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Lenovo Tells us about Tablet and ThinkPad History as a Tease

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Lenovo is teasing up a storm in Tablet land. In the accompanying video, a Lenovo Exec reminds us that Lenovo (IBM) worked on Tablets early on and that’s actually where the ThinkPad name came from. Lenovo has been using Twitter to continue the tease promising something new is coming soon. Will it be a slate? Or is this just the beginning of the U1 Hybrid? Your guess is as good as mine.

In the meantime check out the video and the size of that early IBM Tablet.
Via Engadget

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Dan

    02/16/2010 at 11:37 am

    In my opinion, Lenovo is most likely ‘setting the record straight’ due to the mainstream press reports published during the iPad introduction. For all practical purposes, the slate tablet did not even exist before the iPad according to many of these sources. It was actually a sad day in the general computing world or at least in the tabletpc world, as the pioneering IBM ‘ThinkPAD’ as shown here, and the TabletPC that was far superior to the iPad, the Compaq TC1000/TC1100, were relegated to the status of ‘they never existed’ as Apple is now credited with inventing the device.

    Sorry Apple, I don’t have time to just sit and read ebooks or browse the internet with my ‘tablet’, I need pen input capability and a note taking package like OneNote. In fact, as Lenovo points out in this video, the goal was to replace paper as ‘writing medium.’ In my opinion, all touch screen devices using touch to just ‘window around and select’ are not tablets at all. The iPad is just a large print iPod touch. This also goes for the new Lenovo Ultra morphing thing, the new HP slate, or any other netbook based touch screen device.

    The closest thing Apple has ever produced to clearly setting the trend for the tablet is the old Newton.

    The iPad should have been a fully functional Apple ‘puter with an active digitizer, a pen, and multi-touch capability. The user could then run whatever they want to load Mac wise including illustration software, sketching, photos, note taking, and Office.

    Dan
    Shutting up now…

  2. SAM

    02/16/2010 at 11:38 am

    “Holy Bezels Batman!”
    (Sorry, just had to say it)

    I wonder if it still boots up?

  3. sfrick

    02/18/2010 at 8:11 am

    Dan’s right. I’ve been using my trusty Motion 1600 for over 3 years, and while trying several others, including the convertibles, I find the slate near perfect. What I wish Motion had done was stay with the form factor and simply improve on the technology. Adding touch would have been a good feature, but foremost should always be processing speed and weight.

  4. Fred

    02/18/2010 at 12:19 pm

    X201 slate would be GREAT!! same sconvertible internals but lighter. I used a Motion 1600 for 2 years in Real Estate until crashed in an accident. I loved it but wished I could fill out 2 page reports standing or walking a property while holding the slate with my left arm, or filling out contracts using my fingers (dual input touch screen) or pen in some cases. Inking is great but not as practical. Correcting mistakes requires more steps than screen keyboard (proper UI is important). I could practice but as a user I just want it to be practical and intuitive as if I was using my desktop keyboard on the screen (iPad like experience but with palm rejection screen as well). I’ve been using a convertible for 2 years and I don’t like to rotate the screen while I am showing a property standing or walking with clients. I got some practice now to spin the CPU while holding the unit from the screen with one hand but is just heavy and tedious. If I need a keyboard is because I need to type some thing long, I want to be to be more comfortable or faster. That happens when I am on a table with plenty of time. For that, a thin, light, simple and detachable keyboard/dock (iPad like) will cover that 30% of my mobile usage. I can leave the keyboard in my suitcase at the table or desk while I walk around with the sale and save that weight. Otherwise why you want to save weight wit a tablet or slate if you are going to use it all the time on a table or desk? in that case you nee a laptop. — I think a slate with full OS should be oriented also for my type of usage and not solely oriented for media consumption. For media slate an android or other operating system is the way to go and you don’t even have to put a dual input touch screen.

  5. Fred

    02/18/2010 at 12:42 pm

    I hope that in this 2010 a company like Lenovo think of us who use the slate for business or productivity rather than people watching youtube, movies, tweetering. I DON’T LIKE THE U1 HYBRID. I want to be able to detach the screen to still have a full OS and save a little weight but most important, VOLUME when WORKING while walking or standing. When I see all the slates or convertibles heading in that direction I feel shame for a zombie society that cant live without having entertainment everywhere any time. If my full OS slate can do that great! but if not I am OK. For watching media I set up a time and usually read or talk to people when I am transitioning from one place to another or have some spare time. Can you imagine a society in the shopping centers, school and office brakes, airports not talking to each other because they are plugged into their little machines? some one envisioned this on wall-e movie. I had to say it.

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