Install a new-model "big delete key" keyboard in a T60?

[cksubs]

I love what ThinkPad has done with their keyboards in new models, making the delete key, escape key, etc. bigger. The frequently-used keys are way easier to hit.

Sure would like to have one in my T60...

Were any T60-swappable "big delete key" keyboards ever produced? In which ThinkPad models? Parts number?

If not, I'm going to try to track down a Japanese T60 keyboard. Mini spacebar and extra modifier keys

[cksubs]

Same goes for the trackpoint buttons, by the way. Why are they so square and colorless in the T60?

Any red/blue colored and/or curvy buttons that can swap in?

[Brian10161]

I miss the red lines on the mouse buttons on my T60, I've actually been contemplating painting them on some how.

As far as I know though, there was never a keyboard produced to fit the T60 with the red lines and larger delete key like on the newer T series notebooks.

[dr_st]

AFAIK, there is no Big Delete keyboard and no colorful trackpoint buttons compatible with the T60.

[JeffCullen]

I had my T61p over at a friend's house, and he had his FlexView-equipped T60 there as well as a client's new T520. My T61p has the ALPS-manufactured keyboard, and I have to say it totally wiped the floor with whatever is in the T520 for feel... the T60 keyboard was a different flavour -- certainly clicker, but not as "firm" feeling as the T61p. A toss up, coming down to preference in my mind.

I also have to note that the T500 and above have the big garish LENOVO logo on the lid which I find really ugly.

Quite a bit more in love with the T61p now!

[dr_st]

I also have to note that the T500 and above have the big garish LENOVO logo on the lid which I find really ugly.

Yeah, I'm with you on it. Interestingly, the logo has been omitted from the 410/510 series, but came right back with the 420/520.

[ThinkRob]

Yeah, I'm with you on it. Interestingly, the logo has been omitted from the 410/510 series, but came right back with the 420/520.

Personally, I think that the T420 logo is much nicer-looking than the T400/T500 style. The semi-metallic look of the former looks a lot higher-end than the glossy black plastic of the latter.

[dr_st]

That's comforting, because surely the logo is here to stay this time.

[cksubs]

They need to get rid of all the Lenovo branding on the Thinkpads. I can't believe the lid logo is back on the new ones, they had it there for a while then took it off, I thought it would be gone for good...

[JeffCullen]

Yeah, I mean... nobody buys a ThinkPad because it's made by some Chinese multi-national who bought it from IBM... I don't think many of us bought them because they were made by IBM either. The brand is the product name, not the company who owns it... plus their logo *really* sucks, and the ThinkPad logo is great. IBM's logo the last time it appeared on a ThinkPad was looking pretty out of date... but was a good logo for a long time.

[rumbero]

IBM's logo the last time it appeared on a ThinkPad was looking pretty out of date... but was a good logo for a long time.

Well, i replaced the Lenovo Thinkpad logo on my T61+ with that nicely colored vintage IBM logo. I like the idea of notebook thieves thinking that this is only a crappy old machine, making them to reconsider stealing it, and rob the shiny Apple Mac from the neighbour's table instead.

What i dislike about the Lenovo logo on the display cover is that the once so wonderful design understatement of Thinkpads definitely has become a thing of the past.

[JeffCullen]

Well, i replaced the Lenovo Thinkpad logo on my T61+ with that nicely colored vintage IBM logo. I like the idea of notebook thieves thinking that this is only a crappy old machine, making them to reconsider stealing it, and rob the shiny Apple Mac from the neighbour's table instead. ;)

I actually really like how my T61p is branded--just says ThinkPad Tseries on the lid and wrist rest, and small "lenovo" next to T61p next to the hinge... nice and subtle. I wonder if notebook thieves are smart enough to know that something without any "lenovo" branding is old...

What i dislike about the Lenovo logo on the display cover is that the once so wonderful design understatement of Thinkpads definitely has become a thing of the past.

Exactly... these were always very tasteful business machines... I find Apple's branding on their machines to be quite tasteful as well and have long thought of ThinkPads and PowerBooks/MacBook Pros as equivalents in their respective worlds.

I wonder how Apple gets away without peppering the wrist rest with those stupid "NVIDIA!" "Intel Centrino duo!" "Turbo! Type RSR w/ NAWSSSZZZZZZ" stickers that I hastily remove whenever a new notebook enters my sphere...

[dr_st]

I wonder how Apple gets away without peppering the wrist rest with those stupid "NVIDIA!" "Intel Centrino duo!" "Turbo! Type RSR w/ NAWSSSZZZZZZ" stickers that I hastily remove whenever a new notebook enters my sphere...

Gets away? Hardware vendors can't force laptop vendors to put stickers on the laptops. Whoever wants the stickers and meets the requirements can put one, Apple just doesn't want them.

[JeffCullen]

Seems ridiculous to me that everyone else would want them, so I figured the OEMs mandated it...

[cksubs]

I believe they're mandated by Microsoft. Asus, going for the Mac look, had to put them on their power brick. Although I suppose they're talking about the Windows license sticker on the bottom of ThinkPads, not the little stickers inside.

In our earlier coverage I pointed out that ASUS had moved Microsoft’s required Certificate of Authenticity to the power brick, something that’s usually located on the system itself. Microsoft mandates the sticker’s placement on the system, however there is a clean PC program an OEM can apply for in order to somewhat skirt the requirement. ASUS did apply for and was approved, allowing it the luxury of moving that CoA sticker to the power adapter. While it does improve the beauty of the machine, it also means that if you lose your power adapter you do lose your CoA.

Microsoft and Intel were also petitioned to allow greyscale versions of their respective product logos. ASUS’ request was also approved, which is why you see less obnoxious Intel inside and Windows 7 stickers on the Zenbook.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4985/asus ... x21-review

[dr_st]

Seems ridiculous to me that everyone else would want them, so I figured the OEMs mandated it...

It is possible they pay the laptop manufacturers to put the stickers on the laptop (or more likely giving discounts on purchases if they put the sticker). It's also possible some manufacturers want some of the stickers, cause they help sell (e.g., Windows 7 sticker, Centrino sticker).

[ThinkRob]

The stickers aren't mandated for most (all?) OEMs. Instead, they simply are part of a deal to get slightly lower volume license prices. Same for the chips -- Intel gives better deals to OEMs who include the stickers. I have no idea about AMD + NVIDIA, but I assume it's the same.

[cksubs]

So it's kinda like that thing where there's no federally-mandated drinking age at 21... but if your state goes to 18, you miss out on billions of dollars in highway money.