August 12, 2009

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e
Starts at P28,990
www.lenovo.com

Lenovo announced the ThinkPad X100e, the company’s first professional-grade ultraportable laptop starting at PhP28,990. The introduction pioneers a new category of PCs for today’s business users that blends professional performance, usability and design with new color options at an extremely affordable price. The X100e also represents the first time Lenovo and AMD have collaborated to offer AMD processors on ThinkPad laptops and to leverage AMD’s VisionPro branding.

“By listening to our customers and observing market trends, we identified an opportunity to create a new type of ultraportable laptop for business users,” said Vicky Agorrilla, country general manager, Lenovo Philippines. “Customers asked us for low cost and extreme portability without sacrificing usability or the manageability needed to run a business. By expanding the ultraportable ThinkPad X Series to reach prices of about PhP28,990, the X100e delivers on all counts.”

The ThinkPad X100e excels in the areas important to business users with professional-grade features, exceptional usability and outstanding mobility.

Professional-Grade Features
Equipped with choices of AMD Athlon Neo single and dual core processors and Turion dual core processors1, the X100e provides strong performance needed for multitasking and running typical office applications. It also has the performance needed to support corporate operating systems like Microsoft Windows 7 Professional. The X100e comes with Lenovo’s ThinkVantage Technologies, hardware-software tools that help customers deploy, manage and maintain their PCs. The laptop features global availability and technical support along with a variety of warranty options.

Exceptional Usability and Design
Lenovo designed the small and compact X100e to be incredibly comfortable to use. An 11.6 inch high definition display provides ample screen real estate, and an ISO full-size keyboard with a multitouch touchpad and Trackpoint make navigation easy. The new contemporary keyboard design features

enlarged keys, removal of rarely used keys like System Request and the embedded number pad. The X100e also brings color to ThinkPad with a new choice of heatwave red in addition to midnight black models.

Outstanding Mobility
The X100e maximizes mobility with models starting under three pounds. For wireless connectivity on the go, the laptop comes with 802.11n WiFi and optional Bluetooth and 3G.

Based on VISION Pro Technology from AMD, the X100e delivers outstanding value and performance on visual productivity applications vital to today’s business.

“The X100e delivers the full promise of VISION Pro Technology from AMD,” said Leslie Sobon, vice president, Product Marketing, AMD. “It delivers the visual experience necessary to leverage most of today’s collaboration tools, strong battery life and unbeatable value, all in a sleek, durable ultrathin laptop. With out-of-the-box support for dual monitors to enable greater productivity, the ThinkPad X100e defines what a commercial ultrathin laptop should be and sets the bar for future products based on VISION Pro Technology from AMD.”

Business-Class Service and Support
Lenovo offers a full portfolio of service and support offerings to protect the ThinkPad X100e and the data on it and also to give IT departments the technical support they need. To keep business productivity high and to protect from unexpected repair costs, ThinkPad Protection cover repairs resulting from accidents, drops and spills. ThinkPlus Priority Support provides 24×7 business-class technical support for IT professionals responsible for maintaining these PCs. Lenovo Hard Disk Drive Retention lets customers keep their hard drive in case of damage or failure, ensuring that their data remains safely in their hands.

February 3, 2010

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge Series
Starts at P36,990
www.lenovo.com

Lenovo announced a new ThinkPad laptop Series, simply called “ThinkPad Edge,” with 13, 14 and 15 inch models designed specifically for the small to medium sized business (SMB). The 13-inch model represents the first ThinkPad laptop to offer AMD dual core processor technology and to be offered on AMD’s VISION Pro Technology. In addition to performance, the new laptops are designed with style and affordability in mind for today’s budget-conscious customers. For example, they include new rich and vibrant color choices and a new contemporary keyboard. Lenovo is also expanding its retail sales channel to offer select ThinkPad Edge models in Best Buy stores.

“Small to medium business customers tell us they want PCs with bold yet professional designs, uncompromising durability and reliability with the latest technologies that meets their budgets,” said Vicky Agorrilla, country general manager, Lenovo Philippines. “Our answer is the new ThinkPad Edge family of laptops. They deliver stunning technology and powerful performance at an unprecedented value.”

Sophisticated and Simple Design
The ThinkPad Edge Series laptops reflect a new progressive and strikingly clean appearance while retaining ThinkPad durability and reliability. For example, the laptops include spill resistant keyboards and value-added ThinkVantage Technologies like the Active Protection System and Rescue and Recovery.

However, the new laptops blend expressive design and ease of use in several new ways:

Contemporary keyboard
A new contemporary keyboard gives the laptop a clean and inviting look. Uniform black keys and removal of the embedded number pad also help create a modern design. The Function keys have even been re-designed so that users only need to use one finger to access multimedia functions and more. Other rarely used keys like System Request have been removed. Additionally, select models of the ThinkPad Edge 14 and 15 inch versions will come with illuminated keyboards for visibility in low light conditions while adding a touch of elegance to the keyboard.

Expanded touchpad
A large multitouch touchpad provides an oversized landing pad for fingers to pinch, zoom and scroll.

Expressive, colorful palette
Midnight glossy or midnight soft black remain the traditional color for business, but for those who want to make a statement, ThinkPad Edge laptops come in heatwave red too. Additionally, a sleek silver band frames the exterior of the laptop.

SMB Performance Gets New Edge
SMBs “are a 24×7 business,” and their PC technology reflects their personal brand. Lenovo designed the ThinkPad Edge Series specifically to give these customers stylish and eye catching designs with high performance, reliability and the latest technologies including:

• Great performance with choices of AMD Turion and Athlon Neo dual core processors or Intel Core 2 Duo ultra low voltage and standard dual core processors
• Optimized for Windows 7 under Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience program
• Long battery life of over eight hours
• Wireless connectivity technologies including WiFi and optional Bluetooth, 3G and WiMAX3
• Crisp and clear voice over Internet protocol with Skype software, high definition speakers, high resolution, low light sensitivity cameras and microphone and camera mute keys
• Commitment to green technology. The laptops carry a Gold rating from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool and meet Energy Star 5.0. The Edge laptops contain no foam and use many materials which are derived from 100% recycled content, such as thermoplastic, sugarcane or sorghum

“Expanding our relationship with Lenovo to include ThinkPad laptops represents a turning point for AMD’s commercial client business and creates enormous opportunity for both companies,” said Leslie Sobon, VP-Product Marketing, AMD. “By basing these laptops on VISION Pro Technology, Lenovo is enabling customers to gain a competitive advantage with performance you can see on today’s collaboration and visual productivity applications, unbeatable value at every price point and a means of eliminating IT headaches through open standards manageability and security features.”

Total Service and Support
Lenovo also offers a full suite of flexible service and support solutions for the new ThinkPad Edge Series. Lenovo-branded services give customers and business partners a single source solution that helps minimize risks and increases protection and productivity.

These services include:

• ThinkPad Protection to protect from unexpected repair costs in case of accidents or spills
• Priority Support for 24/7 tech-to-tech support
• Hard Disk Drive Retention that lets customer keep their failed or damaged hard drive to ensure data remains safely in their hands

Pricing and Availability
The ThinkPad Edge 13-inch version is now available with models starting at approximately PhP36,990 through Lenovo Business Partners and www.lenovo.com.

By Ian Paul
January 13, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO - The Consumer Electronics Show may be over, but the devices shown off last week in Las Vegas gave us a glimpse of where technology is headed this year. CES had its highlights, letdowns, and oddball gimmicks; but looking at all the coverage there were five trends that stood out for me among the thousands of devices and new technologies featured at this year’s trade show.

E-Readers

This year will see a slew of new e-reading devices from well-known gadget makers like Fujitsu, MSI, and iRiver, as well as smaller companies such as Plastic Logic and Spring Design. The latest crop of e-readers offers devices intended for more than reading books, too; the 11.5-inch Skiff was designed with magazines and newspapers in mind, and the dual-screen Entourage eDge, with one e-ink and one LCD screen, is aimed at replacing the paper textbook. The biggest name in e-reading devices, Kindle, didn’t sit still either, with Amazon announcing a Kindle DX with Global Wireless that can download content outside the U.S.

But e-readers may be in trouble if multipurpose tablet computers become a more popular option.
Read our CES e-reader coverage: 2010: Year of the E-reader and What Defines an E-Reader?

Tablets

There’s no doubt 2010 will be an important year for the tablet computer. These one-screen, touch-based devices were a huge attention-getter at this year’s CES. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduced the Hewlett-Packard Slate running Windows 7 during his CES keynote address, Lenovo showed off the >U1, an interesting notebook/tablet hybrid, and Notion Ink presented the Adam Smartpad. Of course, the biggest news for tablets may be yet to come if Apple introduces its own tablet later this month.

Read our CES tablet coverage:

Tablets Steal the Show at CES
The Dawn of the Tablet PC
Tablets Are Hot at CES

3D

With the release of the visually stunning movie Avatar in 3D it’s clear the format is no longer a silly gimmick, but a powerful filmmaking tool that will be in wide use in movie theaters this year. Aware of where the future is going, HDTV manufacturers are gearing up for the 3D future. Panasonic plans to have 3D TVs on store shelves this summer, and Sony’s first 3D sets may show up this spring.

Read our CES 3D coverage:

Panasonic Promises 3D Plasma HDTVs by Summer
HDTV 2010: Get Ready for 3D
Sony Emphasizes 3D
3D Comes Home

Car Tech

Chevrolet was showing off the electric-powered Volt at CES, which can be controlled from your smartphone similar to the Viper SmartStart app for the iPhone. You can control some of the Volt’s basic tasks like starting the engine, locking the doors, setting the alarm and checking your car’s battery life. But Ford stole the show for car-based technologies with Ford MyTouch, an update to its successful Ford Sync platform that integrated mobile devices with your vehicle. MyTouch will bring Wi-Fi and Web apps to your vehicle’s dashboard with features like Internet radio, Twitter and 3D maps for navigation. If you’re too not busy social networking or answering a phone call while you’re barreling down the highway at 105 miles per hour, Ford MyTouch can also give you information about your car’s overall health.

CES Car Tech coverage:
Car Tech Romances the Screen at CES 2010
Car Tech Speeds Up.

Android

Google continues to make inroads with its Android operating system for mobile devices, and this year’s CES was Android central. AT&T will introduce Android-based devices to its network, and Motorola is coming out with a third Android phone called the Backflip that will use the Motorola Blur overlay first seen on the Cliq. MIPS technologies showed off an Android-based set-top box that can send digital TV signals over the Internet (IPTV).
Outside of CES, Google launched the Nexus One at a special event last week. This touchscreen smartphone running Android OS 2.1 will be sold directly by Google to consumers, and is the company’s concept of what an Android phone should be.

CES Android Coverage:

A Slew of New Android Phones Appear at CES
Android Madness at CES
CES Day Zero: AT&T Goes Android and More

So those are the five things I noticed from this year’s CES, what’s your take? Will tablets overtake smartphones as the next generation of must-have devices? Will our cars become more about entertainment and less about driving? Do you plan on owning a 3D HDTV by this time next year? Let us know in the comments.

December 21, 2009

Intel has announced new Intel Atom processors that feature integrated graphics built directly into the CPU, enabling improved performance and smaller, more energy-efficient designs in a new generation of netbooks and Atom-based entry-level desktop PCs. Major OEMs have committed to having systems on the new Intel Atom processors and a new companion chipset available within the next few weeks.

The newest Intel Atom platform, formerly codenamed “Pine Trail,” consist of a new Intel Atom processor, the N450, and a new low-power Intel NM10 Express Chipset (for netbooks). For entry-level desktop PCs, it consists of either the Intel Atom processor D410 or the dual core D510, also paired with the Intel NM10 express chipset. The Atom processor was designed from the ground up for small devices and low power, and remains Intel’s smallest chip, built on the company’s 45nm high-k metal gate manufacturing process. The overall package, including the chipset, just got smaller due to the increasing integration and 45nm manufacturing, which means smaller, more compact system designs, lower costs for OEMs and improved performance.

Broad Industry Momentum
Intel continues to see broad industry support for the Atom platform as netbook in particular have been hot sellers during a recessionary year due to their affordability, function and small size (7-10-inch screens). Additionally, Intel is expecting to see broad channel adoption for Atom in a variety of small form factor entry-level desktop PCs at low price points, including ultra-small designs (less than 1-litre chassis), fanless designs, and low-cost all-in-one designs.

Since Intel announced the first Atom processor for netbooks and entry-level desktop PCs in June 2008, the market has expanded rapidly. Since introduction, Intel has shipped over 40million Atom chips for netbooks to every major OEM around the world. In the same timeframe, netbooks have ramped faster and sold more units than Apple’s iPhone and the Nintendo Wii. According to ABI Research, total Atom shipments for all segments are expected to continue to grow into the 100s of millions by 2011. Intel is not letting up, offering the next-generation platform for OEMs to continue to innovate around.

“The Intel Atom processor has feuled an entirely new category of computing over the last year and a half and we think the growth will continue for devices like netbooks and entry-level PCs built around basic computing and Internet usage models,” said Mooly Eden, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of Intel’s PC Client Group. “We’re excited to be delivering the next-generation Atom platform and working across the industry as we head into a second phase of growth, powering innovative new system designs with better performance, smaller footprints and better battery life.”

Intel has over 80 design wins to-date for the new Atom platform from such leading OEMs as Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, MSI, Toshiba, Samsung and Fujitsu. While the bulk of the systems will feature the new Windows 7 Starter or Home Basic operating system, consumers will have a choice when it comes to selecting an operating system, with some OEMs offering Moblin Linux v2 as an alternative for customers who desire a customizable and differentiated user interface.

Worldwide netbook shipments by telecommunication companies are also growing and expected to fuel another round of expansion. Intel has been working closely with mobile operators and modem vendors to advance 3G capabilities in netbooks in established and emerging markets. To date, approximately a dozen service providers offer netbooks in various markets, and the numbers are expected to grow with the newest platform.

Improved Processor and Graphics Performance
One of the most significant features of the new platform is the integration of the memory controller and graphics into the CPU, a first in the industry on x-86 chips. That means two chips (CPU+chipset) instead of the previous three (CPU+chipset, I/O controller hub), a lower TDP and substantial reduction in cost, overall footprint and power. The netbook platform features a 20% improvement in average power and smaller package size over the previous Atom platform. This translates into smaller and more compact system designs and longer battery life. Because of the integration, the total footprint for the netbook platform has decreased by approximately 60%. For entry-level desktop PCs, it’s nearly 70% reduction in footprint and about 50% lower TDP than the previous generation.

About the Platform
The N450 is a single core atom processor with 512k of L2 cache and a seven-watt total kit TDP including chipset. The D410 for entry-level desktop PCs is a single-core Atom processor with 512k of L2 cache and 12-watt kit TDP including chipset, and the D510 for entry-level desktop PCs is a dual core Atom processor with 1meg L2 cache and 15-watt total kit TDP including chipset. The new chips all run 1.66GHz. Pricing and availability will be announced in January as systems become available from OEMs.

August 12, 2009

Lenovo has unveiled a lineup of new IdeaPad laptops and IdeaCentre desktops designed to meet the performance, style and usability standards of today’s multi-tasking consumers.

The new Idea PCs combine stylish designs and innovative features enabled by the ultra low power Intel Core processor family of products and improved performance with an Intel Core i7 processor. These new products ship with Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system and also include the unique Lenovo Enhanced Experience for Windows 7 - the result of joint engineering by Lenovo in collaboration with Microsoft to provide users with faster system boot and shutdown, richer multimedia features and easy system maintenance tools.

“Our Idea products are designed with the user experience in mind - every aspect of product design and technology is engineered to improve how consumers seamlessly use these products to enrich their daily lives,” said Liu Jun, senior VP, Idea Product Group, Lenovo. “Today’s additions to the Idea product portfolio are among Lenovo’s most feature-rich and powerful PCs to-date, providing our customers more choices to find the PC that best meets their unique digital lifestyle.”

“Lenovo and Intel share a vision to create products that are faster, lighter, thinner and with longer battery life and delivering them to consumers in the quickest and most cost effective way,” Gregory Bryant, VP Sales and Marketing Group,Intel Corporation. “Whether you are looking for ultrathin, stylish laptops with exceptional performance or beautiful and powerful desktops, Lenovo and Intel are working together to deliver Idea products with the right Intel processor technology inside to meet your needs.”

“As a result of our joint engineering investments, Lenovo is demonstrating their commitment to Windows 7 by making significant improvements in important areas like start-up, shutdown and resume times. We congratulate Lenovo on its work, as we think it will help business customers and consumers benefit from a better computing experience on Lenovo’s leading products,” said John Kalkman, VP of OEM Engineering and Services at Microsoft Corp. “With Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience, customers can be confident that their new PC delivers more of the exciting benefits that Windows 7 has to offer.”

Lenovo’s latest IdeaPad laptops and IdeaCentre desktops meet consumer demands for mobility, added power to effectively multitask, flexibility to support professional and personal computing needs, data security, stylish designs and the latest multimedia features.

IdeaPad Y550P - Cutting-edge power for multimedia on the go

The Y550P is ideal for today’s multi-tasker and the most powerful laptop in Lenovo’s consumer portfolio. The Y550P is Lenovo’s first notebook to use the new Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology1 that automatically speeds up the processor when the PC needs extra performance. This high-performance laptop also features powerful NVIDIA discrete graphics, a 15.6inch HD widescreen display, Dolby Home Theater surround sound, and unique Lenovo tools like SlideNav - a touch-sensitive bar above the keyboard that makes it faster and easier to navigate programs, documents and shortcuts, or even quickly change the desktop wallpaper on users’ systems.

IdeaPad U150 - Slim and chic portability

The U150 is just 13.5mm thick and weighs only 1.35kg, yet under the textured red or black cover lies a range of features designed to strike the right balance between mobility and functionality. The ultraportable U150 with an energy-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo processor offers up to 8GB DDR3 memory, 11.60-inch HD widescreen display and long battery life. The Active Protection System on the U150 helps protect the hard drive if the laptop is dropped or gets bumped. A new version of OneKey Rescue System, Version 7.0, performs data backups up to twice as fast and includes more powerful antivirus scanning that can be run even before loading the operating system.

IdeaPad U550 - Ultraportable with added flexibility for the office and home

At just 24mm thick and with a 15.6in wide HD wide screen display, the new IdeaPad U550 laptop with Intel Core 2 Duo processor includes a range of features that make it easy for users to transition between work and home use. For example, switchable graphics let users turn their discrete graphics card on and off at the press of a button to better manage PC battery life. Dolby Sound Room surround-sound via the laptop’s large, integrated speakers brings presentations to life and makes games and movies more enjoyable. The Ambient Light Sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness based on light conditions, reducing strain on the eyes. An integrated DVD drive delivers added flexibility to access and share content. The integrated fingerprint reader and VeriFace facial recognition software on the U550 provide additional ease of use when logging onto the PC.

IdeaCentre B500 - High performance all-in-one, immersive entertainment

Featuring an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, powerful discrete graphics, up to 8GB DDR3 memory and 1TB HDD storage space, the IdeaCentre B500 all-in-one desktop is the ultimate PC for serious gamers and multimedia users. The 23in Full HD screen and high-quality JBL-brand integrated speakers provide a quality viewing experience. Coupled with a 4-in-1 remote control that acts as a motion-drive games controller, VOIP handset, air mouse and media remote, the B500 supports a dynamic multimedia entertainment experience. Additional unique Lenovo features on the B500 include CamSuite, a tool that helps to keep users in the center of the Web camera’s focus and adds special effects to live video feeds.

IdeaCentre K300 - Desktop PC with optimized power and control

The IdeaCentre K300 with the Intel Core 2 Quad processor is a performance desktop loaded with powerful technologies including high-performance RAID configured hard drives for added storage and peace of mind. It also includes the Lenovo Power Control Switch, which makes it simple for users adjust the level of power they need - from all-out performance to more energy-efficient modes.

Lenovo H230 - Functionality at a value price

Available starting at $299 and equipped with a range of HDD and DDR3 memory configurations, the H230 is designed to offer consumers the perfect mix of performance and value. Integrated tools such as Lenovo Rescue System provide users a worry-free experience by enabling quick and easy data recovery and advanced antivirus technology.

Lenovo IdeaPad U350 & S10-2 - Eye-catching new textures and patterns marry fashion with functionality

The IdeaPad U350 ultraportable laptop and S10-2 netbook are now available in a range of new textures and colorful patterns. The U350 can be purchased with a cool, eye-catching cover texture such as brown lizard print, white lamb skin print and red light weave. Using the latest PC cover-painting technology, the popular S10-2 comes in new colorful designs such as pop art, violet floral, red floral, green floral, phoenix, garden, sailing and origami.

Lenovo Philippines has announced a Back-to-School bundle promotion for its new Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 netbook and Lenovo C300 all-in-one desktop. This Back-to-School bundle promotion, which will be held from June 29 to July 24, entitles customers to receive a free S10 mouse and Microsoft e-Learning voucher worth P6,250 with every purchase of an IdeaPad S10-2 netbook.

Customers who opt for a desktop instead, will receive a free Canon PIXMA iP1960 inkjet printer as well as a free Microsoft e-Learning voucher with every purchase of a Lenovo C300 all-in-one desktop.

The new IdeaPad S10-2 netbook and Lenovo C300 all-in-one desktop are designed to give users, especially students, a cool, fun-to-use and highly reliable technology with the latest capabilities at surprisingly affordable prices.

Lenovo C300 all-in-one desktop is perfect for students who are looking for a clutter-free desktop. With its small footprint, tidy cables and fold-away stand, the trendily-designed C300 sits nicely in any study room - allowing more space for students to work comfortably. The Lenovo C300 comes with a 2GB RAM, 1.3-megapixel webcam, six USB ports, a firewire port and a 6-in-1 multicard reader. Powered by the Intel Atom platform, the Lenovo C300 comes with genuine Windows Vista Home Basic.  It is also equipped with the Lenovo Rescue System, ensuring protection for all users. The C300 is ideal for online research as has WiFi in addition to its Ethernet connectivity.

The new IdeaPad S10-2 netbook allows a student to play and work hard. Weighing approximately one kilogram and measuring less than an inch thick, the IdeaPad S10-2 is lighter and thinner, making it easier to carry to and around campus even in a small schoolbag. Students can easily go online with a host of wireless connectivity options to surf the Internet to do research for their school work or simply email or chat with family and friends.  The S10-2 is also equipped with Lenovo QuickStart Button and its social networking friendly features allow students to stay connected with friends and classmates at all times. The rich sound of Dolby Headphone technology for music and movies and a longer battery life provide ideal entertainment. The IdeaPad S10-2 comes in various colors to match every user’s style.

To claim the bundles, customers need to present the proof of purchase and a valid photo identification at any Lenovo Exclusive Stores located in SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Marikina, SM Cubao and SM Cebu. Bundles may also be claimed at Lenovo Philippines’ office located at Unit 15A, 15/F Citibank Tower, Paseo de Roxas, Makati during working hours.

The IdeaPad S10-2 and Lenovo C300 are retailing for PhP 23,300 and PhP 34,500, respectively.  They will be available in late June through Lenovo business partners and www.lenovo.com/ph

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Shown above during the unveiling of Lenovo’s latest consumer PCs are (from left) Michael Ngan, country manager for Consumer Business, Lenovo Philippines; Vicky Agorrilla, country general manager, Lenovo Philippines; Susan Tan, notebook product manager, Lenovo ASEAN; and, Jimmy Chin, desktop product manager, Lenovo ASEAN. 

Lenovo Philippines recently unveiled the latest additions to its Idea brand of personal computers for consumers, - the IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop and the new 16-inch IdeaPad Y650 and 14-inch Y450 laptops.

Targeted at the space and design-conscious user, as well as the entertainment and gaming enthusiast, the sleek IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one features a 21.5-inch frameless screen in a modern design that measures only one inch at its slimmest point, making it one of the slimmest all-in-one desktop PCs.

For the entertainment enthusiast, the IdeaCentre all-in-one features a 16:9 aspect ratio screen for cinema-like viewing and support for 1920×1080 full HD resolution, delivering outstanding image quality. The integrated speaker system includes a bass sub-woofer and Dolby Home Theatre audio certification, while the optional Blu-ray player completes the home cinema experience. Users can also take advantage of a digital TV tuner for watching and recording their favorite TV programs. Users can opt to include the Microsoft Vista Media Center for easy recording of TV programs and interactive navigation between videos, music and TV programs.

For gaming enthusiasts, Lenovo developed the 4-in-1 optional remote controller. It is the first to bring PC users the ability to play games using the remote control’s ‘motion drive’ feature, which controls on-screen objects according to the movement of the remote.

The Y-series is designed for HD and multimedia, making the series ideal for the entertainment enthusiast. The Y Series is equipped with 16:9 format glossy widescreen panels, optional latest generation NVIDIA GFX graphics for gaming and smooth HD video playback and Dolby Home Theater surround sound. The IdeaPad Y650 laptop also features JBL speakers for a rich sound. The Y Series includes the new Lenovo OneKey Theater software to enhance the audio and visual experience.

 
The IdeaPad Y650 laptop will retail at PhP82,995, while the IdeaPad Y450 laptop will retail at PhP47,500. The IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop will retail at PhP63,900.

The Y Series laptops and the IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop are now available in the Philippines through leading retailers and Lenovo business partners. For product inquiries, consumers may call 1800-1651 0438 or visit www.lenovo.com/ph.

March 15, 2009

Lenovo IdeaCentre A600
By Billy Joe I. Allardo
Published in the December 2008-January 2009 print edition of PC World Philippines

P46,112
www.lenovo.com/ph

There is no need to explain - space is essential to offices. This is the reason why a number of companies have been replacing their bulky CRTs with slimmer LCDs and if their budget allows them, desktops with notebook PCs.

However, notebooks still have a number of disadvantages compared to their desktop kin. Foremost is the need for long uptimes, particularly if you need to download or transmit big files that require a night or a couple of days to complete. Another is the necessity to upgrade in order to improve performance and meet current demands, which is too darn hard or impossible to do with a notebook. Hence, PC manufacturers have been churning out small form factor (SFF) PCs in order to meet the demand of space-saving and rigorous computing environments.

Among the current SFF PC options available in the market today is the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra. It comes primarily in matte black, dousing it with an esoteric charm that has been the mark of Lenovo desktop and notebook. Accentuating it is a mesh front that doubles as a simple ploy to cool the PC.

By default, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra comes with a 3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 processor and 1GB DDR2 memory. For storage, it has a 160GB 7200RPM hard drive with integrated Intel GMA 3100 and Pro 1000T Gigabit controllers for graphics processing and networking, respectively. Also bundled are a laser mouse and a USB keyboard.

However, you can still customize the M57p Ultra’s spec at the point of sale to fit the buyer’s needs. One of the notable enhancements includes the Intel ADD2 DVI-D Adapter that provides extra connectivity to another display.

The unit we had came with an extra gigabyte of memory and double the stock storage capacity. It also came with a 19-inch LCD. However, you need to shell out extra for the display, as it is not part of the package. The only issue I had with Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra is that it needs to use an AC adapter to run, similar to a notebook PC. It somewhat eats a tad of space that the PC aims to not use. On the other hand, it does save internal space and lowers the temperature from inside the case.

Due to its wee form, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra costs a bit higher than the usual desktop package. Despite the aforementioned snags, I enjoyed using the ultra SFF. It offers a light punch when it comes to games, but this PC packs enough grit for tedious office tasks. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p Ultra angles well not only for offices, but also for mobile users who need to setup a remote office and be up for extended periods.

January 7, 2009

Premium Performer
By Billy Joe I. Allardo
Published in the November 2008 print edition of PC World Philippines

Lenovo IdeaPad Y430
P49,900
www.lenovo.com/ph

A couple of months ago, I had an opportunity to dabble with the Lenovo Ideapad Y510. No doubt, it has the inner workings to be a true laptop replacement – a capable processor, good amount of memory and storage space, and nice additional features such as face recognition and a button-enabled rescue tool. Yet it also stays true to its desktop tag for being bulky.

From the outside, the Lenovo Ideapad Y430 we right now have looks exactly like the Y510. It has the same weave-textured cover, sloping hinge design, edgy corners, and matte black color. Yet once you open the cover, you will immediately see the difference between the two. The most apparent is the location of the Dolbyenhanced built-in speakers as these are now located in front. In addition, the Y430 has no external battery level bar unlike on the Y510, which leaves you with the on-screen battery indicator and the power LED in front to know when it is time to charge.

The bezel on the Y430 that contains the thermal keys has a duller look compared to the one on the Y510. Monotonous looking or not, I still find this set of buttons handy for allowing immediate access to and playback of multimedia files. The volume control located on the right saves one from using the function button or dragging the cursor in order to control the sound levels, while the small button nearby switches the thermal keys between playback functions and preset audio enhancements.

One of the things that clearly separate the Y430 from the rest of the notebook PCs in its class is the recovery tool key found at the left side beside the power button. Called One-touch Recovery, it allows the creation of an image backup of your system partition and save it to either an optical disk or external drive. The utility also allows you to restore the Y430 to its factory setting or to a particular restore point. It also happens to have an anti-virus tool, just in case malware caused it to crash.

I had no problems with the keyboard, since the keys gave a tactile feel. The upgrade a same goes with the two buttons below the touchpad. Yet the biggest snag I ran into is with the placement of the Delete and Control keys. I kept on hitting the Function button every time I intend to employ a Control key combination and instead of deleting a character, I frequently copied the whole screen display by pressing the Print Screen.

Underneath the keyboard and sizeable palm-rest is a beefy 2GHz Core 2 Duo mobile processor. Coupled by Intel’s P45 Express chipset and 2GB DDR2 total memory, this notebook PC has enough power to take on multiple tasks. Meanwhile, the embedded Nvidia 9300M GS provides enough oomph needed to run games and graphics-laden applications. With the settings automatically set to run optimally with the given specification, Company of Heroes ran smoothly, with details on in-game objects still evident even when the camera was zoomed out.

The specs given above enable the Y430 to support playback of high-definition video, as manifested by the presence of a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port on the left side. The 14.1-inch display provides good enough output, despite just having a maximum 1280×800 resolution. The DVD playback test drained the battery fully after two hours and seven seconds, which is a bit short compared to the current crop of new notebooks.

Most of the connectivity ports are on the sides. Bunched on the left are the network, HDMI, and S-Video ports together with one USB hub and the microphone and headset jacks. On the right are the slot-in DVD+/- optical drive, two USB ports, a mini FireWire jack, and an ExpressCard/34 slot – a narrower standard that can accommodate TV tuner, data, and Serial ATA cards. In front are the memory card slot, wireless connectivity knob, process LEDs, and Bluetooth 2.0 receiver. Regarding wireless connectivity, the Y430 has a built-in Intel WiFi 5100 card that enables it to communicate with 802.11n routers with 2.4GHz or 5GHz speeds.

Just like with the Y510, the Y430 also features the VeriFace Recognition software. Working with the 1.3-megapixel camera, the software enables log-ins through face scanning, thus doubling up the protection offered by typing a password. The app can also capture the faces of people who would try to log in.

With the serious specs and overall look, it was quite a surprise to learn that the Lenovo Y430 comes with a price tag of just P49,900. Setting aside the small hitch with the placement of the Delete and Control keys, which you can overcome after a few hours, the Y430 is perhaps the best notebook PC offering that I have seen in a while. Shelling out a few bucks to get a battery upgrade and a nice set of speakers or headphones would further make the Y430 a potent desktop replacement or a valuable mobile tool.