More Z Series Pictures

[rajm]

The Y200 is indeed a Lenovo design; however, I do not think it has any connection to the z60 series. Mainly because it is a 13 inch screen, so a completely different footprint.

[GomJabbar]

Notice the similarities? The Z60 is a modified Y200.

Yeah, they're both widescreen laptops.

1. However, the hinges are different - wide vs. narrow.
2. The spacing on the side of the keyboard is different.
3. The optical drive is further back on the Z60.
4. The touchpad is round on the Y200 vs. square on the Z60.
5. The Z60 has a Trackpoint, the Y200 not.
6. The Y200 has a couple of jacks? on the front edge.
7. The Z60 has the EDVO thingy?, the Y200 not.
8. The inside lip of the lid of the Y200 doesn't have the edge that the Z60 does.

[bhtooefr]

rajm: Hmm... interesting point, there.

GomJabbar: I'll break it down point by point...

2. If they changed keyboard layouts from a Dell-like layout, that could explain it.
5. Simple keyboard redesign.
6. So does the 14" Z60.

Gotta come up with comebacks on the others, but most are due to simple redesigns.

[pphilipko]

rajm: Hmm... interesting point, there.

GomJabbar: I'll break it down point by point...

2. If they changed keyboard layouts from a Dell-like layout, that could explain it.
5. Simple keyboard redesign.
6. So does the 14" Z60.

Gotta come up with comebacks on the others, but most are due to simple redesigns.

Well, if that's the case, we might as well say that the HP business line IS the IBM T series with little modifications. Or that the Sony T series is like the 12.1 inch Panasonic Toughbook sries. Or that Dell XPS is the same as Alienware Area 51m. Or that all laptops are the same; they all have a screen, a keyboard, and an operating system.

[wackydan]

More than a small stake... approx 45% of Lenovo is owned by Legend Group Limited, which is in turn controlled by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is in turn controled by the Chinese government.

a small stake of them is owned by the Chinese government.

Utter and complete B.S.

Lenovo was publically traded on the exchange in Bejing before the acquisition. Legend got it's start by an investment by the CAS in the 80's, and they continue to hold public shares..... an investment only.

As of May 1, 2005 Lenovo became an American Headquartered company, corporate taxed in the U.S., soon to be listed on the NYSE. So no longer a Chinese company as many allude it to be.

The chinese gov't has ZERO control of the company... ZERO.

[wackydan]

Isn't it the agreement between IBM & Levono is that only products developed previously by IBM can bear the "IBM Thinkpad" logo? they cannot just put the "IBM Thinkpad" on other Levono product...

lenovo will launch a low cost notebook brand early next year. ThinkPad will continue to be a premium product. They can use the IBM logo for a minimum of 18 months or until IBM pulls it.

[wackydan]

Does anyone know what kind of materials are being used to build the Z series? I won't complain too much if Lenovo uses the magnesium alloy and carbon fiber components used in the T series, but I won't be too happy if the machine is nothing but standard ABS plastic.

Also, who the hell designed it? It doesn't look like a traditional ThinkPad. As I recall most of the recent ThinkPads are Japanese designs, and this ThinkPad does not look like a Japanese design to me...

Z's were part of the IBM product roadmap aquired may 1 by Lenovo.... These changes/models were already coming, and the new chassis changes to the R and T's, etc coming next year will reflect the same.

I've had both widescreens in my hands today at a trade event Lenovo was at... They are ThinkPads, trust me. They have the same feel, and much the same look. They do take a while to get used to, but once you understand why they brought a WS ThinkPad to market, you realize how these TP widescreens are so much better in ways when comared to the competition.

They have the same design points of durability, and while the z60t seems to be the T-series WS equivalent, the z60M seems to be the R50ish WS offering.....

In other words, the m model is to the t model as the r series is to the t series.

[wackydan]

*sigh*

For those of you are wondering who designed the thing, it's Lenovo all the way.

Go here (Lenovo's "look at what we sell in Asia, but you don't get " thingy), click on Notebooks, and look at the Y200.

Then, go back to a Z60 shot.

Notice the similarities? The Z60 is a modified Y200.

Not even close... I've had the y200 in my hands at one of the the Lenovo Roadshow events..... Today I got my hands on the widescreens at an industry trade event...

You'll see the actual y200 come over to the US market early next year as a new sub-brand of Lenovo.

The new ThinkPad WS's are an IBM design that was in engineering at IBM since before the acquisition.

[bhtooefr]

They're redesigning the R and T series to match the Z series?

[safelder]

They have the same design points of durability, and while the z60t seems to be the T-series WS equivalent, the z60M seems to be the R50ish WS offering.....

In other words, the m model is to the t model as the r series is to the t series.

By your analogy, do you mean that the Z60t is the "professional" model and the Z60m the "economy" model, or simply that the Z60t is the more mobile of the two (as the R is a bulkier machine than the T for similar configurations)? I was going to get a T series, then heard about the Z and decided to wait. I've got no objection to a slightly bulkier machine (mobility is a secondary, occasional concern for me, as whatever I get will likely spend most of its time in a dock), but durability and long life are a MUST. The construction and materials of either Z is the same or better as a T, correct?

[wackydan]

They're redesigning the R and T series to match the Z series?

NO... They are going to have new T and R chassis out early next year. They will have battery and power brick commonality, and some of the same look and feel, ie; the new color and look of the volume buttons, the new Thinkvantage button, etc... they won't be WS...

IBM had done that how many times???? At least 3 or 4 times since I've been using thinkpads and that's since 1995, and I've had more ThinkPads than a normal human should ever need.

[wackydan]

They have the same design points of durability, and while the z60t seems to be the T-series WS equivalent, the z60M seems to be the R50ish WS offering.....

In other words, the m model is to the t model as the r series is to the t series.

By your analogy, do you mean that the Z60t is the "professional" model and the Z60m the "economy" model, or simply that the Z60t is the more mobile of the two (as the R is a bulkier machine than the T for similar configurations)? I was going to get a T series, then heard about the Z and decided to wait. I've got no objection to a slightly bulkier machine (mobility is a secondary, occasional concern for me, as whatever I get will likely spend most of its time in a dock), but durability and long life are a MUST. The construction and materials of either Z is the same or better as a T, correct?

The construction of the z60t is of the same quality of the T series, and from what I saw the M is of the same construction as the R, with the exception being the M Titanium model, which seems to have themore durable silver lid.

The only thing you won't like about the z60t is lack of discrete graphics.

[safelder]

The construction of the z60t is of the same quality of the T series, and from what I saw the M is of the same construction as the R, with the exception being the M Titanium model, which seems to have themore durable silver lid.

The only thing you won't like about the z60t is lack of discrete graphics.

Eh. Discrete graphics is no biggie. I'm not gaming, editing video/photos, or CADD. Just e-mail, Internet, and MS Office apps. I'm more worried about lacking an Express Card slot. I don't know why, since I don't anticipate ever plugging anything into even a PCMCIA card slot, but I've got some mental block about buying a brand new machine that doesn't have the newest technology in it. The same thing troubled me about the T series--it's got SATA, but the drives are all PATA for some reason.

I thought both the m and t submodels used the magnesium chassis, which should make them both equally durable.

Incidentally, I was looking at my co-worker's Dell Inspiron 6000 today. It is a 15.4" widescreen that weighs about 7 lbs. Footprint-wise, it's not bad. But it's pretty heavy when you're just carrying it around...in a bag with a bunch of law school books, he says it's barely noticable.

EDIT: It does indeed appear from TABOOK that the Z60t is the heavier-duty of the two, built of carbon fiber reinforced polymer. The Z60m is ABS plastic, except for the lid on the titanium models, which is (duh) titanium.

[Kenn]

As for Lenovo, yes, they are allowed to use the IBM thinkpad label for two/four years on any thinkpad, even the ones they designed themselves...

I believe the branding rights to the IBM name is six years. I would imagine they have "Thinkpad" forever.