Lenovo Unveils The Hybrid ThinkPad X1 With Dual Windows – Linux Boot Options
Written by John Thompson on January 5, 2012 · Filed under Tech
Reports concerning the impending death of the conventional notebook have been greatly exaggerated. They certainly aren’t going to be replaced by tablets anytime soon; professionals and regular consumers around the globe use them on a daily hourly basis, so it’s great to see them getting the attention that they deserve from companies such as Lenovo at this year’s CES.
One of the biggest issues with conventional notebooks is the poor battery life that they achieve. Many new models coming to market can barely reach 3 hours without completely dying, so it’s naturally become a major issue for a lot of manufacturers.
We’ve been promised new battery technology for many years now, and it’s never arrived. Processors have become more efficient, but there’s only so much that hardware optimisation for minimum power consumption can achieve. As a result, Lenovo has turned to software to solve their problem.
The new ThinkPad X1 hybrid, which the company has announced prior to CES, is able to boot in to both Windows and an unspecified, modified version of Linux (lots of reports are suggesting that this Linux operating system is based on Android, which would make sense considering that the goal is to reduce power consumption, but Lenovo hasn’t officially confirmed yet). When switching to the Linux based operating system, users will immediately see their battery life double as a result.
According to Lenovo, the hybrid doubles as a second PC thanks to its battery-stretching Instant Media Mode (IMM). IMM includes a Qualcomm dual core processor, up to 16 GB of memory and a custom Linux-based operating system. To switch to IMM from Windows, users simply click on an icon on the laptop’s home screen. With IMM, the laptop operates much like a smart phone, remaining turned on and requiring fewer charging sessions.
The laptop also comes with rapid charge technology, which will see the battery reach 80% of its full capacity in just half an hour of charge time. Like previous ThinkPad models, you will be able to configure the laptop with optional mobile broadband and a choice of Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors. The 13.3-inch display of the X1 is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass which means that the notebook will be able to take a fair bit of abuse before it finally decides that enough is enough.
“The ThinkPad X1 Hybrid and T430u ultrabook represent the next generation in thin and light computing,” said Dilip Bhatia, vice president, ThinkPad Business Unit, Lenovo. “From small businesses that literally live their business on the road to corporate professionals working in a managed environment, these new crossover laptops fundamentally change the way people think about mobile computing technology.”
At a time where Apple is attracting all of the plaudits for its line of notebooks and other devices, the PC industry needs a competitor that is serious about providing Windows based computers with hardware that can compete with Apple’s products — something that Lenovo clearly can do.
The ThinkPad X1 will be available to buy from Q2 2012, with prices starting at $1599 across the pond.
Source: Lenovo Newsroom
