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    about people who design Thinkpads?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by kns, May 31, 2009.

  1. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    Just curious, are they mostly the same people who designed Thinkpads for IBM before Lenovo took over? How do they like it now comparing to before? Are they paid better or worse?
     
    kns, May 31, 2009
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  2. jonlumpkin

    jonlumpkin NBR Transmogrifier

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    Not sure about pay or their personal opinions, but the majority of the design still takes place in RTP North Carolina.

    I would imagine there was a bit of a culture clash when they were purchased by a Chinese company though.

    You might want to read David Hill's (Vice President, Lenovo Corporate Identity and Design) blog Design Matters to get a better idea.
     
    jonlumpkin, May 31, 2009
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  3. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks. I assume the machines had been made in China anyway during the IBM time? If so, same engineers, same manufacturer...
     
    kns, May 31, 2009
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  4. jonlumpkin

    jonlumpkin NBR Transmogrifier

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    For the most part yes, although I believe they were made in Mexico in the mid 1990s before being moved to China.
     
    jonlumpkin, May 31, 2009
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  5. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

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    Lenovo is now re-expanding into Mexico.
    -Renee
     
    Renee, May 31, 2009
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  6. jaredy

    jaredy Notebook Virtuoso

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    My understanding of the design process (based on blogs from lenovo) is that conceptually they sort of think up a machine to produce in the US. Then the REAL engineering takes place in japan (within the reality of production).

    You need to look at the difference in cost for these machines.

    Also place of manufacturing is not any indication of inherent quality. China or Mexico can produce a machine at exactly the quality a company wants (given that the company pays for it).
     
    jaredy, May 31, 2009
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  7. zerosource

    zerosource Notebook Deity

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    Same quality, different price, business trick can do.
     
    zerosource, Jun 1, 2009
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  8. kns

    kns Notebook Evangelist

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    Worse customer service? I don't know what IBM customer service for Thinkpad was like, but I know Lenovo customer service does not match Thinkpad's reputation :rolleyes:
     
    kns, Jun 1, 2009
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