Lenovo Thinkpad T4xx next version - T440? when will it be released and what new features do you expect?

:hi2: Anyone know when the next Lenovo T440 will be released?

Like the T430 but would really need a touchscreen built in so can use touchscreen apps, and also test any touchscreen apps I create.

As the the T430 was released around June 2012, will the T440 most likely in a few months time? Any ideas on the new features that will be present?

 

It seems there will be an T431 first (just search for "ThinkPad T431s"). Haswell comes a bit late (the Dual-Core CPUs are rumored to come in Q4), so Lenovo will make a small step before.

What to expect, I would say:
- New OneLink dock-port (like Edge E431/E531)
- New Clickpad with 5 buttons integrated (also as E431/E531 or ThinkPad Helix)
- Higer resolution displays
- Enhanced keyboard (return of F-key grouping)
- Maybe Touchscreen optional
- New chassis
- Latchless lid
- Thinner and lighter

That would be the things I would expect. Announcement should be in March time frame.

 

Many thanks for replying.

will go and read up on the T431. Just been reading online and the other manufacturers seem to all be releasing touchscreens so hopefully t431 will have it too.

 

IPS please.

 

With decent rez, brightness and gamut please

 

Most likely note happening. Not much demand. Apple's retina is mostly marketing hype and doesn't actually let you utilize the extreme resolutions that the screen provides (without mods).

I don't believe there are any 14" IPS panels in production.

 

Well, nearly all devices which Lenovo announced on CES have a higher resolution than its predecessors (Edge Series: From 1366x768 (E430) to 1600x900 (E431) and from 1600x900 (E530) to 1920x1080 (E531); IdeaPad Z series from 1366x768 to 1600x800, IdeaCentre A series from 1920x1080 (A720) to 2560x1440 (A730) etc.).

Also, 14" FHD screen (1920x1080) will start to appear more in Q1 2013 (for example: AUO B140HAN01). So I would say, maybe Lenovo will take the resolution on all ThinkPads one step higher, like 2560x1440 for W531/W540, 1920x1080 for T431s/T440s and 1600x900 for X-series. No idea if IPS or not, we will see.

Even the new ThinkVision Mobile Display comes with a 13" HD+ IPS display as standard....

 

^^ That would be awesome!

 

Why? The business/corporate institutional buyers don't demand that.

 

And then Lenovo would be just one step away from removing that useless Trackpoint in the next generation. The space can be used for a little button doing something essential, e.g. another PrintScreen button. Or maybe Ctrl+Alt+Del combination?

 

Well, we would be still at 800x600 if everything works that way, but sometimes the technologie gets better. Also, Lenovo wants to change some things in this year and place the ThinkPad line more in the premium, high-end segment, see: China's Lenovo Aims Higher in U.S. - WSJ.com

They will not remove the trackpoint. It is so essential, that its even in the ThinkPad Logo. And we will see if the TrackPoint is really useless. I doubt it will be,

 

How is it useless? I always prefer using the Trackpoint to the Touchpad (I disable my touchpad completely), you barely need to lift the palm of your hand doing things like drag and drop, scrolling and file highlighting. I find it funny seeing my friends and family trying to use my ThinkPad, they try to stroke the nib like a touchpad which usually ends up in vain!

 

It's not, my attempt in sarcasm has apparently failed. Trackpad is disabled on mine too.

I'm just disappointed with the direction where all this is going. There were a few things that made Thinkpads THE laptop for me:

1) 7-rows keyboard, with all essential keys, including Pause/Break, present and in logical arrangement.
2) Trackpoint with the 3 specially shaped buttons. And it's largely the buttons and their shape that make Lenovo's implementation better than, say, HP's or Dell's.
3) Existence of USB keyboard with Trackpoint and identical layout for use when docked.

With x10 series Lenovo started experiments, Insert moved, but large Esc/Delete compensated for it. And external keyboard with the identical layout was promptly released, so all good.

But with x30 series two things broke: the keyboard layout is now even crazier than in laptops of other vendors, and there is no matching USB keyboard with Trackpoint. Now it's Trackpoint buttons turn. If it goes like this, by the time my W520 is due for upgrade, the best Thinkpad available will be all-metal with sharp edges thing with glued-in battery, glossy screen, without PgUp/PgDn/Home/End keys, F1-F12 requiring Fn, and, of course, with a big shiny buttonless trackpad where right-click is done by two-fingers-tap. Available in two colors: bold pink or rich gold! Ugh...

 

Does anyone know how the ultranav works with the new clickpad?

I scroll / middle click a lot with my trackpoint + middle ultranav button.

If that type of functionality is gone or materially altered for the worse, I'd rather purchase a current gen Thinkpad to (hopefully) hold me over until Lenovo comes to their senses and stops messing with what makes Thinkpads great

 

Oops, now I feel bad for missing that one. Sorry!

Yeah I use the Middle Ultranav Button to scroll a lot too, it's the little things that make ThinkPads a joy to use in my opinion. It would be a real shame if they take that away.

 

Completely agree. For me, trackpoint is the closest thing to a mouse ever. I have used best touchpads out there extensively but would always prefer the trackpoint. Not only I can fully benefit from the fact that your hands don't have to move away from the keyboard, but also the precision is so high, you can actually game on the go. And not just game, play online shooters with little to no disadvantage compared to high-end-gaming-mouse users. I played Diablo 1&2 zillion times back in the day, then America's Army 2.x all the way up to honor 80+, maintaining very high frag rate, - trackpoint only

New users get turn away from the trackpoint very quickly and I understand why. The advantages it gives require some serious learning curve and even though the reward is great, for most people it's a deal breaker.

 

Trackpoint ftw!

btw, if the buttons get integrated into the trackpad, I assume that means we would have to enable the trackpad. TT_TT

If Lenovo drops the Trackpoint, I'm switching. There wasn't any one to jump ship to when they dropped 7row keyboards, but there are tons of other laptops that offer a trackpoint even if they aren't as nice.

 

Same here. No trackpoint => no thinkpad for me.

 

The red trackpoint and the respective trackpoint buttons are characteristic of the ThinkPad line. I cannot imagine owning a Thinkpad without the red trackpoint! I can tell you this- you will not find me posting threads about how I am anxiously awaiting the UPS man to deliver a cookie-cutter laptop to my door!

 

The middle button is integrated into the clickpad, there will be a dotted pattern near the top of the clickpad so you press down on that just like pressing down on the dedicated button and use the trackpoint to scroll. Take a look at the Thinkpad Helix clickpad picture and you'll know what I'm saying.

 

Don't even suggest it. It's one of the very few reasons Lenovo is still on my computer list.

My sister was watching me the other day. Wow, you sure can get around the screen fast with that thing. As she drags and "pumps" her Mac book touch pad.

 

t440s should be released in the June/July period.

 

So there will no longer be a "base" T440, just T440s and possibly T440u?

 

Edit: See: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/704109-thinkpad-t431s-user-guide-leaked.html