Lenovo ThinkPads: Will SMBs Eat Them Up?
Lenovo is developing a sweet tooth for the SMB market. That obsession includes Lenovo’s new ThinkPad Edge 14 and 15 inch models. You may remember I reviewed the 13 inch model. If the bigger units are anything like their younger brother, the new ThinkPads may be ideal for your SMB customers. Here’s why.
Lenovo claims they designed the ThinkPad Edge with “style and sophistication” in mind. That’s why they’re shiny, got backlit keyboards and a modern round-edge design (and also come in red). And as if you couldn’t get more groovy, Lenovo claims the whole redesign was inspired by a bento box. Eat your heart out Jonathan Ive.
According to Jerry Paradise, director, Worldwide ThinkPad Product Marketing at Lenovo…
“We have seen strong demand already for the ThinkPad Edge 13 inch, and we’ll continue to expand the ThinkPad Edge lineup going forward, extending the same leadership in innovation, quality and reliability in SMB that we’re known for with large enterprise customers.”
Lenovo is competitively pricing these laptops at just $599 (for a base model.) And they’re coming with the Core i5 and i3 CPUs — or Celeron CPUs if cost is a concern. Of course, unlike the littler brother, the 14 and 15 inch machines include a DVD-RW drive, but also all the other accouterments from the 13 inch like:
- VoIP features including high resolution cameras and an HD LED screen
- HDMI out for watching HD content and a 7-in1 multicard reader
- Choices of wireless technologies including 4G, 3G and WiFi
- Comfortable spill-resistant new contemporary-style ThinkPad keyboard with multitouch touchpad
AT&T’s 3G service is available on a full range of Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, and actually comes factory-equipped with built-in mobile broadband modules. My unit had a broadband module for Verizon, but Lenovo says that AT&T is in these machines because “[AT&T] provides extensive broadband access both domestically and internationally.”
So will the 14 and 15 inch models of the already solid 13 inch version get scooped up around the world as the end-all-be-all for SMB solutions? Lenovo doesn’t have a doubt. And to show how much they care about SMBs, they’ve packaged “Lenovo ThinkVantage Technologies” productivity tools, which included backup and recovery software that also helps you recover corrupted files and manage the multiple wireless networks you may be connecting to.
Sounds groovy. Now, can I get me one of those cupcakes?
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