No more Thinkpad in space? HP wins NASA contract.

Please read this :

NewsFactor Network | HP Wins $2.5 Billion NASA Contract for IT Services

Is it true that all notebook will be replaced by HPs? It said that HP wins 10-year Agency Consolidated End-user Services (ACES) contract worth up to $2.5 billion which include personal-computing hardware, agency-standard software, mobile IT services, peripherals and accessories, and other infrastructure.

No more Thinkpad in space?

 

I am not surprised that either HP or Dell wins the contract to the NASA IT contracts... Technology used in current Thinkpads are also used by HP and Dell, the quality differences or differences in overall robustness are probably very close for their business laptop line.

 

HP is American. I would guess that the old contract was with IBM, which put Thinkpads into space before they were bought by Lenovo.

 

If you read the article carefully, Lockheed Martin was in for the bid as well. The article says IT infrastructure so there's more to it than just merely using a laptop in space.

 

Yes, i am completely aware of that. So?

 

HP laptops are made in the USA?

 

Not what he said.

"HP is American" is what he said - the company.
Lenovo is not a US company, IBM is, and they were the ones who had the contract, which was "inherited" by Lenovo.

Now that it's up for renewal, it was pretty much HP or Dell, which are both American companies. Not where it's made - where the company's from.

I'm sure there's some requirements to use a US company, especially in critical or intelligence areas, when possible.

 

That makes a lot of sense. That's probably it.

 

from security point of view, all dell, hp, or lenovo systems are under the same risk, since the systems are made by the same bunch of CM.

it is not strange to see US using American companies in their government contracts, since it is seen as good for the local economy. Conversely is true for China using more Lenovo then either Dell or HP. Just like US wouldn't be using Renault cars as their official government cars, or French government using Cadillac as their's.

 

In this day and age, I would think the US space agency would be a little concerned about all of their laptops being made outside the country.

I asked about where HP's are made for that reason. You never know...

 

yeah I think it's mostly done as a political stunt, the Federal government always tries to "buy American" even if they are American-owned but foreign-made (and conversely, won't buy foreign-owned and American-made goods (Honda Accord for instance is more "American" than many GM cars based upon where it's built). I think it's done not because it's required in most cases but because it's the political favorable thing to do (in some cases it is mandated by law, the recovery act had some "buy American" provision in it that ended up hurting some areas because some local companies manufactured parts abroad and that provision pushed business out of that county or state or area of the country (where it was designed to have a positive economic impact), and grants given would have less of an effect on that given district because of it). But yeah, for instance all the Federal government-owned vehicles are from GM or Ford, even Chrysler isn't too favored because it's partly foreign-owned (first by Daimler then Fiat).

I don't think any HPs are still made in the US though. Pretty much all computer components are made in China, Taiwan, South Korea, South East Asia, around that area. And you know, I think the HP business laptops are pretty nice looking (and Dell business laptops too). Thinkpads are still plastic, which is what I don't enjoy too much. My laptop is 2.5 years old and I have 2 case cracks. And I haven't dropped or banged my laptop either!

Edit: also remember that the government got freaked out about Lenovo buying the Thinkpad brand a couple years ago, supposedly once Lenovo bought Thinkpad, the CIA (or other organization) said they can't use Thinkpads for classified information because they thought it would be bugged. Even though there was no evidence of such goings-on.

 

maybe it's not political at all, maybe NASA chose HP over Thinkpad has dropped its quality and service standard.

 

That means there could have been more things that HP can provide in terms of IT infrastructure. HP's goal for the past 5 years has been trying to be what IBM is right now, providing high technology. If you notice Lenovo's business is mostly selling personal and Enterprise level computers, HP has been trying to do more than just "selling computers." And Lockheed Martin is an engineering firm, to able to "outbid" them means HP probably has something else on the table, which, I assume, Lenovo can't offer.

The article also doesn't mention anything about laptops being replaced....And no mention of Lenovo as well.

This also has political in it as mentioned. Perhaps some heads of the Government think "what if those Chinese install malicious software to spy on us?"....

But anyway, that's my 2 cent

 

I know what you mean.

What i am asking is are they (NASA) still use Thinkpad afterall? Or the claim at lenovoblogs about thinkpad in space no longer valid because of this new contract?

 

Does it matter? NASA did use Thinkpads. Lenovo can still advertise that fact. Whether or not they are still is not really relevant.

 

prolly matters to the spies embedding code in the chips

 

I just want to know. Thats why i ask in the first place?

 

With NASA about to fly their last Shuttle mission, and the Russians as the only available providers of lifting capabilies to the International Space Station, I'm not sure how much mileage HP will get out of their takeover of NASA for IT Services. Not many NASA flights to go on for now, it would seem.

It does sound like a much larger package was involved, with laptops not being the most important part. As for potential espionage, look at that was leaked by members of the US Armed Forces and Wikileaks - the Chinese could not have done better! CC

 

LOL

Well see what is it all about.
Either way, if HP flyies into space, they might actually design something great for that mission and pass it onto Elitebook line for rest of customers ?

 

Thinkpad will be the first laptop to land to on Mars.