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Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 review
Sure, the word is that ultraportables – or 11- to 13-inch laptops – aren't selling particularly well, but that hasn't stopped Lenovo. In fact, the company's had a particular obsession with 11.6-inch lappies over the last six months or so, but sadly each has massively disappointed. Adamantly claiming not to be a netbook, there was first the ThinkPad X100e, which we found to be great in terms of design and size, but seriously hurting (literally!) in thermals and endurance. Then there was the IdeaPad U160, which packed Core i7 CPU power, but had a rather dreadful three hours of battery life. But the third time's got to be the charm, right? The ThinkPad Edge 11 has the same chassis as the other Edge laptops, which hold a special place in our heart, but is powered by an ultra-low voltage 1.33GHz Core i3 U380 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. It's not too shabby for its $549 starting price (the AMD-powered version starts at $449), but has Lenovo learned from the past? Is this the 11-inch notbook (our new term for a machine that looks like a netbook, but is way more powerful) to rival the rest? Read on to find out in our full review. %Gallery-103419%
Lenovo Power Hub stuffs four powered USB ports into your laptop charger
There's really no better way to say it: the item you're peering at above is genius. Lenovo's Power Hub is a sight for sore eyes, and a product innovation we've needed for decades. Put simply, this ThinkPad charger (compatible with 90W and 65W machines) has a breakout USB cable that plugs into a single USB socket on your machine; from there, you can plug four USB devices directly into the power brick. At long last, laptop users can charge / sync their phone, their iPod and their MiFi all at once -- and yeah, that last port is most definitely reserved for your treasured Hello Kitty warming blanket. There's no word on if (or when) Lenovo will start bundling these chargers with their machines, but at least this thing is more than a concept -- it's available to order right now from the source link at $74.99. So much for counting that ultraportable out due to having "only" one or two USB ports, eh? %Gallery-101890%
Lenovo sees $54.9 million net profit in Q1 earnings, hits double digits in global market share
Look out, world -- Lenovo's on a serious tear, and it doesn't look to be stopping anytime soon. In the company's latest earnings report, it proudly announced its first-ever double digital market share of 10.2 percent. As if that milestone wasn't enough to make upper management grin, the outfit also nailed down just under $55 million in net income (a pre-tax income of $75 million) on sales of $5.1 billion. This quarter also marks the third in a row that it has been the fastest growing of the top five PC makers, and the fifth consecutive quarter that it outgrew the industry. Specifically, the outfit's PC shipments increased some 48.1 percent year-over-year, and consolidated sales for its fiscal Q1 saw an insane 49.6 percent uptick from last year. As of now, things are looking mighty rosy for Lenovo, and it just seems logical for the company to revive the Skylight in celebration. Who's with us?
Lenovo ThinkPad X300 series to be phased out, replaced by T400 this year
We're not sure what tea they're being served in the Far East these days, but the peeps at Lenovo have somehow convinced themselves to let go of the legendary 13-inch ThinkPad X301 and replace it with the 14-inch T410s by the end of the year. Ouch. While you mop up the tears pooling around your boots, here's Marketing Director Wang Lipin's reasoning: with the T400 series capable of offering more powerful CPU and GPU at a similar portability but much lower price (we're talking about a $980 difference between the T410s and X301 base models, at the time of writing), the X300 series has since lost its special place in the ultraportable category. It's tough to argue with figures like that, and hey, at least that's one less temptation for the sake of your piggy bank. Or so we're left to tell ourselves.
If I couldn't use a Mac
Joshua Piven's The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook sits on my desk. The book provides instructions on how to deal with certain scenarios, say wrestling yourself free from an alligator or landing an airplane. What it doesn't provide, however, is a guide for going without your Mac and using a Windows-based PC, which is a worst-case scenario for many TUAW readers. What if I was forced to use a PC notebook? What would I use?
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14 gets Core i7 option, extra vroom vroom
We'll be straight with you, we're typing away on a Core i3-equipped Edge 14 right now and we rarely feel the need for more power, but then it's not like Lenovo can afford to keep one of its prettier models sated with just i3s and i5s now, is it? Of course not, so here we are, gazing at a fresh new Core i7-620M upgrade option on the ThinkPad Edge 14, which will set eager buyers back an extra $350 over the more budget-friendly i3-330M default. Opting to splash that hard earned cash will net you Turbo Boost up to 3.33GHz and a not too shabby 2.66GHz regular clock, plus 4MB of cache. The Edge 15, which has so far been just a slightly larger twin to the 14, hasn't yet felt the warm embrace of upgrade mania, but we suspect it too will soon start offering options from Intel's top tier. [Thanks, Jeremy]
WiMAX-equipped ThinkPad Mini 10 visits FCC
Submitted in late April and available for public consumption today, here's an exciting little FCC disclosure from Lenovo. It's that mysterious ThinkPad Mini 10 creature we've been seeing prowling the Australian outback, this time showing up as a test mule for Lenovo's new WiMAX module. The antennae in this submission are likely headed for retail inside things like the almost identical X100e and the rest of Lenovo's US line. We're liking this trend of seeing netbooks and subnotebooks leaving the factory with WiMAX already integrated, but do beware the price premium that'll come attached. Lenovo already asks for $150 extra to stick a Gobi 2000 3G chip in a ThinkPad X100e, we don't expect the 4G option to be any less dear, but we can at least expect it soon(ish). [Thanks, Vance]
Lenovo's eco-friendly ThinkPad L Series arrives cheaper and faster than expected
Lenovo may not have had its ThinkPad L Series laptops out in time for Earth Day, but the company's found an arguably even better incentive to help you help them save the environment: a nice fat upgrade and a small sale to commemorate their new availability. While we were originally told the $649 ThinkPad L412 would house a lowly Celeron P4500 inside its post-consumer-content housing, it appears Lenovo has decided against using that chip entirely -- cue applause -- in favor of the 2.13GHz Core i3-330. What's more, both the 14-inch L412 and 15.6-inch L512 also come with double the memory (2GB in total) and are presently on sale for just $599. Not bad for a slab of recycled plastic, sand and assorted metals, eh?
ThinkPad Edge beats Vostro V13 in LCD stress test (video)
They might officially be targeting the lower end of business budgets, but a quick peek at the attractive stylings of Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge and Dell's Vostro V13 would suggest that both have no shortage of consumer market appeal. So, for the sake of differentiating between these two thin-and-light machines, Lenovo has provided us with one of its torture test videos. Subjecting the V13 and Edge to (hopefully identical) pressure at varying points across the LCD lid, this procedure assesses the robustness of each machine's screen design. In spite of lacking all the fancy metals present in its elder ThinkPad siblings, the Edge comes through the test unscathed and begging for more, whereas the V13 ... well, it doesn't. Skip past the break to see the hideously disfigured LCD that resulted from its visit to the Lenovo labs.
Lenovo ThinkPad L Series doesn't look or feel like it's made of recycled materials
Alright, so we didn't really expect the made-partially-of-post-consumer-content (PCC) Lenovo L Series laptops to feel any different than past ThinkPads, but we did get a chance to play around with the recently announced 14- and 15-inch machines yesterday. The solid-feeling chassis is on the heavier end, though that's to be expected from this mainstream line which has built-in optical drives and discrete graphics options. While you may not be getting the svelteness of the T Series, you do get that always-reliable ThinkPad quality -- the classic spill-resistant keys felt solid under our fingertips and the touchpad with its raised dots was equally satisfying. We're actually big fans of the smooth surface treatment they're using on the palmrest as well as the shortcut keys that flank both sides of the keyboard. Obviously, we didn't get a chance to test the battery life or performance in our short time with it, but our guess is those Core i3 and i5 processors won't disappoint spreadsheet and PowerPoint multitaskers. Shouldn't be long before these systems hit Lenovo.com in May, but in the meantime you have the pictures below to help you make a decision on this greener than grass business lappie. %Gallery-91455%
Lenovo ThinkPad L Series arrives for the eco-conscious professional
We told you Lenovo's ThinkPad team was up to something, and two days earlier than its predicted Earth Day launch, the ThinkPad L Series has been released into the atmosphere. While it may look like the ThinkPad R Series -- which it will eventually replace -- Lenovo says the 14-inch L412 and 15-inch L512 are the greenest ThinkPads ever made. Besides being 40 percent more power efficient than "other laptops," they're partially made from recycled office water jugs and miscellaneous used equipment. If all that green stuff doesn't stir your soul, the L Series has the standard ThinkPad chassis and can be specced up to be a pretty solid mainstream business system -- it'll be available with Core i3 or i5 CPU options along with integrated or ATI Radeon graphics. For those with a bit less cash to spare, an entry-level $649 model is equipped with a Celeron P4500 CPU, 160GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM. Pricing on the higher end models remain ambiguous, but these puppies should be available for pre-order on Lenovo's site soon enough, and then ship in what we expect to be very eco-friendly packaging early next month. Until that fateful day arrives, feel free to enjoy the gallery and press release below. %Gallery-91141%
Lenovo to launch new ThinkPads, probably on April 22
Those wily social media hounds over at Lenovo are at it again, this time teasing us with a crossword puzzle relating to a new "ThinkPad Series" of machines. Referencing our handy, and so far wholly accurate, leaked slide from February shows that the only Think-branded laptops not yet revealed are the midrange L series. Positioned to replace the aging R models, the L400 and L500 are expected to slot in as bulkier alternatives to the premier T-label ThinkPads. This puzzle tells us that whatever the new computers, they'll be firmly focused on energy and resource efficiency, and for an extra bit of PR kick, they are likely to be announced on Earth Day 2010, which just happens to be this April 22nd. Let's wait and see what Lenovo does to justify the name change and grab for green attention, eh?
Lenovo adds Sprint 3G, 4G support across ThinkPad line
Lenovo's ThinkPads are already all available with 3G support, but the company has just announced a deal with Sprint that will not only add another 3G option, but 4G (as in WiMAX) support as well. That will be available across Lenovo's entire line of ThinkPads and, like other mobile broadband options, will come in the form a SIM card pre-installed in the device. You'll also be able to use Lenovo's Access Connection tool to manage both 3G and 4G connections, which Lenovo claims is the only such tool that can do so.
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14 and 15 shipping to small businesses, cupcake lovers
We knew it was only a matter of time before Lenovo finally started shipping the larger and more powerful relatives of the ThinkPad Edge 13. Available from retailers now and Lenovo's own webstore in early April, the 14- and 15-inch Edges have the same design as the Edge 13 -- including the same spill-resistant chiclet keyboard we adore -- but boast more muscle under the hood. While the $599 models pack Celeron processors, they can be configured to your heart's content with Core i3 or i5 CPUs, 5,400 / 7,200rpm drives, Blu-ray and mobile broadband options. And if having a red ThinkPad has always been a drunken fantasy of yours, the Edge 14 and 15 come in a glossy black or red, and a matte black option is there for the traditionalists. Wondering what the Edge 14 and 15 have to do with cupcakes? Apparently Lenovo sent the Edge 14 to a true small business owner -- Lev Ekster, founder of NYC's Cupcake Stop -- a few months ago, and he's been wearing out the AT&T 3G ever since as he gets work done on the go. We've no icing for you, but you can salivate over the full press release after the break.
ThinkPad T410 has its innards exposed for the sake of a component upgrade guide
What's better than a ThinkPad? Why, a torn down ThinkPad, of course. Some enterprising souls over at ThinkPads.com have put together a memory and hard drive upgrade guide, which includes a number of illustrative shots displaying the exposed hardware. It turns out that the T410 is the first (outside of the T400s and older T4x models) T-series laptop to offer easy access to memory upgrades via the back of the machine. We're told that since the T60 came out, all RAM replacements have had to be performed by removing the keyboard to access the slots. That's still the case for one of the sticks, but at least the other one is accessible via the back, and there's also great praise heaped on Lenovo for their "perfect" slide-out hard drive tray, which apparently makes upgrading a cinch. Hit the source for more, including the SIM card and WWAN module locations. [Thanks, TS]
ThinkPad X201, X201s and X201 Tablet join G455 and G555 in Lenovo shipping party
When Lenovo said the new X series would be ready in early March, it meant early March. It's only the second of the month, but the company's online retail site is already prepared to ship you any one of its Core i7-refreshed ultraportables -- whether it be the standard X201, the svelte X201s, or the multitouch-enabled X201t -- while also adding availability of the G455 and G555 machines for the budget-conscious crowd. The X201t is notable for being the first 12-inch X series unit with a touchpad, though its price is no less eyebrow-raising, with the cheapest configuration costing a cool $2,134. If you don't strictly need a swiveling touchscreen, the far saner $1,349 and $1,099 stickers are attached to the base X201s and X201 models while the new G series asks for a meager $699 investment. [Thanks, Shedd]
Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Tablet review
Oh sure, the world may be off creating underpowered, web-based tablets, but Lenovo's not giving up on those who still need an old-fashioned, fully-powered tablet PC (all 10.1 of you). Truth be told, powerful is exactly how we would describe the new X201 Tablet with its new Intel low voltage Core i7 CPU and 4GB of RAM. But beyond being one of the speedier 12-inch laptops out there, its capacitive touchscreen now lets the touch-happy among us alternate between taking notes with its Wacom stylus and putting two fingers down to zoom or scroll. Sounds like a near perfect experience to us, but before tossing over $1,900 we figured you'd want to make sure it really is. We've been putting the X201T through the paces over the last few days, so hop on past the break for our full review. %Gallery-86132%
Lenovo ThinkPad bumps bring X201, X201s, X201t, W701, and W701ds into the Core i7 fold
Lenovo's giving some of its ThinkPad flagships a nice little spec overhaul, specifically the X200 series of ultraportables and the spectrum-leaping W700 hardlyportable dual screen laptop. The new X201 and X201s start things off with a new option for touchpads on the 12.1-inch form factor, options for Core i7 and Core i5 processors, and sub-three pound weigh-ins on at least the 4-cell configuration. The X201s is slightly lighter and slightly thinner, and is limited to Core i7 procs, though neither version gets much under an inch thick. The X201t (pictured) is the well-leaked tablet version, adding on a bit more thickness in exchange for a highly configurable screen, which includes options for outdoor viewing, capacitive touch and of course pen input. All three laptops rely on Intel HD graphics and are rather extensively configurable, with batteries ranging up into the 12 hour ballpark with the 9 cell battery option on the X201 and X201s. Unfortunately you'll still have to look to Lenovo's consumer line for HDMI output -- none of these machines are packing anything other than VGA. Meanwhile, on the other end of town, the 17-inch, Wacom-equipped W701 and W701ds (dual screen) are making the leap to Core i7 as well, though the Core i7-920 Extreme and Core i7-820 QM Quad Core on display here is fairly desktop class. There's also NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M / 2800M graphics, and an option for a dual SSD drive configuration to really break the bank. All of these laptops should be available in the beginning of March, with starting prices of $1,199 (X201), $1,599 (X201s), $1,549 (X201t), $2,199 (W701), and $3,799 (W701ds). Can't wait to find out more? We've got a review of the X201t all warm and ready for you. There's PR after the break. %Gallery-86268%
10.1-inch ThinkPad X100e surfaces with Atom N450 processor
Well, here's a bit of an interesting development. While we've been seeing Lenovo's ThinkPad X100e out and about for a while now, it's always been with an AMD Neo processor and an 11.6-inch 1,366 x 768 display. According to a spec list that recently turned up on Lenovo's own site, however, it looks like the company may also have another version of the laptop in store that's even more netbook-like. That one not only includes a lower-res, 10.1-inch screen, but an Atom N450 processor as well -- something that had been rumored to be headed to Lenovo netbooks as far back as December. Unfortunately, there's no indication of pricing or availability, although it does seem a bit late in the game for this to simply be a slip-up of some sort.
ThinkPad W701 and W701ds specs emerge from a leaky faucet
Time to update you on another forthcoming update in the laptop world, this time concerning Lenovo's premier widescreen workstation range. Purported internal Lenovo slides from earlier this year show the new W701 and W701ds ThinkPads nonchalantly hanging out next to some pretty beefy spec sheets. The W701, which we saw passing through the FCC, is again listed alongside an Intel Extreme series CPU and a Wacom Digitizer, while its display quality has been upgraded all the way to 100 percent of the NTSC color gamut and 280 nits of brightness. Going stride for stride with it is the dual-screen W701ds, with both machines offering up to 16GB of RAM, SSD options up to a quarter of a terabyte, and Ultrabay expandability. DisplayLink ports and the like are just glazing on the cake, but we can't help noticing the frankly silly two-hour battery rating on the 701ds -- guess that CPU is going to live up to its Extreme name in every way imaginable. The announcement date listed for these machines is February 23, which is when we'll be better able to gauge the veracity of the specs before us.
