other z models

[dagnar]

i'm confused...when i go to lenovo's site i can only customize z61t's i don't see the z61p or z61m anywhere... am i missing something?

[pianowizard]

Those have been discontinued. In fact, the entire Z series will be withdrawn fairly soon. Lenovo is migrating to widescreens for all other series and they think the Z series would be redundant after the switch.

[kartak.mahino]

I was also waiting to see if they will bring it back. Gave up and ordered from Euclid.

[314]

I was also waiting to see if they will bring it back. Gave up and ordered from Euclid.

You should have waited a month longer. The new T series will have all the features in the current Z and should be lighter and faster. Anybody who knows anyone under NDAs know WHEN roughtly these new T's will become available? I am thinking by May 1 since the Zs will be formally discontinued on April 30 2007:

ThinkPad Z Series
U.S. English machines

The following models will be withdrawn on April 30, 2007.


Ordering Machine
part no. type/model
-------------------------
067221U 0672-21U
067223U 0672-23U
067224U 0672-24U
067225U 0672-25U
067226U 0672-26U
06722UU 0672-2UU
06722VU 0672-2VU
067323U 0673-23U
067324U 0673-24U
067325U 0673-25U
067326U 0673-26U
06732UU 0673-2UU
06732VU 0673-2VU
94402SU 9440-2SU
9440A4U 9440-A4U
9440AMU 9440-AMU
9440D4U 9440-D4U
9440D5U 9440-D5U
9440D6U 9440-D6U
9440DFU 9440-DFU
9440DGU 9440-DGU
9440DHU 9440-DHU
94414HU 9441-4HU
9441E4U 9441-E4U
9442E4U 9442-E4U
9442EAU 9442-EAU
94434FU 9443-4FU
94434GU 9443-4GU
944399U 9443-99U
9443E4U 9443-E4U
9443EAU 9443-EAU
94503AU 9450-3AU
945042U 9450-42U
945043U 9450-43U
945044U 9450-44U
945045U 9450-45U
9450GDU 9450-GDU
9450GEU 9450-GEU
The following models will be withdrawn on May 31, 2007.


Ordering Machine
part no. type/model
--------------------------
945046U 9450-46U
945047U 9450-47U

[duffy]

I just picked up a Z61t knowing that the new T would be out shortly. Intel is scheduled to release Santa Rosa in that time frame. The only problem is that anyone who knows anything about Lenovo will realize that it will take forever and a day for them to deliver the new machines. Just ask anyone who has ordered any newly released machine since Lenovo took over. So if you're waiting for a new T you're probably going to be waiting until late June or July for that machine to arrive. By that time I'll get plenty of use out of my Z.

[lewdvig]

I have a T60 at work. It is great, but the z61t is really a different beast. I wish it wasn't going away.

[314]

I just picked up a Z61t knowing that the new T would be out shortly. Intel is scheduled to release Santa Rosa in that time frame. The only problem is that anyone who knows anything about Lenovo will realize that it will take forever and a day for them to deliver the new machines. Just ask anyone who has ordered any newly released machine since Lenovo took over.

Yea, my take is actually more pessimistic. My guess is that lenovo has cut R&D on the thinkpad line. Now it is just treading water as the others swim past it. I thought the chinese were fast but not these lenovo suits. There is a tradeoff here: you want super fast you get something less reliable. OTOH if you want reliable crap you will get stale untested stuff. But lenovo is too far behind the 8 ball here.

I have a T60 at work. It is great, but the z61t is really a different beast. I wish it wasn't going away.

Why? What is the difference between the z and t line? Seems all the same yet confusing to me. CPUs are an option anyway. The z is a brick however in terms of weight alone. (Both PCMCIA & its newer replacement nobody is using! Make up your mind!) The only reason most of us are here is because of the momentum (e.g., used to pointstick instead of touchpad).

(Admin edit for cleanliness)

[dsalyers]

[quote="314"][/quote]

If you have a point, I am sure you can figure out a way to say it without using racial slurs.

[ryengineer]

....quote deleted for cleanliness....

Racism is not allowed at all, I'm sure you will be get booted soon from this forum.

[ImSeeker]

I thought the T series does not have svideo out - am I wrong?

(i.e. T series totally replaces Z)

[dsalyers]

I thought the T series does not have svideo out - am I wrong?

(i.e. T series totally replaces Z)

You are correct, it does not. It is generally felt that since most of the z series models were phased out about the same time as the T series introduced the widescreen models, that the T series was meant to be the replacement for the Z series. However, a number of features are not available in the T series (at least not yet.)

These are (hope I don't miss any):
Memory card reader
S-video out
Webcam

[pianowizard]

Memory card reader

Even the X series (since the X2* series) has a memory card reader. I wonder why IBM/Lenovo think it's not necessary for the T series.

[314]

Memory card reader

Even the X series (since the X2* series) has a memory card reader. I wonder why IBM/Lenovo think it's not necessary for the T series.

Because it is bloat. Cameras have usb cords. But if you want it, you can buy this pcmcia/flash reader for $20:
img]http://www.mrgadget.com.au/catalog/imag ... dapter.gif[/img]
or a usb equivalent.

[pianowizard]

Because it is bloat. Cameras have usb cords.

But 1) I don't always have the USB cord with me, 2) the cord can be misplaced easily, 3) the camera needs to be powered up to use the cord.

And if it's bloat, why should the X series have it?

or a usb equivalent.

I have a USB card reader. I don't mind using it, but it would save time if the card can be plugged directly into the laptop.

[314]

And if it's bloat, why should the X series have it?

IMO it shouldn't. It is just one example of what I spoke about above (each series not being different enough from one another). I have an X. I have run with it on my back for more than probably 100 miles. It is heavier than the competition, and my back muscles are stronger to prove it. I, like most X users (not you IMO), have NEVER used that slot. It is the $10 million dollar question: the tradeoff over features vs. weight. One option people in your camp have open is get a bluetooth camera. Something to consider. My back would certainly be happier.

[pianowizard]

I, like most X users (not you IMO), have NEVER used that slot. It is the $10 million dollar question: the tradeoff over features vs. weight. One option people in your camp have open is get a bluetooth camera. Something to consider. My back would certainly be happier.

Re-reading my last post made me realize that I wasn't clear. I wasn't saying that if the X series has the card reader, then it has to be an essential feature for every laptop. I was just asking, why would IBM/Lenovo find it necessary to have a card reader for the X but not for the T series?

We actually belong to the same "camp". As a new member, you don't know me yet. I've written dozens if not hundreds of posts on this forum complaining like a broken record about how heavy Thinkpads are relative to many other brands. The X series needs to be as light as possible, and so it really shouldn't include non-essential features such as a card reader or a fingerprinter reader. The T series is already way too heavy for mobile use, so I see it as a desktop replacement and in this case adding a card reader would be nice.

Actually, do we know for sure that adding a card reader increases the weight of a laptop? While it requires additional electronic components inside the laptop, you're also drilling a hole through the chassis. The former adds weight but the latter removes weight.

Being disappointed by the weight (and low resolution, incidentally) of the X series (I've owned seven of them, the most recent one being an X60s), and finding that the competing brands achieve lower weights by omitting certain features essential to me such as built-in ethernet, modem and microphone, I sold all of my "ultraportable" laptops (including a 2.38lb Toshiba Portege R100, which you might find light enough) and have been using a Dell Axim X51v PDA instead.