Lenovo losing the "Thinkpad Image"?? Just another box?

Just stopped at Office Depot to look for some printer ink and took a swing down the laptop aisle. I was pleased to see three Lenovo laptops on display - then puzzled as all get out that two of the three were missing a very important Thinkpad Icon - their Trackpoints!

A Lenovo built Thinkpad with only a lousy touchpad to rely on? What is this world coming to? If Lenovo is not careful they may lose a little too much of their old "IBM Thinkpad" mystique and luster and become just another bargin box.

Two things have made the Thinkpad line stand out - superior construction with features that you could not always get from the competitive machines - and reliable long term support with Bios and Driver upgrades or repair if needed.

The Trackpoint is THE Thinkpad Icon - notice the little red Trackpoint symbol on the Thinkpad Logo, on the pulls for Lenovo/IBM laptop cases, etc.

The good news was that the one with the trackpoint had a very decent, good feeling keyboard with a spill resistant membrane protecting the machine. And my keyboard standard is the IBM M Keyboard, so that is saying something. TPF

 

All current Thinkpads have the TrackPoint - if it does not have a TrackPoint, it's not a Thinkpad, it's one of Lenovo's consumer-line laptops (either the G-series or the IdeaPads).

 

I don't think you were looking at a THINKPAD. I'm very sure all THINKPADS have the TrackPoint. What were the model numbers you were looking at?

 

As both MidnightSun and Ionizer mentioned above all ThinkPads have TrackPoints. (Even the cheap SL and L series)

You were most likely looking at an IdeaPad laptop from Lenovo's consumer line.

 

I'm (pleasantly) surprised Office Depot is carrying real, physical, warm, touchable ThinkPads in the brick-and-mortar stores.

I live in a major city and none of the big names show ThinkPads. Mostly Acer, HP and Toshiba. Only two local merchants carry some ThinkPad Edge models.

 

Luckily the Micro Center near me caries a few ThinkPad models!

 

That's strange (as far as I kmow) the local DC Microcenter doesn'y carrry Thinkpads.

Renee

 

I feel Lenovo consumer models are...ok, definately as good as any HP notebook.I actually really like HP. They make the best consumer model notebooks, best bang for buck too. Dells on the other-hand are cheap pieces of plastic.

A part of me however wants Lenovo just to stick to making only Thinkpads, kind of what IBM did. It just doesn't sound the same when I say, Lenovo Thinkpad.

 

I am a relatively new Thinkpad guy and I still have the urge to say IBM Thinkpad

 

But ALL laptops are getting cheaper since lay people have become involved.

The reasons are many and complex. We are in a depression and the real cost of computers have been dropping. Companies including Lenovo are motivated by profit. They are going to have to sell more computers to maintain the same level of profit. That's life.....in the U.S.

Renee

 

You guys are right , the two without were not marked "Thinkpad". But the Trackpoint is so iconic, I would think Lenovo would want to keep it across the line as a status/identifier for brand differentiation, and to remind eveyone that Lenovo is the real heir to the Thinkpad Legacy.

Renee has hit it spot on, I believe. It's about marketing to know nothings and the price point. To the unwashed, the "cooler" it looks (and the less business like) the better! And like it or not, the lay people, and the young and the clueless, are the biggest new market available. Pandering to it would appear mandatory for survival.

Well, that's what staggered me - the other two Lenovo machines I first took to be some other brand! They looked so - "ordinary" - like a Dell or HP - I wasn't even going to look at them. So for my demographic (older persons who highly regard Thinkpad branded items) they are not a positive additon to the line. College kids don't know Lenovo from nothing. Thanks for the insight. TPF

 

That's life in whole World.

Yesterday my friend asked me to help him with completing hardware for his new machine. We went to 9 computer related shops in my, relatively, big city in Poland. I was suprised that NONE of them had ANY ThinkPad, even SL/L/Edge series. They had lots of Acers, Asus, HPs, MSis and Toshibas, but only a few Dells and Sonys. There is only one conclusion - noone buys more expensive (higher class) notebooks.

Oh, cruel world...

 

thinkpad is trackpoint. another pad might be without trackpoint.

 

By the way, Dell Latitude and Precision notebooks have trackpoints too.

And, please, let everyone have their computer, no matter how "cheap" it is. If ThinkPads were made and priced like they had been 6 years ago (T41 for $2,800 and T43p for around $4,000), not even "us" could afford them today.

Things change. No need to glorify the ThinkPads. They are not perfect, even when IBM was producing them.

 

Even when mated to IBM, I still regarded the ThinkPad as different from most of the other Big Blue iron I played with. IBM was boring, bland, and old school. The ThinkPad turned heads just as much as an Apple Macbook, but for a different reason. The simplicity and ultra slim designs (X41, 560X) of my laptops always attracted attention when I was at work, or on my college campus. I regarded the ThinkPad as a completely separate entity from IBM itself.

Lenovo's decision not to graft their name/logo onto the current generation Th inkPad logo has made it my favorite. I have every intention of covering up the only prominent mention of Lenovo on the chassis with my machine name in the near future. Once again, the ThinkPad is a separate entity in my eyes.

There are things coming out of Lenovo I do like (U1 Hybrid=Want) - just as I was an IBM server/workstation customer for awhile. However, I don't judge by the merit of the ThinkPad's quality. ThinkPads are engineered to be in a class of their own - not a perfect class by any means, but its the one that suits me best.

 

Thinkpad Fan

If they put thinkpad on their regular computer, alot of thinkpad fan WILL complain. They did that in the pass when Lenovo introduce the Edge with the Thinkpad name.

 

Big Blue itself - IBM, then and now - may have been a bit boring - but it was also someone you could count on for quality manufacturing, Service after the sale, parts and software availability far into the future, even for "Legacy" old systems. My ex was a computer programmer of some note (programmed in 9 languages, contributed to the programming of the modern (IBM) keyboard design) and when we got marrried she told me we would only have IBM computers and HP printers. I asked why - they cost 20% more, on average. She stated, without hesitation - "Service and Support" - no one else even comes close. I found that to be true, when they built a battery for her 385 after it was "no longer available". And when I called Customer Service and asked for help on a second hand Thinkpad with software issues - and got two IBM techs help for 45 minutes - for Free! This was all prior to Lenovo buying the PC Division.

Bland, Boring, and RELIABLE. That was (and I trust is) IBM. So far, Lenovo has seemed to be the same to me , in my dealings with them on PCs. I hope they can maintain that. And if they do, they will keep my loyalty to the Thinkpad brand. TFP

 

The traditional Thinkpads aren't going anywhere. Lenovo knows that as soon as they start compromising on quality (example, T400 1st rendition keyboard), there will be a storm of bad publicity and lower sales. Thinkpads are better now than ever in the past. They are just as good quality as the Thinkpads 12-13 years ago but they are also less than half the price.

The only thing that's happening with the Thinkpad that a lot of people don't like is the dilution of the brand with the addition of the Edge series. I personally believe the x100e/x120e should be considered a traditional Thinkpad because of personal experience with one and how awesome the build quality is, it's up there with the other Thinkpads.

 

I think the Edge laptop could be made better in terms of its chassis design, so
that it is stronger and it doesn't flex so much in the screen department.

Thinkpad is about robustness and that classic boxy look, as long as Lenovo don't lose sight of these two factors in designing the Edge series, then i would think that particular laptop line would do pretty well.

 

Agreed. I have no problem with Lenovo wanting to introduce a new design, but they have to make sure "ThinkPad features" are included like a Roll Cage in the very least.

I actually like the new Edge design and keyboard and I am really excited to see how it evolves.

Until then though ThinkPad Edge laptops are simply "pretty" L series machines.

 

Speaking of "store", once i came to my Local Best Denki in my town. And seeing matte Thinkpad between flashy Acer, Toshiba and Vaios, well, honestly Thinkpad looks a bit sad and outdated.

If you look Classic Thinkpad oneself, it looks gorgeous and solid... But it makes an awful display if you joining it between the "flashy" competitors... One would think it is the non-moving stock from another decade still on sale

No wonder they created Edge...

 

Lenovo was making laptops before it acquired the IBM PC devision. Its laptop business is much more than just ThinkPads.

Not everyone like ThinkPads or ThinkPad-like designs. In fact, based on current market trends, I would say that most laptop buyers do not care for ThinkPad-like designs. (Shocking, yes, I know.) Applying ThinkPad designs across the board at the expense of design diversity would be shooting itself in the foot.

 

" There is only one conclusion - noone buys more expensive (higher class) notebooks."

You are incorrect because I would. I suspect that there is a decresed interest in purchasing them because people are becoming less educated.

Renee

 

I will base my opinion on assumptions just like you did and say that it has very little to do with education.

 

Steer this back into a discussion about ThinkPads, please.

 

"I will base my opinion on assumptions just like you did and say that it has very little to do with education."

Mine weren't based on assunptions. The only reason that there would be no market for more expensive computers are the people who cannot tell the difference between a cheap computer and a more expenive one, ie the uneducated.

Renee

 

But, unfortunately, as someone said, typical Joe (majority of ppls is 100% like him) will still buy, let's say, plastic Acer, instead of 2x more expensive ThinkPad (bolded for Jane )

I'm one of those who prefer switching lappy after 4 years or even more. Why? Simply because technology is improving too fast to keep with it. And, seriously, who really needs new machine after every 2 years? Will CAD work drastically better? Will it be more comfortable to browse net with 1337 core CPU? No, it won't. So, why not sparing more money for more reliable computer like ThinkPad? Ehh, Joe, hear my voice !

 

Psssst, Think Lover, Think Pad is written with a capital P. You could be sued for this damaging oversight!

Anyway, don't you think we have enough Think Pad music already?

 

Oh, I'm so sorry! Fixed.
Yes, I think too that it's time to finish this.

 

So a matte, utilitarian Thinkpad looks "sad and outdated?". Not to me.

So should we buy our computers based on flashy looks - or solid, proven performance and reliability? Kind of like picking your wife just on her looks, without looking any deeper - or how gracefully she might age on you. The money used on "pretty" doesn't get spent on the real hardware - I see just the opposite, bling to hide weakness - in car terms "If it don't go, chrome it!"

As an old American hot rodder, I can't tell you how many times I've watched the well engineered, plain looking "sleeper" blows the doors off the tarted up, "fancy" car when it counted. In my experience with laptops, and certainly at least until now, ThinkPads generally do last longer, and IBM/Lenovo have always provided support to their customers far longer than almost any other brand. Handsome is as handsome does.........

 

Totally agree. But I'm pretty sure nearly all ThinkPad owners know what sapibobo is talking about; I mean these ThinkPads nearly look the same for a decade so there is a bit of "outdated" thing going on here. But Lenovo/IBM definitely adopted the "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" idiom and we're glad they did (or at least I know I am).

 

Thinkpad is bit like the Mercedes G class, Toyota Land Crusier Carrier and Land Rover series III, they are designed as work machine. Looking stylish or modern is not their priority.

 

Nevertheless, they do end up looking so stylish and postmodern, one could say - at least to those who tend to view things in that way (like me!).

What I find fascinating about the ThinkPad "style" (we are not talking about anything else here) is that it (to me at least) strangely contributes not only to a sense of nostalgia (like, for example, reflecting back on the "good old" IBM-era days), but it also serves (uniquely, in my opinion) as a wierdly anomalous device (at least, or especially, when closed) appropriate for a (darkish!) post-modern condition.

What I mean to say is that I like the ThinkPad "style".

 

Personally i quite like the Mercedes G class design, but they cost too much. So i make do with Thinkpads...

 

That's exactly what I said!

Re: Some Brief Thoughts From CES - Lenovo Community

Understated elegance never goes out of style.

 

I seriously hope that's not the direction they'll push the Thinkpads in.

 

I believe chrome is not what Kohut was talking about, at least not for couple more years, either way, there must be some ThinkPads in future still looking the same, without chrome

 

The look and feel of todays ThinkPad models has almost stayed the same as it used to, you still get the good mat-finish, you get the same sized keyboard with great support beneath it, they still keep with their mat-screens and everything..

But the ThinkPad quality isn't there anymore, I've had three different ThinkPad models the last four years, the latest two being T400s and W510 and their simply not as good as they should be for this price, the screen is so low-contrast that I feel sorry for it while using it and eventhough the build quality is still darn good you have really sluggish speakers, buggy software and drivers giving you bluescreen troubles all over the place.


My T400s was replaced because it was too darn faulty, but the replacement W510 is just the same thing going all over again.. What happened to the outstanding quality and quality control of ThinkPads? Having three different premium ThinkPad models the past four years and having trouble with all of them within the first few months is just silly for computers at this price point, and it's a complete disaster for the well-know quality of ThinkPads.


Sadly I'm going to look elsewhere this year because I've gotten enough of this nonsense. And they don't really offer any thing unique anymore, whats up with these low-resolution, low-contrast displays they use these days?

Give me a T4x0s with Core i7 2nd generation, half decent discreet graphics for hardware acceleration, combined with switchable graphics with a high resolution, non limited contrast display and we are talking..

 

I gotta say their new edge series looks generations better than their old ones with the multicolor glossy finish. it looks like the screen is still glossy on their new edge and with the chrome which may be ok - i dont really care what other people buy as long as it floats their boat but so long as they will continue to offer old style designs too.

i think they should focus on making new thinkpads with very thin bezzles and overall thinner thickness profiles. They seem to be failing in this front a lot in recent generations. I dont buy the antenna excuse because its not something clever engineering cant fix and plus, if you look at a disassembled screen assembly you can see the antenna excuse has no merits as there are no physical antennas on the left top right of the actual screen. Perhaps they can shrink the overall notebook design to just enough to fit an OEM screen (which will be made easier with the elimination of useless stuff like the expresscard slots for example).

 

I enjoy my T61. It can't do much, but it does what I need. Word programs? Excel spreadsheets? Youtube? Email? Perfect. And it looks ugly, and I love it.

This thing is reliable, easily maintained, and easily upgradeable (To an extent). I may pick up another one (Think X201) but I don't know.

 

Candid statements are so refreshing.

 

Utilitarian design is the new sexy guys