Lenovo debuts 11.1-inch IdeaPad U110 notebook
We’ve been holding this under embargo for several weeks and wouldn’t you know we forgot to set our NDA alarm? Starting today, everyone can begin to talk about Lenovo’s new IdeaPad U110, which looks plenty portable with a frameless 11.1-inch widescreen display.The aluminum-cased U110 tips the scales just under 2.5 pounds while keeping a slim 18.4mm profile. Under the hood you’ll see Intel low voltage chipsets and a 1.8-inch drive bay to accommodate up to 160 GB of traditional magnetic storage or less capacity with an SSD option. Bluetooth, WiFi, a modem jack and Ethernet port make up the connectivity options. Lenovo integrated face recognition and a 1.3-megapixel webcam in the U110 plus some touch-sensitive controls for multimedia playback. We’ll have to drop by the Lenovo booth at CES to get a better feel for the unit and a complete look at the specs, but it’s looking good on paper! No word yet on pricing, but you can expect to see the U110 available near the end of the first quarter or beginning of the second. If you can’t wait until then, you can sign up with Lenovo for updates.
I wonder if these new IdeaPads are meant to replace the 3000 series? The other models in the IdeaPad line look awfully similar.
However, this particular model is especially intriguing, and the weight and interesting looks make my x61s suddenly feel really old. Let’s hope that’s a LED backlit screen.
This is one of several new models of the ThinkPad that Lenovo is aiming at the consumer market for the first time. We have some detailed information about these under embargo but I can tell you they are chock-full of features for the mobile user.
can you tell us size, weight, battery life?
it’s easy to make a laptop very light & very thin when you design it with a lousy battery that gets 2hours (which is what most of these companies do). even though it’s from Lenovo, aiming it for the “consumer market” is what they usually use as an excuse.
i’ve still never seen anyone do the 10-11″ market better than Sony T’s & Fujitsu P’s, but they usually get between 7-9hours battery life.
It’s my understanding that they are not thinkpads and not of that quality but their own line “ideapad” what ever that means. I’m interested in details and price. I don’t see much revolutionary in UMPC’s available untill fall and am leaning toward a good ultraportable laptop to hold me over. A good value in a 11-13 inch (eg less than $1200) laptop will do it for me now.
WLS, you’re correct. We’re so used to the ThinkPad line that we’ve got it on the brain. The IdeaPad is a consumer-oriented brand as opposed the enterprise / business branding of the ThinkPad.
It should be mentioned that the 3000 line was also a somewhat half-a**ed effort at the consumer market. It was neither innovative or interesting at all. I think the discontinuance of the 3000 line of laptops will happen with this new IdeaPad in place. And this may actually work with this time.
All I have to think is “am I now stuck on the laptop yearly upgrade treadmill?” I think the answer is yes.
hmmm..
So U110 is the Lenovo Menlow device..
… it’s thinner than my phone!
uups… thay say it’s Santa Rosa
.. so something else then.
At 3/4 inch thickness it does sound like a menlow device laptop. If that is the case then I would think the price would be close to $1600 for it- we shall see. What’s with a modem jack though? That is so 20th century!
Anyway it looks sweet but it has to be able to hold its own against the 13inch Macbook pro that we kinda know is coming out.
I think this year is going to be the year of the ultraportable laptop.
Wow, a contender for the Vaio TZ, Asus U1 and Fujitsu’s P series. We need more contenders in the 10/11″ ultraportable segment, love the 11.1″ 16:9 aspect ratio as well.
Can’t wait to see more details about it, it’ll be at CES? But I can’t wait until its announced release of late March/April, wish it’d be out by end of January for my next notebook. : (
I’d like to know if it will have an LED backlit display since the 11.1″ screens of the Vaio TX/TZ and Asus U1 series are but I think this is more budget oriented so it’ll be CCFL, hope they have an option for LED.
And we need a lot more pictures, not just two small teaser shots! Need more info on the U110 ASAP!!!
I’m positive it has an LED screen which helps with the thinness. I agree we need more AFFORDABLE 11-12 inch laptops.
I believe it’s and LED screen but that’s not confirmed. What is cool that is not mentioned is that these laptops will sport facial recognition for logging into the system. Using the web cam these devices will only let your face log in which is not only pretty cool but very secure.
Is that the reason why its lacking a fingerprint reader unlike the laptops its competing with (Vaio TZ, Asus U1, Lifebook P) because this facial recognition is a new, superior method of security?
I’ve heard a few sources say it’ll have a CCFL screen but your right, the lid looks so thin, it has to be LED backlit. I hope there’s at least a more expensive option to upgrade to that like on the Dell XPS M1330.
We need more competitors in the ultraportable sector to bring competition and bring prices down, the laptops I mentioned run $2000 and up and are also geared towards business users.
These laptops are too expensive and small for most mainstream users but I think Lenovo is aiming this for the mainstream because of its colorful lid, its supposed to have media buttons and Dolby speakers. Very interesting, I just wish it would come out this month, I don’t think I can wait until March for this.
I want an alternative to the Vaio TZ and Asus U1 which I’ve been looking at.