Joanna Stern

Tablets By Joanna Stern

Samsung's original Galaxy Tab 10.1 renamed the Tab 10.1V, thicker Galaxy Tab 8.9 no more than a trade show dummy

Samsung certainly stole the award for best tablet at CTIA this year, but it didn't do so without confusing us a bit. Sure, its new rail thin Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 are impressive and we're loving those price points, but the company also had its older and thicker Galaxy Tab 10.1 on display to show off its TouchWiz 4.0 software. On top of that, it also had a heftier versions of the 8.9 on display at its booth for similar demo purposes. So, what happens to those older models? Well, the 10.1 will still be hitting Vodafone overseas, and as such it's being renamed the 10.1V. In fact, Pocket-Lint has heard that the UK won't actually get the new thin version, although we're guessing that could always change in the future. As for the thicker 8.9-inch model pictured above, Samsung was making it quite clear at its booth that it wasn't planning to release that product to the public. It even had that nice little sign up there to make sure it crystal clear to any onlookers. Whether that 8.9-inch tablet was intended for release and then scrapped after the iPad launch, we'll never know, but we will always have the pictures and video of it below. %Gallery-119710%

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Smartphones

Smartphones By Joanna Stern

Kyocera pictures a world of deeply understanding phones

You know what just doesn't understand true feelings enough? Our phones, that's what. But it doesn't always have to be like that if you ask Kyocera. Sure, the company had its dual-screened Echo on display at CTIA, but it also had an interesting exhibit of concept phones, including the ones pictured above, which can change shape based on human emotion. The premise is that since the majority of our communications comes through body language, these handsets would physically morph to express the mental state of your caller. Don't ask us why Kyocera's future just doesn't have better mobile video chatting solutions for that sort of thing, but as you could probably creatively imagine, the black slab on the left would represent a good mood while the one on the far right is clearly all worked up about something. Not zany enough for you? How about some phones that morph in your hand to adapt to how you're holding the device? Okay, that one actually seems pretty awesome, as does the one that looks like a spider web, but we'll let you wrap your heads around the rest of the concepts the company had on display by hitting the gallery below. [Thanks, Evan B.] %Gallery-119646%

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Tablets By Joanna Stern

ZTE's Style S and LTE tablet coming to the US during the second half of the year

We've long covered ZTE products at Engadget, but hardly ever do we see the company's phones touch down on a US carrier. Well, that's all going to change very soon. While the Chinese company isn't sharing exact carrier partnerships, it did reveal that its new Style S and LTE tablet will be coming stateside in the second half of 2011. The first of those two is that 4.3-inch Android 2.3 handset up there. Unfortunately, the Style on display at ZTE's booth was just a mockup, but we're certainly digging the large screen and soft back of the device. According to the placard, it will have dual cameras (a .3 megapixel shooter on the front and a 5 megapixel cam around back) and a 1350mAH battery. That aforementioned LTE tablet was also on display on the showfloor, albeit behind glass. The Honeycomb slab, which we hear will be aggressively marketed, has a 1280x800-resolution 10-inch display, two cameras, a 6800mAH battery, and an 1.2GHz processor. Unfortunately, that's all we've got for now, but check out the gallery below and expect to hear more during the second half of the year. %Gallery-119633%

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Accessories

Accessories By Joanna Stern

Tunebug readies the Rumble, adds speakerphone capabilities to its SurfaceSound speakers

Back at CES we took a look at Tunebug's Bluetooth Shake and Vibe speakers, which for those that need a quick refresher, turns any surface into a speaker with SurfaceSound technology. Well, now the company has landed here at CTIA Wireless with a more mobile focused product -- the Rumble. The package actually includes that aforementioned Shake (although, in this case it's being called the TuneRing), which is the triangular shaped part that turns any surface into an impromptu speaker, but the TunePad is really the key addition. That's the base part that you're peering at above, and not only does it provide a surface for the Shake, but it also now has a microphone to morph the package into a Bluetooth speakerphone. We got a look at the whole shebang on display here at the show, and while we couldn't get a handle on the sound quality in a room full of rowdy tech journalists, it did seem surprisingly loud. The $149 kit also comes with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack, USB to 3.5mm charging cable, and a helmet mount. Ironically, the Rumble isn't actually ready to rumble yet -- you'll have to wait for this summer, but hit the gallery below for some hands-on shots. %Gallery-119533%

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Tablets By Joanna Stern

Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 get some competitive price tags, starts at $469

Now we're talking, Samsung! In a surprise move, the company decided to come clean with the pricing of its new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 this morning, and it's incredibly competitive. The WiFi version of the 10.1 will be up for grabs on June 8th in the US, and as you can see from that lovely chart above, the 16GB version is set at $499 and the 32GB at $599. Did you really have any doubt that Samsung was going after Apple here? The company is being a bit more vague on the Galaxy Tab 8.9 availability, only promising an early summer arrival at this point, but the WiFi version of that one comes in at a bit less. The 16GB option is $469 and the 32GB $569. You'll want to check out our hands-on with the two new tablets, but with this pricing now in our bag, we're certainly getting excited for the summer.

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Reviews By Joanna Stern

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and new Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on: thinner than the iPad 2, dual-core power, TouchWiz 4.0

You know who took the iPad 2 launch pretty seriously? Samsung, that's who. Just as we had heard, the company's executives were impressed by Apple's ability to slim down its tablet and, well, it turns out that it took it as a challenge to come up with some thinner tablets of its own. That's right, in addition to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 that we have seen repeatedly teased over the last few weeks the company's announcing a totally revamped Galaxy Tab 10.1, and both slates are incredibly thin yet very well spec'd. On top of that, both will be the first Honeycomb tablets to stray from the pure Android 3.0 experience and add what Samsung's taken to calling its TouchWiz UX or TouchWiz 4.0. We've got all the details and some hands-on impressions waiting below, so hit the break! Updated: Samsung came clean with the pricing at its press conference this morning. The WiFi 10.1 will hit on June 8th -- the 16GB version will cost you $499 and the 32GB $599. The 8.9 is $469 and $569 for 16GB and 32GB, respectively. %Gallery-119459% %Gallery-119457%

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Reviews By Joanna Stern

T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract, we go hands-on

Ready for some serious Sidekick 4G news? We thought so. First up, we've finally got the official pricing details from T-Mobile. That's right, come this spring the revived Sidekick will be hitting the likely-to-be-acquired carrier for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and two-year contract with unlimited data -- those that opt for the two-year contract but go with a lower-end data plan will have to pay $149.99 for the Android 2.2 handset. Sure, the pricing doesn't sound all that shabby, but how's the actual phone? There was no stopping us from getting our hands all over the first ever touchscreen-equipped Sidekick here at CTIA Wireless -- hit the break for our impressions and a hands-on video. %Gallery-119432%

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Tablets By Joanna Stern

T-Mobile's LG G-Slate priced at $529.99 with a two-year contract

Well, here ya go! T-Mobile has finally decided to come clean with the pricing on its 8.9-inch, 3D-capable LG G-Slate, and well, it isn't cheap. The Honeycomb, Tegra 2-powered tablet will set you back $529.99 after a $100 mail-in-rebate and that's only if you agree to a two-year contract. Of course, this thing can record 3D video, connect to T-Mobile's "4G" HSPA+ network, and output 1080p video, but that still seems like quite a bit of money when you consider you're also locked into paying at least $20 in data every month. Ready to grace us with the WiFi version, LG? Hit the break for the short press statement.

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Tablets By Joanna Stern

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 specs and Honeycomb UI tweaks leak out before its official launch

You didn't have any doubt that Samsung was going to bring its new Galaxy Tab 8.9 to CTIA, did you? Well, this thing is definitely coming very soon. We snuck onto the show floor this afternoon, and while we didn't find the actual tablet, there was a serious amount of Galaxy Tab 8.9 signage. We couldn't get a close look at the placards, but the guys at PocketNow had better luck. Not only does the 8.9-inch display have a 1280x800-resolution, but the tablet itself is said to be incredibly thin -- it measures just .33-inches thick and weighs 1.03 pounds. It also looks like the 8.9 will be the first Honeycomb tablet with some noticeable interface customizations -- one of the signs showed a new "Live Panel" and a "Mini App" tray. All that certainly makes this one a bit more interesting -- we're assuming we will be hearing all the official details at Samsung's press conference tomorrow, so stay tuned!

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Smartphones

Smartphones By Joanna Stern

LG's T-Mobile G2x spied at CTIA

Welcome to the CTIA 2011 show floor where the booths are guarded and all the products are kept under lock and key! Oh yes, it's pretty impossible to see what's going to be unveiled here tomorrow when the doors officially open, but we did spot this lovely digital sign at LG's booth of the T-Mobile G2x. This one doesn't come as a major surprise since we heard rumblings last month that Optimus 2X would be headed stateside under the G2x moniker, but it certainly looks like the launch is imminent now. We've got one more shot for you after the break, but stay tuned for plenty more tomorrow.

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

The dual-core Sandy Bridge laptops have arrived! Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Sony start shipping systems

If your eyes have been glued to Engadget this week, you've noticed that there have been quite a few new laptops unveiled. Sure, Samsung's rail-thin Series 9 stole a lot of the glory, but Dell and ASUS also rolled out a few new Intel Sandy Bridge systems. But something else big happened this week in the portable computer world -- a good number of the dual-core Sandy Bridge systems finally started shipping to you laptop-loving people. Wait, but didn't that happen back at CES? Not quite: while Intel announced the availability of Sandy Bridge back in January, it only started to ship its quad-core chips -- now all the dual-core Core i3, i5, and i7s are ready and so are the systems that house 'em. We've gathered a list of the rigs that are now up for order or hitting retailers. Hit that read more link for a breakdown, and start deciding if you need some fresh dual-core power in your life.

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Reviews By Joanna Stern

Lenovo ThinkPad X220 review

Admit it, when you look at the picture above, all you really see is a laptop with a design that hasn't changed much in the last ten years. It's true, based on its professional aesthetic alone, the ThinkPad X220 can't really be distinguished from the other X Series laptops Lenovo's released pretty much on an annual cycle, but there's much more than meets the eye with that there ultraportable. The 12.5-inch machine is filled to the brim with the latest and greatest technology, including a new Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5 processor, an IPS display, and a six-cell battery. And if you look even closer, Lenovo's made some small tweaks to the touchpad and keyboard, which make more difference than you'd ever think. The point is, that all-too-familiar ThinkPad can deceive you with its boring business looks, but it's arguably one of the best laptops we've ever tested. Hit the break to find out why we think it's so laudable.

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

Dell Vostro 3000 updated with Sandy Bridge processors, affordable prices go untouched

Not another business laptop updated with Sandy Bridge processors! We know, it's getting a bit repetitive at this point, but what if we told you this group blends together some awesome features and won't cost you more than $600? You'd be willing to hear more, right? Well, Dell's indeed refreshing its 13-, 14-, 15-, and 17.3-inch Vostro 3000 series laptops with those fresh Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, but it's leaving intact everything we loved about the series the first time around -- including, its aluminum build, backlit keyboard, and matte displays. On top of that it's also adding SRS Pro sound, HD webcams, and a new chiclet keyboard, which is a lot like the one we like so much on the Inspiron 14R and M101z. See we told you the features were worth hearing about. Internally, all four systems will be available with a selection of Sandy Bridge processors (with the 17.3-inch version getting some quad-core options), a variety of hard drive and SSD options, six- and nine cell batteries, and up to 8GB of RAM. We don't have the exact configuration pricing, but according to the press release below the 13-inch 3350 will start at $599, 14-inch 3450 and 15-inch 3550 at $499, and lastly the 17-inch 3750 at $549. See, mighty tempting prices -- especially after you take a look at the hands-on pictures below. %Gallery-119195%

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

Dell Inspiron R refreshed with removable lids and Intel's latest processors

We'll be honest, we've never been the biggest fans of Dell's colorful, patterned lids -- not because some of them are pretty ugly, but because once you choose one hue, you're stuck with it forever (or at least until you need a new laptop). Well, Dell's finally solved that piece of the puzzle with its new Inspiron R series -- the 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch laptops all have swappable lids. Yep, it's sort of like those interchangeable Swatch watch faces from the 90s -- you can snap off the standard black cover, buy a new one for $39.99, and latch it right on. But that's not all Dell's changed with its mainstream laptops -- the rigs now have new chiclet keyboards, HD webcams, and a design that's similar to the new XPS line. For a budget system -- the 15R starts at $529.99 -- they actually feel pretty solid and the internal organs fit the same description. All three of the machines can be configured with brand new Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, Blu-ray drives, up to 8GB of RAM, six or nine-cell batteries, and USB 3.0 ports. Dell didn't forget about the graphics either -- the 14 will be available with AMD Radeon HD 6000M options, while the 15 and 17 grab a hold of NVIDIA's GeForce GT525. All three models should be up for order today on Dell's website with them heading to retailers later this spring. Hit the break for the full PR / specs and don't forget to check out the hands-on shots on your way. Update: We now have the correct spec sheet after the break! Update 2: Dell has just told us that the replaceable lids will actually be $39.99. %Gallery-119199%

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Mobile

Mobile By Joanna Stern

Samsung Galaxy Player 4 and 5 to arrive in the US this spring

Remember the Galaxy Player (or Galaxy S WiFi) we saw back at MWC? Sure you do, it basically strips out the 3G and calling functionality of a Galaxy S phone and leaves you with a Android 2.2 media player or shrunken tablet. Well, it looks like both the 4-inch Galaxy Player 4 and the 5-inch Galaxy Player 5 will be headed to the US this spring. Samsung's demoing the players here at its NYC Spring Product Showcase today, although it isn't talking exact timing or pricing. Either way, it looks like this Android 2.2 player (it's upgradable to 2.3, by the way) with full Market access will be headed stateside sometime soon. We've got the full specs after the break and we'll be trying to dig up more details here -- stay tuned.

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

Samsung serves up Series 2, Series 4, and Series 6 laptops for serious, professional types

Okay, so Samsung's newest business laptops may not be as slim or light as their Series 9 brother, but they actually don't look half bad. First up is the Series 2, and as you may expect, the 12.5- and 14-inch systems are the most budget ones of the bunch. We don't have a price on the duo, but the smaller version packs an Intel Celeron processor while the 14-incher kicks it up to a Sandy Bridge Core i3 CPU. Sadly, we don't have details on the exact configurations either, but they will be available with up to 4GB of RAM and 320GB hard drives. Jumping on up, the Series 4 keeps the same 12.5- and 14-inch chassis options, but provides new Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processor options as well as 7,200RPM hard drives and six-cell batteries. Last but not least is the Series 6, which tops off the chain with some higher-end specs. Unlike the other two lines, the 6 comes with 14- and 15.6-inch SuperBright 300-nit displays -- there's also a 1600 x 900 resolution option on these, while the others keep it at the standard 1366 x 768. The Series 6 is also available with your choice of Core 2011 processors (i3, i5, and i7 all available) and finally jacks up the graphics power with an NVIDIA NVS 4200M GPU. All three systems are said to be made of "super-hard external casing," have metal hinges, and pack 1.3 megapixel webcams. We don't have any pricing details, but the 2 and 4 will be available in April and the Series 6 in May. Check out the pictures below or sneak past the break for more details. %Gallery-119161% %Gallery-119176%

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

Samsung Series 9 laptop hits tomorrow for $1,649, 11-inch version coming in April

Sure, we saw some pricing leaks of the super slim Series 9 this morning, but Samsung is finally coming clean now with all the official details. Starting on March 17th (yep, tomorrow!), the 13.3-inch laptop with its Core i5-2537M processor, 128GB SSD, 4GB of RAM, and Windows 7 Home Premium will be available for $1,649. Sure, it's a bit more than we expected, but we guess when you consider its solid state storage and 400nit display it makes a bit more sense. Still, there's a big part of us that wishes there was a more entry-level configuration of the beautiful duralumin machine -- in fact the only other configuration will be a $1,699 model with Win 7 Professional. The 13-inch model will be up for grabs at Best Buy, Tiger Direct, Amazon, and a number of other e-tailers. Wondering about that 11.1-inch Series 9 model that we saw hanging around a few weeks ago? That one is a bit farther out, though not by much. Samsung isn't releasing pricing on the smaller, 2.3-pound version, but it will be hitting in mid-April with a older Core i3-380UM processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD. It sounds like that one will be kinder on the wallet, but we're still convinced there are a bunch out there that will opt for the larger screened machine. We're hoping to bring you a review of the 13-incher very soon, but in the meantime hit the break for the official release. Update: A few retailers seem to have the 13-inch version up for pre-order already, but Dynamism's actually showing the 11-incher for $1,149. Samsung still isn't giving official pricing on that version yet, however.

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Apps

Apps By Joanna Stern

Internet Explorer 9 launches tonight, we've got your early look (update: it's live)

Yes, we know it's PI day, but don't tell the guys and gals at Microsoft -- we hear they're celebrating something a little different. That's right, the long-awaited IE9 browser is finally coming out of its beta and RC stage, and will be hitting the global download airways this evening at 9PM PT, which is midnight here on the East Coast. Microsoft tells us the .exe file will be available for you to download at those times right from www.beautyoftheweb.com -- but should you? Obviously, the RC release has been out for awhile, but we've spent the last day or so using the final build and we have to say if you're a PC user it's definitely worth a test drive. Hit the break to find out why we think so. Update: The download has gone live, go grab it at the source link below! %Gallery-119056%

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

ASUS U30S appears overseas with Sandy Bridge and NVIDIA GT520M graphics

You know who has been relatively quiet on the Sandy Bridge front? ASUS. Sure, it's released some new gaming rigs with fresh Core i7 CPUs, but we haven't really heard a peep out of the company when it comes to its mainstream U or UL series laptops. Well, that should all be changing soon as the guys over at NetbookLive got their hands on a U30S, which packs a Sandy Bridge Core i5-2410M processor, 8GB of RAM, NVIDIA's 520M graphics with Optimus, and a eight-cell 84Wh battery. Yep, it's one nicely spec'd machine, and according to the benchmarks it not only runs quite fast but it also lasts over five hours on a charge. The only thing the reviewer seems to take issue with is the size and weight of the 1.3-inch / 4.2-pound machine, and we really don't blame him -- it looks identical to the U30Jc we reviewed exactly a year ago. All that said, we're betting this thing has a sweet price tag attached to it when it finally gets an official unveil -- until then, hit the source link for a glimpse at what's coming.

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Health

Health By Joanna Stern

iPad 2 line watch: the few, the proud, the soaking wet (updating)

Last night you couldn't walk down the street in New York City without becoming seriously soaked and breaking your umbrella, but you didn't really think that would stop those crazy Apple fans, did you? Oh yes, the iPad 2 lines are in full effect in NYC and around the country -- we're hearing there are already close to 150 at The Cube in Midtown Manhattan and scores of others in line in Austin, Fort Lauderdale, Palo Alto and more. And with reports of online orders not shipping for 2 to 3 weeks now, we're assuming those queues are only going to grow in the next few hours. It is, of course, our time-honored tradition to bring you photos of those incredibly brave line-sitters, and we'll be doing just that this afternoon and evening. We'll be heading out to grab some shots of our own soon and bring you the smiles and tears, but until then hit the break for a few we've been sent so far. Oh, and good luck everyone!

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Tablets By Joanna Stern

iPad 2 launch day: everything you need to know

You know what tomorrow is right? Yep, Friday, but it's also iPad 2 launch day! After months of rumors and a pretty impressive launch event, Apple's releasing the second iteration of its popular tablet. Yes, it's true, in a lot of ways the iPad 2 is a lot like the first iPad, so many of you should be old pros at this, but if you happen to be a first timer or you simply just need a refresher, we've broken down everything you need to know about getting your own "magical" tablet. We've also put together a short list of things to do with it as soon as you've gotten it out of the box. Hit the break for a full breakdown of everything you need to know and don't forget to read our full review.

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Reviews By Joanna Stern

Joli OS 1.2 available now, we go hands-on

Oh, remember when Jolicloud told us yesterday that it was going to release its Joli OS 1.2 sometime in the future? Well, the future is now! That's right, you can download the OS or test out the web app in Chrome right this second. Naturally, we had to try out the new version for ourselves and we put it to the test on an Acer Aspire One 522. For those that have never downloaded the OS before, Jolicloud makes it incredibly easy -- you can simply grab the .exe file from its site and the installation process takes care of the rest. Those that wish to download the ISO can do that as well. There's also that new Chrome web app, but we'll get to that soon. Sure, the OS has dropped the "cloud" part of its name, but ironically, it's more cloud based than ever. The entire OS has always been centered around web apps, and now the focus is on making those easier to share, discover, and create. The latter is probably one of the biggest changes -- as you can see above, we made an app that launches the Jolicloud Engadget tag page. All we had to do was type in the URL and add a picture to the shortcut. You can also star an app easily from the main menu, which will flag it for your followers. (For those that aren't familiar with the social aspect of the OS, you can follow others and see their apps, etc.) Other than that, the UI has been polished a bit and Dropbox has been integrated so you can easily access files from any of your Joli OS devices. And that's where the new HTML 5 Chrome app comes in -- you don't have to install Joli OS on all your computers, you can now simply log in on any system that has a Chrome browser, although local apps, like OpenOffice won't work. All in all, we'd say Jolicloud continues to make its cloud OS better and better -- but don't let us tell you how it is, hit the source link and try it out for yourself. %Gallery-118773%

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Computing

Computing By Joanna Stern

Intel and Lenovo release the Classmate+ PC for the kids

Thinking that netbook up there looks exactly like Intel's latest Classmate PC with a Lenovo sticker smacked on? Well, you'd be entirely correct. Lenovo and Intel have teamed up to bring out the Classmate+, which is indeed just a rebadged Classmate PC (or Intel Learning Series reference design). The 10.1-inch netbook doesn't have Intel's fresh Atom N570 processor, but it has all the other netbook essentials, including an Atom N455 CPU, Windows 7, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3 megapixel camera, WiFi, and three- and six-cell battery options. However, like most of the other Classmate PCs, the Classmate+ won't be available directly to consumers -- they will be sold in bulk to educational institutions or agencies, primarily in the developing world. And the Classmate+ is off to a great start -- 158,000 are already set to be deployed this spring in Buenos Aires. See kids, netbooks are far from dead! Hit the break for the full press release / specs and the gallery below for a few more images of the lunch box-like laptop. %Gallery-118732%

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Tablets By Joanna Stern

Lenovo Skylight slate hits the FCC, no longer the LePad?

You remember Lenovo's 10.1-inch, Android LePad tablet, right? Well, we hope you didn't get too attached to its name since according to this fresh FCC filing it appears Lenovo's renamed it the Skylight slate. Yep, it looks like the company just didn't want that Skylight name to perish along with its never-released smartbook. We found the tablet hanging around those good old federal stomping grounds and from the images it looks exactly like the LePad we saw back at CES. According to the Skylight slate's user manual, it also has the same specs as the version we saw back in January -- there's a 1280x800-resolution 10.1-inch display, Snapdragon 8650A processor, Android 2.2, SRS speakers, and 1GB of RAM. There are also a few very clear shots of its two-cell, 27Wh internal battery. We don't have any details on the US arrival of the new slate and its U1 dock (if it's even still called that), but we're still assuming it won't arrive stateside until Honeycomb has been ported over. Hit the source link for a bunch of internal and external pictures and a glossy user manual.

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Laptops By Joanna Stern

Lenovo ThinkPad X220 and X220 convertible tablet official, 24 hours of battery life promised

Come on, you knew this one was coming! Yep, that leaked Lenovo ThinkPad X220 with all its SSD and display options is now the real deal, and it's one heck of an ultraportable. Just as we saw from that spec sheet, the new 12.5-inch (up from the 12.1-inch X201) laptop is configurable with that 1366x768-resolution IPS display, your choice of standard voltage Sandy Bridge Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, and up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM. There are no discrete graphics options, but you can opt to configure this one with USB 3.0 and a selection SSDs, including Intel's 80GB and 160GB offerings. The 720p webcam, dual digital microphones for noise cancellation, and the new buttonless touchpad (aka ClickPad) come standard. However, the real story Lenovo's trying to tell here is in battery life -- with the nine-cell battery the system is rated for 15 hours of endurance, but snap on the $179 ThinkPad external pack and it shoots on up to 24 hours. Thought Lenovo was going to leave the X Series tablet out in the cold without a refresh? Of course not, the X220T also sips from that same fresh Sandy Bridge well, though it doesn't claim that same 24 hour battery life feat -- the four-pound convertible is rated for 16 hours of run time when paired with the external pack. Oh, and did we mention that the multitouch screen is now available with Gorilla Glass? The X220 and the X220T start at $899 and $1,199, respectively, but won't actually be available until April. That said, our Core i5-2520M X220 and its extended battery just arrived in our "lab" so stay tuned for a full review with lots of endurance testing. Until then, hit the break for the full PR and the gallery below from some images. %Gallery-118550%

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