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Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 line adds OLED and a Surface rival
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon must still be a hit with the pro laptop crowd, as the PC maker is unveiling no less than three ThinkPad X1 models at CES... and it's shaking up the formula in the process. The headliner is the ThinkPad X1 Tablet (above), which takes a clear stab at the slate-plus-keyboard concept made popular by Microsoft's Surface line. The detachable keyboard and optional stylus are the main hooks, but Lenovo is also introducing unique modules that change the role of the 12-inch machine. A $149 productivity module gives you 5 hours of extra battery, extra ports and wired docking, while a similarly-priced 3D imaging module captures objects. You can even get a $279 projector module, in case you need to make an on-the-spot presentation.
Lenovo's new laptop accessories are modular, stackable, weird
Docks, external hard drives and other laptop add-ons are supposed to make your life easier, but they can be a hassle if you have to carry more than one. Just ask any traveler unpacking a mess of boxes and wires if you need proof. Lenovo wants to get rid of this clutter as much as you do, so it's launching a rather oddball accessory system, the ThinkPad Stack, to simplify things a bit. The modular, magnetic design lets you pile peripherals on top of each other (complete with shared data and power) to save space and eliminate cabling -- think of it as a Voltron for road warriors. As quirky as that sounds, it makes sense in real-life situations. If you need both a wireless hotspot and a battery pack on your big business trip, for instance, you won't have to lug around two sets of cables to keep them powered up.
