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Thinkpad X300 Specs Leaked
Kyokushi writes "Gizmodo reports that some specifications of a new ultralight Lenovo X300 have been leaked. 'It appears that Lenovo have themselves a new ultralight X300 series Thinkpad — and outside of the price and release date, we have all of the specs that you need to know. At a glance, some of the major features include: a 13.3-inch LED backlit 1440X900 screen, an ultralight 2.5 pound form factor, and Intel Merom Santa Rosa Dual Core CPU (2.0 Ghz / 880 Mhz ), a 64 GB SSD, up to 4GB of DDR2 PC2-5300 memory, and 4 hours of battery life.' If this is true, then Lenovo looks to have some heavy competition for the Macbook Air." Update: 01/20 22:55 GMT by S : Corrected Gizmondo->Gizmodo.
But does it run OS X?
This sounds really interesting, but I'm waiting to hear more about video and wireless card. Thinkpads have been very good for me in running Linux, but Linux on laptops these days often comes down to the video card, modem, and the wireless card. Modems are usually winmodems, which are hard to support - but I haven't used a modem in years. Anyone have other details to point to?
Apple also has OSX, and Lenovo has Windows. The difference in operating systems is more than branding (I don't own a Mac, but let's face it, Microsoft is still playing catch-up.)
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Yeah, someday Microsoft may hope to sell more copies of their software than Apple does. Catch up indeed.
I still cannot understand the rabid obsession with thinness the most people have, the two most importent things for me are weight and battery life, the laptops thickness is its least problomatic dimension. i would rather have this over the Air, this should also be tougher than the Air, which cannot be too tough. This also has 4G Ram, which is a must for any media work. The Air is more of a fashion accessory than a serious laptop IMO
Why do all thinkpads look like they are from 1995? I know they are targeting businesses, and are great laptop's, but seriously, that laptop looks the same as my 300mhz Pentium 2 thinkpad
Yes, but we aren't talking about the relative financial success here: we're talking about the usability and sophistication of the product itself. And there Microsoft is way behind. Make no mistake ... I don't like Apple, I don't like Jobs, and it's unlikely I'll ever own an Apple product again (the last one was an Apple ][.) So I'm not defending Apple Computer, per se, but as a Windows programmer I'm more than familiar with the shortcomings of that particular OS.
Catch up, indeed.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Spoken like a true fanboy. When all else fails, pull out the Market Share card. I'll use it too.
Hey, everybody, the Ford Escort is higher quality car than a Porsche Carrera GT. Want proof? There are more Escorts on the road!
It's only competition for the Airbook (yes - I know it's a "MacBook Air") if the intent of the Airbook was to lure droves of Windows users. As to the idea that it was "leaked" - please - this was nothing more than a press release in the guise of a leak. It was stunningly reminiscent of the Windows "yeah - we've got that too - next week! - so don't go anywhere" tactic.
Looks like a fantastic machine, could compete very well with the Sony TX ultra-small, full-powered laptops (models I have used for several years). The only thing obviously missing is the option to buy it with no OS and/or with Linux. Before someone cries about "Linux isn't ready" or "Linux isn't mainstream", I would stress the word *OPTION*. Let consumers decide what they want, if it means no OS, so be it... Lenovo doesn't HAVE to offer Linux support, although that would be even more courageous.
MS-Windows can be preinstalled but licensed separately, meaning there only has to be a single packaging, model, inventory, etc. They could even choose a free, redistributable Linux distro and install that too and the user can have a working machine in minutes, even if they opt to not spend money on Vista. Initialization of the machine can automatically remove the space consumed by either, based on the user's choice.
I kinda doubt Microsoft would allow such competition, though... but it seems a reasonable objective to combat such restrictions based on an anti-trust lawsuit.
I'm personally not a fan of ultraportable laptops with the footprints of ordinary laptops. If a laptop is going to be minimalistic, its manufacturer ought to go all the way. A subnotebook will never replicate the functionality of a typical 14" computer, so it's pointless to give it the footprint of one. I'd much rather see a diminished footprint than a minuscule thickness. I would personally prefer an updated version of my Thinkpad S30 than this MacBook Air competitor.
This message printed on 100% post-consumer recycled electrons.
...that's what I call it. Apple is into "cosmetic computing", which isn't actually about computing at all. It's about being able to sell someone something for little to nothing of actual design cost just by making the "thing" look more eye appealing. Steve Jobs is not into what computer science geeks are about, he's into the somewhat lucrative market of art. Steve has managed to move Apple into the upper class. He's not selling to coach fliers. He wants his products to be used by people who drink wine with their dinners, while discussing the paintings of the art scene and Prada.
I've also noticed that a lot of what Apple does now is "output only". Many of Apples latest products are all about getting you to buy media, not create it. For example, the Apple iPod line could very well have a built in stereo A/D converter for high-end audio, like the Roland EDIROL R-09 recorder, but nooo, that would be "enabling" the customer, which we just can't allow. Also, Apple it seems just doesn't want their devices to become general "computing" devices that the public can control with their own software. yuk spit.
Apple doesn't have the panacea of the OS world. And I own a Mac. Seriously, Vista is not that bad and can be comparable to Apple. The annoying popups shouldn't actually be experienced in properly written software for end-users anyway.
:)
Windows API/ABI at least is stable. Apple's new OS is less so. I wander how long it will take for 10.0 apps to be unusable. The only "problem" with 64-bit Vista is you can't run Windows 3.1 apps anymore.
I know you can argue that manifests are nasty and all that, but at least the overall situation with manifests is a little better than the old DLL-hell we used to experience. Apple has a better solution from user standpoint, though it has its shortcoming (ie. app bundles).
But if you are speaking from a programming world (as someone that writes software for all 3 OS - OS X, windows and Linux), Linux's userland is way ahead in the programmer friendliness. Stuff just works. Tools just work. Automation just works. In this light and my experience, both X and Windows are light-years behind.
Is that it has both GPS and WIMAX on board. That is what makes it a more interesting and forward looking design than Mac Air. Physically, it's boring. The cornucopia of ports is boring. Laptops have these things. It looks so like every other Lenovo laptop that there's nothing 'must have' about the appearance. But I am convinced that the next killer application will be location sensitive and require ubiquitous mobile connectivity. WiFi doesn't have it and 3G isn't very fast.
Steve Jobs isn't going to lie awake tonight kicking himself because Lenovo have brought out yet another dull black corporate laptop. He's going to be kicking himself about the GPS and the WIMAX.
I'm old enough to remember when discussions on Slashdot were well informed.
That's nice - where does the WiFi router get its network connectivity? Magic?
You're an idiot.
For everything I want to do:\
Firefox
Watch Movies
Skype
Urban Terror
Audacity
Thunderbird
Abiword
Civilization 2
Burn CDs
Play mp3s
That system is overkill. Don't get me wrong, extra horse power is always a good thing, but aside from burning a cd, a EEE will do everything I want and (I'm sure) is much cheaper and smaller, and easy to carry. I'd like to see more competition in the ultra cheap department, once I can get something of EEE functionality for $150, I'll be considering lots of extra fun little projects.
I mean, other than running Vista (why would you do that to yourself, anyway?), is there a point to spending more for that much horse power? Ubuntu runs well on a pentium 3 and does 99% of what most people need!!!
I hold very few opinions. I hold information based on observation and fact. If you wish to disagree, please use facts.
No, 10/100 Ethernet isn't all that fast. Apple doesn't really want you to use it either, that's why it's offered as an option, for those who absolutely must plug in. Apple wants you to use 802.11n, which at 30MB/ps is quite respectable. Since the standard disk in the MacBook comes straight from the iPod, at 1.8" and 4200rpm, it's not likely to be a great performer in the high speed transfer department anyways, so why bother with Gigabit Ethernet.
;)
Perhaps more importantly, Apple wants you to keep your multimedia files on separate devices such as Time Capsule and Apple TV, so you won't be needing to transfer large files anyways
My biggest beef with this design is the small form factor HDD instead of the standard 2.5" form factor and the optical drive bay, which I have a use for but which I'd rather not be there at all to save space for the battery and add rigidity to the chassis.
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Oh, come on. Five years back when Vista was just a gleam in Bill Gates' eye Microsoft was promising all sorts of fantastic things, things that the Mac eventually came out with (or already had at the time) while Vista has been an ongoing mess of promised features being removed. Like I said elsewhere, I don't own a Mac and don't much care for Apple or it's reality-bending leader, but Vista is a lame-duck product considering how long Microsoft had to work on it. I say that as a software engineer who has to learn and work with Microsoft products (hey, it's a living.)
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
There is no part of the MacBook Air where 0.6 or 0.7 of anything will fit, no matter the width. Remember, the MacBook Air is 0.16 to 0.76 inch thick, including the screen. I measured the base, the thickest it gets is 0.35 inch, near the hinge. On both sides of the computer these spots are already taken; on the left by the power connector, and on the right by micro-DVI, minijack and USB.
By the way, MacBook Air doesn't want to be your next "dull work notebook" or "corporate workhorse". The MBA is a computer for people with smooth hands. If you need a tricked out notebook meant as desktop replacement, try the MacBook Pro. Just don't compare that ThinkPad to a MacBook. The MacBook is a $1100 consumer laptop, the ThinkPad X61 is a $2000 mammoth tanker.
people who learn how to use the trackpoint correctly, never go back.
Having to take your fingers off the keyboard to use the mouse on a laptop is not ergonomic.
I would rather be dead than to use anything from Apple. They are simply an evil company. I think they actually care less for their users than Microsoft (maybe).