On the flipside, for the ordinary consumer, the HP Mini 210 has a new design, the same heavily-praised keyboard, a ton of very clever colors, a Broadcom Crystal Accelerator option for 1080p playback, and will retail for $330 with a single core Atom CPU and six-cell battery, but will have the optional upgrade to the faster N550 processor for a bit more greenbacks (probably $75).

HP Mini 5103 & 210 Press Shots

While the bezel and lids are glossy, just as I thought they might be, the magnesium alloy chassis is built to last. And believe me, I’ve owned Dells that were built of magnesium alloy, and they didn’t take drops to lightly. They took it, and kept on working. In all of the laptops, there’s options for Core i3 or Core i5 CPUs, 1GB discrete ATI graphics, up to 640GB of hard drive space, up to 6GB of RAM (max 8GB), and optional HD resolution displays; all available in the nicely named colors Mars Black, Peacock Blue, Tomato Red and Lotus Pink. A review for one of these bad guys will hopefully be scheduled sometimes this month.

Source: Dell

The Origin EON15-3D was just released in a full-blown presser sent to our inbox, this morning. Starting with a variety of Core i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285M discrete graphics card, wireless NVIDIA 3D Vision active-shutter glasses, and the 15.6 inch HD 1366×768 3D LCD screen.  Off the bat, the EON15 3D is a monster. There’s even options to design the front cover yourself,and upgrade it up to 8GB of DDR3-class RAM, with SSD and regular hard drive options. Full presser, after break. Oh, and it starts at a price that I haven’t found out about yet, but I’m sure it doesn’t come cheap.

INTRODUCING THE WORLD’S FIRST CUSTOMIZABLE 3D GAMING LAPTOP: THE EON15-3D. GAMING EVOLVED.

o Experience games, movies, television, and images in high definition 3D
o Powered by NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ technology and NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 285M graphics
o Customize your EON15-3D including processor, memory, hard drive, optical and design options
o Includes free lifetime support and backed by a no dead pixel policy

June 14, 2010, Miami, FL, – ORIGIN™ continues to lead the gaming PC industry by being the first to offer a fully customizable 3D gaming laptop. Gamers and hardware enthusiasts can customize their EON15-3D configuration by choosing their processor, hard drive, A-panel design and more. The EON15-3D allows users to become totally immersed into their games and movies not only while at home, but also on the go.

Over 400 games, top television programs, many movies, and thousands of images can all be experienced in high definition 3D. With the portability of the EON15-3D users can bring their 3D experiences with them on the road and at home it can be hooked up to a 3D ready HDTV or projector for life size and lifelike immersion.

The EON15-3D features Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285M GPUs, Blu-Ray burners, and up to 750 GB of hard drive space. The high-definition widescreen panel supports 3D resolutions up to 1366X768. Customers can personalize the look of their system with high quality paint from the world renowned air brush artists at Killer Paint.

NEW EON15-3D Custom Gaming Laptop

· CPU: Intel® Core i7 processors
· GPU: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 285M
· 3D: Wireless NVIDIA 3D Vision active-shutter glasses
· Artwork: Unlimited Color and Design Options
· Display: 15.6” HD (1366 x 768) widescreen 3D LCD
· Memory: Up to 8GB Dual Channel DDR3 1333MHz
· Storage: Hard disk or Solid-State hard drive options
· Optical: Dual-layer Blu-ray TM disc burner
· Chassis: Programmable gaming buttons; Touch sensitive access buttons
· Power 3D ready HDTVs and Projectors with HDMI out
· Starting at US $1,949

Quote from NVIDIA:
“All gamers will want an NVIDIA 3D Vision PC to truly immerse them in the game. With the EON15-3D, ORIGIN and NVIDIA are offering consumers a fantastic 3D notebook with a powerful GPU that delivers an amazing 3D experience.” says Phil Eisler, General Manager, 3D Vision, NVIDIA.

“ORIGIN is committed to providing gamers and enthusiasts with the latest technology to provide the best gaming and computing experiences in the world.” says Kevin Wasielewski, CEO/Co-Founder of ORIGIN PC. “Being first to market with a high-performance, customizable 3D laptop allows our customers to experience 3D gaming and movies in high definition at home and on the road.”

All ORIGIN systems are backed up with the best in integration, quality testing and support. ORIGIN offers a free life-time phone and online service guarantee and each customer has a dedicated support team and free life-time labor for upgrade needs. Their staff is comprised of award-winning, experienced experts in the gaming and PC markets who want to share their passion with other enthusiasts.

For more information on ORIGIN’s GENESIS desktop, EON15 and EON18 laptops, visit www.originpc.com.

Follow ORIGIN:
www.twitter.com/originpc
www.facebook.com/originpc

PR Contact:
Matt Fisher
305-971-1000
matt_fisher@originpc.com

About ORIGIN:
ORIGIN builds custom, high-performance desktops and laptops for hardware enthusiasts, professionals, and gamers. ORIGIN PCs are hand built, tested, and serviced by knowledgeable gaming enthusiasts, industry veterans, and award winning system integrators. ORIGIN is located in Miami, FL and ships to North America, Australia, and Japan. For more information, please visit www.ORIGINpc.com or call 1-877-ORIGIN-Ø.

©2010 Origin PC Corporation all rights reserved. Origin and the Origin “O” symbol are trademarks of Origin PC Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

The Alienware M11x, by far the most powerful “netbook” ever (our thoughts on it is in our review here) has just gotten a fair update: that option, starting at $$949.99 to have a Core i5 chip installed, instead of an overclocked 1.73 GHz Core 2 Duo found in the older $799 model. You can also make more upgrade and buy yourself a Core i7, up to 8GB of RAM (getting 4GB of the DDR3 is a must), a 250GB to 500GB 7,200 rpm drive, or the 256GB SSD option. But due to the NVIDIA Optimus chip being installed, Alienware had to give the boot to one of the ports (USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, media card reader, etc. are still there), but VGA had to go. So, you can’t make a direct VGA connection from the M11x, but you can now have your dream gaming machine for no more than $1,200 bucks (the price of our previous config, but now with Core i5).

Source: Alienware

The Alienware M11x is one heck of a beast. It grunts, runs, and speaks Alien(ware). After getting it from our local friendly FedexMan a day before my trip to New York for pre-SSAT math preparation with Dad, and some sightseeing, I was able to pull off as many tests needed to say one thing: it’s awesome. But what makes the M11x awesome? Read on after the jump!

Price as Reviewed: $1,211.50 — Come on, it was completely loaded.

Full Disclosure: Sent by surprise from the FedexMan. Actually, it was sent in as a review unit by Alienware.

Specs And Such

It’s fast. It borrows the elaborate AlienFX lighting system seen in its $1500+ counterparts. It has a Core 2 Duo SU7300 45nm processor running at 1.30GHz (overclocks to 1.73 GHz natively). There’s 4GB of DDR3 RAM running at 400MHz. A 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M (!) to blow any game out of the park. 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi with an added EV-DO Verizon Wireless antenna. That 11.6″ 1366×768 display. And it all starts at $799 (!), but we’ll get to prices in a second.

How It Performs (read: AMAZING)

The moment I unboxed the 11x, I was spellbound. I’ve reviewed the M15x in the past, and it was nearly $5000, and was packed in a luxurious manner. And the same went for the M11x: don’t let its lower price fool you. It’s classy, sleek, and powerful. Every detail, every bit of plastic, every time you hit the keyboard, the response is the same: it’ll perform brilliantly. Even at 35,000 feet. As I said earlier, I found it a few hours before I headed straight for NYC, and ditched it for my other laptop. It lasted the entire 2 hour+ flight playing Wings Of Prey at high settings on full-res, and copied nearly a gig of photos and video from my D5000 review unit, which I also was testing at the same time.

In terms of hardcore analytical data and benchmarks, the M11x also performs well in there. But who really cares about that (note: benchmarks aren’t really popular here on LaptopMemo)? I’ll tell you one thing though: all of it is needed (sort of), even though the average consumer won’t even know what I’m speaking of. But that’s why you’re reading this, aren’t you? You’re techy and Web 2.0 savvy (!).

Don’t forget GeekBench! (See how benchmarking is annoying?)

Wanna See How Many Ports It Has?

A VGA-out port, Ethernet port, HDMI-out, 1394 Firewire, SD card and micro SD card reader, 3 USB 2.0 ports, 2 audio jacks, a microphone jack, lock slot, and a Displayport. That’s not much, but has everything you’d ever need (except E-SATA).

But It All Comes Down To The Gaming Performance

To start off with, I played Dirt 2 on maxed-out settings,  Aces High II, Wings Of Prey (nearly at high settings, gave some breath to the M11x), Portal, and Napoleon: Total War on high settings, which of course was below the very laggy “Very High” settings that the particular game (Total War) offered. This meaning that Test Drive Unlimited 2 and Modern Warfare 2 (which can run on maxed-out) should just run like cream brulee. While the M11x might never replace your standard desktop PC gaming rig, it could easily give it some fatal stabs. And at a few ounces more that 4.5 pounds, much like the popular unibody 13″ Macbook Pro, the M11x is extremely portable, albeit slightly bulky for an ultraportable.

And when I say it plays games, it doesn’t cough out on battery powered mode or while being plugged into an outlet: gaming performance is nearly equal both ways. And nor am I speaking of almost-choppy 29FPS performance; a lot of games can grunt at 40FPS and even more while on “High Performance”.

So Then That Means The Battery Sucks, Right?

Um, no? The battery so far has lasted me, let’s say while light gaming, checking email, light Photoshopping, Alienware FX LED lights on, and being connected to Wi-Fi using Google Chrome, the plucky little M11x lasted for:

A battery life time of almost 3 hours on “High Performance”.

A note is that you shouldn’t get more than 3 hours out of the M11x, and 2 1/2 while just playing games on high settings. Also, since the screen has 768 pixels, adding AA (anti-aliasing) could be very useful. The average PC gamer could yawn if he/she pleases, but when I log onto this thing a pwn you like a n00b on Test Drive Unlimited 2 when it comes out on high settings, you’ll be scared for your life.

The Keyboard, Speakers, And Screen Rules (almost)

Since the brightness meter isn’t stellar when it comes to sunny conditions, I’d rather just go for some shade.

Keyboard? Check. It’s a little frisky to adapt to when you’ve come from a 13-inch or 15-inch laptop, but when you have really connected with it, it can do wonders like typing this review in less than 2 hours, only with the main requirement of great typing skills, courtesy of your over-cheesy 13-Year-Old Tech Journalist.

Speakers? Check? I said “check”! OUCH! Okay, that was loud! The speakers have a decent amount of bass, which really surprised me; same goes for how many decibels they can scream out.

The 11.6 inch screen? Check! I do have a problem with it do: it uses that familair plastic overlay, which causes tons of glare, and since the brightness meter isn’t stellar when it comes to sunny conditions, I’d rather just go for some shade.

The 1.3 megapixel webcam? Check. Actually it can be a little laggy and it isn’t that very good, but it works! (Don’t think I’m being easy on it here, I’m not).

Conclusion

The M11x is worth every cent.

The M11x isn’t at all that powerful without boasting the specs and price to at least the configuration that was used in my review unit. The base $799 config only gets you a measly160GB of hard drive space, a Pentium processor, and only 2 gigs of DDR3 RAM, which even Steve Jobs thought was necessary to upgrade to 4GB in the 13″ Macbook Pro, on its base price. The graphics card comes on all versions, but even with all of the upgrades in this M11x, there’s some serious advantages. Mainly processor speed, and of course WWAN EV-DO connectivity with Verizon Wireless. That’s a win I might add, even though that upgrade jumps to an extra $125. Ouch.

But the M11x is worth every cent of it.

Pros:

• It’s fassssssssssssst
• Sleek and awesome looking
• Extremely — awesome!
• Wi-Fi signals are always really strong
• Graphics performance is epic pwnage
• For $1,200, you’re getting the guts you get in a more expensive laptop

Cons:

• *cough* No CD drive *cough*
• A little heavy, but not by much when compared to its main rivals
• Upgrades jack up the price bigtime
• Directional keys are too small

Alienware M11x Review Gallery

Alienware M11x @ testfreaks.com

The little white Macbook that could is never leaving the Apple Store, that’s for sure. Starting at the wonderful price of $999, the unibody plastic Macbook comes with a newer and faster 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 250GB HDD, Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics card and a newer longer-lasting 10-hour battery. It will be available worldwide; you’ll just have to wait for Apple to get all of its Apple Stores in order.

Source: Apple

Time to heat up the Apple rumor mill once again. In the latest developments, there should be a new Macbook Air coming this week, with a Core i5 ULV or i3 ULV processor. But there’s also rumor that just like the 13″ MBP, Apple will go for more battery life than power, since the Air is a secondary source of heat, with the first being the Sun (that’s how hot it gets). MacWorld’s source is also throwing out this new model number that is already visible in Apple’s inventory: MC516LL/A K87 BETTER BTR-USA.

But imagine this: the Macbook Air is a close as Cupertino has gotten to a netbook, and the iPad is actually the world’s first fast and usable netbook/tablet. So then doesn’t the Air just dissipate into a cloud of….air?

Source: MacWorld

HP Envy 14 & 17-inch Gallery

HP Expands Design Leadership with Updated Consumer Notebook PC Portfolio

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 5, 2010 – HP today unveiled a redesigned portfolio of consumer notebook PCs that delivers distinctive design elements, new materials, enhanced performance and better experiences to consumers.

With updates across the HP ENVY, HP Pavilion and HP Mini lines, HP is fusing style and efficiency to offer stylish notebook PCs that meet the personal computing needs of every consumer.
The models reflect HP’s “MUSE” (materials, usability, sensory appeal and experiences) design philosophy of fusing a rich mix of materials that create textured finishes, easy-to-use features for improved usability, a blend of artisan elements for sensory appeal, and intuitive features for simple experiences.

Etched metal finishes, touchable textures and a mix of high-quality materials create a simple, clean look that seamlessly fits into the lives of consumers. These new notebook PCs also can be customized with a choice of 15 exclusive wallpapers, including 12 designed by well-known artists from around the world.

“With these new designs, we offer customers a broad portfolio of notebook PCs and Minis that are innovative on the outside and the inside,” said Kevin Frost, vice president and general manager, Consumer Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Each notebook provides a unique experience for the customer and allows customers to express their personality.”

HP ENVY 14 and 17
The new HP ENVY 14 and 17 deliver premium experiences to satisfy the most demanding customers. The notebooks offer the ideal balance of design and technology by combining the latest in manufacturing with artistic expression and world-class performance.
Both ENVY notebooks feature powerful Intel® processors(1) and ATITM Mobility Radeon discrete graphics for gaming, videos and 3-D images. They come with a backlit keyboard, slot-loading optical drive, HP TrueVision high-definition (HD)(2) webcam, a mini DisplayPort Connector and the latest in wireless(3) and connectivity options.

The notebooks also include Beats™ Audio, a unique, high-performance technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dre™ to provide the optimal sound experience when playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers – the way the artist intended it.

The slim and light ENVY 14 features a precision-crafted design with a 14.5-inch diagonal HD(2) Radiance display that offers picture quality up to 59 percent brighter than any notebook with a standard display. With up to 13.75 hours of battery life,(4) the ENVY 14 is one of the thinnest and lightest quad-core notebooks available in the world.(5) The ENVY 14 also offers optional WWAN/3G.(6)

With up to 2 terabytes(7) (TB) of storage capacity, the ENVY 17 has the horsepower and flexibility for the most demanding tasks. The ENVY 17 offers enhanced performance with ATI Eyefinity Technology for multiple external display support and an HP Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer for outstanding sound.

HP Pavilion PCs
The new HP Pavilion notebook PCs, including the dm4, dv5, dv6 and dv7, meet a wide variety of power, performance and mobility needs at prices that fit most budgets.
Thin and light, the HP Pavilion dm4 offers mobility paired with a sleek, metal finish and cool etched patterns, making it a stylish and ideal choice for all-day computing.
At just 1 inch thin and weighing only 4.4 pounds,(8) the dm4 features a stunning full-metal chassis with an elegant etched pattern on its brushed aluminum finish. Powered by an Intel CoreTM processor, it includes a 14-inch diagonal BrightView HD(2) LED display, internal optical drive, fingerprint reader and up to 6.5 hours of battery life.(4)

The high-performing HP Pavilion dv5, dv6 and dv7 are ideal for any type of media-rich experience, offering the latest in graphics, audio and video.

- With exterior bold finishes and touchable textures, the HP Pavilion dv5 and dv6 are designed to suit every consumer’s personal style. The dv5, available in black cherry, champagne and Sonoma red Imprint finishes, features a unique 14.5-inch diagonal HD(2) display, ideal for work and play.
- Available in the same Imprint finishes, plus a brushed-aluminum finish etched with a stream design, the dv6 is the first HP Pavilion notebook PC available with an optional touch screen in the United States. Dolby Advanced Audio and Altec Lansing speakers are available on the dv5, dv6 and dv7 Imprint finishes.
- The HP Pavilion dv7 is the ultimate balance of power and performance for entertainment. With an HD(2) display, Altec Lansing speakers, an HP Triple Bass Subwoofer and the option of Beats Audio, the dv7 provides a superb audio and virtual surround sound experience, bringing out the best of every song, TV show or movie. The notebook also comes with Corel® PaintShop Photo Pro X3 and Corel VideoStudio Pro X3 for creating photo and video content.
The Pavilion dm4, dv6 and dv7 with metal finishes also come with HP SimplePass, providing consumers enhanced security access to all their passwords with a simple swipe of a finger.
All of these new HP Pavilion notebook PCs include exclusive technology such as HP TrueVision WebCam, which optimizes video for any light setting, and HP QuickWeb, which gives users access to the web(3) without booting up the notebook by simply pushing a button.

HP Mini netbooks
HP also has expanded the HP Mini 210 line with two new designs, preppy pink and white crystal. The pink, plaid-like design on the preppy pink HP Mini 210 features HP Imprint 3-D, the industry’s first 3-D PC surface technology, which debuted on the HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje. Multiple layers on the top and bottom covers make the design appear to float on the surface while casting shadows onto lower layers. The HP ClickPad also features the preppy pink finish and tiny cupcake Imprint at the bottom of the unit.

The updated HP Mini 110, HP’s entry-level Mini, now offers an integrated six-cell battery that provides up to 8 hours of battery life.(4)

Pricing and availability(9)
- The HP ENVY 14 is expected to be available in the United States on June 27 with a starting price of $999. The HP ENVY 17 is expected to be available in the United States on May 26 with a starting price of $1,399.99.
- The HP Pavilion dm4, dv5, dv6 and dv7 metal editions are expected to be available in the United States on May 19 with starting prices of $729.99, $649.99, $649.99 and $799.99, respectively.
- The HP Mini 210 and Mini 110 are expected to be available in the United States on June 15 with starting prices of $354.99 and $279.99, respectively.
Matching accessories are available for most of these notebook PCs and Mini netbooks. Notebook sleeves, which include an exterior pocket, and notebook mice, which include advanced 2.4 GHz wireless technology(3) for less interference and longer range of operation, start at $29.99.
Register for availability notification at www.hpdirect.com/go/newfromhp. Additional information is available at www.hp.com/personal.

About HP
HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.
(1) Intel’s numbering is not a measurement of higher performance.
(2) High definition (HD) content is required to view high-definition images.
(3) Wireless access point and Internet service is required and sold separately.
(4) Battery life will vary depending on the product model, configuration, loaded applications, features, use, wireless functionality (including the wireless functionality) and power management settings. The maximum capacity of the battery will naturally decrease with time and usage. See MobileMark07 battery benchmark www.bapco.com/products/mobilemark2007 for additional details.
(5) Dual Core/Quad Core is a new technology designed to improve performance of certain software products. Not all customers or software applications will necessarily benefit from use of this technology.
(6) Broadband use requires separately purchased service contract. Check with service provider for local coverage and availability.
(7) For hard drives, GB = 1 billion bytes. Actual formatted capacity is less. Up to 20GB of hard drive is reserved for system recovery software.
(8) Weight will vary by configuration.
(9) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.

ATI is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Intel and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Corel is a registered trademark of Corel Corporation or Corel Corporation Limited.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected operational and financial results; and other risks that are described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2010 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2010 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

It’s awesome in Dell land, unsurprisingly. After our pretty much thumbs up review for the new Inspiron 1564 with a Core i5 CPU, the newer “smudge-resistant palm rests, full-size, ergonomically-designed keyboard and stiffer frame” Inspiron line has been alive and kicking on Dell’s site. These new lappies seem to offer much more in the RAM, wireless, OS, and graphics card departments, as well as some sort of rumor that the Dell Dock will be built-into the new systems. They also are somewhat available in Australia and New Zealand, so probably any minute now we’ll find a press release with U.S availability. Source: Dell

Lenovo L Series Gallery

New Lenovo ThinkPad L Series Laptops Help Businesses “Do More, Save More”

Highest Amounts of Recycled Content and Enhanced VoIP Web Conferencing

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – April 20, 2010: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today is introducing a new Series of ThinkPad – the L Series. Designed for business, government and education customers, the ThinkPad L412 and L512 laptops feature high performance with the latest Intel processing technologies, military tough durability and strong web conferencing features in an affordable laptop starting under $700. Additionally, the laptops are the greenest on the market by integrating the highest amounts of post consumer recycled content.

Business-Focused Performance
The laptops come with technologies students and employees need to be productive in their daily work, like:

• Choices of the latest Intel Core i3 and i5 processors with Turbo Boost and Hyperthreading technology
• 16:9 HD antiglare displays on the 14-inch L412 and 15-inch L512
• Choices of Intel integrated or ATI Mobility Radeon graphics
• 3G/4G wireless connectivity options with Gobi 2000 module support for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon
• Multitouch touchpads
• Up to 8 hours of battery life1
• Expansion with 4 USB ports/1 powered, combo eSATA/USB port, support for DisplayPort and VGA
• Windows 7 with Lenovo Enhanced Experience featuring up to 57% faster bootup and shutdown2

The laptops also have the enterprise features businesses and IT administrators require such as global availability, image stability, a three year battery warranty and docking. They also include ThinkVantage Technologies tools like Access Connections to make the computing experience more productive for users. The L Series laptops pass the tough test for withstanding the wear and tear of the office or the rigor of the field to give users long term value. They meet eight different military specification tests for high and low temperatures, vibration, altitude, dust and more.

“Today more than ever before, customers are looking to get more out of their PC technology,” said Dilip Bhatia, executive director, ThinkPad Product Marketing, Lenovo. “We designed the new L Series to give users the most important features for being productive like cutting-edge processing performance, long battery life and a VoIP-optimized design without sacrificing the reliability and durability ThinkPad is known for.”

Expanded Green Footprint
Lenovo continues to expand its emphasis on green design with the L Series. The laptops use up to 30 percent post consumer content from office water jugs and used IT equipment in parts like the LCD cover, palm rests and top/bottom case. The L512 laptop contains 18 percent post consumer content (PCC) total, making it the industry’s highest amount of PCC in a laptop.3 Each L Series laptop saves the equivalent of 10 plastic water bottles. Overall, Lenovo has used 42 million gross pounds of PCC since 2005 in Think-branded products.

Also, as part of the lifecycle design process, the laptops meet Energy Star 5.0 for high energy efficiency and are rated EPEAT Gold in the U.S. for their environmental attributes. The laptops are 40 percent more energy efficient than previous ThinkPad laptops, and users can deploy Lenovo’s Power Manager software tool to monitor and adjust their power settings. Additionally, the laptops are shipped in nearly 100 percent recycled packaging that can simply be thrown into a customer’s recycling bin. Lenovo has committed to packaging reduction, recently reducing packaging material by 20 percent of yearly volume, saving an additional 10 paper coffee cups per box shipped.

Tailored for Web Conferencing
The L Series laptops are tailored for an excellent voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) experience. First, they offer the full range of connectivity options, from Ethernet and Bluetooth to WiFi, 3G and 4G. The laptops are equipped with a high resolution camera that works well in low lighting conditions, like for conferences in hotel rooms. The camera even white balances automatically so conferences are more life-like.

A digital-array microphone with echo cancellation let users conduct conferences even in noisy rooms. The speakers are placed directly underneath the screen and above the keyboard for rich sound quality. Hardware audio control keys – speaker mute and audio mute – are conveniently located to the left of the keyboard for easy access. And by pressing the shortcut Function + F6 hotkey combination, users can navigate a simple software interface to modify VoIP settings.

A Powerful Learning Platform
Built to withstand the heavy daily use in K12 and higher education, the ThinkPad L Series laptops are equipped with the technologies to get students through the school day.

Beyond providing education-focused PC technology, Lenovo is committed to improving learning and increasing operational efficiency at all levels of academia through the Education Research Initiative (ERI). ERI joins hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and researchers from schools across the world to evaluate and quantify how technology can systemically improve education. As part of this research, the ThinkPad L Series will be deployed at institutions for student learning while promoting instructional innovation and data-driven decision making for faculty and administrators.

Pricing and Availability4
The ThinkPad L412 and L512 laptops are available starting in mid-May through www.lenovo.com and business partners. Pricing for models starts at approximately $649.

For the latest Lenovo news, subscribe to Lenovo RSS feeds or follow Lenovo on Twitter and Facebook.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.

1With 9 cell battery.
2Improvement claim is based on testing Windows® 7 L412 and L512 against non-configured system. The L Series laptops have been optimized. Actual times and their relative improvements vary by model, with an average boot and shutdown improvement of up to 57%. Improvements may vary according to the exact configuration of the system and may degrade over time depending on other software installed or changes made to system settings. Lenovo optimization does not impact any essential services or software features.
3According to the EPEAT registry as of 4/20/2010.
4Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.