Thinkpads Forum

As I waited for approval to join the community, I have absorbed quite a bit in the X60 series index. THANK YOU - there is a lot of talent here.

I am a new graduate student in an on-line graduate program. I feel there will be a definite advantage for me to get a tablet PC, so I can annotate PDF files for research, in particular. In the desktop mode, I currently have windows XP media on an HP a1120n. I use Microsoft Office Professional - fairly comfortable with this suite of software.

I seek your wisdom so that I can build a model solid enough to meet my needs from the start. I want to keep it as light weight as possible, but I don't want to regret omitting things that the rest of you take for granted will be useful. Prior to reading about if so, augmenting memory aftermarket, I was contemplating the following build:

12.1" Multiview and Multi-Touch WVA XGA TFT and Intel CD L2400LV
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM (2DIMM)
100GB Hard Disk Drive 7200 serial ATA
Thinkpad Tablet UltraBase w/ CDRW and DVD drive
Integrated 1GB Ethernet
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
ThinkPad X61 Tablet 4 cell Li-Ion Battery
ThinkPad X60 Tablet power accessories (includes an 8 cell Li-ion, external battery charger, and 65W ultraportable AC adapter
Kensington WiFi Finder plus

It seems most are recommending NOT to go with fingerprint ID -- OK -- understand this from the posts

I was thinking of adding on the 3 Year Depot Upgrade with 3 Year ThinkPad Protection for $279, pricey, but if it replaces a PC $2800+, well worth it. What do you think about this? Can it be added later - if so, up to how much later?

What would the benefit be of upgrading to a 12.1" MultiView + MultiTouch WVA XGA TFT and Intel® Core™ 2 Duo L7400 LV ? Is the difference of the L2400 and L7400 in the processor or in the visual (or both?) NB: X60 Tablet virgin...be gentle with me please...!!)

Should I go with the 80 GB Hard Drive which is standard, or is upgrading to 100 GB a good thing? Or is higher still, even better? I do not plan to use this for lots of photos, or media games. Primarily for Microsoft office applications related to my coursework and research. This includes the need for internet and e-mail.

The Tablet software seems like it would be very helpful. Lenovo recommends Vista over the Tablet PC software. For what I plan to use this for - it seems the tablet PC is better...or?...

I can get a SERIOUS student discount on Microsoft Office 2003. I am reading about "One Note" in these many posts -- but not sure what this is.

I have been using Agilix GoBinder for supporting my coursework on the desktop, which is less than optimal - that is why I want to go portable. Are any of you familiar with this software? How might it overlap with the the Tablet PC software?

I am VERY nervous about all the recent news about ID Theft, with people tapping into notebooks if you use it in a FREE WI-FI zone. Does Blue tooth technology make one more or less vulnerable? Does the X60 Tablet come secure enough to thwart this? If not, are there links you can point me to for how to arm mine (firewall of course - but what about encryption?) once it arrives?

What should I have added that is missing from this post?

I value your input on the waterfield sleeves - I plan to look into those after I order.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom on this....

I would definately plan to get atleast 2GB of RAM in your tablet. Vista is dog slow on 1GB. I had to immediately upgrade mine to 2GB. It's a ton better.

OneNote is included in Office... I forget which version, but it is very nice and works great with the Tablet, I'd either get that bundle of Office or buy it stand alone.

The mult-touch costs a little more and you loose some screen real estate. I got the SXGA one and am very happy with it...I'm not missing the "touch screen" ability.

As for the ID Theft, BlueTooth won't buy you anything when it comes to a WiFi signal. Obviously you'll want to have a firewall to keep people out of your system when on public (open) WiFi access points. I usually connect directly to my company VPN as soon as I get a signal to ensure my traffic is encrypted, other than that, if you are on a public channel, I would avoid going to any site that doesn't have an SSL cert on it that you enter in a username and password.

I cannot answer all your questions but I will try to answer what I can.

lpmtnmvr wrote:As I waited for approval to join the community, I have absorbed quite a bit in the X60 series index. THANK YOU - there is a lot of talent here.

I am a new graduate student in an on-line graduate program. I feel there will be a definite advantage for me to get a tablet PC, so I can annotate PDF files for research, in particular. In the desktop mode, I currently have windows XP media on an HP a1120n. I use Microsoft Office Professional - fairly comfortable with this suite of software.

I seek your wisdom so that I can build a model solid enough to meet my needs from the start. I want to keep it as light weight as possible, but I don't want to regret omitting things that the rest of you take for granted will be useful. Prior to reading about if so, augmenting memory aftermarket, I was contemplating the following build:

12.1" Multiview and Multi-Touch WVA XGA TFT and Intel CD L2400LV
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM (2DIMM)

Change that to 1 DIMM OR upgrade to 2 GB at the time of ordering. Either way you want to get up to 2 GB right away.

100GB Hard Disk Drive 7200 serial ATA
Thinkpad Tablet UltraBase w/ CDRW and DVD drive
Integrated 1GB Ethernet
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
ThinkPad X61 Tablet 4 cell Li-Ion Battery
ThinkPad X60 Tablet power accessories (includes an 8 cell Li-ion, external battery charger, and 65W ultraportable AC adapter
Kensington WiFi Finder plus

It seems most are recommending NOT to go with fingerprint ID -- OK -- understand this from the posts

I haven't heard this. Why is it a problem?

I was thinking of adding on the 3 Year Depot Upgrade with 3 Year ThinkPad Protection for $279, pricey, but if it replaces a PC $2800+, well worth it. What do you think about this? Can it be added later - if so, up to how much later?

What would the benefit be of upgrading to a 12.1" MultiView + MultiTouch WVA XGA TFT and Intel® Core™ 2 Duo L7400 LV ? Is the difference of the L2400 and L7400 in the processor or in the visual (or both?) NB: X60 Tablet virgin...be gentle with me please...!!)

The difference is in the processing not the display. The LV7400 is apparently 64bit instead of 32bit. If I read the umbers right it looks like it's about twice as fast on specific tasks. I just ordered the LV2400 thinking it would be at least a month before the Core @ DUO was out, and that it would be way more money. OOPS?

Should I go with the 80 GB Hard Drive which is standard, or is upgrading to 100 GB a good thing? Or is higher still, even better? I do not plan to use this for lots of photos, or media games. Primarily for Microsoft office applications related to my coursework and research. This includes the need for internet and e-mail.

For what you are doing it all comes down to HOW long will it last. The faster hard drive (7200) will be FASTER. You may not need the space, in which case they offer a 60 GB 7200. If you don't need the speed, then just leave the 80GB alone.

The Tablet software seems like it would be very helpful. Lenovo recommends Vista over the Tablet PC software. For what I plan to use this for - it seems the tablet PC is better...or?...

WIndows Vista Business and Premium and Ultra I believe all have tablet software included. You don't have to buy a separate TABLET edition like you did with XP. The version of Vista it comes with should work fine.

I can get a SERIOUS student discount on Microsoft Office 2003. I am reading about "One Note" in these many posts -- but not sure what this is.

I have been using Agilix GoBinder for supporting my coursework on the desktop, which is less than optimal - that is why I want to go portable. Are any of you familiar with this software? How might it overlap with the the Tablet PC software?

I am VERY nervous about all the recent news about ID Theft, with people tapping into notebooks if you use it in a FREE WI-FI zone. Does Blue tooth technology make one more or less vulnerable? Does the X60 Tablet come secure enough to thwart this? If not, are there links you can point me to for how to arm mine (firewall of course - but what about encryption?) once it arrives?

What should I have added that is missing from this post?

I value your input on the waterfield sleeves - I plan to look into those after I order.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom on this....

Sorry, I ran out of answers. Hopefully someone else will have the rest. Also it appears I have no clue how to use quotes here. OK I figured it out. Some kind of strange HTML with brackets instead of < and >

You've got a lot of questions. I don't have a tablet but I do have an X60s and I've played with some tablets.

I seek your wisdom so that I can build a model solid enough to meet my needs from the start.
...
12.1" Multiview and Multi-Touch WVA XGA TFT and Intel CD L2400LV
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM (2DIMM)
100GB Hard Disk Drive 7200 serial ATA
Thinkpad Tablet UltraBase w/ CDRW and DVD drive
Integrated 1GB Ethernet
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
ThinkPad X61 Tablet 4 cell Li-Ion Battery
ThinkPad X60 Tablet power accessories (includes an 8 cell Li-ion, external battery charger, and 65W ultraportable AC adapter
Kensington WiFi Finder plus

The WiFi finder is probably unnecessary...the computer will be able to show you APs that it can see.

Bluetooth might be a good idea since it can be challenging to install it yourself.

You might also consider the Thinkpad Wireless card if you want a card that can see more APs. The only downside is increased heat and increased energy consumption. If you change your mind you can always order one and install it yourself...it's rather simple.

Finally, you might upgrade the memory to 1 dimm of 1GB, which will make a future upgrade to 2 dimms of 2GB easier/cheaper.

It seems most are recommending NOT to go with fingerprint ID -- OK -- understand this from the posts

I love having the fingerprint reader. It's convenient for logging in (I password protect my machine) and it can even use it for the Boot//Harddrive/BIOS. You might also find it convenient for a tablet since you could login without accessing the keyboard. I've never regretted the decision to get the fingerprint scanner; then again, I'm probably more security-conscious than than the average person.

I was thinking of adding on the 3 Year Depot Upgrade with 3 Year ThinkPad Protection for $279, pricey, but if it replaces a PC $2800+, well worth it. What do you think about this? Can it be added later - if so, up to how much later?

I don't know about costs later if you change your mind. I thought it was worth it for me because I carry it everyday, everywhere and I need it to be replaced quickly - and it has to last three years. I would think Tablets are more inclined to injury since they're used on surfaces other than tabletops, but who knows.

What would the benefit be of upgrading to a 12.1" MultiView + MultiTouch WVA XGA TFT and Intel® Core™ 2 Duo L7400 LV ? Is the difference of the L2400 and L7400 in the processor or in the visual (or both?) :oops: NB: X60 Tablet virgin...be gentle with me please...!!)

I don't know about MultiView + MultiTouch vs. non-MVMT, but the L7400 is a 64-bit processor that will be a little more future-proofed than the 32-bit L2400. Though, I suspect you can get by with a 32-bit processor for the next 3-5 years.

Should I go with the 80 GB Hard Drive which is standard, or is upgrading to 100 GB a good thing? Or is higher still, even better? I do not plan to use this for lots of photos, or media games. Primarily for Microsoft office applications related to my coursework and research. This includes the need for internet and e-mail.

I'm happy with the 100GB 7200rpm drive. I manually installed it myself and transfered the drive image. For simplicity, it's easiest to just get the drive you want. I do have some photos, music, games, and Virtual Machines and 100GB is plenty for me. However, I do have external storage for big things I don't use much.

I can get a SERIOUS student discount on Microsoft Office 2003. I am reading about "One Note" in these many posts -- but not sure what this is.

One Note is a note-taking software that works with tablets. It also has video and audio recording capacity that can correspond with your notes. Finally, I think you can import any image, PDF, office document, etc. and then write on them in One Note. As of 2003 it did not come with the Office suite, but you can buy it seperately. Google "Microsoft One Note." Your school might even sell/give it away.

I am VERY nervous about all the recent news about ID Theft, with people tapping into notebooks if you use it in a FREE WI-FI zone. Does Blue tooth technology make one more or less vulnerable? Does the X60 Tablet come secure enough to thwart this? If not, are there links you can point me to for how to arm mine (firewall of course - but what about encryption?) once it arrives? :?

If you get bluetooth, you can shut it off when you don't need it and you can assign a PIN that anyone who wants access would have to enter.

Encryption: set it up on your home router and the X60 will be able to connect to the router...no problem there.

As for WiFi, a firewall is a good idea. Hardware for your connection at home and software on your computer at all times. I use an old rule-based firewall that was originally free. It's not as set and forget as solutions these days, but I've never had a problem at home or away.

"Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5"

hey lpmtnmvr, you might be interested in my X60 Tablet I'm selling - its only 3 weeks old. Its listed in the Marketplace forum.

lpmtnmvr wrote:I have been using Agilix GoBinder for supporting my coursework on the desktop, which is less than optimal - that is why I want to go portable. Are any of you familiar with this software? How might it overlap with the the Tablet PC software?

Gobinder has inking capabilities since day one. And as far as I know it also works under Vista (at least 2006 SP3). I, personally, prefere it over OneNote. Sadly, though, Agilix is not showing any inteterest in developing this product and they are rather slow on patching known bugs.

I actually had some similar questions to the OP - I hope nobody minds if I tag them onto this thread rather than start a new one. The answers so far have been very helpful to me, as well!

I'm going to be a law student in the fall and I'm pretty sold on the X60 Tablet, but I wonder how easy it is to install additional RAM myself. Either way, I'd upgrade the RAM that comes with the computer, but after reading about how much cheaper it is to upgrade to 1 dimm of 1GB ram and then buy another one elsewhere, it seems like a good option. But I've never upgraded this and I don't want to mess anything up. Is it really something I could do myself?

Also, is the UltraBase really necessary? I had a docking station with my first laptop and I never ever used it, so I didn't bother to get one for my current laptop. But they were both desktop-replacement types, so they had a built-in CD/DVD drive. I don't really use the CD/DVD drive much, so I wouldn't be opposed to getting one that plugs into the USB port, and I'm curious as to whether the docking station has any other purpose or if I can forgo it.

I've heard that Thinkpads usually go on sale in July, but with the supply issues, do you think it would be a bad idea to wait for that? If I need to, I can use my current laptop for a bit, but it's an 8.5 lb monster so I wouldn't want to do it for very long.

Thanks for any help!

But I've never upgraded this and I don't want to mess anything up. Is it really something I could do myself?

I honestly think upgrading RAM in a laptop is the easiest thing you can do yourself. You just undo two screws on the bottom side of your system, remove the RAM cover and then carefully insert it into it's slot. It takes all of 2 minutes to do.

The UltraBase, as you said, gets you the DVD/CD drive and extra ports and stereo speakers. If you are planning on buying a USB one, it might not be too bad. I got mine to fit nicely on the machine so when I travel I can watch DVDs on it without taking up too much room (much better than my 17" Dell Notebook).

Octavia wrote: Is it really something I could do myself?

You can definitely handle it. Two screws and you can download directions on Lenovo's website. Overall, the machine is very easy to upgrade: harddrive, wireless card, memory, etc. are all fairly straight forward to replace and Lenovo maintenance/service manuals are very detailed and easy to follow.

Also, is the UltraBase really necessary?

I'd say no. I bought a USB drive and use that at home for the rare times when I need to read/make a DVD or CD. When I travel I just have an image of the DVD on my machine and watch it without a drive, which is better for battery life and lighter.

The UltraBase might be more useful if you want to use your X60 at home with an external monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc because instead of connecting and disconnecting all of those items you just set the machine in the base. I connect mine to external monitor, mouse, and speakers at home and it's not very onerous.

All said, if you can get the UltraBase with a DVD installed cheap then do it. But when I got my X60s it was going to be $300+ and not much of an advantage for me. Just consider the cost/benefit analysis.

I've heard that Thinkpads usually go on sale in July, but with the supply issues, do you think it would be a bad idea to wait for that? If I need to, I can use my current laptop for a bit, but it's an 8.5 lb monster so I wouldn't want to do it for very long.

There is a July sale, but I think there is also a sale around memorial day. You might also look to see at the law school you're attending and if they have any discounts arranged with Lenovo (sometimes there are low prices on certain models or some kind of blanket discount). The school's bookstore/computing center might also have some kind of arrangement. Oh, and wait for software since most schools have great academic rates on everything you'll need.

As for supplies: often, it's more of an issue if there is a big sale when some new model or update to a model comes out. More often, supply lines are good for a model that's been around for awhile. I wouldn't imagine there'll be a huge rush in July for tablets unless they stick the Santa Rosa chipset into them, but you'll know well before they do that because it will probably come out first on the X60/s and then the X60T will follow suit later on.

Octavia - there is also a sale on NOW through April 30th, which is why I was so very excited to tap into this support community - it is great to have choice about options - but informed choice is even better!

My HEARTFELT thanks to each of you who have shared your wisdom with me on creating my tablet. Ship date is officially 05/15/07! Hurray!

lpmtnmvr wrote: Ship date is officially 05/15/07! Hurray!

What did you end up picking?

12.1" Multiview and Multi-Touch WVA XGA TFT and Intel CD L7400LV
2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM (2DIMM)
100GB Hard Disk Drive 7200 serial ATA
Thinkpad Tablet UltraBase w/ CDRW and DVD drive
Integrated 1GB Ethernet
Blue Tooth Technology
ThinkPad X61 Tablet 4 cell Li-Ion Battery
ThinkPad X60 Tablet power accessories (includes an 8 cell Li-ion, external battery charger, and 65W ultraportable AC adapter
fingerprint security

Microsoft Tablet PC OS
Microsoft 2007 Professional with APA and MLA software
One Note software
I will plan to look into NOD 32 antivirus --



I run AVG Professional/Kerio on my desktop along with AdAware and Spybot. I know Panda and NOD are hot right now. My AVG is almost ready to renew.

Is there a decided advantage for what NOD32 can do? Is it less of a system hog, for example?

Thanks again - Back to the Books!

Well, well, well -- I am impressed with the NOD32!! They have great comparison sheets for all the major players. How wonderful to qualify for a 20% discount as well.

membership has its privileges -- thanks Bill!