ThinkPads in the Year 2012 and later

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ThinkPad560X · #1 Post by **ThinkPad560X** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:43 pm

I own many "LAPTOP" IBM ThinkPads and was watching tv and I've seen alot of adds about slate computers now, not just Apple's iPad and iPad 2 but Motorola xoom, verizon tablet and the blackberry playbook. I've seen something lenovo is making under the lenovo house brand called the Slate. Never see anymore dasktop adds on tv and starting to not see laptops as much too.

Was thinking about the ThinkPad as a made in one slate. Black glossy screen with maybe a red trackpoint on the bottom of the slate. Since all laptops are leaning to the slate or pad will ThinkPad be going in the same direction?

I like the idea of the lenovo slate, if you don't like the pad you can install the pad screen onto a half laptop for old laptop use. http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/upl ... screen.jpg

hunterman223 · #2 Post by **hunterman223** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:59 am

ThinkPad560X wrote:I like the idea of the lenovo slate, if you don't like the pad you can install the pad screen onto a half laptop for old laptop use. http://www.itechnews.net/wp-content/upl ... screen.jpg

That thing redefines ugly.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer looks way better, and way more "ThinkPad-ish" than that horrible Lenovo abomination. If they make a real ThinkPad tablet/slate contender, let's hope it actually looks like a real ThinkPad.

I think some traditional ThinkPad components would be quite possible with a Transformer type thing, like a decent keyboard on the laptop part, (preferably not island style) UltraNav + maybe a TrackPoint on the tablet, a relocated ThinkLight situated on the screen bezel pointing inwards, (pointless to put it on the tablet) fingerprint reader on the tablet, and make it an IPS screen with a decent resolution. Probably impossible to squeeze in an optical drive, so will need the ability to dock it. It would be even better if it ran Windows like that Eee Pad can, maybe the ability to keep Android as well somehow. (Windows 8 would be the best of both worlds) It should also have native HDMI on the tablet, if not than mini-HDMI or DisplayPort. The laptop part of it should not have an integrated battery, it should be able to take 4/6/9 cells, plus the option for a slice battery. It should also be rugged/durable.

^That would be the ideal ThinkPad slate AFAIC, but will it ever happen? Probably not.

tmx · #3 Post by **tmx** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 2:59 am

I was debating on getting the Thinkpad tablet/laptop, but I decide its better to get just the laptop and then a dedicated tablet once the tablet market mature later this year and next year. It's too early right now and Intel is late on producing their latest OakTrail and CedarTrail chips. Buying tablets right now is not a good plan unless you have money to spare.

For me I'll just go with virtual keyboard. And if you don't want tablet/laptop convertible, look at "slider tablet". As of writing there are only two: Samsung Sliding PC 7 and Asus Slider.

Sliding tablet won't fit Thinkpad philosophy of durability though, neither are with optical drive or removable battery. If a tablet have that it will fall into pieces, besides, that's not the definition of what a tablet is. That's called a laptop without keyboard, tablet has its purpose and specific uses. You should have something like the "Motion CL900" which is near indestructible, then able to dock it to station with all the stuff.

Don't worry about multi OS support, Intel new cpus OakTrail and CedarTrail will be able to run Windows, Android, Meego and many more of course.

automobus · #4 Post by **automobus** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:48 am

tmx wrote:Sliding tablet won't fit Thinkpad philosophy of durability though, neither are with optical drive or removable battery. If a tablet have that it will fall into pieces, besides, that's not the definition of what a tablet is. That's called a laptop without keyboard,

As far as I know, VAIO UX held together pretty well, and they were sliders. There are several tablet PCs with optical drives. The CL900 is the first Motion without a removable battery, every past model has supported one or two removeable batteries. Though every Motion computer has had docking solutions, they use USB or 1394 optical drives, no native ATA interface like ThinkPad docks.

tmx wrote:once the tablet market mature later this year and next year. It's too early right now

People have been saying that since 2002, and since 1992.

hunterman223 · #5 Post by **hunterman223** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:45 am

tmx wrote:Sliding tablet won't fit Thinkpad philosophy of durability though, neither are with optical drive or removable battery. If a tablet have that it will fall into pieces, besides, that's not the definition of what a tablet is. That's called a laptop without keyboard, tablet has its purpose and specific uses. You should have something like the "Motion CL900" which is near indestructible, then able to dock it to station with all the stuff.

Not necessarily. Also note, I mentioned a docking connector on the laptop for the purpose of an UltraBase, not an integrated optical drive. Ditto for the battery, it would be pretty hard to have a swappaple battery on the slim tablet portion, save that for the laptop part again.

What I would really love is a tablet, that could be removed from, basically a ThinkPad. Therefore it has the capability to be pretty much a ThinkPad X220 (but smaller) with different hardware, same docking capabilities, plus the option of taking off the screen for a decently made slate tablet. The laptop part would have most of the ThinkPad "traditions", the tablet would have some, such as the trackpoint.

I think it would be a hit. What the market for computers/tablets/phones is leaning towards at the moment is one device to rule them all, such as the Motorolla Atrix. With ^that device you essentially are buying two, and if it came out for less that $2000 I would have to have it.

#6 Post by **bill bolton** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:08 pm

hunterman223 wrote:I think it would be a hit.

I think it would be a disaster.

There are distinct markets for laptops and (iPad-like) tablets, and trying to bridge them is likely to result in the worst of both!

Cheers,

Bill B.

hunterman223 · #7 Post by **hunterman223** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:15 pm

Interesting. Why do you think it would be the worst of both? (if it was made like i was "wishing" for above, of course)

I myself doubt it will ever happen in any acceptable fashion, but ideally, you would end up with a quality ThinkPad base with a decent tablet lid. Will it happen "just like that"? Probably, most likely, not ever. Someone might do it better than the Asus, but I highly doubt it will be a ThinkPad.

I suppose we can dream...

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

ThinkPad560X · #8 Post by **ThinkPad560X** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 11:30 pm

I was just doing some reviews and came thought the ThinkPad X1 and Edge have a diffrent keyboard, all black keys including the Enter key, I see they left alone the red/blue strip trackpoint buttons. Are these going to be the new lenovo ThinkPad keyboards on future models? Also if anyone owns one, how well are those keyboards? http://notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads ... 00x397.jpg

dr_st · #9 Post by **dr_st** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 4:54 am

I hope these keyboards will stay on the low-end Thinkpads, and never make it to the T/X/W series. I don't like the layout, even if the tactile feel is as good as most reviews suggest it is.

sysiphus · #10 Post by **sysiphus** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:02 am

dr_st wrote:I hope these keyboards will stay on the low-end Thinkpads, and never make it to the T/X/W series. I don't like the layout, even if the tactile feel is as good as most reviews suggest it is.

Ditto. It's a shame one can't just say "Thinkpad" and expect quality/standards the way one used to (i-series excluded).

On a happier note, my new Thinkpad's ship date got bumped up from August such that I should have it at the end of the week...and yes, it's one with the proper keyboard

#11 Post by **thePCxp** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:20 pm

I think that ThinkPads in the year 2012 and later are going to be great and I can't wait to see what they offer. I got the opportunity to use a T410 back in April and it was great!

ThinkPads just keep getting better. It feels even sturdier than the ThinkPads I have right now.

About the Lenovo slate, I think its great! It's way better than anything else out there. I don't care what you call it (and you know who you are), it's still beats those others.

ThinkPad560X wrote: Are these going to be the new lenovo ThinkPad keyboards on future models? Also if anyone owns one, how well are those keyboards? http://notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads ... 00x397.jpg
I was just doing some reviews and came thought the ThinkPad X1 and Edge have a diffrent keyboard, all black keys including the Enter key, I see they left alone the red/blue strip trackpoint buttons. Are these going to be the new lenovo ThinkPad keyboards on future models? Also if anyone owns one, how well are those keyboards? http://notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads ... 00x397.jpg

I don't think so. If you've been paying any attention to the Lenovo blogs then you'll know that traditional ThinkPads are here to stay. I have read some reviews on the ThinkPad Edge and they've all said that they love the keyboard and that it's better than the island-style keyboards that other computer makers offer. But even if they are going to put these keyboards into all ThinkPads in the future, it's no big deal just as long as the quality is good (which I bet it will).

With all respect for each and everyone of you here, it is a shame you all can't embrace these new changes-which are all for the better. You all need to loosen up, wake up, and realize that ThinkPad is "growing up" but it's still (and will always be) the same ThinkPad we all know and love.

Stop expecting so much and let go of your "squeaky-clean" perfectionism. Being a "perfectionist" (i'm one) is great but too much of it is bad. I can see that a lot of you have unrealistic and unreasonable expectations. Lenovo isn't going to do anything bad with ThinkPad. In fact, they're doing a better job with them than IBM did. Lenovo's aquisition of IBM's PC Division was for the best, and ThinkPad now has the room it needs to roam around and be itself.

(By the way, I'm two years older than ThinkPad.)

dr_st · #12 Post by **dr_st** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:22 pm

thePCxp wrote:With all respect for each and everyone of you here, it is a shame you all can't embrace these new changes-which are all for the better.

With all respect to your (and everyone else's) opinions, I do believe it's a tad on the naive side to believe that all changes are for the better.

#13 Post by **thePCxp** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:27 pm

I'm aware of that but not all changes are bad. It's really all about properly analyzing those changes. It will vary by person because we all have different belief systems.

dr_st · #14 Post by **dr_st** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:37 pm

Again, what's with the maximalism? If not all changes are good, does it mean they are all bad? Can't some of them be good and some bad?

And like you say, what's bad for some may be good for other, and vice versa.

#15 Post by **thePCxp** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:47 pm

[quote="dr_st"]Can't some of them be good and some bad?

[quote]

That's what I'm trying to say. Some of them are good and some of them are bad. And what does maximalism mean anyway?

killer · #16 Post by **killer** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:52 pm

@thePCxp: "And what does maximalism mean anyway?"

A very pertinent question. Usually anything ending in 'alism' refers to the part which precedes ... in this case 'maxim'. Sir Hiram Stephens Maxim invented the world's first machine gun in 1884. I doubt that is the maxim in question. However the word maxim also refers to an expression of general truth, principle, or rule of conduct and is synonimous with the word 'axiom'.

Beware, though, because the word maximalist was used in early 20th century Russia as a precursor to the term 'Bolshevik' ... one who believed in dictatorship of the working classes. Would it be correct to associate that philosophy with a Thinkpad?

I do wish people wouldn't b*gg*r about with English unless they know what they are doing.

ThinkPad560X · #17 Post by **ThinkPad560X** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:47 pm

I don't mind the new lenovo ThinkPads, as I own one anyway "ThinkPad SL500" Its solid and never let me down yet, Yeah I miss using the standard ThinkPad keyboard, but still works fine, It actually has the same keyboard layout as my IBM ThinkPad 240. In any case, This will probably be my favorit keyboard style, Just my likings: http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/4155.jpg I like the color coded keyboard.

I even have this style keyboard for my desktops, ThinkPad Travel keyboard http://lh4.ggpht.com/_DSCgTU6qhpw/TIrya ... dFront.jpg Even have the USB T400 style travel keyboard. http://www.thinkpads.com/wp-content/gal ... rd-top.jpg

I may even buy the new style ThinkPad keyboard. I tryed getting lenovo to make a ThinkPad W700 USB keyboard complete with wacom and fingerprint reader: http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/ ... 700_03.jpg

dr_st · #18 Post by **dr_st** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:39 am

Apologies for the offtopic, everyone...

@killer - I do appreciate the creative way you chose to point out that "maximalism" does not appear to be a proper word in the English language. Indeed you are right, at least in the sense that many dictionaries seemingly omit it, even though they include words like "maximalist", "minimalist" and "minimalism".

Allow me to correct you just a little bit. The ending which "refers to the part which precedes" is not -alism, but simply -ism. The confusion is undoubtedly due to the fact that in many cases "the part which precedes" ends with "-al". In our case it would be "maximal" (or "minimal"), and I am sure these words do not need explanations.

Your mention of the maximalist ideology in pre-revolutionary Russia is as accurate as it is irrelevant to Thinkpads. You are obviously right that this cannot possibly be what I meant in this case. So let me take one of the other dictionary definitions of "maximalist" and try to extrapolate my meaning from it.

World English Dictionary
maximalist — n
a person who favours direct action to achieve all his goals and rejects compromise

(emphasis by me)

In this case I merely referred to thePCxp's seemingly uncompromising approach about changes to Thinkpads - if they are not all bad, then they must be all good (at least this is what was implied by her posts that I was replying to; I am fully aware that we've later reached a compromise and so I dropped that point). And even if the use of this particular semantics of "maximalism" is unusual to a native English speaker, I believe the rest of my post explained it sufficiently well.

Generally, knowing more than one language is an advantage, however what we've witnessed here is one of the common pitfalls multilingual people often fall into - it is when the same word has, no, not different meanings, but different shades of meaning, in different languages. And so, the person would not be able to easily distinguish which shades of meaning are used/accepted in each of these languages. In this case here, the word "maximalism" is used in my native language (can you guess which?) routinely to describe any uncompromising approach, long after the original meaning killer cleverly quoted is all but forgotten. It is this common meaning that led me to using the word in English in an incorrect, or at least, uncommon manner.

So, apologies for the confusion, and once more for the long off-topic.