Possibility of a Sub-X Series (S Series?) Thinkpad?

[RUSH2112]

Anyone think we can expect to see a sub-X Thinkpad anytime in the future?

I figure they can bring back the S Series or something of the likes with a 10" screen, make that the ultra portable, and maybe put an optical drive in the X. It certainly would be sweet

[christopher_wolf]

Well, sub X-Series might work, but I seriously doubt them putting an optical drive in something that is sub-X in terms of dimensions. At the point where I need a device that is smaller than an X-Series, I just switch over to a PDA, Blackberry, or the like instead.

Besides, I already have an excellent 10.4" form factor Thinkpad in my 701c.

Sadly, though, the main reason that there are no more like it is that, at the time, people wanted more screen space and not just making a small screen with a full-size keyboard to it.

[pianowizard]

The S30 has a smaller display (10.4") than the X series (12.1") but is much thicker, so it's actually heavier than the lightest X40 and X60s (3.2 lbs vs. ~2.7 lbs).

With Thinkpads now serving mainly the Asian markets, I think it's quite possible that there will be a new series that's lighter than both S and X series, though it might not be available in North America. I really want to have a laptop that's around 2 lb and thus have looked into Sony's X505 and G1, Sharp's MM20, and several models by Fujitsu. Unfortunately, these laptops do away with such features as built-in VGA ports, microphone, ethernet and modem, but instead rely on USB or PCMCIA adapters, which I don't like at all. The X40, X41 and X60s are pretty much the lightest laptops that come with all these IMO essential features. The 2.4-lb Toshiba Portege R100 and the 2.5-lb Dell Latitude X1 don't have built-in microphones.

[pianowizard]

I seriously doubt them putting an optical drive in something that is sub-X in terms of dimensions.

RUSH was talking about adding an optical drive in the X series.

Sadly, though, the main reason that there are no more like it is that, at the time, people wanted more screen space and not just making a small screen with a full-size keyboard to it.

That's true in North America but not in Asia.

[christopher_wolf]

Even in the X Series, it would be a bit of a stretch; I know Sony has done it before, but that isn't to say it doesn't entail some consequences. They would probably also be forced to come up with a new Ultrabay device design, drop the ability to swap it out and fix it inside.

Yeah, but the 701c never really was marketed towards Japan a whole lot. That effect is *very* evident with models such as the, well, entire S Series for one and PC110 for another.

Most of the North American market wasn't too keenly interested on ultra-small laptops with ultra-small screens and a huge range of functionality; well, not as keen on them as the Japanese were anyway.

[pianowizard]

Even in the X Series, it would be a bit of a stretch; I know Sony has done it before, but that isn't to say it doesn't entail some consequences.

Not just Sony, but Panasonic, HP and I believe Fujitsu also have sub-3lb notebooks with built-in optical drives. I think it would be good to have a fairly light Thinkpad that has a built-in optical drive. Right now, such a Thinkpad doesn't exist. Even Dell, which tends to make bulky and heavy laptops, has models in the 4-pound range with internal optical drives (the Inspiron 700m that I used to have was one example, and I liked it very much). If adding an internal optical drive to the X series entails too many consequences, perhaps Lenovo can start a new line of 4lb Thinkpads with built-in optical drives. I also hope that Lenovo will continue to reduce the weight of the X series.

Most of the North American market wasn't too keenly interested on ultra-small laptops with ultra-small screens and a huge range of functionality; well, not as keen on them as the Japanese were anyway.

I read that the Japanese need super-tiny laptops because they like to check email on their super crowded trains/subways.

[tomh009]

I read that the Japanese need super-tiny laptops because they like to check email on their super crowded trains/subways.

Not true. Practically no one on the Japanese commuter trains and subways uses a laptop. Text messaging on mobile phones is de rigeur, though!

[pianowizard]

Not true. Practically no one on the Japanese commuter trains and subways uses a laptop. Text messaging on mobile phones is de rigeur, though!

Thanks for the correction!

[tomh009]

Thanks for the correction!

We'll snuff this one out before it becomes an urban legend!

It was actually quite surprising that there were no laptops to be seen. Text messaging, reading and sleeping (if you have a seat!) top the agenda instead ...

[Spif]

Would like to see one, but in the end it won't really matter much, anything lower than 12.1" inches is too small for me. Not having a full sized keyboard will have a negative effect on productivity.

[epbrown]

The main use for my old IBM PC110 was reading e-mails and newsgroups while riding the train to work. I love ultraportables and wish IBM would have made a nice small one, but I agree that the US market simply hasn't been receptive.

[ThinkPad R]

I wish that a company would begin on a "universal frame" kind of laptop,

where the size and the design of the laptop remains the same & they divide up into compartments where "boxes" would be inserted.

Whenever you need to upgrade your laptop, each of those boxes would be upgraded.

That way you save money & increase laptop's longevity by fixing only thing problems & not buying a whole new laptop.

I don't think there's a point in getting a smaller & thinner laptop because a 1 1/2 in thick laptop (R40) & 1 in thin laptop (T42p) don't have much difference in weight.

6 pounds and 5 pounds. Performance stays the same.

Another thing is I don't understand how Mac laptops are cheaper as they are smaller while Windows laptops are more expensive as they are smaller.

[christopher_wolf]

I wish that a company would begin on a "universal frame" kind of laptop

You know, there was a funny thing I read when I bought a "Universal" part for a grill; "Works on most grills." The same thing is going to happen in an industry that has yet to follow their own standards on everything and insist on supporting the latest cutting edge technology that makes the previous model instantly incompatible. I can almost guarantee they will find a justification to make one tiny difference in, say, a connector for each of the boxes or a tiny change in size, hence being "exclusive" new, and utterly incompatible with anything save that company's own system.

I don't think there's a point in getting a smaller & thinner laptop because a 1 1/2 in thick laptop (R40) & 1 in thin laptop (T42p) don't have much difference in weight.

6 pounds and 5 pounds. Performance stays the same.

Yes there is. There are some people that don't like lugging around an R Series or even T Series every day to and from work, even when they don't need things like the optical drive, a larger screen, more cooling for a higher clocked CPU, etc. Going by that line of logic, I would still have my old IBM Portable Server which was a giant suitcase, 27 lbs, that was termed "mobile" (if you didn't mind having your lap crushed). Performance doesn't always stay the same, even across the T Series and R Series, they have different connectivity options and designs for different purposes.

Another thing is I don't understand how Mac laptops are cheaper as they are smaller while Windows laptops are more expensive as they are smaller.

...Huh? Just about every Mac laptop I have seen available is, when comapred against a similarly performing PC, more expensive. The Mini and MacBook may be inexpensive when comapred to the rest of the Mac lineup, but not so when compared to inexpensive PCs.

[pianowizard]

I don't think there's a point in getting a smaller & thinner laptop because a 1 1/2 in thick laptop (R40) & 1 in thin laptop (T42p) don't have much difference in weight.

6 pounds and 5 pounds. Performance stays the same.

Well, how about 2.7 pounds, the weight of an X60s with slim 4-cell battery? Or 2.0 pounds, the weight of a Sharp MM20 or Sony G1? or 1.75 pounds, the weight of a Sony X505? All these laptops are much easier to lug around than the T series, and that's the reason for going smaller and thinner.

[pianowizard]

Another thing is I don't understand how Mac laptops are cheaper as they are smaller while Windows laptops are more expensive as they are smaller.

...Huh? Just about every Mac laptop I have seen available is, when comapred against a similarly performing PC, more expensive. The Mini and MacBook may be inexpensive when comapred to the rest of the Mac lineup, but not so when compared to inexpensive PCs.

S/he was saying, small Mac laptops are cheaper than bigger Mac laptops, but small PC laptops are pricier than bigger PC laptops.

[tomh009]

Another thing is I don't understand how Mac laptops are cheaper as they are smaller while Windows laptops are more expensive as they are smaller.

Right now there are just two MacBooks: the 13" MacBook and the 15" MacBook Pro. The MacBook is really a stripped-down version of the Pro, with a smaller screen, and thus cheaper. It's not a subnotebook like the X series, though -- at 5.2 lbs, it weighs almost exactly the same as the R60. And the R60 starts at $565 right now, as compared to the MacBook's $1100 (yes, I know, those aren't comparable configurations).

The X60 weights 2.7 lbs -- half as muchs as the MacBook -- and, for sure, you do have to pay for that portability.

[pianowizard]

Right now there are just two MacBooks: the 13" MacBook and the 15" MacBook Pro. The MacBook is really a stripped-down version of the Pro, with a smaller screen, and thus cheaper.

Also, I think the MacBook Pro uses fancier (i.e. more expensive) material than the MacBook to prevent it from getting too heavy. As a result, it's only 0.4 lbs heavier than the MacBook, even though it's much bigger than the MacBook.

[ThinkPad R]

I wish that a company would begin on a "universal frame" kind of laptop

You know, there was a funny thing I read when I bought a "Universal" part for a grill; "Works on most grills." The same thing is going to happen in an industry that has yet to follow their own standards on everything and insist on supporting the latest cutting edge technology that makes the previous model instantly incompatible. I can almost guarantee they will find a justification to make one tiny difference in, say, a connector for each of the boxes or a tiny change in size, hence being "exclusive" new, and utterly incompatible with anything save that company's own system.

I agree with you completely. There's no way that my dream of a "universal frame" would ever come true. And I think that's because company want you to purchase a new laptop every 3 years.

But I think that the concept is still possible as long as the company's are willing to make few concessions on their new models in order to keep the older models alive.