November 16, 2006 According to IDC, convertible tablet PC unit shipments will reach more than one million this year and more than four million by 2010, an inevitable consequence of field-bound industries such as healthcare, insurance, real estate, government, education and sales recognising that tablet PCs are the best option available for computer-based efficiencies right now. And Lenovo today pushed tablet state-of-the-art forward with the announcement of the ThinkPad X60 Tablet, a next generation convertible tablet PC with a 12-inch screen offering an indoor/outdoor, anti-reflective/anti-glare MultiView screen for increased viewability combined with the new MultiTouch feature that allows users to move the cursor with their pen or finger. The MultiView/MultiTouch high-resolution SXGA+ screen combination along with the 170 degree viewing angle means improved usability for the healthcare professional recording patient information in a hospital, the real estate agent taking notes in a home or the sports coach reviewing statistics at a game.
“A recent campus-wide survey revealed that over 90 percent of the student body believes that computer technology enhances his or her learning experience,” said Philip Lombardi, director of academic computing and media services at Bryant University. “Of the students surveyed, we discovered that more students would prefer to use a tablet over a traditional notebook PC because of its light weight and ease of use in taking notes. In the past year, a group of first year psychology majors have been using Lenovo Tablet PCs to administer surveys and collect data as part of a pilot program. Our goal is to extend this technology to more students in various majors to provide them with a PC solution that best complements their academic experience.”
The ThinkPad X60 Tablets come equipped with Lenovo’s patented-pending Active Rotate function. With Active Rotate, the screen immediately orients to the user, no matter which direction it turns. The ThinkPad X60 Tablet’s design also focuses on improving more traditional features like navigational tools and the pen. Now a redesigned NavDial lets users move easily in four directions, and it even remaps keys so “up” is always “up” as the user changes orientation with Active Rotate. Also, a new, more natural and durable pen resumes from suspend automatically when a user removes it from its cradle. An enhanced digital microphone repositioned on the front bezel enables more accurate voice recognition and rounds out the ThinkPad X60 Tablet’s sensory improvements.
“The Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet PC marries the best aspects of notebooks and pen-based devices,” said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Notebook Business Unit, Lenovo. “With new screen options, hardware capabilities and an improved sensory experience interacting with the tablet, the new Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet is packed with the innovation our customers want.”
The X60 Tablet’s design also includes greater performance with more memory, a larger hard drive and longer battery life. The X60 Tablet offers shocked mounted 2.5 inch SATA high-speed hard drives up to 120 GB/5400 rpm or optional 100 GB/7200 rpm. A longer battery life – more than 10 hours with the standard 8-cell tablet battery and optional X60 Extended Life battery – a 1.1 inch-thin frame and its light weight starting at 3.8 pounds keeps users on-the-go. The Tablet’s portability continues with the mobile X6 Tablet UltraBase that conveniently allows users to access an optical drive in a moveable docking station. The X60 Tablet also prepares users for the next generation of wireless connectivity with select models offering 802.11n technology2 as well as an embedded WWAN card. X60 Tablet users are also ready for the next operating system with many X60 Tablet models being Windows VistaTM Capable and some VistaTM Premium Ready.
Lenovo’s suite of ThinkVantage Technologies with Rescue and Recovery, Embedded Security Subsystem and other ThinkVantage Technologies will enhance the Windows Vista operating system to benefit enterprises by reducing the cost of PC ownership by lowering lifecycle costs and improving end-user productivity. The X60 Tablet’s optional integrated fingerprint reader and Client Security Subsystem, which helps protect sensitive information and guards against unauthorized user access, helps make the new tablet the most secure tablet PC on the market.
Pricing for the X60 Tablet starts at US$1,799. The X60 Tablet will be available for shipping in early December with select models available immediately for pre-ordering.