Chinese major Lenovo has been maintaining a low key presence for a while as far as tablet PCs are concerned but have jumped to the limelight suddenly with not one but three tablets at one go. These include the IdeaPad P1 running Windows 7, the Think Pad running Android Honeycomb but for enterprise application and the IdeaPad K1 which too runs Honeycomb but is meant for domestic application.
Mentioned below are the details of each of the three tablets.
IdeaPad Tablet P1
Try and try again until you succeed. Perhaps that’s the strategy that tablet manufacturers have adopted with the Windows 7 operating system. Or how else can one explain the latest move by Lenovo to have Window 7 OS on board their latest latest tablet – the IdeaPad Tablet P1. This is in spite of the usual known issues that we have faced time and again in tablets running Windows. They have often been accused to being too sluggish, heavy and energy sapping. All this when the much improved and touch optimized Windows 8 is likely to be ready for a year end launch.
So how does the newest tablet on the Windows 7 block stack up? Well, to begin with, the IdeaPad Tablet P1 has got a 1.5 GHz Intel processor at its core mated to a 2 GB DDR2 RAM while internal memory is a respectable 64 GB. Up front, there is the 10.1 inch display having a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels with the touchscreen being also receptive to stylus inputs.
Connectivity options with the IdeaPad P1 include 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth while 3G has been made optional. These apart, the IdeaPad P1 will also come with a 2 megapixel camera integrated at the front, an USB 2.2 port as well as a micro SD card slot. The tablet measures 11 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches and tips the scales at 1.8 pounds. However, while the latter is slightly less as per Windows tablet standards, it lives up to the Windows tablet reputation of being power hungry, as its just about 5 hours that the battery will be able to sustain. Also, the IdeaPad P1 will runs Windows 7 version that range from the Windows 7 Starter edition through Windows 7 Professional.
No pricing details have been revealed jut yet though Lenovo has said the IdeaPad Tablet P1 should be ready for a Q4 launch this year.
ThinkPad K1
Lenovo also has something for the Google Honeycomb lover and particularly those who hail from the business community. The tablet this time is the ThinkPad K1, another tablet in the 10 inch segment but has quite some similarity with the IdeaPad P1.
So while the ThinkPad K1 is built around the 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor and runs Android 3.1, the tablet also features a 64 GB internal memory, 10.1 inch display having a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, USB and HDMI ports along with Wi-Fi and optional 3G. There is also a SD card slot while users also have the facility of encrypting data on an SD card as well. These apart, ThinkPad K1 buyers will also be entitled to 2 GB of free cloud based storage thus ensuring easy availability of data from anywhere and on any compatible device.
However, the ThinkPad K1 also comes with several unique features such as a pressure sensitive Think Pad Tablet pen that can be used to write or draw on the screen. Further, the tablet will also include a Folio keyboard case with Lenovo’s TrackPoint system.
Also, with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass built on top, the ThinkPad K1 will be that much more resistant to breaking forces. Another unique aspect of the ThinkPad K1 is the inclusion of buttons along the front for home, back, browser, and screen orientation lock functions. This in spite of the tablet running Android Honey and which being purely touch oriented.
The tablet comes pre-loaded with several apps to aid in business applications such as the DataViz Documents To Go software. This enables one to view and edit Microsoft Office documents. The ThinkPad K1 also comes with an optional dock with its own HDMI, USB, mic, and stereo output jacks.
The tablet measures 10.3 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches and weighs 1.58 pounds and is currently available on pre-order in the US. Prices start at $499 and will have a pan American presence in August while spreading out around the world by Q3 2011.
IdeaPad K1
The third tablet that Lenovo has come up with not only has a similar sounding name but also runs a lot of similarities with the other two on the spec front. So the IdeaPad K1 is another tablet running Android 3.1 Honeycomb with the usual Honeycomb specs such as the 1 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor, a 1 Gb RAM, and 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display.
The IdeaPad K1 will also come with 64 GB of on-board storage along with connectivity options of Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n and WiFi while 3G comes in as an optional feature. Then the tablet will have 2 and 5 megapixel camera built into the front and rear of the tablet along with a micro SD card slot, a mini HDMI port, and a port for attaching a docking station as well. Lenovo is claiming a backup time of 10 hours on a single charge.
Content can be drawn from Lonovo’s own app store though the tablet also enjoys access to the official Android app store. The IdeaPad K1 is also the first Android tablet to be compatible with Netflix Watch Instantly, meaning users will have lots of movies and TV shows to keep themselves entertained.
The IdeaPad K1 also come leaded with the ‘SocialTouch’ app that lets one manage all their social networking account like Facebook, Twitter et all from one place. There is also a UI layer built on top of Android 3.1 that allows users to place four of their most used program launcher at the center of the home screen.
The tablet measures 10.4 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches and weighs about 1.65 pounds. The tablet is also currently available in the US where the 32 GB version is on sale right now at $499. This one too will be available throughout the US in August followed by a worldwide launch in the third quarter 2011.
Update:
Lenovo has revealed it will launch the IdeaPad K1 in India in September while those in Australia can look forward to both the ThinkPad K1 and the IdeaPAd K1 launched in that country during the same month.
Price for the IdeaPad K1 tablets in Australia are:
16 GB Wi-Fi IdeaPad K1Â = $569
32 GB Wi-Fi IdeaPad K1 = $679
16 GB 3G IdeaPad K1 = $709
32 GB 3G IdeaPad K1 = $809
Price for the ThinkPad K1 tablet are:
16 GB Wi-Fi ThinkPad K1 = $599
16 GB 3G ThinkPad K1 = $729
32 GB 3G ThinkPad K1 = $839
Price for the IdeaPad K1 in India is yet to be announced though its likely to be around Rs. 27,000 for 16 GB Wi-Fi base version.
via pcworld, via engadget, via androidos
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
