Does anyone have a clue when the next series of thinkpads will be released? I was looking at getting a new one, but I don't want an ultrabook (hate that design!). I did some research and there is some news on 2012 thinkpads, but every website says they will be ultrabooks. Is this just because of the ultrabook hype? Please tell me lenovo will continue to make non-ultrabook thinkpads. I feel stupid asking that, but literally every website says is just stupid "Lenovo to release new ultrabook at CES" "New thinkpad ultrabook" "thinkpad X1: hybrid, an ultrabook". besides that, does any1 know when these will be released? Will they have ivy-bridge? God I feel stupid asking this. All help is greatly appreciated.
PS: does any1 else here not like the ultrabook design? Its not very thinkpadish if you know what I mean. Its just that I was looking for a new classic thinkpad, not something that looked like an Asus-Macbook air hybrid.

Lenovo will of course update the T, X and W ThinkPads when Ivy Bridge is released sometime next year.

I'm actually typing this on a MacBook Air. I like the Air quite a bit, but it has its limitations. I like the X220 even better. I think you're right in that thinness for thinness sake is overrated. There's a stronger correlation between weight and portability than thinness and portability in my experience.

I couldn't agree more. Why make a laptop thin for no reason other than to make it thin? It takes away a whole bunch of features and it really doesn't add that much portability. There has always been a decent amount of light and portables out there, and they're a good idea, but we can't just abandon a classic design. I doubt thinkpad will ever stop making the classic T series line (maybe after david hill dies sadly) but I have a bad feeling about these ultrabooks. So any idea on when the next line will come out? I was thinking about getting a netbook, but if a new T is coming out before say June I think I'll wait till then. thanks so much for the help.

I really don't think that Lenovo will stop making the T series - they just wouldn't go that low. I think that you guys don't like the ultrabook concept because you don't really need one - everyone has their own needs. I mean, why else would Lenovo be making them. There's obviously an audience for them. I have to disagree with you when you say that those ultrabook ThinkPads are not classic ThinkPads - you are really missing the point. You should really try out the X1. I tried one out in October and it was great! It felt really solid.

Given the way the Airs are flying off the shelves, I'd say there's definitely a market for ultrabooks. I'm not against ultrabooks. It's just for me, the X220 is a better more well rounded machine. In order to get that thin they have to make everything non-upgradeable. They must use SSDs, which limit capacity and drive up cost. When I had a X200t with Intel SSD, I disliked having to carry everything on the external drive. If you run out of battery life, you're out of luck. If you're OK with those limitations, then an ultrabook is certainly a good choice.

I guess I'm not fine with those limitations. I guess there is a market for them and they are an interesting concept but I would rather have a thicker computer. I like the idea of an ultrabookish design on a netbook. take the eeepc X101 for example. If all you are doing is very light surfing and email reading its good idea cuz you can take it virtually anywhere. But I'm not going to sacrifice performance for portability in that extreme. most people who are going to buy the x101 or any netbook for example already have another computer that they will use for more heavy stuff. The ultrabooks are designed as a replacement to your computer, not like a netbook. I'm not saying ultrabooks have the power of a netbook, they just don't have the features of a normal laptop. Perhaps you are right, I just haven't used one yet. Sadly my local computer stores don't have the X1, and I haven't visited lately so I couldn't see if they have any of the ultrabooks yet. To me I'd rather have a good T series that isn't that portable (or a desktop), and then a netbook or tablet. ultrabooks are too in-the-middle for me. thanks for the help though, you guys are great. but does anyone know when a new T series is coming out? thanks sooo much

It's not that long since the T420 and T520 came out. I would forecast that the replacement machines will be labelled T430 and T530. When will they emerge? Good question, let's look in our crystal balls.

I'm quite looking forward to buying the X230.
Some Chinese websites are talking about both an X230 and an X230 Hybrid to be unveiled at next year's CES (in January, that is).

Also, Lenovo will probably release a laptop for the Thinkpad's 20 year anniversary - some, including me, are hoping for an X320. But that's a bit far-fetched and maybe the company will just come up with a special edition of a 2012 line-up model.

A new 17" W model would be nice to see too since they didn't release one this year.

I don't know if I can wait till october 2012 for a new computer (anniversary) . I was looking forward to buying an ivy bridge T series when ivy came out in around april, but i might wait. October will be a crappy time to by a computer cuz its before Christmas deals and Ivy won't be the newest technology but Haswell won't be out yet. If I wait till october I will have waited 2.5 years on a pentium 4 T30. But whats another year if I've been waiting this long, cuz if you think about it its like i've been waiting 10 years cuz the T30 is somehting like 10 years old now. so I would hate to wait that long and give in and only be 1/2 a year away from the anniversary. But then again I need a new computer cuz The ones I have can't do the things I need to do. I might just go buy a cheap netbook to satisfy my erg and then wait till october. Waiting sucks

This year there weren't any great Thinkpad deals for Black Friday or Christmas. Nothing special last year either, if I remember correctly.



If this statement is true, then you should have bought a new computer already.



Then don't wait.

A brilliant response, pianowizard.

I wish I'd had the foresight to see the hindsight I have now.

lol

Ok, well I just now need to do video editing and i didn't before and of course a p4 can't do 720p editing. So i was thinking, just buy a new computer, but why buy one now when ivy is coming out so soon? And I need a laptop and most of ivy's new features are geared towards laptops. So I was thinking of simply getting an ivy in april when they come out. But now I am reminded of the upcoming 20th anniversary. I had read David Hill's blog post about this when he first posted it but I must have forgotten. For now I will simply use my dad's c2d laptop which is good enough most of the time.

They've announced the T430u, which sports a chicklet-style keyboard... da_mn, these chicklets are spreading like plague.
They'll probably keep the legacy TP design for at least one or two more years... but then??? Chicklets everywhere?

I'll definitely buy a new TP quite soon ; I've already had a bad surprise when Lenovo ceased to offer 4:3 screens.

Those 1980s-style chiclet keys are unattractive to many. They are reminiscent of old calculators. Anyone in favour?

I actually like them, but I didn't until I tried using them. I think a lot of people judging them haven't used them and are basing their judgement on their experience with other chiclet keyboards -- I could be wrong though. All I know is that (at least for me) they feel just fine.

The flat-top chiclet keyboards on HP/Dell/Apple though... no thanks!

Oh no, even T series is infected by crappy childish keyboard design and layout

So far they've only spoken about the X1 Hybrid, T430u and Edge at CES.
Is it too early for the others? I'm getting impatient

+1

Have you guys even tried one of those keyboards on a ThinkPad? I have and it was great. Remember, these are ThinkPad keyboards, which means quality, unlike the other keyboards from the other brands that you've all (probably) tried.

Frankly, the layout is my only complaint about the T430u's design. I like the chiclet keys and I enjoy typing on them. I don't enjoy kernel bugs, but they happen, and when they do I need my bloody SysRq key!

No need to since the layout is spoiled.

I think it’s likely the vast majority of users only use the qwerty keyboard keys, so moving, or removing, the other keys would have little impact on them. I’m primarily concerned with entering text, so the other keys are not really relevant.

The E420 & E520 keyboards, as noted by thePCxp and ThinkRob, are fine for entering text. If the keyboards on the future T's are similar, there shouldn't be a problem.

Yes. And it sucks.
Been using it for over a year on an equally crappy x100e...

How true!

Hey, that's not nice!

Sad truth.
With a chicklets keyboard, cheap materials and even overheating issues, I wonder why it's treated as a Thinkpad while the similar Edges are not. Anyway.

Cheap materials?

Huh. How much did they cost? Which plastics were chosen on the basis of their cost? What were the alternative (presumably costlier) designs?

Or perhaps you meant that your X100e "felt cheap"?