Looking to Jump Into the Thinkpad T Series Pool

[safelder]

It looks like I'll be needing a new laptop for work in the next several weeks, and Thinkpad is looking like the best choice. I discovered the Dodson sheets, which were a lot easier than trying to figure anything out on the Thinkpad website. According to the sheets, the two machines I'm primarily considering (2668-L3U and 2668-J2U) are Aug 05 machines. I've read about the fall "refresh" that IBM does--are these machines part of it, or will there be something else coming over the horizon closer to when I'll need the machine (mid-November)?

Question two concerns custom-to-order. I assume the Dodson sheets give the "standard" and "express" configurations. Neither of the two machines I've listed above are ideal. They're just the closest I can find to what I want, and the open bay stuff on the Thinkpad website is too confusing (it would be better if it wasn't missing extended specs for most of the machines). Can I call them and tell them exactly what I want and have it built without having a part reference number from the website or Dodson sheets?

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Moderator: Before someone asks, the Dodson sheets are aka tabook - link is in item #1 in the FAQ