thinkpad ideas

i just had some thoughts/suggestions about improvements to the design for the next T4XX.

i assume it should start with the t400s template (speaker, HDMI, trackpad, red marks)

-all plastic be replaced with the rubber (palmrest, bezel, etc) like the top
-get rid of the modem
-keyboard have 4 corners (ESC, DEL, CTRL, RT ARROW)
-at least one horizontal USB
-much thinner bezel, to emulate the MBP screen
-some new cool technology for the screen, like OLED, or IPS tech to improve viewing angles.
-glossy screen option would deviate from the classic, but as optional is nice, for color saturation.
-2.5" hdd?

i think that in the future, we will laugh about how ugly protruding batteries look because future batteries will be so advanced.

what do u guys think? i tried to focus on exterior b/c the inside depends on what tech is available at the time

 

The rubberized finish on the rest of the laptop is done in the X30x series. I agree adding it everywhere will be a nice feature but I can also see long term wear potentially being an issue of making it ugly.

Yes I think the modem can go also for me personally.

Yes, I think the vertical USB is terrible considering some more bulkier USB connectors (e.g. random USB drive varieties) probably won't fit without proping the laptop up.

Yes, bezel should definately be thinner.

No, glossy screen is crappy IMO.

2.5" HDD is supported in the other models

And to add to this, I think getting rid of PCMCIA slots is a good idea. Most useless thing ever for me personally. I'd rather have a second HDD bay.

 

forget rubberized plastic... just give us decent hard plastic that doesn't succumb to keyboard shine like the current cheap chinese junk. Thinner bezel - yes. Horizontal USB - yes (but only a minor issue IMO). HDMI - yes. Better screen options - yes, but a big NO to glossy, which is nothign more than an eye-strain inducing gimmick IMO. I also have no problem with the keyboard... it's still one of the best on a notebook and layout is not really an issue.

 

i want a remote starter for thinkpads! LOLZ...

 

yea i guess rubberized plastic on the palm rest would wear out 10 times faster than the corners of the lid.

HDMI is a must, i forgot (maybe vga should be kept for a while longer anyways?)

and PCMCIA? i didnt even know what that was until i looked it up. And yes they should definetely get rid of it; it is useless and makes the palmrest feel weak around that area (hollow is not good)

and it would be cool if the laptop felt super sturdy when i pick it up from the corner (when open), like the MBP does. this is just an overall statement that means the whole computer should feel firm and be dense (and thin). hearing plastic creak sucks.

 

You should just get an x301. It has all of those features already (except DisplayPort instead of HDMI). Naturally, it's expensive and uses a ULV CPU to allow for the thin design but it covers all those points.

 

I could care less about HDMI. I actually use the card slot for for a card reader, which older ThinkPads like mine don't have. All of this I think points out one person's useful feature is another's waste of space. It's Lenovo's charge to find hopefully the right balance of performance, features, size/weight and cost.

My R60 feels pretty sturdy when picked up in the corner, though it has a stiff roll cage.

 

yes, getting rid of ports can alienate many user. i wish they would offer more availability to choose ports, even fundamental ones, without sacrificing build quality (like filling a slot with a plastic blank)

 

The flap on my x200 Tablet's 54mm ExpressCard makes it feel quite rigid. I can lift it from any corner or push down heavily on the palmrest without it flexing. My best guess would be that the increased cross section of your notebook is as much to blame for your flex problem as anything else.

Likewise my old T40 with two PCMCIA slots and a similar, but taller, flap also felt very sturdy. I could, and frequently did, lift the T40 by any corner. However, this is not recommended as the T4x series felt stronger than they actually were (lifting from the corners induced motherboard flex and was one of the main reasons for the GPU desoldering issue on the T4x line).

I do NOT like spacers, they weigh several grams and are easy to lose. If you're going to put something in there at least make it moderately useful like the media remotes on most consumer HPs.

 

I would scream of joy if they would make a SXGA+ screen for the next T4xx... Also higher grade plastic would be nice and a thinner screen bezel. Red and blue stripes on touchpad buttons...

 

1. Bezel
2. Bezel
3. Bezel
4. Make the trackpoint stop drifting
5. Bezel
6. Design the extended batteries better
7. Bezel

 

I agree about softer palmrest, like rubberized one on 600X, or maybe leather.
And screen with better viewing angles!
(Showing demand for that is a major purpose for the survey in my sig -- maybe you'd like to fill one out. Please? )

I prefer matte to glossy screen surface, but realize that others differ.

 

The bezel thing is so over-rated as an issue. It's not like the screen doesn't work. You're like a bunch of old women.

 

Old women? Who you talking about?!?!? ;-)

I agree with the sentiment about the bezel, though.

 

HDMI/displayport and quad core CPUs would make me happy, oh and a WSXGA+ screen if it existed. Other then that is pretty perfect.

edit: Whats wrong with the bezel???

 

i doubt the bezel is THAT bad; it actually is very functional. i think they should offer more usb ports or even an esata port. some thinkpads also have battery wiggle issues so making those fit snugly can relieve future buyers. if lenovo could utilize rgb led in their future panels, they would become very competitive to the other companies.

 

Of all the many laptops I have owned or supported, only 1 didnt have battery wiggle and it was an Averatec.

 

looks like im set to buying a thinkpad then xD. i just need to actually find a good model set up in the outlet =P

 

Actually I have no problem with the wiggle, I just don't understand why the 6 cell battery lumps out like this. Just a bit, but so noticeable.

Does anyone even use the 4-cell battery and no other battery? I doubt it. Everyone either runs a 9-cell only, or 6-cell only, or 4-cell combined with one of the others, or the wall wart. This means the 4-cell battery is useless. They should make the 6 cell standard and make it fit more in line with the chassis.

Oh and how is the bezel functional? Do you mean for drop protection?

 

They have shown some very nice imporovements in T400s, particularly in fit and finish and the keyboard.

The recently introduced screens are much better as well. The high nit WXGA on T400 is amazing and the new T400s screen is much improved over the WXGA+ used in T400. You should be glad they discontinued those, as both versions of the same panel were terrible.

 

Mine wiggles, but it doesn't hurt or impede work. I personally like how it sticks out as it allows me to grip the battery when carrying it around while its running something. The bezel has an alloy frame inside it for protection with drops blunt force and so on.

 

wow, i'd never use the battery as a handle. that's ballsy.

 

another thing: replace the VGA with DVI-I. (you can use a converter from dvi-to-vga, but not backwards)

 

also in the survey posted by someone, an option for NO OS or a free OS would be good.