Engadget: The inside story of Lenovo's ThinkPad redesign

[Ravin' Ray]

Here's a lengthy article about the process that went into the current design of today's ThinkPads, including the just-announced T431s prototype, as well as hints about future innovations.

"When you talk to end users about ports, they'll tell you how much they need them. They'll talk about the vast number of USB devices that they have. It's easy to hear that and determine that you need five or more ports based on what these people report. When you watch these people work, however, and you're more overt in your methods -- you rarely see that happening.

Sometimes, there's a conflict between what someone reports they need and what they require."

So begins the backstory of the latest ThinkPad overhaul as told by Corinna Proctor, the senior research manager at Lenovo's User Research Center. Clearly versed in the art of separating whimsical wishes from bona fide requirements, she spoke to me in a phone interview alongside two of her colleagues in the run-up to today's unveiling of the redesigned ThinkPad T431s Ultrabook. The machine itself is still very much a ThinkPad -- it's black, it's understated and it's tough as nails -- but those who appreciate the evolution of technology will no doubt recognize some changes. Changes that began as mere notions some 18 months ago.

More at http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/17/the- ... -redesign/

[Puppy]

New T431s Illustrates How ThinkPad Loyalists, Techies and the People Will Define Future Design
http://blog.lenovo.com/products/thinkpa ... new-design

[Latios]

This is a delicate moment. I'd be interested to see what they have to say on the matter and what the counted user feedback actually was. Lenovo appears to be selling it purely for the look now. On a grander scale, compared to the traditional ThinkPad style, I'd be calling this thing Dr. Frankenstein's monster (no insult to the Frankenpad machines of course) as if they had placed a random ThinkPad with consumer laptop parts in a blender. From a very personal standpoint, attempting to hide as many things as possible (to the note of many developments in the design of laptop computers today) is dishonest design. I don't see a hint of "ThinkPad loyalist" blood in any of it
But on a functional note, of course, I'd have to see it in person the judge on that aspect.

At the end of the day, sales are sales I guess

[sysiphus]

Yuck, that looks awful. I thought it was bad when they tossed the classic 7-row keyboard, but now they've obliterated what was left of the ThinkPad. Looks like EliteBooks will continue as my new line of choice unless something changes...

[Totoro-kun]

"People today prioritize the visual aesthetic more so than ever before -- it's hugely important."

I agree, and this new T431 looks just awfully horrible. There for I will never buy or sell it, nor I'll advice to buy it. Thanks, lenovo, for making ThinkPad look just like rest of the **** they sell.

[Summilux]

Oh wow. Lenovo is all happy to boast a streamlined, « good looking » Thinkpad (buttons and bumpers aren’t cool, that’s what trend setter Apple has decided) that should provide a cleaner and simpler experience. The company even dared to handicap the trackpoint in that process, so as to favour the touchpad. Yet, Lenovo made that touchpad support up to 20 gestures… twenty-freaking-gestures. Talk about simplicity. (I know one doesn't have to use all of them, but still)

They’ve also handicapped the F keys, but do people – and I’m not referring to power users of course – really use all of these « multimedia » buttons ?

[Kogey]

"Hey guys, we totally ripped off the design of an Apple computer just like every other company is now, but we got the trackpoint still! That means we're still a business machine and the best, right? RIGHT?"

[ganon11000]

No trackpoint buttons no purchase if you ask me!

[pianowizard]

Recently I had a chance to use a Thinkpad E530 for 1.5 hours, and its buttonless touchpad was absurdly unnatural to use. And did the laptop look nicer without those buttons? Not at all! So, I bet Lenovo did away with the buttons just to save a dollar or two.

[EasyMac308]

It says a lot to me that A_Stewart, when responding to posts with multiple criticisms, only responded to/defended complaints about the trackpoint buttons.

[dr_st]

And did the laptop look nicer without those buttons? Not at all! So, I bet Lenovo did away with the buttons just to save a dollar or two.

Not so sure about that. They just try to cater to people whose aesthetic tastes are different from yours and mine. I bet those people find that a button-less touchpad looks nicer. It's the same people that put excessive focus on the thinness of the machine (I recall you always found it absurd to emphasize thinness over weight, and I agree with you). It's the same people that just want Macbooks but either don't want to pay Apple's premium or need to use a PC for whatever reason. So that's what everyone has been producing lately - Macbook clones.

[elray]

Not so sure about that. They just try to cater to people whose aesthetic tastes are different from yours and mine. I bet those people find that a button-less touchpad looks nicer. It's the same people that put excessive focus on the thinness of the machine (I recall you always found it absurd to emphasize thinness over weight, and I agree with you). It's the same people that just want Macbooks but either don't want to pay Apple's premium or need to use a PC for whatever reason. So that's what everyone has been producing lately - Macbook clones.

And I'm not so sure about your conclusion.

Looks to me, more like the "senior researcher" stacked the deck, in order to assure job security in an "overhaul" of a product that didn't need fixing:

Just north of 100 people were intimately involved in refashioning the ThinkPad line for the modern era, with varying research studies taking place in the United States, China, Germany, France, India, Mexico, Russia, Brazil and Japan. Instead of just plopping a few paid participants down and asking them to fill out a form detailing their ideal laptop, the company "shadowed" individuals to see how they actually used a machine. Only a small segment of each group were genuine ThinkPad loyalists -- the rest were early adopters of consumer technology, as well as those ardently opposed to selecting a ThinkPad as their primary machine. After all, one's biggest opponent often provides the most truthful revelations.

Given her intentional(?) methodology, its surprising that the Trackpoint survived, buttons or not.

[JeffCullen]

Looks like EliteBooks will continue as my new line of choice unless something changes...

I am finding myself on the same page when it comes to recommending new machines. Luckily my personal requirements of a computer are pretty low, so I can get by with my small collection of old clunkers :)

[Caterpillar]

Corinna will learn an hard experience from the life: Thinkpad customers will move to Apple Macbook Pro since they started putting crappy 16:9 screens on Thinkpads.
Shame on you, Lenovo!

[dr_st]

Your anger is misplaced. Of all the arguably bad things that Lenovo has done and is doing to Thinkpads, the 16:9 screens are by far the smallest problem, and one that hardly depends on Lenovo at all.

[QWERTY Andreas]

Lenovo listen to the ones who use thinkpads, that is great.

However they don't listen to those who buy it, by their own free will. They only listen to the ones that are forced to use TPs by their company.

They could at least make a 14" and 15" T/W machine (W is the best, since it will be just the same as T with better specs) with a more Classic layout. Then they were allowed to make all the stupid machines they want... But just keep one, good, usable thinkpad, And i will be happy.

Best regards

[MikeCL]

I don't understand why most laptops now are lacking in usb ports.. what used to be something like 4 is down to 3 now.

[pianowizard]

I don't understand why most laptops now are lacking in usb ports.. what used to be something like 4 is down to 3 now.

That's because more and more laptops are made to be as thin and/or light as possible.

[MikeCL]

I figured that to be the case

[emeraldgirl08]

Someone give me a 'thin and light' and I'll drive a tractor over it

[pianowizard]

I figured that to be the case

Why do you need so many USB ports?

[wolfman]

I extended the warranty on my T420 for this reason. I'll keep it as long as it works. When it no longer has the umph to be my main machine, I'll keep it for travel (light need) and I'll build a new desktop.

[MikeCL]

Why do you need so many USB ports?

live music.. Midi controllers.

Part of the reason why I went back to the Thinkpad (I had a pre-Lenovo) was the build and the Ultrabay, and I remembered that I could stick a hdd inside so now I no longer needed to use a USB port for a external drive and less risk of it getting damaged from point A to B.

[systemBuilder]

You know, I don't understand why they have paused for so long at 16:9 displays, why not go straight to 235:100 displays? What I think the customer REALLY wants, but doesn't know, if that a laptop is for watching 1960's movies in Cinemascope aspect ratio. Consider : You can have a 1410x600 display, or an 1880x800 HD display, the new standards for CXGA and CXGA+ screens beckon!! With 4:3 television shows, people can always surf the wab on both sides of the video display! Customers may not REALIZE what they REALLY want, but Thinkpad is going to ram what customers want down the customer's throat, anyway.