10/28, 9:05am
Lenovo S12 Ion upgrade on sale
After a significant delay past its original summer goal, Lenovo on Wednesday began selling a version of its IdeaPad S12 netbook with NVIDIA's Ion graphics onboard. The upgrade comes in tandem with Windows 7 Home Premium and gives it enough visual power to support the full Aero Glass interface as well as to decode 1080p video and handle some more recent 3D. Lenovo also adds Bluetooth 2.1 for wireless peripherals.
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10/26, 2:25pm
Lenovo upgrades Idea PCs for Windows 7
Lenovo today sparked life in its IdeaCentre desktops and IdeaPad notebooks by refreshing them for Windows 7 and adding a few completely new models. The IdeaCentre B500 is one of the few all-in-one PCs built for gamers and high-end media use with both a Core 2 Quad, unnamed but dedicated graphics and a built-in JBL speaker system. It also brings a 23-inch 1080p display, 1TB of disk space and a motion remote for an unspecified price.
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10/23, 1:10pm
Lenovo shipping 11.6-inch IdeaPad U150 in Japan
Lenovo has officially launched a new 11.6-inch IdeaPad notebook in Japan, the U150. The portable is one of Lenovo's first CULV systems and runs a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor with 2GB of RAM. Making the CPU upgrade gives it a faster GMA 4500 graphics core that can better handle the 1366x768 native output. A 250GB hard drive is standard fare, and the IdeaPad is one of Lenovo's first with Windows 7 to come stock.
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07/31, 9:05am
Lenovo IdeaPad U450p shows
Computer manufacturer Lenovo has posted a teaser page for an upcoming IdeaPad U450p notebook, revealing nearly no information at all as a full-blown product page does not yet exist. At 14 inches, it's the larger sibling to the recently launched 13.3-inch IdeaPad U350 and will add an optical drive. Like the U350, it will be powered by a range of Intel's Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processors, though which ones exactly isn't known.
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07/20, 12:10pm
ATT Mini 10 and Lenovo S10
AT&T on Monday grew its netbook lineup to include two 3G versions of common netbooks. Its version of Acer's Aspire One, Dell's Inspiron Mini 10 and Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 will all have built-in 3G modems for online use anywhere in a coverage area as well as free access to AT&T's Wi-Fi hotspots. The three have similar 10-inch displays, 1GB of memory, 160GB hard drives, Windows XP and multi-touch trackpads.
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07/06, 10:50am
Samsung Ion netbook dated
The N510 11.6-inch netbook from Samsung that was recently leaked and powered by the NVIDIA Ion platform and an Intel Atom N-series CPU will be released sometime in July, DigiTimes reported on Monday. The netbook should be be powered by a 1.66GHz Atom processor, include 1GB of memory and house a 160GB hard drive. It will still ship with Windows XP, instead of Vista, despite Intel's netbook rules that call for XP.
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07/02, 9:05am
CULV NBs Too Cheaply Made
Many of the Windows PC makers building ultraportable notebooks based on Intel's low-cost CULV platform are learning first-hand that their cheaper case designs aren't enough to sustain the systems, a research note from AmTech analyst Doug Freedman says. Many of the companies design the systems with plastic shells to keep their prices down but are discovering that the cases are cracking, often forcing major replacements. Which companies are affected aren't mentioned, but Lenovo and MSI are some of the first making systems in the category with the IdeaPad U350 and X-Slim line respectively.
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06/24, 5:20pm
Lenovo ships IdeaPad S12
Lenovo is now shipping its IdeaPad S12 notebook PC in the US. The 12.1-inch netbook PC sports the prerequisite 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU and a 1280x800 resolution. The netbook will also be the first to offer NVIDIA's Ion chipset later this summer, giving it 1080p HD video and 3D video processing capabilities along with an HDMI output. The versions now shipping include an integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics processor.
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06/02, 7:45am
Intel CULV and 3GHz C2D
Intel at Computex today formally outlined the details of its mid-year refresh of its notebook processors, including its Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) platform. The new platform is intended to bring ultraportable designs to low-cost but still reasonably fast systems and centers on Intel's new GS40 mobile chipset. The technology is a fraction the size of the regular notebook platform, permitting far smaller and thinner systems, but still has a GMA 4500 graphics core capable of full hardware HD video decoding, higher-level 3D features and native HDMI output.
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05/27, 5:00pm
Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2
The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 netbook introduced by the hardware manufacturer earlier this month is now available to be ordered from Lenovo's website, with retail store availability for the PC being early June. Specs for the 10.1-inch, 1024x600 resolution netbook include a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, a 160GB hard disk drive preloaded with Windows XP, a Wi-Fi radio and a six-cell battery.
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05/25, 8:55am
Lenovo C300 and G550
Lenovo completed its PC introductions today with a nettop as well as a low-cost, mid-size notebook. The IdeaCentre C300 has a 20-inch display and a DVD burner like many full all-in-ones but uses a 1.6GHz Atom 230 to drive down costs. It has a distinctly fashion-oriented design and comes in a more exotic red as well as black or white.
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05/25, 7:55am
Lenovo IdeaPad S12
Lenovo chose Memorial Day to launch a range of PC updates that include a world-first. The IdeaPad S12 is the first netbook to have an option for NVIDIA's Ion platform and overcomes one of the performance setbacks for netbooks: the advanced graphics can fully decode 1080p HD in hardware and is capable of 3D that would be off limits for Intel-based video. It also helps drive visuals on the newly enlarged 12-inch, 1280x800 display or the (optional) HDMI output.
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05/11, 2:15pm
Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2
Lenovo this afternoon unveiled its first major revision to the IdeaPad S series in the form of the S10-2. The new netbook is significantly friendlier with a rounded design and a thinner, lighter chassis that weighs 2.2 pounds. It also gets an improved keyboard and multiple lid color options as well as a version with 3G networking.
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05/04, 4:40pm
Lenovo S10-2 Netbook Leak
Lenovo today inadvertently confirmed plans to rework its 10-inch S10 netbook through a user guide (PDF) for the new model. Currently known as the IdeaPad S10-2, it would have a friendlier design with rounded corners and a new display hinge but, importantly, would come with a 3G modem and a user-accessible SIM card slot behind the battery. In exchange, the ExpressCard/34 slot would be removed.
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05/01, 4:25pm
IdeaPad Y550s now shipping
Lenovo has started shipping its latest 15.6-inch notebook, the IdeaPad Y550, and offers six models of the portable PC, with prices ranging from $669 to $1,199. All include a 1366x768 widescreen display and an integrated dual-layer DVD burner. The base model has a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of RAM, along with a 250GB hard drive preloaded with Windows Vista Home Premium.
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04/24, 8:10am
Lenovo ThinkPad Netbook
Lenovo is considering making a netbook under the ThinkPad name, the company's Worldwide Competitive Analyst Matthew Kohut said in an interview late Thursday. While nothing is definite, the researcher noted to Australian magazine APC that Lenovo is "exploring" a step up above the IdeaPad netbooks released so far. What this would entail isn't specified, though he explains that pressure exists to create a more business-friendly netbook and that screen sizes may go up.
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03/25, 4:25pm
Lenovo Think and Idea Divs
Lenovo on Wednesday afternoon said it would reorganize itself into major divisions in a bid to improve its focus. At the highest level, the company plans to create a group that handles "mature" markets, such as Japan and North America, as well as a second group that handles "emerging" markets like Lenovo's native China as well as Africa, the Middle East and other areas where PCs are less widespread. Previously, Lenovo had organized itself into much smaller groups based on continents.
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02/24, 11:30am
GTX 200M GPU Next Week
NVIDIA is poised to update its flagship notebook graphics chipsets at the CeBIT expo with new models that should include firsts for the category, a new scoop reveals. Without pointing to specific sources, Fudzilla claims the GeForce GTX 260M and 280M will appear next week and will be based on a smaller, more recent 55 nanometer process that will let NVIDIA include a full 128 visual processing cores and a 256-bit wide memory bus, both of which are relatively new to notebooks. NVIDIA is said to expect the top-end 280M to run about 30 percent faster than AMD's ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4870 and also outperform its own 9800M GTX.
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02/18, 8:20am
Lenovo NVIDIA Ion Rumor
Lenovo may be one of the first PC makers to adopt NVIDIA's Ion platform in a netbook, the Taiwan-area Commercial Times paper claims. The PC maker is reportedly asking local contractor Wistron to build 11.6- and 12.1-inch IdeaPads for the spring that would combine the much faster, GeForce 9400M-level graphics of Ion with an Intel Atom processor. The company is also said mulling a 13-inch model using the same technology.
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02/16, 1:20pm
Lenovo 12-inch netbook?
PC maker Lenovo is planning to launch a 12-inch netbook powered by the recently released Intel Atom N280 CPU, says a Monday DigiTimes report. Known as the IdeaPad S20, the netbook would violate Intel's restrictions for the use of its Atom chips, which aren't normally allowed for systems with greater than 10-inch screens. Lenovo would have to pay about a $10 premium per chip when purchased in bulk. Despite this, Lenovo is believed to be wagering that its offering of a unique product would help it boost sales and avoid competing in the hotly contested 10-inch market.
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02/13, 1:50pm
Lenovo Y650 now shipping
Sooner than originally expected Lenovo's three-model IdeaPad Y650 range is now available for purchase. The 16-inch notebooks have a 1366x768 resolution LCD, with the base model powered by a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU with a GMA X4500 integrated graphics chipset and 3GB of RAM. Windows Vista Home Premium is pre-loaded onto the 320GB, 5,400RPM hard drive, and a DVD recorder is built-in. A six-cell battery is standard fare, as are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
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01/05, 1:40am
New IdeaPad Y Series
Lenovo on Monday debuted its latest midrange "multi-touch" IdeaPad Y Series laptops that are smaller, thinner and lighter than the previous generation as well as its first 16-inch widescreen laptop, the IdeaPad Y650 built from Carbon Fiber. The IdeaPad Y Series, which also includes Y550 and Y450, focuses on HD entertainment and shares the same "modern soft black design" with an interlocked hexagon pattern on the top cover along with a discrete copper accent around the perimeter of the laptop. The carbon fiber-based IdeaPad Y650, allegedly the thinnest and lightest laptop in its class, weighs less than many 15-inch laptops -- only 5.6lbs and is just one inch thick at its thinnest point.
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12/16, 10:35pm
IdeaPad S9 US release
Several retailers are now offering the Lenovo IdeaPad S9 in the United States. The manufacturer had previously shipped the model only to other countries, while offering the slightly larger IdeaPad S10 in the domestic market. The netbook runs on the Linpus Linux Lite operating system and features a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, GMA 950 graphics processor, 4GB solid-state drive and 512MB of DDR2 memory. The 8.9-inch display offers a resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels. The device also provides built-in 802.11b/g support, an ExpressCard slot, media card reader and web camera.
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12/09, 4:25pm
Lenovo discounts IdeaPads
Desktop and portable PC maker Lenovo on Tuesday reduced prices for its IdeaPad S-series range of netbooks by between $50 and $80, depending on model. The basic black or white IdeaPad S10s now cost $349 and sport 10.2-inch LED-backlit LCD screens along with Intel's 1.6GHz Atom CPU. The custom-colored S10s have dropped from $439 to $359.
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11/26, 4:00pm
IdeaPad S10e six-cell
The Lenovo IdeaPad S10e netbook is reportedly shipping in Germany with a new, higher-capacity six-cell battery, according to a Wednesday report. In comparison, US versions make do with a three-cell battery. Furthermore, with a price of 329 Euros (about $425) for the Linux model, the netbook is the least costly 10.2-inch model of any brand with an Intel Atom chip and six-cell battery.
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10/28, 11:00am
Lenovo S10e with SplashTop
Lenovo today revealed an upgraded version of its IdeaPad S10 netbook that caters to owners looking for quicker access to the Internet. Where most netbooks have to wait as they boot into either Windows XP or a full Linux distribution, the S10e adds a Linux-based SplashTop interface dubbed QuickStart that starts up almost instantly and gives immediate access to most common Internet functions, including web browsing with Flash support, messaging and audio or video chats.
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08/06, 3:45pm
Lenovo IdeaPad S9 in Works
Lenovo is preparing a lower-cost version of its IdeaPad S10 netbook for at least some regions, the company said today. The S9 will have the same chassis as the 10-inch model but shrink the screen to 8.9 inches. It will also replace the 80GB hard drive with 8GB of flash storage and ship both with the S10's Windows XP and a special Linux variant. The 1.6GHz Atom processor and 1GB of memory carry over from the larger-screened model.
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08/04, 7:25am
Lenovo IdeaPad S10
Lenovo this morning contributed its share to the rapidly growing netbook field with a new IdeaPad model. The S10 shares the same 10-inch screen and 1.6GHz Atom processor as larger rivals like the MSI Wind but promises a unique design with a multi-touch trackpad, front-mounted speakers, and a keyboard at 85 percent of full size and thus comfortable enough to type on for long periods. A 1.3-megapixel camera is built into the lid. Bluetooth and an ExpressCard slot are also rare additions for connections to wireless keyboards, 3G modems, and similar peripherals.
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07/15, 12:20pm
Lenovo Mini IdeaPad Leak
Lenovo may be the next large PC maker to enter the mini notebook field, according to reports from those in the notebook business. The company plans to expand its IdeaPad yet again to include the G series and will target the line both at budget notebooks as well as the mini notebook field led by the ASUS Eee PC, Acer Aspire One, and other very small systems. Specifics of this system are vague, though most of these systems now use an Intel Atom processor and come with flash-based storage as well as an option for Linux.
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07/15, 1:30am
ThinkPad SL notebooks
In addition the ultra-portable X200 and U330, Lenovo on Tuesday morning announced its new Centrino 2 ThinkPad SL notebooks as well as new IdeaPad notebooks. The trio of black-glossy covered ThinkPad SL notebooks, targeted to small- and medium-size business includes the SL300, SL400 and SL500; all offer built-in high speed mobile broadband connectivity along with Centrino 2's 802.11n networking, the latest Core 2 Duo processing, and new software that helps with data recovery, Internet connection setup, and a new optional service package featuring on-line data backup and on-site warranty repair. Some models also offer the now-in-vogue (but optional) Blu-Ray DVD player and optional webcam as well as support for HDMI/VGA for both high-quality and legacy connectivity to external video displays.
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07/15, 12:15am
Lenovo X200 and U330
Lenovo tonight had its turn at upgrading to Centrino 2 with two new notebooks that are billed as blurring the lines between ultraportables and full-power models. The ThinkPad X200 is Lenovo's first major X series update since the X300 but is smaller than both the X300 and its rival MacBook Air while keeping many features and only thickening a tenth of an inch to 0.8 inches. Although it uses just a 12-inch display, the X200 still finds room for up to a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo on the new Intel platform as well as up to a Blu-ray optical drive.
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06/03, 12:00pm
Intel Z-P230 Solid-State
Alongside its new chipsets, Intel on Tuesday has also unveiled the Z-P230, a new version of its ultra-small solid-state drive. The flash disk is roughly four times smaller than a 1.8-inch hard drive found in an ultraportable notebook but holds either 4GB or 8GB of storage on chips that are no larger than a penny, as much as quadrupling the storage available through the Z-P140 introduced less than a year ago. The added capacity makes the drive a good match for handhelds as well as extremely low-cost desktops and notebooks, according to Intel.
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04/29, 11:35am
Lenovo IdeaPad U110 Ships
Lenovo today held its last IdeaPad unveiling for the US this season with the formal launch of the IdeaPad U110. The final version of the PC announced in January is now billed as a crossover ultraportable designed equally for fashionable users as well as serious travelers. Externally, the 11-inch system has a textured metal shell that recalls Lenovo's "Cloud of Promise" Olympic theme and is one of Lenovo's most compact systems yet, weighing under 2.5 pounds and measuring between 0.7 and 0.9 inches thick.
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04/21, 11:20am
Lenovo ThinkPad T All Wide
Lenovo today signaled a change in its philosophy by pulling the last notebook in its signature T series with a standard ratio display from its lineup. The PC builder has withdrawn the 4:3 ratio, 14-inch ThinkPad T61 from its store and now offers all its mid-size notebooks, including the 3000 and IdeaPad series, only in a widescreen ratio. Lenovo hasn't explained the decision but is considered one of the few computer vendors in North America to continue selling standard-ratio designs.
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04/02, 11:10am
Lenovo IdeaPad U8
Lenovo today with Intel's help confirmed that it will be one of the first companies to produce a Mobile Internet Device (MID) based on Intel's Atom processor with a new all-in-one device. The IdeaPad U8 will serve as a hybrid communicator and media player and will pack multiple control schemes to match: users can tap a 5-inch touchscreen to navigate menus, browse the web via Firefox, or other complex functions, but also use a unique optical joystick that substitutes as a mouse pointer and lets an owner steer the device with one hand.
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01/03, 8:35am
Lenovo IdeaPads
Aiming directly at the same retail space dominated by the likes of Acer and HP, Lenovo today introduced its new IdeaPad line of notebooks. The company claims to borrow the build quality of the ThinkPad series but adds that the new range has features just for home users: every model has touch-sensitive media controls, Dolby Home Theater audio processing, and a facial recognition system that uses a built-in webcam for security and other features. The IdeaPads' construction is also unique among home notebooks: each has a "frameless" display that lets the LCD run nearly to the edges of the bezel, allowing the PC maker to place a large screen in a relatively small space.
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