First impression on your X41 Tablet?

[heiss]

Good for you guys who got the X41 tablet recently. I ordered one at 07/06 but mine is in KY now for three days.

So if you share some initial impression of the unit with me and others who are also waiting for theirs, that would help for our waiting. Thanks!

[Porsche]

I got my TU on August 18 (my order date was June 30). Here are my first impressions after using the machine for about a week. I will start with the positives first and then the negatives.

The first positive is that I found the machine to be smaller than my other Thinkpads (T40p and T42p) and just as well made. Just like my other Thinkpads, it seems to be a very solid and durable machine. I am glad I waited to get it.

Keyboard: The keyboard is slightly smaller than my two other Thinkpads, but the tactile feedback is just as good. I had to get used to the smaller “backspace” and “enter” keys. My biggest adjustment is the TrackPoint on the X41. I had never used the TrackPoint before (not even on my T40 series which came with it) and found it difficult to use on the X41. I tried different mouse and TrackPoint settings but they don’t appear to help so far. I prefer the touchpad any time. Of course, that is just my preference. I have no doubt that there are users out there who disagree with me on this point, and that is quite alright. Double-clicking and cursor moving seems easier for me on my touchpad. But the fact of the matter is that the X41 does not come with a touchpad even though there is room for it on the palm rest area.

LCD: I think the best part of the computer is the LCD screen. It is very bright, colorful, and very readable, not to mention it has no dead pixel on my machine. I like this screen even better than those on my other Thinkpads. When the LCD is used in landscape mode, it is a rather ho-hum experience. But when the LCD is switched to portrait mode (tablet format), my computing experience, even with ordinary routine tasks, becomes quite different. It is a complete joy (and rather intuitive) to tap, surf, read, and write in this mode. For those of you who have not tried this before, you won’t know what I am talking about. A few handy customized tablet buttons on the right side of the tablet when in portrait mode makes tablet use easier. There are times I tried reaching for the keyboard (force of habit) and found none. Some input procedures take some getting used to without a keyboard, but I think for surfing and simple routine computing, the keyboard-less tablet use is fine.

Now on to some negatives. When I first got the machine, the start-up (cool as well as warm boot) was slow compared to my T40 series. After an extensive customizing (including disabling a few services and programs in “msconfig” and “local services”), the start-up now is considerably faster. The 4,200 rpm 60GB HDD partly makes the start-up and the launch of applications a little slower, but it is not too bad. The hard drive is quiet, and I don’t hear any clicking noise. I have used Photoshop CS2 on it, and it works fine.

Sleeve: I tried using the Lenovo sleeve, and I don’t like it that much. It is difficult to write on the plastic screen even after I got used to it after a while. It is still not ideal. My biggest problem with the sleeve is that the top right corner of the LCD (in portrait mode) is partly blocked by the removable plastic screen corner covering. Because of this blockage, it is quite difficult to tap the “X” on the LCD to close or quit a program or application. I think the sleeve could provide good all-around computer protection for users in more rugged settings (like a dusty factory, car with kids, a confined airplane seat, or other places where the computer, particularly the screen, can be easily damaged) or when you don’t have to do much keyboarding or plugging in peripherals. For me, I will be looking for other alternatives.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I am pleased with my purchase despite some limitations listed above. Tablet use can be fun and intuitive but it remains yet to be seen whether serious computing is compatible with it. At least, on this tablet, users can easily switch to regular laptop use when the tablet mode hinders their intuition or productivity. Then again, for some users, it can actually promote intuition and productivity.