ThinkPad-branded Windows 8 Tablet

World Gets 1st Peek at ThinkPad-branded Windows 8 Tablet

 

The buzz started in Taiwan, reaching clear to the United States and virtually everywhere in-between. Yes, Lenovo showed up at this week’s Computex show in Taiwan with a previously unseen gadget in hand—a new-generation tablet device so new it does not yet have a name. We can share that it will be a ThinkPad-branded product when it hits the market.

This Windows 8 tablet co-developed by Lenovo, Intel and Microsoft will deliver an optimized tablet experience with responsive touch performance, strong battery life and great multimedia features all delivered in a familiar Windows PC environment. The device will feature next generation Intel processors with an always-on, smartphone-like experience and, of course, the immaculate quality and design that have long been synonymous with the ThinkPad brand.

What you need to know about Lenovo’s new Windows 8-based, ThinkPad-branded tablet?

• It will run on Windows 8 Professional as opposed to Windows 8 RT. (So it will run all apps—not merely phone/tablet apps.)
• It will be powered by the next generation of the Intel processor platform.
• It will deliver 10 hours or more of battery life.
• It will have a 10.1-inch display.
• It will be less than 10mm thick.
• It will weigh approximately 650g.
• It's a ThinkPad.

A few reports trickled out of Computex as members of the tech press got their first look. Avram Piltch of Laptop Mag wrote, "We were impressed with not only how smooth it seemed playing video and swiping through Metro, but with how sharp the images looked." Engadget’s Dana Wollman noted, "It stays true to the aesthetic you'll see on the company's ThinkPad laptops, with a soft-touch black finish that's resistant to both smudges and scratches. As it happens, that surface also makes it easy to cradle the tablet in landscape mode, which can sometimes be unwieldy, depending on the particular tablet."

Needless to say, more complete information (including complete specs and a sale price) will be forthcoming. We’ll share that info when it becomes available.