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FCC Pics of the IBM ThinkPad X41 Tablet PC
jkendrick writes "jkOnTheRun has posted pics of the rumored IBM ThinkPad X41 Tablet PC pulled from the FCC filing. It looks as expected, a nice black ThinkPad with a major exception, the swivel screen and the Tablet OS."
thats one sweet concept in my opinion. put a little hole on the back so you can hang it when its in tablet mode and you have a picture frame too!
... and heres mirrordot to the rescue 0 a442b089c527c0f/index.html
http://www.mirrordot.org/stories/adae1f7a0023fd6c
Excuse me but what is the significance of this tablet PC? There're tons of these similar thingie out there...
So with photoshop and a blog, I can get on slashdot?
Sure, you just need to find a way to get your pictures hosted on an fcc.gov server as well. Good luck!
Heavy? The X series is 2.7lbs. That's not heavy. The IBM screens are great. My T42P is 14" and does 1400x1050 and is clearer than any other I've seen. They offer 15" screens now on most models if you want the extra size and weight.
Is there a price set or estimated? Is this going to be more expensive than the current X40 line?
If you RTFA there are links to the images on the FCC website.
Now... I'm not saying it is a hoax, but it looks real enough and I don't care enough that I can just leave it at that.
I sold them for many years and while they are, indeed, black, ugly, and heavy, they also tended to be sturdy and very reliable. I sold 76 to NASA for Shuttle missions (they used them onboard for several years but I have no idea what they use now).
http://www.busyweather.com/
For open source users the ThinkPad delivers a welcome change, in that the majority of the hardware is supported without special patches or drivers. I know the X40 ThinkPads were a favorite among the Linux and *BSD community because of how well they operated. On a side note, a lot of the Dell Inspiron and Lattitude laptops tend to work about as well.
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Consider it to be job security, and hope that more new gizmos keep coming out that need retraining for your users.
The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
Am I the only one here that passed basic math? I could have *sworn* that screen was only rotated 90 degrees in the picture...
"The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." - Patton
It humours me how people are unwilling to go the final step and just make a freakin slate tablet. These swivel setups always remind me of someone dipping a toe into cold water, not sure if they want to jump in or not. I bet that IBM could make an amazing slate which would rock the competition (with an exception of the Electrovaya Scribbler, perhaps). At any rate, it seems to me that this is still a laptop, albeit with a 'Tablet configuration'. It's still not a slate, and I personally still group it in the 'laptop' abstract class rather than the 'tablet' abstract class.
For those who care, The notebook comes equipped with a 12.1" XGA display and is powered by an Intel Pentium M 1.50 GHz processor. The X41 was first available April 12th and will set you back at least $1,999. - nYx
RTFA? It has links to PDFs on fcc .gov
r et rieve.cgi?attachment_id=533104&native_or_pdf=pdf
r et rieve.cgi?attachment_id=533105&native_or_pdf=pdf
r et rieve.cgi?attachment_id=526692&native_or_pdf=pdf
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/
And they match what's on the blog.
Can I get that with zVM installed?
Could someone update me on the exact status of IBM Thinkpads. I was under the impression the hardware business has been sold to Lenovo and that the latter would be allowed to use IBM's name for a few years. So would this be an IBM Thinkpad or would it be a Lenovo Thinkpad?
Projectors aren't nearly as ubiquitous as laptops, since everyone with a laptop can't afford to buy or carry a projector everywhere. This is nice for a small conference room setting or a person to person meeting.
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They are not ugly. A purple, plasticy Toshiba or Sony shitbox is ugly. Thinkpads look purposeful, like a Hummer H1 or F-18. They're not supposed to be beautiful, they're supposed to work.
As for heavy, I don't know where you got that - have you ever used a modern Thinkpad? When I was looking for a thin, light 15" mobile desktop, a Thinkpad was all I could find.
As for the "nipple" joystick, most Thinkpads come with both the nipple and a touchpad, so you can use whatever you want. The ultraportables don't, but what do you expect? A touchpad is a waste of space and weight.
As for the screen, you're basing your opinion on shitty spy photos that were submitted to the FCC? I have a Thinkpad T42p, and the 1600x1200 screen is the best I've ever used.
IBM is the last remaining manufacturer of quality PC laptops. I'm glad to see that the sale of the PC division to Lenovo hasn't affected that.
This space intentionally left blank.
No, time will not tell. If you had clicked on the "FCC doc 1" (and 2, 3) links, you'd find that they lead to PDFs hosted at FCC.gov (the Federal Communications Commission home page). The FCC documents are part of the FCC approval process (something most electronics have to go through, including computers). So, as long as you trust the FCC, then yeah, those are facts.
For the lazy:
-David Ziegler
-
Please tell me you told the users they had to remove their fingers to use the scanner?
...for widespread acceptance of Pen PCs. Microsoft has never given up with the tablet format (Unlike A--le), and I'm glad. I'm a big believer in this; I have a transmeta-based tablet here that's too slow for general use, and I also use the Logitech/Anoto pen for all engineering notetaking. I'm really hoping for a good tablet so I can go completely paperless...
Best Buy can have you arrested
What will IBM say to this release of data? What if they had a big release in the works? While some may say "this is free advertisement", PR departments like to do things on their schedules. Especially if they were planning, at the last minute, to scrap this thinkpad.
I mod down so you can mod up. Your welcome.
In the early 90's, when Pen for OS/2 was around, I had asked IBM about a ThinkPad where the LCD rotated around and covered the keyboard. A guy from IBM said that IBM had that but discontinued it.
I've never seen a reference to this but supposedly, IBM once had a tablet Thinkpad( heavy as a brick ) over 10 years ago.
LoB
"Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
Even more, my mother is an elementary school teacher, and she has been telling me how they are phasing cursive out of the cirriculum. Laptops are now issued to many students starting as soon as first grade (they get iBooks, I think). She marvels at how well kids can use a computer at such a young age, but it's is the Information Age in which they are growing up.
I have 2 sons, 4th and 2nd grade, and their school doesn't teach cursive either. I expressed my concern over this at a PTA meeting when I asked how my kids were ever going to learn how to sign their name. I suppose this generation and others after will sign documents in block print.
My point in all of this? If this trend is exhibited outside of these 2 school districts, then who will use Tablet PCs? I know cursive but write in all caps, engineering style. It's not efficient for me to write on a Tablet PC when I can just type! I think the same will be said of future generations...
I really hate it when the "zoomed in" pictures are 1% bigger than the thumbnails. 1%!!!! What's the point?!
Previous models failed for two main reasons: 1. Cost. Tablets are still generally more expensive than bargain laptops, but are now obtainable in the $1000-$2000 sweet spot. 2. Software. I have to admit, that Microsoft's Windows Tablet edition really goes a long way to making the technology useful and purposeful. The ink API's also make third-party developers able to extend the functionality easily. Now, if only the Gimp supported it!
If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.
I am a current Thinkpad X31 owner, and I've been considering Tablet PCs for a while. The thing that has consistently held me back is the XGA (1024x768) screen. I have XGA on my current Thinkpad and it's just too small for Photoshop or some of the other programs I use on a daily basis. I've been taking a serious look at the Toshiba Portege M200, which uses 1400x1050 (SXGA+) resolution instead. While I'm excited that IBM, which is by far my favorite laptop brand (Toshiba being a close second), is coming out with a Tablet PC, I'm disappointed in the screen resolution. What really makes this Tablet PC unique? It's just like most of the other ones. I'd still rather have the Toshiba.
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About two years ago I attended a presentation with one of the heads of IBM's industrial design group, and he had some pretty interesting things to say about why the ThinkPads look the way they do. The one that stuck in my head was that "they're boxy and angular because pretty much all of the interior components are boxy and angular... introducing curves, beveled edges, and round corners would just result in wasted space".
As a long-time PowerBook owner (replete with curves, beveled edges, and round corners) I walked away from the discussion still thinking that the machines were ugly, but recognizing that they were purposely ugly, rather than from trying to look cool and failing miserably.
I had a Toshiba Tablet PC.
It was a fair laptop... not the best, not the worst, but not worth the $$$. I'm glad work bought it for me.
As a tablet? Well, it wasn't useful for me. Maybe it's good for people who need to stand and write (and digitize!) at the same time, or those who need to do light-weight doodles without the need for a graphic designer's high-quality tablet & display. But since I code, create presentations, do word processing, excel, etc, the tablet feature is next to useless.
But I'm sure some will find use for it. For now, I'll keep my smart phone and my traditional Dell laptop.
I'm rather surprised that the "living room palmtop" idea hasn't taken off yet. Here's what I'd buy for sure:
:)
Price range: ~$400
Slate-like Tablet PC (pen-driven) interface
1280x1024 or 1400x1050 resolution (1600x1200 would really be ideal)
802.11b/g wireless networking
Has Windows Pocket PC or similar small OS installed, with some games, etc.
Set up so that I can Remote Desktop into my Windows PC upstairs
This would be a godsend. I'd set the thing on my coffee table and use it to just check my email without having to run upstairs to my desktop.
I know Microsoft had this with Mira a while ago, but Mira devices were costly ($900-$1200) and mostly ran at 800x600 or 1024x768. Now that LCDs have dropped so far in price, I really feel this is a good marketing opportunity. Also, put Pocket PC on it and the thing can play games, etc. without having to be connected to the PC upstairs. Marketed properly and with the right price point, I bet we'd see these in most geek living rooms. It could even double as an interactive photo album with a stand and SD card slots, or a DVD player with a USB hookup. I'd welcome a device like this at $400 or less.
Waiting patiently for the manufacturers to catch up to my imagination...
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I went for an interview at company whose primary business was IT services. Before I was allowed to interview with the hiring manager, I had to fill out an application, longhand. On this application I had to list my high school in three separate places. Two of those places were on the same document. After not taking the job, I told my friend that recommended me:
It just pisses me off to no end when I have to fill out a form only for some admin to mis-type it into a computer. If HR is really worried about Larry the retarded janitor not being able to fill out an application on the computer print a copy for him. But for God's sake, don't make me write something that's going to be typed into a computer anyway.
Still, with a plan, you only get the best you can imagine. I'd always hoped for something better than that. -CP
I feel your pain. I once got even with our Ad Execs by telling them their new laptops had Facial Attribute Recognition Technology Software (FARTS)... They had to put the tip of their nose on the middle of the screen after entering their passwords, and then hit 'enter'... After about two weeks, I told them that I disabled that feature because it was overkill. Sadly, for the gene pool anway, they had been following my instructions. The cave people should be nicer to the space people. I reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaalllllllly wish I had videotaped them logging on...
Someday a real rain is gonna come...
IBM did have a Thinkpad in the early 90's that the screen hinged at the bottom and then again in the middle. You poped a few clips ant the screen tilted back over itself to become a tablet. I cannot remember the model (something like 755cx) but I worked on them all the time.
There has been a similar laptop from Gateway , which has been shipping for at least 1.5 yrs.
You create your own reality - Leave mine to me.
Black, ugly, heavy, and still using that nipple joystick in the middle of the keyboard.
Black? The black color will be attractive to some, unappealing to others. I like the way they look, but I'm not all that picky on color.
Ugly? Again, that's a matter of opinion and I happen to like the way they look. No swoopy plastic, just well-engineered function. The keyboard is especially functional and well-constructed.
Heavy? Not sure what scale you're using, but you should get it checked. The Thinkpad line ranges in weight from 7lbs (including power brick) to 3.5lbs (including power brick). Only a few of the Sony laptops (and all ultraportables) are lighter and only if you leave the DVD drive at home. When comparing apple-to-apple functionally, the IBM has always come out lighter. It's one of the reasons I'm willing to pay more for them.
"nipple joystick"? All but the lightest of the Thinkpads have both trackpoint and touchpad controllers. Personally, I love the trackpoint and I have never managed to get the hang of a touchpad. The ability to leave my fingers near the home keys while moving the cursor is wonderful. I won't buy a laptop that doesn't have a trackpoint controller.
The screen looks underwhelming as well.
You should look at a Thinkpad screen in person. They tend to be the brightest and clearest displays I've ever seen. Few/no dead/hot pixels either. The resolution of this particular tablet is underwhelming, but I have two Thinkpads with 1600x1200 displays (a21p r50p) and I've never had a more comfortable display than those laptop displays. With subpixel antialiasing turned on, I've noted that I don't mind reading documents in electronic form. Normally, I find reading documents on a computer screen annoying and I print stuff pretty quickly to avoid it. Not if I'm at home using either of our Thinkpads.
I'm not sure what the attraction is to these Thinkpads.
IBM made the best designed and built laptop on the market, bar none. Like many others, I'm very interested to see whether Lenovo continues the trend or whether they drop the ball and drop the design standard down to the quality of the Dells, Toshibas and Gateways...
Regards,
Ross
Thinkpads, in my experience, are the only truly *good* pc laptops. They're ugly, but they do the job and if you need to you can beat a rhinoceros to death with one.
But, looking at the swivel, and knowing that IBM's selling off the Thinkpad line to the chinese company Lenovo (???), I can't help but wonder if the quality will still be what it was. This isn't meant to be a cut against the Chinese -- really it's my concern that without IBM looking over their shoulders, will the quality remain high? And it's not like the Chinese are famous for high quality manufacturing.
Regarding the form factor, the swivel seems like a good way to have your screen break off. I've seen some swivel laptops in stores, and -- for god's sake -- the demo units are creaky and nearly broken. Sure, people mess with the demo units, but those units aren't being put in backpacks or being taken everywhere you go. On *all* the demos I've seen the screens have several degrees of free play, and look like they'll break off if you look at them too hard. On a few I actually saw breakage as the friction clamp torqued out the plastic housing. Not good.
If anybody can pull this off, IBM can, but I'm not holding my breath.
And, one more rant factor -- can't anybody make a laptop which doesn't look like a frankenstein's monster of parts thrown together? There's so many air vents, access panels and other hoo hah that the damn thing looks like the death-star, but flattened into a laptop form factor. There's too many things to catch on your bag, or break off. Apple does this right -- their laptops are smooth and have nothing to catch on anything or break off.
lorem ipsum, dolor sit amet
Actually, it goes back to before OS/2.
The original concept for the ThinkPad was for a pen slate (hence the name, the inspiration came from leather notepads IBM used to give out to employees w/ ``Think!'' embossed on them). You can get the backstory on this in the book _ThinkPad: A Different Shade of Blue, building an IBM brand_ or in Jerry Kaplan's book _StartUp_.
Early models included the 701T, 703T and 730TE (slate models) and the 360PE (and a couple of other convertible models). At first they could run one's choice of Windows for Pen Computing (Win3.1 w/ HWR and some nifty pen-oriented apps) or PenPoint (but that was more expensive 'cause one had to pay the Microsoft ``tax'').
William
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
And another story just a short time later discusses an increase in website attacks against government servers. Hm...
[
Warning - anecdote:
My wife's 1998-vintage Thinkpad (well out of warranty) failed in late 2001. We sent it to a local shop for repairs - they replaced the motherboard at no charge (parts OR labor!) because IBM had had "trouble" with this motherboard before.
When it failed again a year later, it was repaired again at no charge.
You could argue that it shouldn't have failed in the first place (bad solder on a power connection), but you can't beat that support! I won't buy anything but a Thinkpad anymore.
I always loved the Transnote, an older Thinkpad with an integrated art tablet. It was designed for architects, engineers, etc., who liked to be able to sketch things.
Sign me up for one of these!