Slates & Smartphones

Quick video: Lenovo LePad slate, IdeaPad U1 Hybrid in action

by ThinkPads on January 25, 2011

Lenovo just released this quick video, showing their upcoming LePad slate and its docking IdeaPad U1 hybrid base in action. From what we see here, the customized Android interface is fast and fluid, as is the switch from slate-only LePad to the IdeaPad U1 base running Windows 7 on an Intel CULV processor.

Officially announced in final form at CES 2010, the LePad is a 10.1-inch slate running Google’s Android 2.2 operating system. It is powered by a 1.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and will be available in China soon for around $520 USD, with a U.S. debut expected later this year.

The IdeaPad U1 is the optional docking base that allows the LePad to snap in and seamlessly switch from the Snapdragon/Android slate to a standard notebook running Windows 7 with an Intel CULV processor. The IdeaPad U1 with LePad included is expected to run about $1300 USD.

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Lenovo shuffles desks internally, gathers separate team for tablets, smartphones

by ThinkPads on January 21, 2011

In a move that should surprise no one, Lenovo has announced they created an official division that will handle their burgeoning tablet and mobile internet device business. They already have an entirely separate subsidiary for mobile phones in China, so we’re not sure what integration there will be there.

Lenovo’s new unit will be headed by Liu Jun, who has been responsible for product development as the head of Lenovo’s product group. Peter Hortensius, who had run the company’s Think product group, is taking Jun’s old post.

Hortensius said Friday that the company decided to split tablets, smart phones and other Web-centric mobile and home devices into their own group so there is a clear focus on these electronics at Lenovo’s senior level. The products seem different enough from PCs that it is worth focusing on them separately, he said.

In the U.S., consumers will mostly see tablets coming out of this business unit at first, he said.

The good news is that Peter Hortensius is a long-time big-wig from the Think team. While the inevitabilities of selling in a highly competitive consumer market can’t be avoided in a large company, it’s at least nice to know there is someone with the experience and perspective of running a quality product line like Think will be involved with the company’s newest endeavor.

Source: [Seattle PI]

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Lenovo shows off early Windows slate at CES

by ThinkPads on January 10, 2011

Among the many Lenovo attractions at CES, one that was rather unexpected was a new piece of slate hardware running Windows 7.

Wait, didn’t Lenovo say NO WAY to Windows 7 on a slate, just back in October? Indeed they did, but things do change with time and this is effectively a pre-production design that isn’t committed to be a finished product.

What we know is that this model features a 10.1-inch 1280×800 screen, dual-core Intel Atom N570 1.6GHz CPU, 1.3MP webcam, USB 2.0 port, HDMI output, and microSD slot. Storage is handled with a 32GB or 64GB SSD, much like the LePad. Somewhat surprisingly, the battery is removable and Lenovo calls for up to 6.5 hours. Most other slates, though they are generally smaller, don’t have a removable battery. Kudos Lenovo!

Hit the source link below for some more first-hand analysis by our friends at PCMag, or check out the video at the top of the post for some footage of Lenovo’s first Win7 slate.

Source: [PCMag]

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Officially Official: Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid & LePad slate

by ThinkPads on January 4, 2011

The time has finally come for the official launch of Lenovo’s long expected IdeaPad U1 Hybrid and LePad slate. The product concept is still very similar to what was originally announced early last year: a Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered slate with a base/dock that runs Windows 7 with an Intel processor. Read on for the full scoop
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Lenovo slips LePad slate running Windows 7

by ThinkPads on December 29, 2010

Lenovo’s China team has been busy micro-blogging it up and shared an image of the LePad slate definitely running Windows 7.

With Engadget’s recent hands-on of the LePad, we know that as a slate it definitely runs Android using some type of System-On-a-Chip platform like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon or NVIDIA’s Tegra. However, the original IdeaPad U1 Hybrid called for the same slate, but with a dock that had a ULV Intel chip and storage to run Windows 7.

Since there have been no details on the dock available, and even nothing official about the LePad, there is still a possibility of the dock being more than a dumb device with extra ports and a keyboard.

Either way, a competent slate with a dock that provides a functional keyboard is a step above any of the other slate offerings out there today.

We’ll just have to see if Lenovo can keep the whole package together and polished, but either way we won’t see anything on U.S. shores until next summer when Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread) hits.

Source: [Cloned In China]

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Engadget goes hands-on with Lenovo LePad Android slate, U1 Hybrid dock

by ThinkPads on December 24, 2010

The day is nearly upon us: Lenovo’s on-again-off-again LePad slate is seeing the light of day and has made it’s way to Engadget. They also got to see, though not use, what is now called the U1 Hybrid dock for the LePad.

The Slate Itself

Overall things are looking good for Lenovo’s first slate. The 10.1-inch LePad has a responsive capacitive touch interface with great viewing angles. Performance is excellent, though there is no word on whether NVIDIA or Qualcomm provide the horsepower. Other hardware details include mini-HDMI output, mini-USB, headphone jack, and both front & rear cameras.

But it doesn’t look like Android

As you’ll notice in Engadget’s gallery, the interface is highly customized and apparently lifted from the LePhone. There’s very little left in there to remind you of the stock Android 2.2. I’m not a fan of the colorful and spacey theme, but this isn’t the U.S.-spec model and not even a final China-market model, so expect changes before it officially ships. On that note, the U.S. model likely won’t hit until after Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) is available; Honeycomb is to be the tablet-optimized form of Android.

The revised U1 Hybrid

The last we heard of the U1 Hybrid, it was a standalone IdeaPad model that had a detachable 11.6-inch slate that ran on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, while the base had its own Core 2 Duo ULV chip and storage that ran Windows 7.

Now we know that the U1 Hybrid is a dock alone, providing only a keyboard, touchpad, additional ports, and it’s own battery to the Android slate. The model Engadget saw was a non-working prototype, but they did notice a full HDMI port and USB port to add to the LePad’s capabilities.

Be sure to hit the source link below to check out Engadget’s 52 photos and other impressions.

Source: [Engadget]

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Latest on Lenovo: aggressive growth, more acquisitions, LePad will be sold in U.S.

by ThinkPads on November 16, 2010

A number of little tidbits have been slipping out from Lenovo HQ, so we’ve gathered them up in this post to keep our dear readers in the know.

Right off the bat, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing is touting a strong drive within Lenovo to continue their strong growth. He pointed out in particular the growing market for tablet devices, ala iPad and LePad, which Lenovo wants to cash in on. Not one known for beating around the bush, Yuanqing had the following to say:

“We will keep growing faster than the market average, than the competition.”

Speaking of tablets, Yang also confirmed that their LePad slate tablet will be coming to the U.S. sometime next year. There is no word on pricing, but we do know that it should debut in China in December.

As part of their plan for global domination (er, of the PC market), they are also once again publicly looking for companies to put in their pocket. The last we heard of such talk was back in April, when they were considering buying Palm (which was snapped up by HP) and Brazilian PC maker Positivo.

While there are no details on what companies they are trying to court, Positivo hasn’t been snapped up yet and would be a logical choice given their strong position in the South American PC market, an area that Lenovo is drooling over.

Sources: [Local Tech Wire], [Microscope.co.uk], [Wall Street Journal]

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Lenovo says no to Windows 7 slates, waiting for Android Honeycomb

by ThinkPads on October 27, 2010

Lenovo has recently clarified their slate tablet plans, unequivocally stating they are skipping Windows 7 for slates and waiting for the upcoming release of Android codenamed “Honeycomb.”

The LePad, Lenovo’s revised slate PC, announced in September with intentions to ship in December, but only in China. Plans to release Android products outside of China were mum, but it now appears those plans may materialize by summer 2011.

Regardless, these timeframes are all dependent on the slate-specific version of Google’s Android OS, codenamed Honeycomb. Lenovo has no interest in shipping a slate with the current Android 2.2, aka Froyo, just as they wouldn’t use Windows 7. While Froyo is clearly a touch-optimized OS, it is not optimized for the larger screens in slates and would present a problematic experience.

Windows 7, on the other hand, is optimized around mouse and keyboard input. While recent changes make Windows 7 the most touch-friendly Windows OS to date, it is still far from ideal. In this market, with the sheer amount of competition in the slate space, one must have a well polished solution to have any chance of being competitive.

Source: [PCMag]

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Qualcomm says Apple killed smartbooks with iPad

by ThinkPads on September 27, 2010

A few weeks back at Qualcomm’s IQ 2010 event, their CEO remarked that while everyone was waiting for smartbooks to come out (like Lenovo’s Skylight), Apple effectively redefined what a smartbook should be and in the process killed the smartbook market. Huh?

As GigaOm’s Kevin Tofel points out, the iPad embodies pretty much everything that a smartbook wants to be: ultraportable, all-day battery life, instant-on, connectivity everywhere. I’ll add that it’s not a true mobile computing replacement, as the smartbook was intended: the lack of a physical keyboard kills any notion of mass content creation.

Once the iPad launched before so many promised smartbooks, the smartbook sell becomes infinitely more difficult.

Average Consumer: So, what is this smartbook thing?

Techie/Salesman/etc: Well, it lets you access the internet and perform basic computing tasks from just about anywhere, on a device that is super thin & light, has all day battery life, and turns on nearly instantly.

Average Consumer: Ooohhhh, is this a new iPad?

But while the iPad may have eclipsed the smartbook market before it began, the war isn’t over yet. With Google’s Chrome OS coming soon on devices that are yet undisclosed, a whole bevy of Google Android powered slate tablets, and despite rumors of their death we will also see more traditional smartbook devices.

We’ve even got Lenovo’s LePad launching in December, with what seems like a separate “base” unit that has proper PC chips in it to run a regular old OS like Win7 (although the base will come at a later date).

With this huge deluge of new mobile tech hitting the market all in the same couple quarters, including Blackberry-maker RIM’s PlayBook announced today, it’s going to be an interesting time in the mobile space.

Source: [SlashGear] via [GigaOm]

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Lenovo to release LePad in December, China only

by ThinkPads on September 17, 2010

Lenovo has apparently started spilling the beans on its Google Android powered slate tablet, the LePad.

They will release the slate in December, with the hybrid dock seen in the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid coming in January. There is no word on specs or hardware, so for all we know this could be the original U1 Hybrid as shown at CES 2010 and they just decided to sell the tablet by itself.

The bad news here is that for the time being this will be sold only in China. Lenovo’s CEO has already gloated that Apple is missing the boat to China and their decision to focus innovative new products in that region is no surprise. Add in the huge opportunity that Android has in China and Lenovo’s decision makes a lot of sense.

While this means the mature markets won’t get the sexy new LePad for a while, it could also mean we will get a more refined second generation device with fewer bugs.

Read more posts about Google Android, LePad, and the U1 Hybrid

Source: [Engadget]

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