Lenovo Switches To Windows 10 Signature Edition Image For Its Future ThinkPad Laptops (mspoweruser.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Ahead of tradeshow CES 2017, Lenovo today announced major changes coming to its ThinkPad lineup of laptops and PCs. First, Lenovo has decided to ship 2017 ThinkPad models with Microsoft's Signature Edition Windows 10 right out of the box. So, users don't have to worry about bloatware anymore. Signature Edition PCs are clean, fast and protected. The second big announcement is that Lenovo is now offering optional Intel Optane 3D drives on select ThinkPad models. Due to the small capacity, initial Optane M.2 drives will be used for caching in the ThinkPad T470p, L470, L570, T470, and T570. Third, Lenovo is moving to the Microsoft Precision TouchPad drivers for consistent touchpad experience across ThinkPad devices. The Windows Precision Touchpad drivers provide high precision pointer input and gesture functionality.

Comments

Just spyware

[Somebody Is Using My]

Lenovo didn't like that all those third-party shovel-ware apps were getting in the way of their own spyware.

Re:Just spyware

[operagost]

I would like a laptop that is clean, fast, and protected from Microsoft's update mechanism rebooting it while I'm using it.

Re: Just spyware

[squiggleslash]

You can't, that's one of the major complaints, you can't just set it to a small number of hours you'd be very unlikely to be using the computer.

Also, why the hell does it need to reboot to install updates? Ubuntu et al don't unless you update the kernel, which 99% of the time you don't.

Real answer to GP: disable the Windows Update service. Re-enable it once a month and manually run updates, then disable it again. Just make sure you don't forget.

Re: Just spyware

[Aighearach]

I'm running a different linux flavor, but if I run updates I can still just wait until I would have otherwise rebooted, and then I'll be running the new kernel. So even then I'm not rebooting for updates. They could program the update system to reboot you in an emergency scenario, but it has never happened. Users who don't understand how to read the news and apply an update are generally people that instead will reboot to solve any sort of problem. So it solves itself for everybody without any need for update-driven reboots.

proprietary drivers

[Anonymous Coward]

Now, the question is, is this going to be take two of the same BS they tried to pull, using proprietary drivers and disabling boot to other devices, in order to force users to use windows 10 and eliminate the ability to boot off of another OS, and failing that, to even see the hdd due to said drivers not being available under linux?

Re:proprietary drivers

[nnull]

Probably. That's why I went with a Dell. I never believed I'd buy a Dell before, but I don't regret it. It's been pretty good and they've been really linux friendly of late, even their support. I remember when I could load linux onto Thinkpads without much issues (I have an old one running Freebsd on one without issues), not anymore.

Too late

[Billly Gates]

Spearfish and so called drivers that are really malware software that keep re-installing themselves through the Windows Store puts Lenovo in my DO NOT BUY list.

Re: Lenovo lately

[slasher999]

I bought a T440s a couple of years ago direct at a bargain price and it's been fantastic. As good as any ThinkPad I've used over the past almost 25 years including the T20, 600 series, 760 XL, 755 and 701. Probably a few others.

Can I dual boot

[fluffernutter]

I can still dual boot this to linux.... right??

Re:Can I dual boot

[unixisc]

Only 'libre-Linux' has that requirement: most mainstream Linux distros have no issues w/ that. GP's question is whether the BIOS is something that would support Linux in UEFI mode or anything like it.

Re:Can I dual boot

[Anonymous Coward]

I wouldn't say your post is 100% bullshit, that'd be giving you too much credit for a content-free one-liner.

The GP is correct though, Signature Edition laptops from Lenovo (Yoga pieces so far) are locked into windows via a weird hdd configuration, as per Microsoft's licensing deal, and there's no reason to believe there will be a different deal for Thinkpads. Sad times.

Re:Lenovo lately

[damn_registrars]

That may be true with the IdeaPad and other consumer level laptops from Lenovo. I challenge you to point out a better laptop on the market today than a ThinkPad. I just replaced my X201 with an X260 - only because I needed more RAM than my X201 could address, it still runs fine - and the X260 is faster, more reliable, lighter, and less expensive than the MacBook Pros that my colleagues opted for instead.

Re:NO bloatware? Spyware?

[damn_registrars]

What about the spyware for the Chinese government data collection?
Really not an issue. The people who are using the laptops that are used for collecting data for the Chinese government - notably the ThinkPads are not amongst those - are happily giving away all their data to facebook at the same time. Lenovo is just cutting out the middle man for the Chinese.

Avoid Reboots with "Metered Connections"

[Anonymous Coward]

You can avoid unexpected Windows 10 updates by setting the network connections to be "metered connections".
Windows will then avoid downloading updates in the background because it thinks you are paying a lot for the bytes.
Google "windows 10 metered connection"

bios fake raid on the m2 cards used for caching?

[Joe_Dragon]

bios fake raid on the m2 cards used for caching?
Some windows only driver?
Even at 128GB I want to use the pci-e storage as an real boot disk and have apps and other data on an 2th disk.

Re: Lenovo lately

[fluffernutter]

You don't need a touchpad when it has touchpoint. Much more accurate and no need to take your hands away from the keyboard.