

Forget the MB Air, Meet the ThinkPad X301 - thomas
http://www.geek.com/review-lenovo-thinkpad-x301-notebook-20080915

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alex_c
All the reviews that compare the Macbook Air with the Thinkpad (and the linked
review actually doesn't - only the submission title does) miss an essential
point: the Lenovo laptop simply doesn't LOOK as thin as the Air. If the people
who buy the Air do so for its looks and prestige rather than for practical
reasons, then no, the X301 isn't an alternative.

~~~
mattmaroon
I still can't figure out why I need my laptop to taper down to a thin point
like that. With the iPhone, the thinness is pretty boss, since it takes up
less valuable pocket real-estate. Having gone from a Treo to a Moto Q, I
totally understand why I want my phone to be thinner, and find that one of the
more appealing things about the iPhone.

By my notebook, not so much. I want it to be lighter, sure, but somewhere
below 4 lbs even that becomes irrelevant. (It might not if I were older.) My
X60 is slightly thicker than this X301, and it fits in any carrier's laptop
pocket with ample room to spare. I can even stick it in bags not designed for
laptops, but rather for paper notepads with ease.

Why do I want it to be thinner? And who spends a few K on a laptop for looks?

~~~
whacked_new
> who spends a few K on a laptop for looks?

Apparently lots and lots of people.

/not one of them.

~~~
mattmaroon
Hasn't the Air been pretty much a dud?

~~~
iuguy
I've seen several Macbook air's on the train into London. In all cases I have
to say it appears to offer nothing over a regular macbook on a train. Whenever
I got it there were a couple of looks (although nothing compared to the people
going up to those with EEE PCs last year and asking them about them, then
watching their jaws drop when they find out the price) but nothing major.

I noticed that the number of air's peaked around earlier this year, but that
might pick up later as more commuters join in the post-summer morning/evening
fun.

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rcoder
My X300 is, bar none, the best laptop I've ever used. Unlike the MacBook Pro
or T-series laptops (my previous all-around faves), it doesn't attempt to be a
desktop replacement, but it's worlds more capable as an all-around travel
computer than the Air, due to the internal optical drive, onboard Ethernet,
and numerous USB ports.

The 301 looks like a very minor, but worthwhile, upgrade.

Of course, the fact that the Air runs OS X, while the X300 runs Windows or
Linux, will make the decision all by itself for most potential buyers.
Personally, I find that the X300 running Ubuntu makes for a nearly ideal
mobile development system.

~~~
froo
If needed, you can always install Kalyway to get your OS X fix and have the
best of all worlds.

------
mattmaroon
The ability to swap out the optical drive for another battery is fantastic.
I'm still on my X60 (which is easily the best computer I've ever owned) but
will probably have to upgrade to this, pending approval from my accounting
department (i.e. wife).

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axod
It does look like a dogs dinner though, what are all the bits and pieces
around the LCD? What are all the holes and chunks of missing plastic in the
base?

~~~
JoelSutherland
Thinkpads have looked the same for nearly 2 decades...good looking is not the
point.

Ask anybody that owns one and they will rave about their durability and
keyboard quality. I've had a T40 for 6 years and it is still in great shape.

~~~
ivankirigin

      good looking is not the point.

If you want people to forget the MacBookAir, then good looking is very much
the point

~~~
JoelSutherland
I agree with you. I was trying to say being good looking is not the point of
the ThinkPad.

I would guess that the design of the ThinkPad hasn't changed because they are
appealing to past owners. I hated the design of the T40 at first. Now ThinkPad
design appeals to me probably because I associate it with my past experience.

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zzzmarcus
It's small and functional like the Air, but it still won't run OS X which is
why all comparisons of PC's to Macs are, to some degree, apples to oranges.

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trominos
Sweet Jesus, why is Apple the _only_ computer company in the world that
understands (and applies) the idea that, in the age of Core Duos and 2 GB RAM
standard, style is the primary thing most people want in their computer?

~~~
kajecounterhack
Because every other computer company uses M$, which is the opposite of "style"
-- its downright "conformist"

not saying I agree with that, just stating facts.

~~~
kajecounterhack
unless of course, you're psystar

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maurycy
I would get it. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of effort to run Leopard on it,
so it is no option for me. Linux costs too much time, and I simply don't like
Windows. I would love Apple releasing their OS on other platforms.

~~~
abossy
Have you tried Ubuntu lately? It's easier than OS X.

~~~
maurycy
Yes, I did. Lack of TextMate and OmniGraffle. Unfortunately, both emacs and
VIm are very time expensive to configure to have the same features, working
nearly the same way, as TextMate does.

~~~
abossy
Haven't tried TextMate, but I hear it's all the rave. Does it follow the
emacs/vim design paradigm of keyboard shortcuts?

~~~
maurycy
Yes. And adds bundles <http://manual.macromates.com/en/bundles> which are the
killer feature. Jumping between files and methods with shortcuts is nice, too.

Of course, it is archievable with VIm but it takes time and you'll constantly
find you forgot to mimic TextMate in yet another aspect.

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akkartik
I would choose the thinkpad with its optical drive and 5yr vs 2yr lifespan
anyday. Looks mean nothing.

But it comes with Vista :( That's the only reason I'm with my first mac, the
air.

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icco
These are all great computers, now if only people thought about price. All of
these 3lb 13" notebooks are cool and really what I want for a notebook, but
can anyone afford them?

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river_styx
It's ugly.

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mhb
I like my X40 and since the built-in optical disk and touch pad aren't
important to me, I'm waiting to see the X201.

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jemmons
"Forget BMW , meet the Scion!"

~~~
abossy
Remember that a BMW without seatbelts is still a car without seatbelts, and a
computer with the lacking functionality of a Macbook Air is crippled no matter
how good it looks. I'll take the seatbelts, thank you very much.

~~~
jemmons
s/with the//;

Fixed that for you.

~~~
ComputerGuru
Read it again, more carefully. You'll see that it's correct as-is.

