T400 coming today

[asiafish]

UPS shows my T400 "out for delivery". I ordered it last week form TigerDirect, so hopefully it is one of the newer ones with the fix for the flexy keyboard. Unfortunately I didn't see the thread on this subject before ordering, or I would have done my order by phone to verify manufacture date.

[ZaZ]

Isn't that the worst part? I don't know about your area, but UPS seems to always show up at 6PM or later in my area. FedEx is always early. Congrats on the machine.

[asiafish]

Well it was waiting for me at 3:00 when I got to the office. VERY nice computer, but it was made in September 08 and thus doesn't benefit from the revisions to the keyboard. It does flex a little, but key action itself is the best I've ever felt on any ThinkPad except the 600x.

[Harryc]

If you ever decide that the flex bothers you (some don't care or like it as it is), then you can replace the keyboard with one from a T61 and it will greatly improve the situation.

[asiafish]

I may just do that as I plan on ordering a Korean bilingual keyboard, and may as well just get a NMB for the T61. Problem is, I like the key action better on this T400 than on any keyboard since the 600x. I hear that there is some sort of plastic piece that goes underneath the keyboard that can be retrofitted and is the sole production change on newer T400s.

Other than the keyboard flex issue, which isn't that bad, this is by far the nicest ThinkPad, perhaps even nicest notebook I've ever owned. Seems even better assembled than my MacBook Pro.

Of course, I've only had it a few hours.

[Harryc]

Good luck with it. I agree on it being one of the nicest Thinkpads. It gets even more impressive over time as you start to throw different programs and multitasks at it. Runs Vista great too.

[asiafish]

I'm thinking of ordering a set of Vista 64 recovery disks as mine came with 32. With SU gone I dread installing clean from my 64 bit OEM disk.

[ZaZ]

True, but you'd only have to do it once as you'd then have all the drivers.

[asiafish]

Once is once too many times. There are something like 30 or so downloads for this machine.

[archer6]

<snip> it was made in September 08 and thus doesn't benefit from the revisions to the keyboard.

I would encourage you to call tech support. It's my understanding (and I could be wrong) that they are supplying the reinforcement parts to those who ask.

Cheers...

[asiafish]

The guy I spoke to has no reference to any support or reinforcement parts, but did offer to send me the T61 keyboard.

[asiafish]

Now if only I could convince them to send me 64 bit instead of 32 bit recovery disks. Oh well.

[Harryc]

Archer6, unless a statement was made on the Lenovo forums or at Lenovo.com I do not beleive that Lenovo is providing the reinforcement parts for free. Here is my last dealings on this topic;

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 31#p502431

[archer6]

Thanks Harry, that's a good point. I stand corrected.

Cheers...

[asiafish]

NMB keyboard for T61 arrived today and installed. Still a bit of flex, but not bad. Honestly the original wasn't TOO bad, I'm just a perfectionist. Original is a Chicony and actually has a VERY nice key action, better than the replacement. I'll use the NMB until it gets way too shiny, then put the Chicony on if I ever sell the machine.

Another surprise (and delight) is that the computer has a 3 year warranty. TigerDirect listed it as having only 1 year, so I think I'll be keeping this one for a while.

Oh, with the 9 cell and ultrabay battery it ran a continuous loop of .avi video playback in VLC for 11 hours and 18 minutes with wifi off and screen at four bars. Not too shabby, probably can add another hour or two just taking notes.