New ThinkPads: Rogue, Oasis, Santana (?)

Does anybody know some infos about ""ThinkPad Rogue", "ThinkPad Santana" and "ThinkPad Oasis"? I found those names on this Twitter account: https://twitter.com/Rich__Henderson He also posted a picture, showing unknown ThinkPads:

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See those in the middle (under and over the X1 Carbon, they apparently have no logo on them). He also has already a ThinkPad Helix with him. He also posted:

"@w4ffl3 @lenovo Just another day demonstrating great ThinkPad products to Fortune 500 companies. "

According to annother post of him, he has the following ThinkPads with him:
"ThinkPad Tablet 2, T430, X230, X1 Carbon, Rogue, Oasis, Santana, ThinkPad Helix, T430u."

On this picture we can see TPT 2, X230, ThinkPad Helix, Unknown, X1 Carbon, Unknown, T430u, T430

Are these "Unknown"-ones next generation ThinkPads?

 

Well, these are either codenames for normal next-gen ThinkPads or the funny next-gen TPs with the funny names. I'm sure lead_org can clarify when he gets around.

 

No one told me about this.

I am guessing this will be the new code name for the new ThinkPad T series, L series and maybe W series replacements... as said before Lenovo is switching to these new naming schemes. Not sure why, but maybe they want the laptop to be more easily recognised by the normal consumers.

But these names do sound lot like car names. It will be a whole new ball game for Lenovo in 2013 (if the Mayan prediction doesn't come true about the 2012 been the end of the world... LOL).

P.S. How did you dig up such details from these obscure twitter account?

 

Don´t know. I cheated.

Maybe it is a codename, maybe not. We will see... (p.s. have you seen this: http://forum.notebookreview.com/len...nomenclature-think-products.html#post8995958?)

 

^^^ lol. Some of us are on our Winter Breaks. Looks like you are still researching for a presentation or end of semester report

 

the top one is the helix?

 

I think the third from the top is the Helix. It's the one with the small red dot on the left.

 

you are right. the top one must be the thinkpad tablet 2.

 

Why can't we just have our T/W/x series tablets and not give them new fangled names?

 

Just imagine in a massive corporation that you about to purchase a "ThinkPad Rogue". I mean I don't think that particular name is fitting in a serious business environment, I'm pretty sure they can come up with better ones.

 

i dug up some really interesting info on this.... lol... there are few surprises.

 

Ha, I was about to post the exact same response! To me, the professionalism in the business T/W/X line nomenclature is perfect. Despite this, they haven't exactly been logical about the numerical upgrades. Take a look at Apple...as systematic and pre-planned as they are, they also don't release everything in a logical way (the NEW iPad? the new new iPad?...). In the short-term these names are cute, long term they are confusing and unappreciated by most serious people. Ultimately, I don't care what they name there laptops so long as they function better.

 

Wow man, what a tease... I presume this isn't publicly available information?

 

Yes...care to elaborate!?!

 

well just google ThinkPad Santana, Rogue, Oasis, i have put the article up.

The information is publicly available (the people whom maintains the driver website got sloppy with the information). Lets say s version of the X series is coming back, and no more T regular series, they all have become s version.

 

Ahhh yes, thankfully lead_org's initial insight was wrong regarding the extinction of W/T/X series...thanks for the clarification: ThinkPad Santana, ThinkPad Rogue, ThinkPad Oasis what are they?.

Hopefully this means a similar product release timeline like the new Apple rumors...4S --> 5 --> 5S --> 6, etc... 430s -->440 --> 440s --> 450, etc...

This is perfectly logical and competitively marketable... I'd bet these other names are only pre-release codenames, not actual product names like the NEW Twist/Yoga etc...the only reason lenovo created actual names for these novel devices is well, because they were new to there already too-large selection of laptops and adding to the traditional nomenclature wouldn't fit right, especially from a Windows 8 marketing standpoint.

lenovo can call the tradition ThinkPads (W/T/X series) what they want, but the traditional nomenclature should always remain...no?

 

Hmmm... so they picked a famous guitar player, an X-men character, and a band that is famous for "Wonderwall" to name the new ThinkPads after?

Top secret indeed

 

Wow @lead_org, thanks, very good found!

 

All I want is my X240t with 1080p RGBLED IPS panel, 15W LV i5 processor, HD 5000 graphics, and dual mSATA slots (no more 2.5" HDD bay), and priced around 1000.

 

I think we already agreed it ain't gonna happen. Though while we're at it, let's also reduce the gap between the digitizer and the screen and find a way to shave a pound off the weight.

 

Helix will fulfil most of these needs. But not the price. There will be a new SSD format coming out soon not sure whether it would be implementated in the Helix.

 

I wonder if Helix will support middle-button scroll with the TrackPoint? The leaked images did not appear to have dedicated TrackPoint buttons.

 

No dedicted middle button from what i can see. There will be a slim version of the X230 called X231s if i am guessing it right from the lenovo website driver page.

 

That's what I was afraid of. I still may buy one if it's released the next month or so...but I'd definitely miss the scroll feature.

 

The pictures of the Helix indicate that the scroll feature is still there. The middle button is integrated, but the small dots are still there (they indicate where the middle button is), see:


One small notice: The post on twitter about the new ThinkPads have been deleted.

 

The person must be scared of breaking the NDA. The new Thinkpads are not due till say mid next year if the usual Lenovo product refresh cycle is followed. So giving normal consumer a 7 months advanced notice would affect sale.

 

If the Helix is supposedly replacing the x230t, can I expect the price to be comparable? I've been telling Tsunade that if the Helix checks all those boxes, I'm ready to jump on one at launch at least to try it out!

 

Lenovo pricing info are secret especially for a product like Helix, i wouldn't know about them. If i know, i would have put it up on my website already. But i am guessing it is about the same price as a i7 Carbon. I have put off getting a new TPT2, since the helix is so much better.

 

Well that isn't going to be affordable, considering I got a pretty loaded X220t for 1250, that was the upper limit I would spend on a convertible tablet.

 

Any insight as to roughly when the Helix might be released? There was a flurry of excitiement at the end of October but it's been quiet ever since.

 

well the ThinkPad Helix is a very avant garde product, where it functions as TPT2 and a normal laptop at the same time. I think one could expect to pay a price premium for that kind of product.

 

Yes, I think so. Brake the NDA too soon is dangerous for his job.

According to this document ( http://www.partnerinfo.lenovo.com/p...olkit/New-Lenovo-Part-Number-Nomenclature.pdf) the general announcement will be in March. So it would be 3/4 months.

10w Ivy-Bridge ULVs will be released in Q1 2013, so I suppose Helix will be released in this time-frame.

Maybe it will hit the same price-point as X230 Tablet. But we will see. I think the Helix without the Keyboard-dock will be a bit cheaper.

 

for me the cheaper the better, this means i don't have to spend so much on getting it.

 

Cool, thanks. I'd be willing to give that a try!

Not sure I can wait until mid-2013 though :-(

 

lead_org, Can you expand any on your comment "There will be a new SSD format coming out soon"? Manufacturer, etc.

 

It is not just one manufacturer. It is a new transfer standard. AnandTech - Breaking the SATA Barrier: SATA Express and SFF-8639 Connectors