Lenovo’s latest business Ultrabook does away with last year’s unpopular design
You haven’t known a fanboy until you’ve met a ThinkPad fan. The brand’s loyal following (many of whom started as IBM users) can be very resistant to change. How resistant? Let’s put it this way: Anytime the brand’s current owner Lenovo so much as redesigns the touchpad, it does so at its own peril. That being said, Lenovo may have gone too far with last year’s X1 Carbon. With the 2014 edition of its flagship business Ultrabook, Lenovo ripped out the physical Function buttons, leaving users with an “adaptive” panel whose touch-sensitive buttons changed depending on the task at hand. We weren’t fond of it, and apparently real-world users weren’t either: The company just unveiled the 2015 edition, and it brings back the physical function keys you all seemed to miss so much. Additionally, Lenovo undid some of the changes it had made to the touchpad. Whereas the last-gen model had a clickpad with zero buttons, this year’s model returns the two right and left clickers that used to sit at the top of the pad — the ones meant to be used with the signature red pointing stick.
Other than that, this is basically the same X1 Carbon already on the market: a 2.8-pound carbon fiber machine with an optional 2,560 x 1,440 touchscreen and Intel Core processors running under the hood. (These are Intel’s fifth-generation Broadwell processors, which will probably see their formal debut here at CES.) As for configuration options, you can get it with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM, along with either a regular solid-state drive (128/180/256/360 gigabytes) or a faster PCIe-based SSD (256GB or 512GB). Finally, you can get it with an LTE radio, in case you don’t want to be at the mercy of nearby WiFi hotspots. Look for the updated X1 Carbon to land this month, starting at $1,249.
Lenovo also made some changes to the rest of its ThinkPad lineup, from its other Ultrabooks to its lower-end business notebooks. Starting with the ultraportables, the 12.5-inch X250 replaces the X240, while the T450s is an update to the T440s. At 2.88 and 3.5 pounds, respectively, both are ever so slightly lighter than the machines they replace. Both make use of Intel’s new Broadwell processors, as well as Lenovo’s existing “Power Bridge” technology, which combines a built-in battery with a swappable one, allowing you to insert a fresh cell without shutting down. Additionally, both will be offered with a choice of spinning, hybrid and solid-state disk drives, along with an optional backlit keyboard. The main differences are size (obviously) and screen resolution; as the larger of the two machines, the 14-inch T450s starts with 1,600 x 900 resolution, whereas the X250 comes standard with a lower-res 1,366 x 768 panel, though both can be configured with a 1080p touchscreen. These also go on sale this month, with the X250 starting at $749 and the T450s going from $999.
Moving on, the 14-inch T450 and 15-inch T550 are also technically Ultrabooks, though they sacrifice some portability in the name of stronger performance. The two weigh in at four and five pounds, respectively, but in exchange will be available with optional discrete graphics, as well as a 3K screen on the 15-incher. These too will run Intel’s fifth-gen Core processors, and feature Lenovo’s Power Bridge technology (exact battery life TBD). They’re also set to arrive this month, starting at $799.
Finally, the lower-end machines. The 14-inch E450 and E550 pack fifth-gen Core processors, just like all the other machines here, except they’re heavier, at 4.0 and 5.2 pounds. They’re also missing certain niceties, like backlit keyboards and touchscreen displays. If you can live without that stuff, though, you’ll get a built-in Intel RealSense depth-sensing camera, along with optional discrete graphics, up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1080p screen resolution. Those start at $449, and will be available this month. In addition, there’s the 14-inch L450, which weighs in at 4.25 pounds and will also feature Broadwell processors, optional discrete graphics, up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1,920 x 1,080 screen resolution. No word exactly on how much that’ll cost, but Lenovo’s positioning it as the value-priced option in its lineup, which means a sub-$500 starting price is probably in order.
Huawei smartphone sales grow by 40% in 2014 according to leaked memo
It is no secret by now that Chinese smartphone manufacturers are finally starting to generate some significant momentum in gaining market share through increasing sales of devices. A leaked memo floating around Huawei as the company preps for the public announcement of their 2014 results reveals strong growth for the manufacturer. According to the data revealed in the memo, sales rose by almost one-third to $11.8 billion in 2014 on the back of a 40% increase in smartphone shipments. If there is any downside, it is the fact that Huawei’s estimated 75 million smartphones shipped lags below their target of 80 million units for the year.
Huawei is not the only Chinese manufacturer expected to report on major success during 2014. Xiaomi sold 26 million smartphones during the first half of 2014 and is thought to be on its way to meeting a target of 60 million for the year. If they succeed, Xiaomi’s sales will have tripled compared to the prior year. Things are looking so good for Xiaomi that they received a new infusion of equity financing this week based on their $45 billion valuation which pegs them at the top spot in the whole world for a private technology company.
Another manufacturer of note is LG Electronics which reportedly has seen smartphone shipments increase by around 26 percent during 2014 according to analysts.
These three manufacturers represent a growing tide of companies that are rising up to grab significant market share for smartphones. That growth is expected to come at the expense of the large companies like Samsung which is expected to have flat shipment numbers for 2014 and Apple which anticipates 20 percent growth. Looking ahead to 2015, analysts expect Lenovo, thanks to their recent acquisition of Motorola, will be in the running with Huawei and Xiaomi to be the top Chinese smartphone vendor in 2015.
source: Reuters
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Budget 4G LTE Lenovo smartphone slated for announcement at CES 2015
Lenovo has announced that they’ll be showcasing a brand new, aggressively priced LTE smartphone at CES next month for Indian markets. They did reveal that the device will be powered by Snapdragon’s 410 CPU, but everything else is still up in the air. There’s always a chance it could end up being a rebranded Lenovo K3 specifically for India, but we’ll know for certain in a few weeks.
The Indian smartphone market is one of the hottest points of competition for Android OEMs, and now that 4G is becoming more widely available, the manufacturers are rushing to push LTE radios in extremely affordable phones.
source: Fone Arena
Come comment on this article: Budget 4G LTE Lenovo smartphone slated for announcement at CES 2015
Check out our laptop buyer’s guide for the best in portable PCs
Tablets are great, but if you’re really looking to get some work done, a laptop is still one of the best for the job, especially if you need flexibility and portability. With the variety of Chromebooks, Ultrabooks and slimmed-down gaming laptops on offer, you don’t even have to weigh yourself down anymore. So if you’re looking for an upgrade, it’s definitely worth checking out the laptop section in our buyer’s guide or the gallery below for a few suggestions. We’ll also be adding new items in the months to come, so let us know (in the comments below) if there’s something you’d like to see listed. 
Motorola’s march toward mobility
We owe a lot to Motorola and its team of inventors and engineers. The company made breakthroughs in portable radio and brought us one of the first-ever cellphones. It launched the flip phone, the clamshell and the wildly popular RAZR V3. There have been some ups and downs along the way, and the company’s endured more than its share of corporate hand-changing, but with its Moto series and Nexus 6, it’s now back amongst the smartphone elite. In this week’s Rewind, we take a look at some of the milestones in Motorola’s quest for portable communicators.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Wireless, Google
Lenovo, Asustek bringing lower cost Chromebooks to market in 2015
Although Chromebooks have only grabbed a small part of the laptop computer market thus far, despite much success in the education sector, the race to bring out less expensive models to entice buyers appears to be heating up for 2015. A new report from Digitimes Research indicates both Lenovo and Asustek are preparing new Chromebooks equipped with Rockchip technology to hit the market at a $149 price point.
Thus far, most Chromebooks have been priced in the $200 – $300 range, so the products from Lenovo and Asustek could set new lows for notebook devices. Both devices are expected to come with 11.6-inch screens and the Rockchip processors, but other details are not yet known. Acer is currently the biggest Chromebook producer and these new devices would be priced 25% lower than the Acer C720 that runs $199. Digitimes Research indicated that in addition to the price pressure this move will create for other Chromebook producers like Acer, it will also put pressure on Microsoft which has been modifying license costs in an effort to stave off Chromebooks’ growth in the market.
Rockchip is a “first-tier tablet application processor (AP) designer” from China. They have worked with Intel on chip design and distribution. They are also a Google-certified solutions provider.
source: Digitimes
Come comment on this article: Lenovo, Asustek bringing lower cost Chromebooks to market in 2015
Meet Engadget’s new buyer’s guide picks: iPad Air 2, Note 4 and more!
New iPads. A new Galaxy Note. New Google… everything. Chalk it up to the holiday shopping season, but we’ve been mighty busy reviewing new gadgets lately. Which means, it’s high time we update our buyer’s guides. This time around, we’re replacing the iPad Air with, you guessed it, the second-gen edition. Interestingly, though, we’ve declined to add the iPad mini 3 — we still think that for most people the cheaper iPad mini 2 is the smarter buy. Oh, and we got rid of a couple tablets too: Since the Nexus 7 and the 2013 Kindle Fire HD have both been discontinued, it doesn’t make sense to keep recommending them.
As for smartphones, say hello to the Galaxy Note 4, the best big-screen handset you can buy. In addition we’re adding Sony’s Xperia Z3 flagship and the Moto G in the budget category. In the wearables category, we still recommend the Moto 360, particularly given a recent update that improved battery life, and also the fact that it’s more reasonably priced than the new LG G Watch R. Finally, you’ll notice we haven’t added any laptops this month. That’s because we’re currently testing a bunch of Ultrabooks, Chromebooks and gaming laptops, and it’s too soon to say which ones we like best. Good thing we update this guide so often. Will we add Samsung’s new, lower-end Chromebook 2? Maybe the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro? Will the Nexus 6 and Microsoft Band make the list? Check back soon to find out.
Filed under: Announcements, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Lenovo
Source: Engadget Buyer’s Guide
Lenovo is the new king of the PC and tablet hill
Did you know that Lenovo had planned to become the world’s biggest PC and tablet maker by the end of 2016? It turns out that the company’s achievement was even greater than its ambition, since the milestone has been reached six financial quarters early. In Lenovo’s latest earnings release, the company trumps its new status as king of the PC (and tablet) world, having made a healthy $262 million net profit for the three months between July and September. Some of the highlights include a big upswing in tablet and smartphone sales, as well as a big boost from the enterprise businesses its keeps buying from IBM. At the same time, Lenovo has decided to add Yahoo co-founder (and current Alibaba board member) Jerry Yang to its board, because that’s the sort of thing a company does when it’s making serious bank.
Filed under: Lenovo
Via: Reuters
Lenovo VIBE X2 launched in India for INR 19,990 ($325)
The Lenovo VIBE X2, which was announced during IFA 2014, has been launched in the Indian market today. The device has been priced at INR 19,990 ($325) and will be exclusively available from November 10 through the e-retail giant, Flipkart.
The Lenovo VIBE X2 features a unique tri-layer design and a 5-inch Full HD (1920×1080 pixels) IPS LCD display. Equipped with a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6596M processor and 2GB of RAM, it runs Android KitKat and is powered by a 2,300mAh battery. The device has a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Lenovo VIBE X2 Specifications
- 5-inch IPS LCD display, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 441 ppi
- Android 4.4 KitKat
- 2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6596M processor, PowerVR G600 GPU, and 2GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage but no microSD card slot
- 13-megapixel primary camera, autofocus, LED flash, and 1080p video recording
- 5-megapixel front-facing secondary camera
- Dual-SIM, 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0, GLONASS A-GPS, and microUSB v2.0 port
- 2,300 mAh non-removable battery
Alongside its dual-SIM support, it is also compatible with 4G LTE bands and FM Radio. The device comes pre-loaded with apps like SHAREit, SYNCit and CLONEit. It is available in four colour variants; White, Gold, Red, and Charcoal.
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AT&T launches new HTC phones, Lumia 830 and G Watch R on November 7th
When it rains, it pours — on top of its Galaxy Note Edge announcement, AT&T has unveiled launch plans for no less than six smart devices that should reach stores by November 7th. It’ll be a particularly big day for HTC fans, who’ll get the Desire Eye ($150 on contract, $550 off), One (M8) for Windows ($200/$670) and RE camera ($199 contract-free). And that’s just the start. The previously promised Lumia 830 will arrive at the same time, costing $100 on contract and $450 up front; you’ll get a free Fitbit Flex activity tracker with the Windows Phone if you act quickly. Meanwhile, smartwatch lovers will like that both LG’s G Watch R and Motorola’s Moto 360 will go on sale for respective prices of $299 and $249. That’s a lot of release info to digest, but it’s hard to complain too much about getting so many gadgets in one day.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile, Microsoft, HTC, Nokia, AT&T, LG, Lenovo
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