's more consumer-minded IdeaPad K1 can at least rest assured that things are apparently still on track. The tablet's now officially passed through the FCC, which should be the device's last major stop before its August 23rd release date. Not much else in the way of surprises, as you might expect, but ThinkPad fans do now have some handsome line art to enjoy while they wait for the real thing. Hit the source link below for a bigger version, along with the few other parts of the filing that remain non-confidential. [Thanks, Liang]
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet and Keyboard Folio case hands-on (video)
Two Lenovo tablets in the same evening? Nah, it's not the midsummer sun melting your cerebrum, but the same result just might happen after you ingest this one. True to rumors, the ThinkPad Tablet (yeah, that's seriously the whole name) will indeed be shipping with a full-size USB port and an optional dedicated folio / case, and oddly enough, it's that very peripheral that could set this unit apart from the masses. While it's obviously no big chore to find a Bluetooth-enabled keyboard folio for the iPad, you probably won't find a perfectly matching case with a tried-and-true Lenovo keyboard and a newfangled optical trackpad unless you're ponying up for this guy. Internally, we're looking at the same 1GHz Tegra 2 silicon as found in the more consumery IdeaPad K1, a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) IPS display, a battery good for up to 8.7 hours of use, 1GB of RAM, 16/32/64GB of storage, 3-in-1 card reader, A-GPS, an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, front (2MP) / rear (5MP) cameras, a mini HDMI port (1080p capable!) and Lenovo's own app launcher / app market. In our discussions with Lenovo, it was made fairly clear that this guy was being aimed more at companies and less at consumers, but there's absolutely nothing stopping the latter from enjoying a solid Honeycomb experience here. In fact, the ability to plug in a common mouse or trackpad (or combo device, for that matter) makes it far more useful than many of the ultraslim slates it'll inevitably go up against. Also unique to the Tablet is a built-in active stylus, which is tailor-made to jot down highly important information cartoons in the company's homegrown note-taking program. The full-size USB port also puts it squarely in Eee Transformer territory, with the Keyboard Folio shown above making perfect use of it. In practice, the accessory worked beautifully, and while the $99 price tag may seem a bit steep, it's not exactly cheap to go out and get a third-party case, keyboard and mouse. The company's demanding $499 (and up) for it's Android 3.1-based biz slate, with initial shipments starting today. Peek the hands-on video just after the break! %Gallery-124969% %Gallery-128424%
ThinkPad Tablet shown off with keyboard-laden folio cover, could ship within a month
Well, lookie here! Seems that ThinkPad Tablet's getting more real by the hour. For what it's worth, Lenovo hasn't exactly done a laudatory job keeping its next major Honeycomb tablet under wraps, but flaunting it in public? Now that's just asking for it. According to ZTOP, the enterprise-centric Tablet will arrive within three to four weeks boasting Tegra 2 silicon, a 10.1-inch display (1280 x 800) and an optional folio / cover that might just steal the show. According to the report, it's a leather-wrapped case that contains a full-on keyboard and optical tracking sensor, presumably using a USB connector to make the magic happen. Think Clamcase, but tailored for Lenovo. There's no mention of a price on that one, but we're guessing it ain't gonna be tossed in gratis. Tap the source for one more look, and expect to hear more on the whole kit and kaboodle as July draws closer.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet leaks out with Honeycomb, IPS screen, optional stylus and keyboard folio?
Remember the ultra-thin Lenovo ThinkPad X1 we detailed just a few hours ago? The document that dished those secrets also mentioned an "X Slate," which made us wonder if Lenovo's LePad was finally hitting the states... but This is my next seems to have stumbled across a grander piece of technology than that oft-delayed slate. According to a presumably leaked company presentation, Lenovo's planning to release an Android 3.0 tablet this July with a giant raft of specs -- a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 IPS capacitive multitouch panel, a Tegra 2 processor, up to 64GB of storage, front and rear cameras, a full-size USB 2.0 port, mini-HDMI out, a genuine SD card reader and up to 8 hours of purported battery life in a package about 14mm thick and weighing 1.6 pounds. What's more, it will reportedly have an optional dual-digitizer with "true pen support" and an optional keyboard case, possibly aping ASUS's recent Slate and Transformer tablet input mechanisms by allowing for both simultaneously. There's also apparently plenty of software support for the business-minded, including IT integration as well as anti-theft and remote wipe options, and all this will apparently start at the competitive price of $499 -- assuming these documents are legitimate and still valid. You see, they look a little preliminary for a slate supposedly sampling in just a couple of months, and there are contradictions here and there, such as the mention of a 1080p display in one slide, and some watermarks from 2009 in others. Still, Lenovo, if you're indeed producing a tablet today, we're liking its proposed specs -- don't suppose we can get a Tegra T25 chip while you're at it? Find a few extra renders and plenty of slides at our source link.
