Product Central
Dispatches from the Reviews Editor's desk
Tuesday 15 July 2008, 4:02 PM
Lenovo debuts new small-business notebooks and services
With Intel and Vodafone along for the ride, Lenovo today launched a brand-new SL range of small-business-focussed ThinkPads, refreshed the T series (performance), R series (mainstream) and X series (ultraportable) notebooks, and introduced the W series of mobile workstations.
All of the new ThinkPads are equipped with Intel's latest Centrino 2 (Montevina) technology, and most come with integrated 3G connectivity (courtesy of an Ericsson module) at no extra cost to the user — the 'hit' is shared between Lenovo and its network partner Vodafone, which offers a free 30-day trial out of the box.
Another innovation, which should cause many a small business to prick up its ears, is Lenovo's ThinkPlus Secure Business suite of services. Available for either a one- or three-year period, this includes: an on-site next-day warranty upgrade; repair or replacement of systems damaged by liquid spills, drops or electrical surges; and secure off-site storage for business-critical data. A few months down the line, Lenovo will add priority support call routing and one-stop hardware and software support to create a comprehensive ThinkPlus Complete IT package.
The new SL-series ThinkPads come in 13in. (SL300), 14in. (SL400) and 15in. (SL500) models and show their heritage in most respects:
However, when you close the lid you'll find a most un-ThinkPad-like glossy top cover:
We can only assume that the SME users whom Lenovo claim have been clamouring for such styling are fond of wiping off fingerprints.
The SL series includes a number of other consumer-style features such as a Blu-Ray option and HDMI-out for movie-watching, but retains trusty ThinkPad favourites like hard disk anti-shock protection, system management software plus fingerprint reader and webcam options. The SL400 and SL500 start at £650 (ex. VAT) and are available now.
The X200 is a 12in. wide-screen ultraportable that's lighter than its X61 predecessor but fits in a bigger keyboard. With built-in 3G, GPS, claimed battery life of nearly 10 hours and, further down the line, solid-state storage options, this looks a tempting system for the mobile professional who wants something a bit classier than a low-end 'netbook'. There's no pricing information yet, and some may be put off by the lack of a touchpad:
Also on show at Lenovo's London launch were examples of the new R and T series ThinkPads. Prior to the advent of the SL range, the R series was the most 'affordable' ThinkPad range: among the features it lacks is integrated 3G as standard and Intel's VPro remote management technology (now upgraded with AMT 4.0 in the Centrino 2 platform). The flagship T series includes vPro, as well as high-end options such as switchable discrete/integrated graphics and solid-state storage.
Finally (and not on show at the launch) there's the W500, which is the first in a new range of workstation-class ThinkPads with all the OpenGL graphics and ISV certification demanded by that market. We'll bring you more on this intriguing product as more details emerge.
All of the new ThinkPads are equipped with Intel's latest Centrino 2 (Montevina) technology, and most come with integrated 3G connectivity (courtesy of an Ericsson module) at no extra cost to the user — the 'hit' is shared between Lenovo and its network partner Vodafone, which offers a free 30-day trial out of the box.
Another innovation, which should cause many a small business to prick up its ears, is Lenovo's ThinkPlus Secure Business suite of services. Available for either a one- or three-year period, this includes: an on-site next-day warranty upgrade; repair or replacement of systems damaged by liquid spills, drops or electrical surges; and secure off-site storage for business-critical data. A few months down the line, Lenovo will add priority support call routing and one-stop hardware and software support to create a comprehensive ThinkPlus Complete IT package.
The new SL-series ThinkPads come in 13in. (SL300), 14in. (SL400) and 15in. (SL500) models and show their heritage in most respects:
However, when you close the lid you'll find a most un-ThinkPad-like glossy top cover:
We can only assume that the SME users whom Lenovo claim have been clamouring for such styling are fond of wiping off fingerprints.
The SL series includes a number of other consumer-style features such as a Blu-Ray option and HDMI-out for movie-watching, but retains trusty ThinkPad favourites like hard disk anti-shock protection, system management software plus fingerprint reader and webcam options. The SL400 and SL500 start at £650 (ex. VAT) and are available now.
The X200 is a 12in. wide-screen ultraportable that's lighter than its X61 predecessor but fits in a bigger keyboard. With built-in 3G, GPS, claimed battery life of nearly 10 hours and, further down the line, solid-state storage options, this looks a tempting system for the mobile professional who wants something a bit classier than a low-end 'netbook'. There's no pricing information yet, and some may be put off by the lack of a touchpad:
Also on show at Lenovo's London launch were examples of the new R and T series ThinkPads. Prior to the advent of the SL range, the R series was the most 'affordable' ThinkPad range: among the features it lacks is integrated 3G as standard and Intel's VPro remote management technology (now upgraded with AMT 4.0 in the Centrino 2 platform). The flagship T series includes vPro, as well as high-end options such as switchable discrete/integrated graphics and solid-state storage.
Finally (and not on show at the launch) there's the W500, which is the first in a new range of workstation-class ThinkPads with all the OpenGL graphics and ISV certification demanded by that market. We'll bring you more on this intriguing product as more details emerge.
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