Lenovo Launches New IdeaPads

Lenovo just announced a new consumer line of notebooks under the name IdeaPad. This line will include three series of notebooks; the Y710, Y510, and U110. New to this line of notebooks are Dolby Home Theatre Speaker Systems, touch-sensitive multimedia controls, and "Frameless" screens. All models will also include VeriFace facial biometrics security software, offering consumers an alternative to fingerprint scanners.

The IdeaPad Y710 is a 17” widescreen multimedia/entertainment notebook, offering an ATI HD2600 video card, optional Blu-Ray DVD, Halo screen bezel lighting, and a hot swap secondary drive. Another feature we are really curious about that is unique to the Y710 is a control area next to the keyboard with a LCD readout along with other media controls.

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Y710 Specifications

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 and T9300
• OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit
• Screen: 17" widescreen WXGA VibrantView (1400x900)
• Video Card: ATI HD2600 256MB DDR2
• HD: 250GB 5400rpm or 500GB (250GBx2)
• RAM: 2x1GB (4GB max)
• Optical: DVD-Burner or Blu-Ray DVD
• Webcam: 1.3MP
• Sound: four speakers, 1 subwoofer
• Network: 10/100 Ethernet, Intel 4965AGN wireless
• Weight: 7.9lbs
• Size: 15.5 x 11.2 x 1.02-1.53”
• Warranty: 1 year system/1 year battery
• Battery: 6 Cell, up to 4 hrs
• Ports: four USB, HDMI, Firewire, VGA, S-Video, 6-in-1 Card reader, Expresscard, Mic/ Headphone jacks
• Availability: January 2008
• Starting price: $1,199

The Y510 is a 15" model, offering the same design as its larger brother, but with fewer multimedia options.

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Y510 Specifications

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T2330, T5450, or T5550
• OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit
• Screen: 15” widescreen WXGA VibrantView (1280x800)
• Video Card: Intel X3100 (up to 256MB shared)
• HD: 160GB or 250GB 5400rpm
• RAM: 2x1GB (4GB max)
• Optical: DVD-Burner
• Webcam: 1.3mp
• Sound: four speakers, one subwoofer
• Network: 10/100 Ethernet, Intel 4965AGN wireless
• Weight: 6.4lbs
• Size: 14.1 x 10.3 x 1.14-1.42”
• Warranty: 1 year system/1 year battery
• Battery: 6 Cell, up to 4 hrs
• Ports: three USB, Firewire, VGA, S-Video, 6-in-1 card reader, Expresscard, Mic/Headphone jacks
• Availability: January 2008
• Starting price: $799

The U110 is an ultraportable notebook, starting at 2.42lb and 18.4mm thick. It will offer touch sensitive controls similar to the larger models, as well as a solid state drive.

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U110 Specifications

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Low Voltage
• Screen: 11.1” Glossy widescreen WXGA ( 1366x768)
• Video Card: Intel X3100 (up to 256MB shared)
• HD: 160GB 1.8” or 32GB SSD
• Webcam: 1.3MP
• Sound: two speakers, 1.5W
• Network: 10/100 Ethernet, Intel 4965AGN wireless, Bluetooth
• Warranty: 1 year system/1 year battery
• Battery: up to 8 hours
• Availability: April 2008

Additional product information and pricing is available on the Lenovo website. To find the Y510 in retail stores you can head to BestBuy.com, Micro Center, NewEgg.com, Office Depot or Tiger Direct. The Y710 will initially be sold at TigerDirect.com.

 

I'm not too pleased with Lenovo keep extending their business to non-business laptops. More they do so, it seems ThinkPads' build quality gets just worse.

 

the design seems to be okay. i wish they would just separate their business class and consumer class notebooks instead of try to blend them together.

 

They still are completely separate

 

Fn and Ctrl keys are swapped looking @ the pics on Lenovo's info pages. Very nice notebooks though. Hopefully there'll be some option for dedicated graphics on the 15" as well.

 

Wow, a lot of notebooks to be announced this month and yay for another 11.1" ultraportable, my favorite form factor, but won't be out until March/April?

 

Theres nothing really wrong with it unless you're doing a lot of gaming. It's even a benefit since it lets you access function keys easier. I use the fn key far more often then the ctrl key on my laptop since I use the Thinkvantage software to control the powersettings and other laptop related stuff.

 

You know what having one of these says? It says "I was too poor to get a ThinkPad". And at the same price, the HP series is sooooooo much more alluring, really. If I wanted a computer that looks like a ThinkPad gone glossy, I'd get a ThinkPad and spray paint it. Or Colorware it. I dislike the idea (pun intended), its simply a marketing ploy designed to get the lower end Lenovo line to get more sales due to its "similarity" to the ThinkPad line. Or essentially, playing off the success of the ThinkPad line to get Lenovo more sales. Hmm, not really that great, methinks.

The ultraportable has a pretty good shot at being a cheaper alternative to the TZ if its priced properly. And gets paint that isn't PiNK. Really, that fact alone will end up alienating around 80% of the target market. Lets have that glossy blue from the Y710, or even black would be alright.

 

According to this article, the U110's price will range from $1200 to $2000, too cheap if you ask me.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2008/tc2008012_518877.htm

The product pictures are so fake and cheaply done and there's no fingerprint reader? I think the screen is not LED backlit correct?

This is very interesting, looks like an ultraportable actually geared for the mainstream instead of business/corporate.

 

Why do the 2 laptop views of the Y710 show a standard number pad while the keyboard view shows that digitalmedialcdtouchcontrolcenter thingy?

 

1) 17" behemot with speakers-out connection on the front??? imho, 15" version has better layout in this sense;

2) interesting texture of lcd cover on 15" version... what is that - fabric?

yeah, I noticed that too, strange...

 

Looks nice, but they forgot that we need more than a X3100 in the 15"

 

Looks nice, but I think a lot of people (including me) would be more happy if they put for focus on the Thinkpad. I'm hoping there will be a 17'' Thinkpad model

 

Interesting. If the HD 2600 was GDDR3 and available in the 15" model as well as the 17, Lenovo might have a competitor...otherwise these just remind me of the HP consumer line...look decent, specs not bad, GPUs horribly chosen :\

 

Yeah . . . I've also noticed an nVidia sticker, too . . . wierd . . .

 

At 1200, expecting an LED backlit screen is asking for a bit much, no? At 1200 (same price point as that averatec), it should do well. Higher than that, maybe not so much....2 grand is definitely too much for it. The TZ rules that segment, and the U2 will be very competitive there too.

 

I like the name. The " Idea" of buying IBM's PC line and building a name on there Think Pads is amazing

Maybe they should of called it the MultiPad or GamingPad, I bet those too were suggested while brainstorming for this name

 

Hmm, I think its meaning that these are for that aren't able to Think, or are too stupid to Think...

 

I think it's for advertisement only. But too bad Lenovo doesnt give us an accurate picture. I also see an old centrino sticker instead of new sticker(Core). Y710, Y510 look interesting for me and nowadays they should opt for GigabitLAN though it's only a consumer series notebook

 

ideapads... thats kinda catchy.

 

Of course, but I hope its an option on the higher end U100 models. The article states its supposed to range from $1200 to $2000, so the higher end models will have SSD drives and whatnot, but even $2000 is far too cheap for them.

Do these notebooks lack fingerprint readers because they've been replaced by the facial biometrics software on these notebooks?

 

2000 isn't too much with an SSD...is it? Theres a Transcend 32GB SSD (IDE) going for under $300, and a Super Talent SATA one for under $450, so it really isn't too much. Toss in a couple of upgrades in RAM and HDD, add the SSD, and your up at 2k. Actually, at 2k, they might have the LED backlit screen as well....but that remains to be seen. As usually happens with ultraportables, I'm interested in the lowest end model only - the higher end ones are not worth the money. Ever. No real increase in performance, just some peripheral crap (SSDs cost too much to warrant anything) for too much money.

 

That's how the keys are arranged on Thinkpads. Note that Dell and HP notebooks have the control key to the left of the function key.

 

Liked the 11.1 form factor U110. Inclusion of touch pad is the most welcome thing. So definitely this is consumer focused laptop (business people otherwise are content with pointer stick only when it comes to ultra portables).

And I wonder how big the screen bezels are in U110 (not shown in released images). The V100, V200 (12.1") laptops have huge bezel giving overall form factor of 13.3 laptops.

 

1. There is no 17" Thinkpad model.

2. You do realise that the reason Lenovo bought IBM's line was that they could brand recognition and sell their other wares too, right? They do already sell their own non-Thinkpad brand laptops on the Lenovo website.

 

U110?
I really, really really would like to see this turn into a 'X110' (or something) in the near future. Come on Lenovo, all you need to do is paint it black and add a trackpoint to that thing.

 

I really like the look of these. Too bad there's no Y410 (14.1in) as I'm thinking about picking up a smaller 14in laptop.

 

If the ideapads have the option for better gpus they would be competitive...but too bad they don't. I still wish they make a 17'' thinkpad, even if some might argue that 17'' is too big to lug around for business users.

 

I want to see reviews, and I want to know if they'll be available in reasonably cusomizable configs.

I'd also like to see the 15 inch get something better than WXGA....WXGA+ at least.

 

I think in terms of looks these notebooks are a step backward . With the overall black chassis and colored lids, these have a serious resemblance to the old Toshiba's like my Satellite A35 which would be four years old by now.

Seriously if you don't belive me google models like the Toshiba Satellite A35 and A25, its there.

 

We'll have some hands on with these notebooks in a few days at CES, so hopefully we have more of a take on how these new IdeaPads really are. Certainly we'll have some hands on pics.

 

I for one am glad these notebooks are all black, and relatively cleanly styled. I'm not a fan of HP's "high gloss-everything" look, and I can't stand the mostly silver colored models from Dell (inspiron) and Toshiba.

I think if you could somehow have HP's business class models and consumer computers mate and create an offspring, this is what they would look like.

 

+1 sale of U110

I love the keyboard.

The only factors that give me pause: will their be a beefed up ThinkPad version of this hardware and what will Macworld bring?

 

'Video Card: ATI HD2600 256MB DDR2'

Why the NVidia sticker on the notebook then? Last minute change?

I hope they use an 8600 or 8700. The 2600 is kind of crap for games isn't it?

 

There seems to be some conflicting info between the press shots and the press sheet we received relating the exact specs of these IdeaPads. I wouldn't be surprised if some features were shuffled around before they started shipping. Hopefully once we see these things in person we can get a better idea of whats inside em

 

Theres no need for one. The 15.4" T61p is more powerful and has a higher screen res, and it costs what, $200 more? If that.

 

It also doesn't have 4.1 sound...matter of fact, the T61p has pretty rotten speakers, as is typical for business-class notebooks. Sometimes loud, but zero fidelity.

 

Point taken. I think though, if they were truly serious about this media business, they should have given it an optional WUXGA screen to go along with the Bluray drive, because really, having HD video is next to pointless without the ability to output full 1080p video.

 

I'll agree there...there should definitely be better screen options than mere WXGA 15.4" and WXGA+ 17". Those are actually rather pitiful when it comes down to it.

 

Bleh. No 14" screen? :/

 

Can't wait to see more info/pics on the 11" U110. I find it though strange to announce it in early January when its not to come out till late March/April.

Hope these get options for LED backlit screens, looks like they may only have CCFL, look at Asus and Sony Lenovo!

 

Indeed, I hate when laptops tout "hi-def" displays when they're actually slightly below your run of the mill 720p LCD TV. The 15.4 should start at WXGA+ with the option of WSXGA (that would make it REALLY appealing to me), and the 17" should offer WSXGA or WUXGA resolutions. Offer those resolutions in a relatively slim chassis and some nice horsepower under the hood, and you have a winner in my book.

To add insult to injury. The HP ZT3000 I bought in 2004 has a WUXGA screen, and it's a 15.4in notebook. Granted, it didn't have the power to playback 1080p videos, but it was still a beautiful screen. Apparently it wasn't very popular though, how many 15.4 computers out there give you the offer of having a WUXGA display for under $1800.

 

They had these in asia quite a while ago...can't comment on the built quality but they don't seem as good as the original flavours of thinkpads. What a creative name...ideapads.

 

Well, one would think that they at least have the famous Lenovo/IBM keyboards...you know, the ones no one else seems to manage to make?

The 15.4 inch is tempting, but I want a 15.4 with WXGA+...I find WXGA to not have enough screen real-estate. WSXGA is a little fine for me, but I could live with it...

 

I can't decide if this is a good or bad thing.

 

I was thinking of you Rahul when I saw the news about the U110. Another 11.1" ultraportable to confuse your purchase decision It looks promising though.

Not everyone likes the ThinkPad design (I am not one) and secondly many non-professional users are wondering why the ThinkPads lack certain multimedia/mainstream notebook features such as glossy widescreen (though available on R-series) and better sound, whilst at the same time not having too much faith in the current 3000-series line up. In the past, many students and "normal" users would rarely be buying ThinkPads, for various reasons such as price, selling and marketing strategy, but nowadays the situation is different. IMO, Lenovo is making a sound decision in differentiating/isolating the ThinkPad series better, whilst at the same time trying to address the masses (i.e all the non-professionals).

From an overall business point of view, I think it's a good thing. They are leaning against the ThinkPad name to get some goodwill and credit while marketing a more mainstream line up. Many people have been a bit confused about the 3000-series line up which I assume they will soon be outfasing. At the end of the day I see this as making their product portfolio more easy to understand. From a consumer point of view there is not a huge impact. From a product perspective, it is great to see the introduction of 11" and 17" models. All in all, I find it to be a good move.

 

Its a business notebook. Lenovo couldn't give a damn what non-professional users have to say about the ThinkPad. I have yet to see a business user ever complain about the speakers on any system. Hell, you could take out the speakers completely, and I'll put good money on the odds that 80% of them wouldn't notice. As for a glossy screen...good God. If they put a glossy screen even as an option, so many purists would howl like crazy. It wouldn't sell anyways, since a majority of ThinkPads go to business users, as its a business notebook.

And I can imagine a lot of students sticking to the ThinkPads instead of the IdeaPad (ICan'tThinkPad?) line, due to the ruggedness that ThinkPads are renowned for.

 

We agree on many points, but judging from your statement, you however fail to understand where I am coming from. The short story is that I am a business user who appreciates the ThinkPads for what they are and have always been. Hence, I agree with you about i.e. speakers not being a priority. Rather, I value features such as the matte standard form factor screen, ThinkLight, the (spill proof) keyboard, general ruggedness, and professional look. So far so good.

However, if you follow the NBR Lenovo forum, you will probably understand why I am referring to increasing demand for certain mainstream/multimedia features. And NBR is not the only place where these opinions are being voiced.

In addition, if you look at how available Lenovo has made their ThinkPads to the non-professional users, with very low prices and discounts (especially for CTOs) I am sure they are not completely disregarding the mainstream crowd and hence the efforts on the IdeaPad line.

As for the part about glossy screens, it seems you have not done your homework. As I mentioned in my previous post, the R61 offers glossy screen as an option. Why is that? My theory is that Lenovo is trying to temporarily please the mainstream crowd - hence making the R61 (which is marketed as the more affordable series) available with glossy screens.

 

I meant on the two volume models, the T and X series notebooks. Those still don't have glossy screens, and really, with all the *****ing from the purists about how the T61 is a step down and what not, if they had put in a glossy screen as an option, the ThinkPad crowd would have disowned it entirely.

My thought about why the R61 is getting a glossy screen option is that they want to see how many people actually go for it. I'm not sure whether its been a sales success or not, but I seriously doubt that it will make a jump to the heart of the lineup unless its gotten more than 3/4ths of the R61 sales.

And IMO, the evidence for Lenovo not completely disregarding the mainstream was the 3000 line. Its just that that was still too much like "low end business" in terms of the actual notebook, whereas this is more mainstream notebooks, but the name sounds like "low end ThinkPad" which is the same thing as before. I understand why they've done it, but I'm not confident in the success of their marketing scheme.

 

Some of those pictures of these new ideapads look awfully fake to me, as if they are computer renderings instead of the real product.

I really do like the styling of them, though. I especially like the "woven" pattern used on the 15.4" Y510 model. Too bad it only has the X3100 for the GPU.