What if Lenovo was to make a ThinkPad branded netbook?

[archer6]

My T42 is doing great as a netbook. I'm even running Ubuntu on it for kicks!

Funny you should say that...
Because I'm doing the exact same thing. I took my most basic R51e, wiped the drive & installed Ubuntu. Now when I feel like using a "grown up netbook" with a larger display than my 10.2" IdeaPad S10, I have the "14" giant screen R51e...ha..ha...ha.
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Cheers,
posted via BlackBerry Bold

[felixgogo]

I notice David Hill has posted a blog in the Lenovo blogs regarding the trade offs one has to make to consider building a netbook.

http://lenovoblogs.com/designmatters/?p=1201

There are currently 82 replies - and I reckon this indicates the high support a TP uber-portable would have.

I hope Lenovo act on the excellent ideas contained in those 82 responses.

Cheers!

[OldManClayton]

http://apcmag.com/a-business-class-thin ... o-exec.htm

[ssd_thinkpad]

A ThinkPad branded netbook should be both cheaper than the x300 or x200 series but have the thinkpad design. I'd say put a normal high selling x200/x300 series keyboard in a high quality black case with all other materials being as cheap as possible. This way you can market this netbook on the keyboard and the professional design. Of course I want a good screen, but I'd highly advise lenovo to go for the cheapest available here.

[ThinkP]

Saw this Mini Laptop "netbook" from the first Resident Evil 1 movie that released in 2002. Back then we probably never thought about netbooks being so popular today...

but the design looks interesting and reminded me of the thinkpad style...although the screen doesn't look proportional with the keyboard....the keyboard looks like the butterfly design.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/ ... aptop2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/ ... laptop.jpg

[archer6]

Here is one of the first semi-official articles I've seen on this topic:

"Lenovo may launch ThinkPad Netbook with CULV"

for more on this see the link:
http://www.electronista.com/articles/09 ... d.netbook/

Then give us your comments and feedback. Would you be interested in such a machine?
What would you like it to be comprised of, what sort of configuration?
Screen size? Features? Capabilities?

Thanks for your participation.

Cheers...

[YW-Slayer]

... I'm doing the exact same thing. I took my most basic R51e, wiped the drive & installed Ubuntu. Now when I feel like using a "grown up netbook" with a larger display than my 10.2" IdeaPad S10, I have the "14" giant screen R51e...ha..ha...ha.
.
Cheers,
posted via BlackBerry Bold

Yup, I keep telling people looking for netbooks to buy a used Thinkpad. Doesn't get much better than that, apart from in terms of size and weight! I also looked around and found some comments that the Atoms don't perform any better than the Centrino in my T42 anyway.

[Utwig]

Thinkpad netbook: ebay X41, ebay 64GB SSD, buy new 8-cell battery, install Linux. Cost: ~600 Euros.

[tomh009]

qviri's X31: $234, ready to go. It has an 80GB disk, just swap that for a standard 2.5" SSD next year when you can actually get good ones for cheap.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=76070

[YW-Slayer]

600 Euros is a bit expensive for a netbook though...

... but even with a normal HDD, the T4x/X4x series' should be fast enough as long as you run a light distro and have over 1GB RAM.

[felixgogo]

The story is hotting up..........

http://www.thinkpadtoday.com/thinkpad-n ... r-x100.htm

[Radioguy]

Looks inevitable. I do hope they resurrect the "WorkPad" name for this line. Extendable wi-fi antennae would be a nice addition too.

[qviri]

Between the half-baked X200, the Ideapad S10, and the newly announced Ideapad S12, I gave up on the Thinkpad netbook happening. At this rate it wouldn't surprise me to see Panasonic or even Dell (though even that's unlikely) become the first to put a trackpoint on a modern <10" machine.

[ssd_thinkpad]

Lenovo announces IdeaPad S12 12 inch netbook

http://www.thinkpads.com/2009/05/25/len ... h-netbook/

[felixgogo]

I saw the Lenovo S12 - very nice machine. I also picked up a X200s CULV, reloaded XP (it had Vista Home...) and it is excellent - A good start towards a netbook.

However, I am sure that a Thinkpad netbook will be coming - I just hope it is soon!

[felixgogo]

Hi - I wondered if anyone had seen any developments on the thinkpad netbook front - it sure is quiet!

[WA2TIL]

I would want a Thinkpad netbook to have business friendly features like:

SUPPORT - availability of on-site service contracts, e.g. nationwide/worldwide service depots have parts in-stock for fast repairs or swap-outs (this would help differentiate a Thinkpad netbook)

SECURITY - hardware and firmware (bios) to support full-time device level data encryption of built-in and removable storage (laptops and cellphones are generally a horror for IT/security departments, I really think this could be a big deal for some industries)

STANDARDS - industry standard connectors for power, external displays, mouse/presentation controller (i.e. when you're doing a presentation you don't want to find out you need a special dongles or adapter), built-in LAN, WAN, PAN (bluetooth), and availability of cellular radio (3G or CDMA).

TRAVELER FRIENDLY - consider ergonomics and usability, such as power plugs on the side rather than back (or plugs with right angle cords) so the netbook can be used flush with an airplane seat tray table. Consider placing a "hot" mini-USB socket on the front edge of the netbook so it can be reached while the netbook is in a sleeve or carrying case and used to power/re-charge a cellphone.

[JaneL]

I would want a Thinkpad netbook to have business friendly features like:

http://www.thinkpadtoday.com/world-firs ... h-2010.htm

[WA2TIL]

I would want a Thinkpad netbook to have business friendly features like:
...
SECURITY - hardware and firmware (bios) to support full-time device level data encryption of built-in and removable storage (laptops and cellphones are generally a horror for IT/security departments, I really think this could be a big deal for some industries)
...

Lenovo calling this a Thinkpad X-model set rather high standards and by omitting TPM and FDE security features I don't think they're positioning this for the corporate market.

They may have built a great replacement for their IdeaPad S10e, especially if the AMD Athlon Neo gives it a big performance edge over the Intel Atom powered netbooks.

My IBM Thinkpad X32 2Ghz Pentium-M (Dothan) is cpu bound and I was planning on replacing it with a X200 P8600 (P8700 or P8800). How would the Athlon Neo compare with the Intel Core 2 Duo P8600?