

Lenovo, Why Are You Designing ThinkPads No One Wants? - kunai
http://readwrite.com/2013/03/19/lenovo-why-are-you-designing-thinkpads-no-one-wants#awesm=~ojI5kdAojvt56P

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smacktoward
This article confuses me. Let's look at the list of complaints.

 _Chiclet keyboards_

I was skeptical of the new island-style ThinkPad keyboards too, but most
reviewers who have tried them found them as good as or slightly better than
the old keyboards. Examples: [http://blog.laptopmag.com/thinkpad-type-off-is-
lenovos-new-i...](http://blog.laptopmag.com/thinkpad-type-off-is-lenovos-new-
island-style-keyboard-better-or-worse),
[http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/1/3055686/lenovo-
thinkpad-x23...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/1/3055686/lenovo-
thinkpad-x230-review#section_3),
[http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/23/lenovo-
thinkpad-x230...](http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/05/23/lenovo-
thinkpad-x230-keyboard/), [http://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-
thinkpad-x230-hands-on-21229...](http://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-
thinkpad-x230-hands-on-21229256/)

Based on this feedback I bought a ThinkPad X1 Carbon recently, and I've found
the keyboard to be excellent. Like the reviewers, I found my fears about the
shift to be entirely unfounded.

 _Removing the buttons from the touchpad_

I would think the first thing a real hard-core ThinkPad fan would do is
deactivate the touchpad altogether and just use the TrackPoint nub.

 _Eliminating the removable battery_

It's true that the particular model he's complaining about, the T431S, doesn't
include a removable battery. But that's because "S"-model ThinkPads have
always been pitched as slimmer and lighter versions of the standard model, and
removable batteries add weight. You can get a removable battery with the non-
slim-and-light version, the T430
([http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t430/](http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t430/)).

 _loading Windows 8 without the benefit of an IPS (In-Plane Switching
technology) display, let alone a touchscreen_

My X1 Carbon came with a touchscreen. It worked fine with Windows 8, and even
works reasonably well with Ubuntu 13.04, which I happily replaced Windows 8
with shortly after the machine arrived.

They don't have a touchscreen model in the T series yet, but I have to think
it's only a matter of time. (The lag may be due in part to the notoriously
slow speed at which big enterprises adopt new tech -- the T series is supposed
to be the basic workhorse ThinkPad, so I'd be amazed if sales to enterprise
customers aren't a primary concern for Lenovo for that line.) Until then, if a
touchscreen is a must-have, you can get one of the many other
([http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/#/?facet-5=3&p...](http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/#/?facet-5=3&page-
index=1)) ThinkPad models that _do_ include one.

