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Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

General Questions, Rumors, Real news & More

How do you like the latest keyboard change?

Very good - It makes these Thinkpads more appealing to me
2
2%
Good - I like it
4
5%
Neutral - Don't care either way
9
11%
Bad - I dislike it
12
14%
Very bad - This may be a deal-breaker for me
35
42%
I'll make up my mind once I've actually had one to try
22
26%
 
Total votes: 84

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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#61 Post by benjs » Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:19 am

bill bolton wrote: I bet you have no idea at all about the cost of any ThinkPad component :roll:
I for one have no idea.

How big is the cost difference between "old" (e.g. X220) and new (e.g. X230) keyboard anyway? (Your guess/estimate to get an idea is fine by me.)
And is it due to keyboard layout (number of keys, form/size) or maybe due to the new backlight?
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#62 Post by Ibthink » Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:57 am

The new keyboard is more expensive with backlight.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#63 Post by lophiomys » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:01 am

You are absolutely right, that's why I am betting on it.
Do you have any knowledge in this area you could contribute?
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#64 Post by Ibthink » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:17 am

Me? I know the price of the X1 keyboard, and that price is much higher than the classic keyboard, 40 € (classic) vs. 80 € (X1).
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#65 Post by lophiomys » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:18 am

no sorry, I got thats was directy at bill b.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#66 Post by Puppy » Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:41 am

Interesting post from W530 forum http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=104315
helloguys wrote:Read it from a Chinese forum (http://forum.51nb.com/thread-1227405-1-1.html) that classic 7-row keyboard might be an option for new ThinkPads (T430, T530, W530, X230, etc.).

It was said ETA was Mid-August 2012. Not sure if it'll be provided as CTO or accessory only.
Especially for us who rushed to buy X220 just because the keyboard :)
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#67 Post by Puppy » Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:25 am

This review http://www.laptopreviews.com/lenovo-thi ... ew-2012-05 states

"I managed to put the X220 old style keyboard and palm rest onto the X230. It fits perfectly, but before you run out to buy a X220 keyboard in anticipation of getting a X230, the keys are mapped in the BIOS and exchanging them yields some strange results. While the letter characters work normally, the Delete key moves to the Page Up key and controlling the screen brightness is done using Fn + F7 or F8, like it is on the X230."

What remains is a BIOS mod to use the keyboard. Funny, in the past there were BIOS mods to use proper display, now to use proper keyboard.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#68 Post by lophiomys » Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:56 pm

With a little bit of good will by Lenovo (offering a nice BIOS update), one could fit a semi-classic keyboard onto the X230.
That should not be too hard to do.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#69 Post by ZaZ » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:00 pm

Puppy wrote:What remains is a BIOS mod to use the keyboard. Funny, in the past there were BIOS mods to use proper display, now to use proper keyboard.
It'd probably take less time to just adjust to the new keyboard.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#70 Post by ajkula66 » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:08 pm

lophiomys wrote:With a little bit of good will by Lenovo (offering a nice BIOS update), one could fit a semi-classic keyboard onto the X230.
That should not be too hard to do.
I'd put my money on someone like Middleton rather than Lenovo when it comes to stuff like this...

If it were up to them, our R61/T61/X61 machines would still be capped at SATA I speeds...
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#71 Post by Puppy » Fri Jun 15, 2012 6:04 am

ZaZ wrote:It'd probably take less time to just adjust to the new keyboard.
Then it is easier to "adjust" to different brand.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#72 Post by Ibthink » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:15 am

Then it is easier to "adjust" to different brand.
Sure...because other vendors make better keyboards. :roll: It is not easier to adjust to a different brand.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#73 Post by Puppy » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:20 am

Ibthink wrote:Sure...because other vendors make better keyboards.
Same crap as Lenovo. But they can offer more features like better display resolution or lighter chasis.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#74 Post by Ibthink » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:47 am

Oh, yes. Look at Dell or HP. They don´t offer better displays, except 15,6" (and the FHD display from AUO in the W520/W530 is really good too). Indeed, HP and Dell have nothing for example to beat the X230. They don´t offer IPS on their 12,5" business-notebooks, and the Precision keyboard is still the best in the industry (IMHO). It also is lighter than the Elitebooks or Latitudes, and has more battery-life. Or another example: The W530. It is lighter then Dell and HPs mobile workstations, and has a better battery-life. The screen is maybe not IPS, but it is a pretty decent TN.

I wish you much fun "adjusting" to HP and Dell.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#75 Post by Puppy » Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:52 am

Sony and Asus have 13" 1920x1080 IPS equipped models. Yes, the keyboard layout is horrible. Same as new Lenovo one.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#76 Post by Ibthink » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:05 am

Hm, yes, but Consumer-Ultrabooks. Can´t matching the toughness and the maintainability of a ThinkPad.

The keyboards are a way more horrible on these Ultrabooks too, because the have flat keys and less travel.

You can´t compare them. The only really competitors for ThinkPads are Latitudes and Elitebooks. And unless HP and Dell are not moving to better displays, Lenovo won´t move too. The consumer Ultrabooks are not important for Lenovo.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#77 Post by Puppy » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:27 am

Both HP and Dell offers 15" IPS display option in their workstation models, Lenovo doesn't. The last biggest Lenovo advantage, the proven keyboard layout, had been thrown away. That makes the comparison easier, no need to stay with Lenovo anymore.
Ibthink wrote:The consumer Ultrabooks are not important for Lenovo.
No ? Why is there second article about X1 Carbon this month on Lenovo blog then ? "The X1 Carbon will be the first Ultrabook™ in the ThinkPad X Series." And yes, the same fail again: "We opted for a high-resolution 1600 x 900 pixel LCD with a matte, anti-glare finish." Calling such resolution "high" for 14" screen is ridiculous considering that even a "low-end" company like Asus can offer better product.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#78 Post by Ibthink » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:37 am

It is high compared to the last years X1. And the X1 Carbon is a business-Ultrabook, consumer Ultrabooks from Lenovo can be found in the IdeaPad U-Series. And the new U310s is not announced yet.
Both HP and Dell offers 15" IPS display option in their workstation models, Lenovo doesn't.
Yes, very expensive. The ThinkPad W FHD screen is also very good, and, again, the W530 is lighter and more mobile than the Dell and HP systems.
The last biggest Lenovo advantage, the proven keyboard layout, had been thrown away
I don´t care about the layout and see no advantage for me in the old keyboard...the feel is important for me, and that is why Lenovo wins for me.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#79 Post by Puppy » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:45 am

Ibthink wrote:And the X1 Carbon is a business-Ultrabook, consumer Ultrabooks from Lenovo can be found in the IdeaPad U-Series.
Shouldn't it offer better features being business model than Asus consumer one ? Screen estate is one of parameters that affects productivity.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#80 Post by Ibthink » Fri Jun 15, 2012 11:14 am

You forget completely the ergonomics as a important parameter for productivity. Most people say that 1920x1080 on 13" oder even on 15,6" is a way to small. There are even some who say that the text on my L520s HD+ 15,6" is to small! So I think 1600x900 for 13"-14" has a nice balance of screen estate and ergonomic work.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#81 Post by ThinkRob » Fri Jun 15, 2012 12:12 pm

Puppy wrote:Both HP and Dell offers 15" IPS display option in their workstation models, Lenovo doesn't.
True, but the FHD panel in the T520/W520 *is* a wide gamut panel and is pretty phenomenal for a TN panel. As far as color coverage is concerned it's superior to the IPS panel in the 8560w (not sure about the Dell options.) It's a little inaccurate in some areas, but not massively so. For on-the-go graphics work it's definitely as suitable as the LP156WF1 in the EliteBooks.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#82 Post by hunterman223 » Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:11 pm

While I don't understand the reasoning behind changing the "gold standard" of laptop keyboards, from what I have read it is still good as far as laptops keyboards usually go. (usually soft/mushy with no travel) ThinkPads have been appealing to many people because they have a "proper" traditional keyboard, I guess not anymore..

The only reasoning behind this that I can think of is that it makes ThinkPads more appealing to consumer-laptop buyers. :roll:

However while I don't necessarily like it either I will still be buying a new ThinkPad.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#83 Post by jcvjcvjcvjcv » Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:25 pm

I am about to buy a new TP; perhaps a W530. But that keyboard... what the heck?!

Let's see:
laptopreviews.com wrote: The “Forward” and “Back” browser shortcut buttons above the left and right arrow keys are gone

PgUp and PgDn move from the top row down to above the left and right arrow keys

The Delete button has shrunk and moved further to the edge of the keyboard, which is almost impossible to reach without lifting the hand

Print Screen and Insert are both moved, the Pause button and Scroll Lock are gone

Home and End have been moved and are actually now more within reach of the pinky than before

All media key functionality using Fn + has been moved to the F1 – F12 function keys, this is a good thing and eliminates the scattered nature of media keys in previous generations
And I count another one: The right click key!!!.... and... it's gone

Who on earth comes up with that crap? No spacing between the F keys. Good luck hitting the right one! As soon as you're used to it, they will make them smaller on the next model!?

And how do I get the function of those five removed keys? Yeah, ok; I didn't use ScrollLock, but all the others I did use. Especially forward, backward and the 'right click key'.

:BAAAD!: Lenovo!
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#84 Post by ThinkRob » Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:04 pm

jcvjcvjcvjcv wrote: And I count another one: The right click key!!!.... and... it's gone
What's a "right click key"?
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#85 Post by loyukfai » Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:45 pm

The key between the right side of Alt and Ctrl on the old layout.

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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#86 Post by unix_joe » Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:43 pm

What a wasted key. I don't think I've used it more than accidentally in the 17 years since it was introduced.
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#87 Post by unix_joe » Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:46 pm

Speaking of which, I wish manufacturers would move ahead and get rid of this Windows logo. The key itself has value, but why not label it either "Mod" or "Option." The new Windows logo is hideous, is that going to be on my next keyboard?
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#88 Post by Puppy » Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:54 am

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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#89 Post by lophiomys » Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:35 am

Now they keep on trying to "talk it beautiful".
The next try might be, to suggest to drink some pints of beer
("Old Peculier" comes to my mind, another classic, also called "‘Lunatics Broth’"),
before looking at the new keyboard layout.
;)
SCNR
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Re: Chiclet 6-row keyboards coming to Thinkpads - your opinions?

#90 Post by jcvjcvjcvjcv » Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:47 pm

What a joke. Nowhere in that blogpost did "they" give a reason for switching from 7-row to 6-row. All that's said is that "it takes not as long to adjust as you think".
Yeah, well: why not put just a numpad on there? You'll hit '3' twice for the 'e', hit '2' one time for 'a'. Don't worry: there is a learning curve, but you'll get used to it.

And of course the poh-ha of the backlight option... it's just as silly as the 'blue enter' stuff; you're not supposed to look at the keyboard!! For the same reason there is a ridge on 'f' and 'j'. It might be "beautiful" to some people; but that's all it is: aesthetics.

And I agree with the comment of Corsac on that blog post:
Corsac wrote:And something puzzling me is that there was a good deal of fuzz on the “new keyboard layout” of the T400s (just here: http://blog.lenovo.com/design/thinkpad- ... experience . And now, look at the new layout and the size of the “delete” key.

I find this completely inconsistent, to be honest.
If Lenovo was so sure that a big Escape and a big Delete was better, this new 6 row keyboard simply _must_ be worse. I doubt we will ever get a response from Lenovo on that one.
Last edited by jcvjcvjcvjcv on Sat Jul 14, 2012 1:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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