Lenovo IdeaPad U1 / LePad prototype

Slate style computers (with touchscreen displays and no keyboards) appear to be all the rage these days. But while Lenovo is planning to bring a consumer-oriented Android powered tablet, the company has been reluctant to launch a business-oriented ThinkPad tablet. Now it looks like that may change.

PC World reports that a Lenovo VP says enterprise customers have expressed interest in mobile tablets that compliment, but don’t necessarily replace laptop and desktop computers and that it might make sense to introduce a business-oriented slate.

Lenovo isn’t committing to bringing a ThinkPad slate to market just yet, but it sounds like the company is at least considering its options. That comes in contrast to a report earlier this year suggesting that Lenovo wouldn’t be introducing a slate.

Lenovo already offers a line of ThinkPad notebooks which have touchscreen displays which can be folded down over the keyboard for use in tablet mode, but these tend to be bigger, heavier, and more expensive than slate PCs.

via SlashGear

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5 replies on “Lenovo thinking about a ThinkPad slate”

  1. I just wrote a message at netbooknews that included this:

    Terrible idea. You need a keyboard to type things… like how the post above was written and how I’m typing right now. The slates aren’t fast enough for typing. Yes you can buy a wireless keyboard but how incovenient is it to have two separate pieces of hardware, and you now must also buy a dock to keep the slate at a decent angle, and you also have to buy a case to carry those parts.

    Convertible tablet pcs give you all of those options now. Some examples using my S10-3T:
    https://www.s103tvsipad.com/2010/06/hardware-keyboard.html
    https://www.s103tvsipad.com/2010/06/hardware-self-stand.html

    Link – https://www.netbooknews.com/11219/will-lenovo-release-a-thinkpad-tablet-for-the-enterprise-market/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+netbooknews%2Fnbn+%28Netbook+News%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

  2. Slate systems like the Ipad are great for “media consumption”. Most Thinkpads are great for creating content and obviously media consumption. I use a X201 tablet for designing websites, programming, 1080p video editing and the system is great since it has the features that I need.

    Examples:
    The keyboard for typing (like I am doing right now)
    The touch screen for browsing my rss feeds (how I found this)
    The stylus for precise editing when docked or I’m away from a mouse

    Removing the keyboard and branding it as a Thinkpad is hideous and removes the great concept that has sold 60 million Thinkpads. I dare Brad or any person who does typing for a living to remove their existing systems and use a slate tablet only, and use it for work. If that’s possible then the slate might finally beat a convertible tablet pc.My bet is on convertible tablet pcs for work, slates for “consuming media”.

    I’m guessing everyone’s trying to follow what Apple has done with the iPad and cash in the big bucks by releasing “tablets”. In a way a lot of companies are followers, they could and should be true innovators but it’s easier to follow.

    How I’m using a X201:
    https://www.lenovox201.com/search/label/Uses

  3. My guess is that Lenovo would release a Thinkpad tablet and not merely a slate, except I don’t believe that they actually will. Companies like Motion Computing, TabletKiosk, and Fujitsu are already delivering enterprise slate tablet solutions and have been for years. I seriously doubt that Lenovo will makes this move with the Thinkpad line. If they were going to, they already would have. Most of the current “tablet” appeal is really about brand loyalty. Any other interest is “tablets” seems to be in so far as they are cheap. I don’t Lenovo would simply make a cheap slate without having a legitimate slate tablet in place first.

  4. But stay matte please, and a Pixel Qi display can be a stylish, unique and useful combination maybe

  5. Without a doubt even tablets that don’t have keyboard solutions offered by the OEM will have solutions offered by 3rd parties. Even Apple hedged its bets by having its own keyboard solution. The companies who don’t get fussy about this topic will do well, the companies who offer a flexible device will do very well because they may even have their own niche of the market.

    If there is one device that will sell just as well as tablets this year it will be keyboards for tablets!

Comments are closed.