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Lenovo IdeaPad K1 review
Let's do a roll call, shall we? Who doesn't have a Honeycomb tablet to shill in the states? Acer, ASUS, Motorola, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba all have something to their names, with Dell possibly bringing its China-only Dell Streak 10 Pro here too. Until now, Lenovo was one glaring exception. The company already had a head start selling the LePad tablet in China, but it was only last month that it announced not one, but two Honeycomb slates for the US market: the IdeaPad K1 for mainstream consumers, and the ThinkPad Tablet for business users (and a fair share of geeks, too). Now, we could easily roll our eyes at how saturated the market for Android tablets is becoming, but Lenovo isn't just any old OEM. The brand has won such an avid following that we bet the company could have essentially slapped its name on a plain-Jane black slab and waited for loyal fans to line up. In fact, though, you're in for a bit more than name recognition. The K1 goes after mainstream consumers with a winsome design, sure, but also a software package designed to make Honeycomb easier to use, and to help ensure that flummoxed, low-tech users don't have to spend too much time downloading apps out of the box. What's more, it ships with Android 3.1 and has a two-cell battery that promises up to ten hours of battery life. Oh, and the 32GB model rings in $499, undercutting the 32GB iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 by $100. But is that enough for it to stand out? Let's see. %Gallery-129546%
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet gets an August 23rd release
Lenovo had a bit of an issue saving the date for its summer tablet launch, but no longer. Confirmed via a product page on the company's site, its Honeycomb-flavored ThinkPad Tablet will finally hit retailers' shelves on August 23rd. If you're not into waiting that long, you can always snag the IdeaPad K1 -- we hear Lisa Stansfield recommends it. [Thanks, Jeff]
Netflix to stream natively from HDMI-equipped tablets (updated)
You read that correctly -- Netflix streaming is about to get really real on impending Honeycomb tablets. One of the nuggets that makes Lenovo's newly unveiled IdeaPad K1 so special is the internal DRM module that allows it to play nice with a fresh build of the Netflix app. As we saw back at MWC with the LG Revolution, future Android 3.x tablets (with an unspecified hardware inclusion) will not only support native Watch Instantly streaming over mini-HDMI / HDMI, but it'll also enable something totally new: local storage. The fresh build of the app -- which will remain exclusive to Lenovo for "a short while" -- will have a heretofore unseen option that'll let subscribers store flicks locally for offline viewing. We're told by Lenovo that files can be stored on the internal flash as well as on microSD cards, and while we've yet to get a hands-on look at the app, we'll be doing everything we can to change that. Just to answer the obvious question: no, your existing Honeycomb tablet won't be able to support this goodness through a firmware update. You'll actually need a slate with the requisite hardware within to take advantage, and it's hard to say at this point who will follow Lenovo down the path. We're hoping that the added functionality won't lead to a boost in Netflix's monthly rate, but given the history of the app, we can't say we're too terrified about that possibility. So, how fast will the APK be ripped from the fabric of a K1 and thrown out onto the web? Somewhere between "quickly" and "you've got to be kidding me," we're surmising. Update: So, it seems something has changed since our D9 meeting. There's no offline viewing support, but the streaming is still here. Too bad, but we're hoping it'll be added (back?) in a future update.
Lenovo's Android 3.1-powered IdeaPad K1 tablet hands-on (video)
Is the next major Honeycomb tablet play seriously coming from Lenovo? Sure looks it, as the company has just taken the (final) wraps of its IdeaPad K1. For all intents and purposes, the K1 is a LePad dressed up in Android -- this one's packing a 1.0 GHz Tegra 2 chipset, a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) capacitive touchpanel, Android 3.1, a two-cell battery (good for "up to ten hours") and a few minor software tweaks that may or may not appeal to you. The Lenovo Launcher is the first of those, acting as a five-pane launchpad that's completely customizable by the user, and it's one that can even be disabled if you so choose. The other is the introduction of the Lenovo App Shop, yet another venue to suck down applications for Google's tablet OS. The reason for its inclusion? According to reps here at the show, it's there to provide a secure, safe haven for people to download from -- the software that makes the cut here has been tested in Lenovo's labs for stability and security, though the company did confess that certain app developers may fork over a bit of cash to have their program(s) considered for inclusion. More after the break... %Gallery-124962% %Gallery-128425%
Lenovo IdeaPad K1 begins shipment odyssey, courtesy of Office Depot
The IdeaPad K1's long, crazy journey of near-availability looks to finally be at an end. Lenovo's ethereal Honeycomb tablet has been popping up in online retail sites since May, teasing us with availability in June, and finally offering the promise of pre-order earlier this month. It seems that the plucky 10.1 inch Tegra 2 slate has taken the final step separating itself from the hands of consumers: getting sent out for shipment. One tipster passed along shipping confirmation from Office Depot that has the device lined up for delivery today -- assuming, of course that the recipient is there to answer the door in the eight and a half hour delivery window provided. [Thanks, Dan]
Lenovo IdeaPad K1's videos pair easy listening with helpful how-to's (video)
Know what really sells a Honeycomb-based tablet? No, not its 10.1-inch display, Tegra 2 processor, nor those 32GBs of storage space -- it's the background music, man. Someone in Lenovo's marketing department must have an iTunes library chock full o'department store-worthy Lite FM jams, because that schmaltzy muzak is all over its dozen-plus IdeaPad K1 how-to videos. We're kind of disappointed the company couldn't get Lisa Stansfield for a voice-over cameo, but hey -- who says we're living in a perfect universe? Prospective IdeaPad owners should check the source, where they'll be treated to such instructional, chart-topping gems like "Getting to know your Tablet," or our personal favorite "Adding and Removing Shortcuts." All kidding aside, we still don't have a firm date on this tablet's launch, but with its FCC presence cleared expect to see it sooner rather than later.
Lenovo IdeaPad K1 up for Amazon pre-order, still toting $500 price tag
The IdeaPad K1 is really living up to its name these days, existing merely as an idea and a visualized concept, but not a real deal purchasable commodity. That's changing ever so slowly, however, with an appearance among Amazon's pre-order inventory, where the Tegra 2 Android slate is accompanied by the $499.99 price tag we saw just over a week ago. The major specs are as we've heard them before: a 10.1-inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution and 300 nits of brightness, a microSD card reader, micro-HDMI out, and, interestingly, a SIM card slot. The latter doesn't quite confirm that we're looking at a 3G tablet, but comes close to it. Also close should be the K1's release date, which isn't spelled out by Amazon, but is expected to arrive any time now.
Lenovo ThinkPad, IdeaPad tablets coming later this month?
Well, what do we have here? From the looks of it, we've got ourselves launch dates for a slate of new Lenovo tablets. A little note from the outfit's Affiliate Program, pictured above, shows the Android-packing IdeaPad K1 will, unsurprisingly, debut in late June or July, with a June 28th arrival being pegged for its rumored ThinkPad tablet. What's more, we could see a refresh of the company's IdeaCentre nettop coming our way August 30th. Looks like this summer could be a hot one for Lenovo, but we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out. Update: We just heard from the folks at Lenovo, and they're saying the dates here are "no longer valid." Unfortunately, that sounds like an unwanted delay to us, but we'll keep you posted as we hear more.
Lenovo Ideapad Tablet K1 priced at $500 by Office Depot, inches closer to release
The Ideapad Tablet K1 is about as well known an unannounced product as there is right now, having been pictured and listed by a couple of online retailers and passed the requisite tests over at the FCC. What we weren't quite so sure about was its price, which a tipster now informs us is $499.99, and its launch date, which looks to be fast approaching. The Office Depot placard we've been forwarded promises 32GB of storage, Android 3.0 (with a "custom-built" interface on top), 1280 x 800 resolution on a 10.1-inch multitouch screen, a pair of cameras, up to 10 hours of battery life, a weight of 1.6lb (725g), and a thickness of just over half an inch (13.2mm). Not exactly an unorthodox list of specs, but more choice is rarely a bad thing. [Thanks, GorillazKing]
Lenovo IdeaPad K1 tablet hits some online retailers, still not buy-able
Lenovo still hasn't officially confirmed it, but all signs are pointing to an imminent US launch of its Android-based IdeaPad K1 tablet. It just hit the FCC under the "K1" moniker earlier this month, and it's now gotten a full blown listing on Buy.com, complete with specs and some pictures that show off Lenovo's "custom-built Android interface." Those specs include a 10.1-inch display, a Tegra 2 processor (not a Snapdragon as we had seen on the LePad), 32GB of storage, dual cameras (5 megapixel rear and 2 megapixel front-facing), a microSD card slot, a micro HDMI out, and even a SIM card slot -- somewhat notably it's also listed as coming with Netflix pre-installed. While most of those specs seem like a safe bet, others apparently aren't quite set in stone, the listing alternatively mentions both Android 3.0 and Android 3.1, for instance, and both a 1280 x 720 and 1280 x 800 resolution (though the latter seems likely). What's more, while Buy.com isn't providing a price just yet, the tablet has also hit Krex Computers of all places, where it's listed at $510. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look. %Gallery-124631%
Lenovo's LePad going global with IdeaPad Tablet K1 moniker?
At last, here's a sign of Lenovo's Android tablet making its way out of the fertile land of China. While there's no direct mention in this FCC application, the speakers at the bottom suggest that this slate -- dubbed IdeaPad Tablet K1 and made by Compal -- is a variant of the China-only LePad as opposed to the shinier U1 Hybrid (which is more likely to be the Skylight slate, anyway). Also bear in mind that Lenovo's already confirmed a global June launch for the LePad, so the timing of this document is just right. Of course, the only question left is will we be seeing some Honeycomb love here instead of Froyo? And should we not bother with this hefty 10-incher and just wait for Lenovo's slimmer offering a few months later? We'll see what the price tag says.
