The first Thinkpad Tablet...

[solidpro]

I've been reading Naitoh-san's book he describes the ThinkPad X41 as "the first tablet ThinkPad".

The 1992 PS/55 note T22 SX was marketed is a Thinkpad and had a Thinkpad badge on the front and was released 15 years before the Thinkpad X41T.

Also the 700T-730TE were a range of Thinkpad tablets released in the early 1990s.

Can anyone speculate on why 'the father of the thinkpad' doesn't consider these machines tablet Thinkpads? Is it the fact they're not notebooks and he just thinks of Thinkpads at notebook computers?

 

[Mornsgrans]

The ThinkPad 700T - 730TE were "slate-tablets" (without keyboard). Naitoh-san's described the "Convertible"-ThinkPads, where the display could be twisted to place them on the keyboard. But the ThinkPad 750P, 360P und 360PE also were Convertible ThinkPads. The X41 Tablet was the first convertible ThinkPad after year 2000 and the first "tablet" manufactured by Lenovo - but still with "IBM"-brand.

The PS/55 Note laptops had been developed in and for Japan only. One or two of these models also had been sold under the brand "ThinkPad" on the japanese market only. Only a small number of these models also had been sold outside Japan.

 

[solidpro]

But the T22 SX is a convertible machine. A tablet meant to be used with a docking keyboard...

And the phrase he used - 'first tablet thinkpad' is entirely lost without context, as the first tablet thinkpad is even less describing a 'convertible' notebook!

I guess the phrase should have been 'our first worldwide release of a convertible notebook which behaves like a tablet', no?

 

[Mornsgrans]

As I wrote above, the PS/55 T22 not really is a ThinkPad. It is a japanese PS/55 model, all are larger than Richard Sapper's DIN-A4 format and much more heavier. Both items were the reason, why IBM did not accept the PS/55 models as "ThinkPads" except the T22 SX for the Japan/Asia market

 

[solidpro]

Ah, then that is more of an argument about when is a machine with a Thinkpad badge and a Thinkpad brochure not a Thinkpad?

You don't mean it has to have a trackpoint, bleeding-edge design and a best-in-class keyboard?

...Ruling out the Thinkpad 220, The 700T and almost the entire 300 and 500-series?

Rather than slipping down that slippery slope, I'd rather concede that the T22 SX, or the 700T or even the 750P was the "first Thinkpad tablet".

 

[Mornsgrans]

As designed, all ThinkPads have a TrackPoint. The PS/55 Note Modell C52 is the only PS/55 model with a TrackPoint and is identical to ThinkPad 700C.

You don't mean it has to have a trackpoint, bleeding-edge design and a best-in-class keyboard?

ThinkPad 700T, 710T and 730T don't have a keyboard and no TrackPoint - the 700T officially is the first ThinkPad Tablet, the 750p the first convertible.

Ruling out the Thinkpad 220, The 700T and almost the entire 300 and 500-series?

700T: see above
ThinkPad 220, 230 and some 3xx and 5xx are for Japan and Asia only. The japanese ThinkPad developers (former PS/55 division) tried to minimize ThinkPads as far as possible. So the 220 and 230 a little bit larger than DIN-A5 format had been developed. But they only had been published on the Asian market as well as a few ThinkPad 3xx (f.ex. 315) and 5xx (f.ex. 530, 550).

The ThinkPad 300 series are low budget models, where the ThinkPad 300 (without TrackPoint!!!) build by Zenith Data Systems was so faulty, that it had been recalled and withdrawn very fast. The later 300 series have a similar form-factor to the 700 series and were more successful than the 300.

 

[solidpro]

As designed, all ThinkPads have a TrackPoint. The PS/55 Note Model C52 is the only PS/55 model with a TrackPoint and is identical to ThinkPad 700C.

The IBM Thinkpad 220, 500 (international release) 300 and 330 didn't have a trackpoint. I realize you understand neither the 300 nor the 330 are really Thinkpads, but the 220 released in Japan and the 500 released in the West were definitely Thinkpads without Trackpoints and certainly not notes branded as Thinkpads.

ThinkPad 220, 230 and some 3xx and 5xx are for Japan and Asia only.

...With the exception of the 320 and 330 (which you could actually argue whilst branded Thinkpads, were notes, not Thinkpads) the entire 300 series were international releases, as were many of the 500-series.

Still, think it's all OT to avoid admitting either the (Convertible) T22 SX, (First actual Thinkpad which was a slate tablet) 700T or (actual notebook convertible tablet PC) 750P, which were all branded on the case and brochures at Thinkpads were infact the first Thinkpad tablets.

It's plain silly to state the X41T is the first Thinkpad tablet when so many examples of Thinkpad tablets were released in the 15 years prior to the X41T.

Maybe he meant first 'Lenovo' Thinkpad tablet.... but it seems weird in a book mostly about IBM.

 

[Mornsgrans]

It's plain silly to state the X41T is the first Thinkpad tablet when so many examples of Thinkpad tablets were released in the 15 years prior to the X41T.

It was the first Tablet (and with one hinge only to turn the display by 180° horizontally) under Lenovo's leadership. Naitoh-san's statement only makes sense in this context.
In an interview in the Lenovo Blog Naitoh-san told a few items, which seem not to be correct - as stated by a few former IBM employees.

 

[solidpro]

It was the first Tablet (and with one hinge only to turn the display by 180° horizontally) under Lenovo's leadership. Naitoh-san's statement only makes sense in this context.
In an interview in the Lenovo Blog Naitoh-san told a few items, which seem not to be correct - as stated by a few former IBM employees.

That link doesn't show anything....is that me or your link?

You're right - in the context of a Lenovo event about new Lenovo machines it does make sense, but taken out of context (especially in book mostly about IBM's reign, it doesn't.

I don't think the assimilation with an older trademark, type of hinges, whether the keyboard folds or detaches, or even whether it's a slate or not...has any bearing on what makes a Thinkpad tablet not a Thinkpad tablet. I think they're all Thinkpad tablets.

 

[Mornsgrans]

I can open the link, but I am registered User in the Lenovo-forum.

Here the full-quote of the interview in the Lenovo Forum-Blog:

Personal Insight


The story of ThinkPad is very much a story of broad innovation and continuous innovation over the past two decades, but what ThinkPad concepts or technologies, if any, do you feel have reached their apex and cannot be refined any further? Or, in other words, what element is perfect?

Naitoh- San: The ThinkPad successfully allows customers the chance for location-free productivity in

their businesses. What’s better than this? The ThinkPad creates more free time in our customers’ lives as better efficiency is attained through the use of the ThinkPad productivity tools. The ThinkPad’s process won’t reach the limit, as we keep having newer technologies and make more innovation.


What was your favorite obsolete technology that is no longer used in the ThinkPad line?

Naitoh-San: The butterfly keyboard was a good example – it was the expandable keyboard with the screen lid opened. The idea was to provide a full sized keyboard in 10.1” screen size form factor. In recent years the PCs and systems we produce have bigger screens and so, we don’t have the opportunity to use it now.


On the future

How do you think the world will change over the next 20 years? And how will the ThinkPad change, design-wise?

Naitoh-San: Years ago, we did not have cell phones the size they are now; we did not have high speed network to home; we did not have the internet, and we did not have online shopping. We did not have digital TV and digital video content. Our lives have been so much changed since the past 20 years, so in the next 20 years, life as we know will be lived differently. In the PC environment, we have been with a physical display and physical keyboard for the past 20 years, which will of course continue to exist. I expect new user interfaces and technologies will give us alternatives ways for humans to communicate and interact with IT.


How will the upcoming technological developments affect the next generation, in your opinion? How will kids be learning and doing things differently?

Naitoh-San: When children are born, they already live with pad and touch which are their start point. Children will generate what we could even imagine now. Children will learn things faster and in the unique way beyond something you can tell them. We just need to help them to dream big.


We'll like to have your thoughts on how technology will affect our lives in other areas, such as the way we work? Is mobile the future? The screens found in smart phones and tablets keep getting bigger, denser, brighter and clearer. Are there plans to update/ change the ThinkPad displays/ screens?

Naitoh-San: 20 years ago, cell phones, the internet, and other IT devices/infrastructure you use daily today did not exist. You can tell how your life and work style have been changed by those in the past 20 years, and I am sure that we will see the same degree of changes in the next 20 years. With regard to screen technology, today you select resolution of PC screen when you purchase such as HD, HD+ or FHD. It is very natural to imagine that you will no longer care it in future as screen will be much denser so you can’t tell how dense.


Do you have any advice for the next generation to inspire them in the way you've inspired the evolution of the ThinkPad?

Naitoh-San: To be honest I do not know if I can tell them something useful. I would maybe say ‘Watch, listen, take care of everything around you as that suggests to you what you should do.’.


On ThinkPad specs


Much thought obviously goes into each design revamp of the ThinkPad, where in its 20 years of history, there have been different variations of, for instance, the keyboard. Have you tried the various changes, from the butterfly, to the current island design? What are your thoughts?

Naitoh-San: I have used almost all of past ThinkPad keyboard. Currently I am using X1 Carbon Island keyboard, and I like it.


The ThinkPad models in the 1990’s had documentation stating that they are to be made in black cases, in accordance with Richard Sapper’s guidelines set in his collaboration with the Boca Raton Team. Why were there variations from this, where, for instance, the 700/ C, 720C and 300 are in grey?

Naitoh-San: In the 1990’s, we had the retail models of ThinkPad painted in grey to be distinguished from the original enterprise models.

Join in the celebrations with us! Check out this interview with ThinkPad design lead Mr David Hill here and go on this quick trip down memory lane in this living museum exhibition of ThinkPads held recently in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

*Special thanks to the following forum moderators, gurus and Microsoft MVPs - JaneL, goretsky, hausman, mornsgran, Z28 and lead_org for these questions.

 

[L0nestar]

I can open the link, too. You do not need to be a registered member, it seems.