Drum roll, please: Lenovo, headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., has announced a family of tablets for both business customers and consumers. The tablets not only support Flash graphics (something Apple refuses to support for the iPad), but also come with a Netflix streaming certification—the first Android-based tablets to receive this recognition.
IdeaPad Tablet K1, aimed at consumers, weighs just 1.63 pounds and includes Bluetooth and 802.11 WiFi support. Based on “Honeycomb,” the 3.1 version the Android operating system, the IdeaPad Tablet K1 boasts a true high-definition (HD) screen resolution of 1280 x 800 on its 10.1-inch screen. The included mini-HDMI connecter displays full 1080p HD resolution on an external monitor or TV. Soon, a Netflix application will automatically update on the tablet, and support the ability to rent or buy movies to play off-line. The aluminum case will be available in numerous colors. Two video cameras, a 2MB rear facing and a 5MB forward facing, are standard.
IdeaPad Tablet P1, for home and office use, runs the Windows 7 Home Professional operating system on a 1.5GHz Intel processor to support Office documents. This tablet weighs just less than two pounds, and comes with a stylus that can be tucked into the housing. The screen supports multitouch and writing, and has the ability to store documents as written or convert them to text.
The ThinkPad Tablet, using the name of Lenovo’s popular notebooks, is touted as the first true business-class tablet. The 10.1-inch screen supports high-definition at 1280 x 800 and weighs just 1.65 pounds for easy portability. It also includes a full-size USB port and SD card slot, and there’s an optional digitizer pen available. Citrix Receiver software for virtual desktop support is likewise included.
CompuTrace software is bundled with the ThinkPad Tablet for data protection, and includes anti-theft software and tools to remotely disable a lost or stolen ThinkPad Tablet. Zero-touch deployment software from LanDesk and secure email tools from Good Technology are designed to help IT staff feel comfortable with a tablet for the first time.
†”We’ve taken the Android Honeycomb OS and customized it,” says Ninis Samuel, global director, mobile and digital home product marketing at Lenovo. “There are preloaded applications exclusive to Lenovo, such as 2GB of cloud storage and access to the Lenovo App Shop.”
Dilip Bhatia, vice president of Lenovo’s Think Product Group adds: “We talked to over 100 business customers” when planning for the ThinkPad Tablet. “We focus on three key users experiences: the mobile worker, the consumer experience using it outside of work, and the support IT manager who has to deploy these and secure the data.”
Pricing & Availability
The 32GB IdeaPad Tablet K1 is $499 and is available now.
The 16GB ThinkPad Tablet is $479 or $509 including the digitizer pen, for Wi-Fi models. The 32GB Wi-Fi model ThinkPad Tablet with digitizer pen is $589. 3G support for the ThinkPad Tablet will be available soon. The ThinkPad Tablet will be available starting August 2, 2011 in the U.S. and worldwide during the third quarter.
The IdeaPad Tablet P1 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2011.
