Are Thinkpads (the brand name) being phased out?

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Mezzo · #1 Post by **Mezzo** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:40 pm

Hi guys, I heard some disturbing news from a friend of mine that the Thinkpad brand will be phased out and future Thinkpads will be branded as Lenovo notebooks instead.

As a big time fan of Think PCs, I was naturally worried and tried to scourge the net for news on that, but to no avail.

From what I know, Thinkpad brand will stay while Lenovo notebooks will be marketed as Lenovo notebooks.

Can someone please kindly verify? Would appreciate. Thanks.

smek · #2 Post by **smek** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:34 pm

Lenovo has to use the Thinkpad name for business notebook for the next 4 years as stated in the deal after the takeover, and Im sure they will keep a business thinpad line way past that date.

#3 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:42 pm

If they dump the ThinkPad name, they will shoot themselves in the head. Once I get a ThinkPad in the hands of a client (a) they are grateful; (b) they won't considering changing back; and (c) they are happy. Why Lenovo would want to risk that is beyond me, and I don't think they really will. ... JD Hurst

#4 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:07 pm

I don't think dropping the IBM lettering from the logo will have any hardful effects but keeping ThinkPad as the name will be crucial. Most people recognize the laptops as ThinkPad already, most normally don't put the IBM part in the name so getting rid of the IBM part of the name shouldn't be a hard task. I think the best marketing move would be to have the brand name as ThinkPad without having any company names in there or if they must put their name, then ThinkPad, by Lenovo would be a good choice for marketing.

bofh · #5 Post by **bofh** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:49 pm

They were not able to put IBM on a Thinkpad for the olympics in Turin, but they kept the ThinkPad:

#6 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:25 pm

bofh wrote:They were not able to put IBM on a Thinkpad for the olympics in Turin, but they kept the ThinkPad:

That is true, but there was a reason. Ad restrictions enforced at Olympics

I do think that this may have been carried to the extreme.

JHEM · #7 Post by **JHEM** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:34 am

bofh wrote:They were not able to put IBM on a Thinkpad for the olympics in Turin, but they kept the ThinkPad:

Lenovo was a sponsor, IBM was not.

Lenovo could have replaced the IBM logo with their own, but that's not allowed yet by the sale agreement.

Catch 22.

Regards,

James

#8 Post by **BillMorrow** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:41 am

AFAIK the ThinkPad name will remain..
the IBM brand will be slowly phased out..
and replaced be the Lenovo name..
thus it will become a Lenovo ThinkPad..

Mezzo · #9 Post by **Mezzo** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:26 am

Well guys, thanks alot for the replies.

I personally think it's ridiculous to dump the Thinkpad name since IBM already spent so many years and billions getting the brand into people's head.

I'm just glad they are not going to change it.

It's actually a great thing that he mentioned that to me. If not for him, I wouldn't have found this great Thinkpad forum.

The Insider · #10 Post by **The Insider** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:14 am

I know everyone here is very attached to the ThinkPad brand, and think it's absolutely ridiculous that Lenovo would drop that name.

The reality is that Lenovo will not have the right to the ThinkPad branding 5 years from the date of the deal with IBM PCD. So it's not up to Lenovo to keep or drop the ThinkPad branding on their notebooks.

That's why they are pushing the Lenovo brand recognition now while they still have the ThinkPad brand to use. And hope that people will eventually refer only to Lenovo products and not IBM/ThinkPad.

This will all happen within 5 years.

JHEM · #11 Post by **JHEM** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:57 am

The Insider wrote:The reality is that Lenovo will not have the right to the ThinkPad branding 5 years from the date of the deal with IBM PCD.

Sorry, but that's incorrect.

Lenovo has purchased the rights to the Thinkpad and Thinkcenter names. What they will lose in 5 years is the right to use the IBM name on their products.

Regards,

James

The Insider · #12 Post by **The Insider** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:01 pm

JHEM wrote:
The Insider wrote:The reality is that Lenovo will not have the right to the ThinkPad branding 5 years from the date of the deal with IBM PCD.
Sorry, but that's incorrect.

Lenovo has purchased the rights to the Thinkpad and Thinkcenter names. What they will lose in 5 years is the right to use the IBM name on their products.

Regards,

James

Thanks for the correction.

ThinkPad R · #13 Post by **ThinkPad R** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:27 pm

AlphaKilo470 wrote:I don't think dropping the IBM lettering from the logo will have any hardful effects but keeping ThinkPad as the name will be crucial. Most people recognize the laptops as ThinkPad already, most normally don't put the IBM part in the name so getting rid of the IBM part of the name shouldn't be a hard task. I think the best marketing move would be to have the brand name as ThinkPad without having any company names in there or if they must put their name, then ThinkPad, by Lenovo would be a good choice for marketing.

If they get rid of IBM part of the logo, I'm going to shoot myself & never get a thinkpad again in my life.

#14 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:35 pm

Well, if you do shoot yourself, can I have your current ThinkPad and maybe your VCR? If so I'll be sure to send a "Get Well Soon" card to your funeral.

ThinkPad R · #15 Post by **ThinkPad R** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:46 pm

BillMorrow wrote:AFAIK the ThinkPad name will remain..
the IBM brand will be slowly phased out..
and replaced be the Lenovo name..
thus it will become a Lenovo ThinkPad..

If it ever becomes LENOVO ThinkPad, I'll murder myself even in heaven.

I don't have anything against Lenovo or China. It's just that IBM's too good for Lenovo to handle it.

ThinkPad R · #16 Post by **ThinkPad R** » Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:47 pm

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Well, if you do shoot yourself, can I have your current ThinkPad and maybe your VCR? If so I'll be sure to send a "Get Well Soon" card to your funeral.

Thanks.

Are Thinkpads (the brand name) being phased out?

Are Thinkpads (the brand name) being phased out?

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