
Retro ThinkPad: It’s Alive - ptrptr
http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/retro-thinkpad-its-alive/
======
freddref
I wish more companies could just work on refining their products. It seems
that many new products are no better than their predecessors, and in some
cases they seem worse as companies strive to differentiate themselves at the
cost of functionality.

I like the sound of a new ThinkPad.

~~~
GuB-42
Laptops are mature tech and smartphone are becoming that too. We are to the
point where refinement won't attract customers. That's because all companies
will eventually make close enough products so that price will become the
differentiating factor. And the last thing companies want is a price war.

And they want you to continue buying their stuff too. They won't have it with
products that just work.

------
pasbesoin
I hope it will have retro-level screen quality (i.e. best in class).

(And, put those, at least as a consistent option, into the rest of your
professional line, Lenovo. Really, it's become ridiculous, at this point.)

I _really_ hope there will be no component/FRU lottery. I'd rather wait for
the best part than worry whether I'll get the good LCD or the one that's
washed out or with banding, perceptible PWM flicker, image-burn, you name it.
Rather know I'm getting the right keyboard, than worry about squish, roll,
etc. affecting my typing. Etc.

~~~
mikejmoffitt
I hope not. Except for a few choice models (the T4-T6 era "FlexView" IPS
panels), the screens in ThinkPads have not been exceptional at all. Even the
IPS choices were a total lottery.

~~~
pasbesoin
Good point. I guess I'm influenced by the ones that were good.

Make it a damned good panel, Lenovo.

How do we interact with our machines? Display, keyboard, trackpad, Touchpoint.
If those are second class, our whole experience is going to be second class.

(Speakers, I can always plug in or hook up. And I don't use the webcam much;
that may differ for others.)

------
jimmies
The Thinkpad line has a cult-like following like Apple products. It would help
in difficult times, but the brand needs to reinvent itself like how Apple did.
I would certainly love to see new products coming out with Thinkpad quality,
durability, user-friendliness (the Linux crowd), and support.

~~~
phil21
It _used to_ have a cult-like following. I'm know some still exist, but
everyone I know who would have quit a job over not being able to use a
Thinkpad has long since moved on. Including myself. Those that remain are the
types who will use 10 year old laptops willingly.

Lenovo ruined the Thinkpad brand entirely. I'm hopeful for this old school
return of a "quality tank of a laptop with a real keyboard" but we'll see.
Recent track record tells me this won't be super interesting.

If I could get a modern-spec Thinkpad with a Macbook pro quality screen and
the old school Thinkpad keyboard I'd be on board in a hot minute.

~~~
jchw
I'm pretty disappointed with the specs on most Lenovo laptops anymore. Why
does everyone put junk ULV processors in laptops nowadays? I'd die for a
slightly thicker laptop that had good specs at a price that's more reasonable.
No joke, you'd be much better with a used 2012 MBP than nearly any recent
Thinkpad. I have an X1 Carbon that is just pathetic. With Apple going the
direction it is, I really wish there was an alternative.

~~~
currysausage
_> Why does everyone put junk ULV processors in laptops nowadays?_

Because nowadays they are up to usual tasks while allowing long battery life
and light, compact devices.

If you want more than a U processor, the T470p and the P51/71 are for you
(Core i7-7820HQ or even Xeon E3-1535M v6 possible).

~~~
jchw
I understand that _most people_ aren't going to need big processors. But truth
be told, I had a lot of trouble finding something that even had a remotely
good processor that didn't start over $1200. It feels like a lot of laptops
marketed toward professionals are now coming with ULV, and that makes it hard
to find laptops that are actually suitable for my heavy usage. (I since
switched to a desktop because of this exact problem.)

But, now that you pointed it out, the T470p looks excellent. Browsing their
site, I would've never found this, or at least I certainly didn't a while back
when I was in the market.

~~~
currysausage
_> Browsing their site, I would've never found this_

I don't blame you, the Lenovo website is utter crap in almost every respect.

------
balladeer
I would love an affordable and lightweight 13" ThinkPad like laptop (or any
brand as long as it's good and reliable) where I can install an up and coming
Linux distro like ElementaryOS after my old MacBook Air dies.

No, I am not going to buy those costly alternatives Apple has lined up after
it's obvious they are killing Air (even though there might be a new one coming
with almost just one tiny tweak).

But then again, Lenovo pretty much destryoed the ThinkPad brand and is on the
path to do the same to the Moto range with their substandard quality and even
worse service.

------
webaholic
Can't wait for this laptop. I just hope they make enough of them and we don't
have a fiasco similar to that of nintendo.

------
Crontab
I am glad to hear that they didn't stop working on this.

