Thinkpadders, do NOT Rejoice, WEEP and/or DESPAIR!

[coolcat37]

I am almost sure they deliver non-16:9 machine with 7-row keyboard as expected.

Of course... 16:10 and chicklets keyboards will still fit the bill, right?

Not a snowball's chance in hell

[Puppy]

Ha ha oh wow, they took a guy who was president of Acer That explains everything. He's an expert at cutting costs and selling crap.

That also explains why Acer laptops are actually much better now. Anyone else wants to employ this "demolition" guy, Toshiba ?

[murak]

I´m not about to trash talk Gianfranco Lanci because I don´t know exactly what he did to Acer. But, I know that Acer has (had?) the most plastic and non-exiting laptops I know, so if he is involved in how the Thinkpads are evolving then I say that explains some things.

[lophiomys]

...
Ha ha oh wow, they took a guy who was president of Acer That explains everything. He's an expert at cutting costs and selling crap.
...

Indeed, Gianfranko has the looks to have many "Italian" friends, who would help him do just that.

[chx1975]

I gave up all hope, bought a T420s off eBay and asked someone in http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=118070 to hack it to full HD for me -- my shiny new personalretrohacked laptop is due next week.

[coolcat37]

I gave up all hope, bought a T420s off eBay and asked someone in http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=118070 to hack it to full HD for me -- my shiny new personalretrohacked laptop is due next week.

That's heresy, you do realize that don't ya? You were supposed to wait forever.

[murak]

I gave up all hope, bought a T420s off eBay and asked someone in http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=118070 to hack it to full HD for me -- my shiny new personalretrohacked laptop is due next week.

That's heresy, you do realize that don't ya? You were supposed to wait forever.

Yeah, back in line with the rest of us!

[fatpolomanjr]

I bought the entire 4:3 lineup of the *61 series. An X61, a 14" T61 and a 15" T61 (edit: actually a T60 with a T61 motherboard inside aka frankenpad). At least, in terms of screen size it sort of accounts for the whole spectrum (never mind the tablet or widescreen).

[evening_hunger]

So you can buy a 'x62' board in China, stuff it into one of your collected x61 and have a Retro all by yourself:)

[RealBlackStuff]

I bought the entire 4:3 lineup of the *61 series. An X61, a 14" T61 and a 15" T61.

There never was a 15" 4:3 T61 (unless you refer to a T601 Frankenpad).
The large T61/p was 15.4" 16:10.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

So you can buy a 'x62' board in China, stuff it into one of your collected x61 and have a Retro all by yourself:)

X62 board? Tell me more

Did you happen to find any P50 boards that fit a W520 chassis too?

I just came across the Microsoft Surface Book again. And I thought "Why on earth can't we get 3:2 3000x2000 in a Thinkpad?"

[evening_hunger]

So you can buy a 'x62' board in China, stuff it into one of your collected x61 and have a Retro all by yourself:)

X62 board? Tell me more

http://www.forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopi ... 62#p781069

I just came across the Microsoft Surface Book again. And I thought "Why on earth can't we get 3:2 3000x2000 in a Thinkpad?"

Future holds potential for some niiice mods:)

[TPFanatic]

The X1 Tablet is 3:2 right?

[fatpolomanjr]

7-row keyboard and 3:2 in a 12"-15". Instant $$.

[Puppy]

Why on earth can't we get 3:2 3000x2000 in a Thinkpad?

Because that display is $10 more expensive than the low contrast crap with low PWM frequency.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Contrast 460:1, that's pretty bad...

[evening_hunger]

I recently learned Panasonic (cf-sz5) and Samsung (ativa book 9) are using 16:10 screens. However, these are 12''. This further weakens arguments that this kind of format is entirely obsolete...

[TPFanatic]

The Panasonic is WUXGA and the Samsung is WQXGA. Why won't Lenovo use these? They beat their movie resolution counterparts. The extra rows do make a noticeable difference.

[600X]

There is probably only one supplier for each of those panels, which excludes them from Lenovo's options as they can't afford to rely on one manufacturer to deliver the requested quotas.

[Puppy]

There is probably only one supplier for each of those panels, which excludes them from Lenovo's options as they can't afford to rely on one manufacturer to deliver the requested quotas.

Why ? The P50s 3K panels are also provided by a single supplier. It still looks like a secret deal among all laptop vendors to produce the same 16:9 crap only.

[600X]

I believe the Panasonic 3k display used to be (not sure if it still is) a special exclusive deal between them and Lenovo, but don't quote me on it.

[Puppy]

I believe the Panasonic 3k display used to be (not sure if it still is) a special exclusive deal between them and Lenovo, but don't quote me on it.

And what's wrong with that ? An exclusive laptop like the Retro ThinkPad deserve that. Where is Microsoft getting custom resolution displays for Surface Pro ?

[600X]

The Retro is getting a custom display. However, the difference is the following: while the Panasonic 3k is 16:9 and can thus be readily manufactured, a 16:10 screen, like that of the Retro, can't. That is why the Retro was delayed for a very long time, as Lenovo was unable to find a manufacturer willing to produce such a panel.

If I'm not mistaken, the Surface 3:2 Display is Panasonic as well, but if they aren't, my other bets are Sharp or LG. It doesn't really matter though. If a manufacturer wanted to, they could implement any aspect ratio, at least in theory. They don't because they naively and stubbornly believe that customers want 16:9. It's market failure on a global scale. Not everyone is that blind (I even dare say stupid). Apple realizes that 16:10 or taller is better for laptops, as do Microsoft and Google. (both use 3:2)

[RealBlackStuff]

So when is this Retro coming out of the closet?

[Puppy]

That is why the Retro was delayed for a very long time, as Lenovo was unable to find a manufacturer willing to produce such a panel.

To produce it so cheap. The issue of Lenovo is that they're not willing to spent more than $100 on display component in $7000 workstation.

[ajkula66]

So when is this Retro coming out of the closet?

ROTFLMAO

That is why the Retro was delayed for a very long time, as Lenovo was unable to find a manufacturer willing to produce such a panel.

To produce it so cheap. The issue of Lenovo is that they're not willing to spent more than $100 on display component in $7000 workstation.

Yep. That sounds about right.

[600X]

We all know that Lenovo is cheap. They like to save money where it isn't immediately evident, thus fooling the majority of people into believing that they are actually "improving" ThinkPads. From horrible soundcards to plain cheaper plastics, it's all been done. Happily, I can confirm, at least from my hands-on experience, that starting with Skylake, things are starting to get better again. This only holds true for the high end models however, such as the T460s, X1C and P50.

The Retro will likely come out for the 25th anniversary, which would be sometime in 2017. Don't forget that it is not actually one of the main projects. The emplyees only work on it when they have extra time, with their priorities still lying elsewhere. There are a number of people at Lenovo who are very happy about the Retro and are very much looking forward to it.

[bgx]

meanwhile:

an interesting test of the OLED screen i the X1 yoga.
in german so far. here is the automatic translation:

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=

Bottom line: i want the same in the Retro Thinkpad. At least having the option!

[murak]

meanwhile:

an interesting test of the OLED screen i the X1 yoga.
in german so far. here is the automatic translation:

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=

Bottom line: i want the same in the Retro Thinkpad. At least having the option!

That seems like a very good display. What screen ratio is it? (I could not find...)

[lophiomys]

35,6 cm (14 Zoll) WQHD (2.560 x 1.440) OLED, Touch, 300 cd/m²
35,6 cm (14 Zoll) FHD (1.920 x 1.080) IPS, Touch, 300 cd/m²
35,6 cm (14 Zoll) WQHD (2.560 x 1.440) IPS, AntiGlare, 300 cd/m²

from this German link
http://shop.lenovo.com/at/de/laptops/th ... sche_daten

the form factor is the unpleasant

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      (16 % 9) match  each (2.560 % 1.440), (1.920 % 1.080 )
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