Problems at Lenovo. What is really going on?

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avesuni · #1 Post by **avesuni** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:53 am

Questions:

1) Does anyone know with which batteries the current T60p-models are shipping? I just ordered a 14" 2007-8J, and I'm getting conflicting information, whether it's shipping with 6 or 9 cell battery. Lenovo's European web-site claims that all T60-models are now shipping with 9 cell batteries, but this can't be right.

2) What is going on with the screens? I hear that it might depend on my luck how good a display I get. How is this possible for a computer that costs 3500 euros (over 4000 USD)? How dare they?

3) Have you noticed how blurry the latest FlexView screens are? I just ordered a new 15" T60 to my colleague, and the text is really soft and blurry at the native 1400x1000 resolution?

What is going on with the company that was once the only company that manufactured laptops that could be called real tools?

marlinspike · #2 Post by **marlinspike** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:00 am

My flexview isn't blurry. Have you turned on ClearType?

avesuni · #3 Post by **avesuni** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:40 am

No, it's running XP, not Vista. It was wrong to say "very" blurry, but for example text in Word 2003 is somewhat softer than in another colleaque's UXGA T60p ordered earlier this year.

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:20 am

Clear Type is also in XP. Go to Display Properties > Appearance > Effects... > checkbox for: Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts > choices are Standard and Clear Type.

Additionally, in IE7 at least, there is a setting in Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Multimedia > checkbox for: Always use Clear Type for HTML*.

Personally, I find the fonts more crisp without Clear Type turned on. I am using the 'Standard' method to smooth edges of screen fonts.

cxls · #5 Post by **cxls** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:24 am

avesuni wrote:No, it's running XP, not Vista. It was wrong to say "very" blurry, but for example text in Word 2003 is somewhat softer than in another colleaque's UXGA T60p ordered earlier this year.

ClearType is in XP, too.

hdave · #6 Post by **hdave** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:25 am

I just tried it too and found the fonts got more blurry when I enabled clear type

I just disabled it and am happy again.

im running a benq 17" 1280x1024 lcd monitor, and windows xp pro

#7 Post by **jdhurst** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:23 pm

Microsoft puts out a program called Clear Tweak. This program adjusts contrast and I need it (*need*) on my NetVista with Flat Panel monitor. Otherwise the fonts are blurry. I do not need on my T41 as the native fonts are clear with Clear Type. You could always try Clear Tweak to see if it assists. ... JD Hurst

pianowizard · #8 Post by **pianowizard** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 2:22 pm

GomJabbar wrote:Personally, I find the fonts more crisp without Clear Type turned on.

Same here. Maybe what the OP needs to do is disable Clear Type!

avesuni · #9 Post by **avesuni** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:03 pm

No, I checked my colleague's computer. He doesn't have the Cleartype turned on.

Can anyone comment on the battery question?

Apparently, the issue with the 14" displays is just hopeless. This really aggravates me. If the the display on the coming T60p is as grainy and dim as on my Z60t, I will never buy another Thinkpad.

Dimitri_P · #10 Post by **Dimitri_P** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:22 pm

avesuni wrote:No, it's running XP, not Vista. It was wrong to say "very" blurry, but for example text in Word 2003 is somewhat softer than in another colleaque's UXGA T60p ordered earlier this year.

Native resolution for 15" UXGA screen is 1600x1200,

Of course it is blurry if you run it at 1400x1050.....

D.

avesuni · #11 Post by **avesuni** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:41 pm

No, the other colleague's laptop is UXGA, not this one.

Dimitri_P · #12 Post by **Dimitri_P** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:51 pm

avesuni wrote:No, the other colleague's laptop is UXGA, not this one.

Get a digital camera, set it dor digital marco mode and take a close up picture...

Then we'll be able to help.

avesuni · #13 Post by **avesuni** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 5:30 pm

Thanks, but my colleague's laptop is not an issue for me, really. He's happy with it himself.

Please, does someone have any clues about the battery issues (opening post)?

Also has anyone ever compared a Z60t to 14" T60p. Is it possible that the display I get with the T60p is as bad as with my Z60. I know the resolution is different.

#14 Post by **Kyocera** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 6:11 pm

This seems to be more of a General Slamming of Lenovo and Thinkpads so I moved to the General Forum

What is going on with the company that was once the only company that manufactured laptops that could be called real tools?

I don't know, mine seem to be fine Over the last 3 yrs i've had a brand new T42, Certified Used T30 purchased from IBM, which ran fine and now my Girlfriend is using, I have a new T60, And a new R52, I have had no problems in build quality, screen issues, my laptops are used as tools as i do network troubleshooting, they never sit on desks, unless i stop in to the office for a while. I think your kind of in a paranoid mode or something, if you get a new machine and have problems send it back and get a dell or toshiba or something.

What battery issues? My t60 shipped with a 9 cell, i hated it so I traded it off to someone with a 6. Yes they were shipping with 9 cells, maybe they think people would rather have more battery power or they had an overstock of 9 cells. Request a 6 if you want a six.

I think your poll pretty much supports my experience. Weather or not Lenovo sends thinkpads down the tubes can't possibly be determined in this short a period of time, a few years down the road and a few more "Lenovo Only Models" then start to worry. Was every single IBM thinkpad a first time GO or did they have issues, of course they did, some of us remember the old IBM forum, it was hot there sometimes with issues, just like here, only here people are more civil.

#15 Post by **K. Eng** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:47 pm

I'm convinced that the 14" T4x have a system board problem. I can't say I'm a fan.

15" T4x seem to be ok due to sturdier base. Jury is still out on the T6x and Z6xt, but it looks like the magnesium allow chasis should keep the system board problems at bay.

avesuni · #16 Post by **avesuni** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:39 am

Thanks for the good comments.

I don't feel paranoid, but a bit frustrated, yes. I'm disappointed that I can't choose to have my 4k dollar laptop ship with a standard battery.

I know that for a lot of people it has become an emotinal thing choosing a Thinkpad, or say Mac, rather than rational. Just the other day, a friend of mine wouldn't admit that his PowerBook only has one true mouse button. Personally, I like doing rational decisions when I buy computers.

I started this poll to help me make the decision, but I suppose I have to just wait and see. The screen on my z60t certainly disappointed me. We'll see how lucky I get with the T60p's 14" screen.

#17 Post by **tomh009** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:47 am

avesuni wrote:I don't feel paranoid, but a bit frustrated, yes. I'm disappointed that I can't choose to have my 4k dollar laptop ship with a standard battery.

Do you know that you can't? Lenovo's European web site is badly broken, and that is a real problem. But that just means that you should look for other sources of information.

I was looking at the 1951-FDG (topseller model), and the Lenovo site was a pain. But there are good specs on reseller sites, for example at Mikromaja, which tells me that it has a 5.9h battery life -- that's a six-cell battery. (And at €1400 including VAT, it's a good deal, too.)

Or check the tabook. It doesn't always list all models, and I can't tell which one yours is since you are missing a digit in your 2007-8J model number, but if it's the 2007-8JU T60p, then you are getting a nine-cell battery.

avesuni · #18 Post by **avesuni** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:32 am

This could be incorrect as well, but I'm pretty sure the model number is 2007-8JG. I did some googling with contradicting results, but it seems that it's shipping with the 9-cell battery. I asked the reseller, whether he could change the battery for me. The answer is no.

#19 Post by **tomh009** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:06 am

That makes sense -- the specs say 6.3h battery life with the ATI V5250 graphics.

With the prebuilt models, most resellers will not swap bits, unless they have some use for them. And most do not deal much in ThinkPad accessories like batteries. (The ideal thing would be the fully configurable -CTO models, but, alas, those are only available on the Lenovo US site.)

I think your best bet would be to do a battery swap with someone else who would be happy with the 9-cell. There should be some people as the extra battery life is nice -- I presume you don't want it because it protrudes from the back.

avesuni · #20 Post by **avesuni** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:31 am

That's right . I had a 12" dell that had one of those bulky batteries, and it was pain in the [censored] even then. It adds quite a lot to the 4/3-models. I'm sure with widescreens it wouldn't bother as much.

#21 Post by **tomh009** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:24 am

There are a fair number of Finnish people on this site (and a whole lot more still within the EU) so I would suggest posting in the marketplace and asking for someone to do a swap between the 6- and 9-cell versions.

The 9-cell is somewhat more expensive, and would still be desirable for someone who needs more battery life (don't know if it's actually 50% more, but still).

pianowizard · #22 Post by **pianowizard** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:25 pm

tomh009 wrote:I think your best bet would be to do a battery swap with someone else who would be happy with the 9-cell.

I recommend keeping both, because there might be situations where you need the high-capacity battery. That happened to me just two weeks ago. My X60s came with an ugly 8-cell battery, so I got a 4-cell slim line battery and thought about selling the extended one. But thank goodness I didn't sell it, because just a few days later I had to use the laptop to take notes from a 6-hour workshop, which would have been impossible with the 4-cell battery.

avesuni · #23 Post by **avesuni** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:38 pm

Actually, I have an ultrabay battery that I got for my Z60t. That does the job for those rare occasions. I'm not a big fan of that bulky battery, though. Maybe one of my colleagues wants to buy it from me.

fbrdphreak · #24 Post by **fbrdphreak** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:38 pm

avesuni wrote:Lenovo's European web-site claims that all T60-models are now shipping with 9 cell batteries, but this can't be right.

Where does it say this?

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