[PhilE]

Curly - did you find your M200 here in HK?

I looked out for it back in October but couldn't find one in the computer centres. It was my no.1 choice when i did some research back in London before we came here - great machine if you want the best of a tablet and laptop.

[jaetee]

But the Thinkpads in Fortress and what not are still IBMs - :are you sure they are no longer the same company? :/

[vmlinuz]

Originally Posted by jaetee

But the Thinkpads in Fortress and what not are still IBMs - :are you sure they are no longer the same company? :/

IBM sold their PC division (including Thinkpads) to Lenovo, a Chinese company, around a year ago. They are still sold under the IBM and Thinkpad names, and in principle at least, are still the same devices. As far as I'm aware, the general feeling that so far is that the quality/reliability/etc. of the line hasn't suffered from the change...

[freeier]

Originally Posted by jaetee

But the Thinkpads in Fortress and what not are still IBMs - :are you sure they are no longer the same company? :/

very sure. all bought over by lenova. lenova has the rights to use IBM Thinkpad brand for the next three years. but they are starting to phase out the 'IBM' words in thinkpad. eventually it will be lenova thinkpad or just thinkpad. manufactured and probably serviced all by lenova in china.

[discobay]

They would be foolish to lose the IBM brand altogether. IBM ThinkPads have a reputation for being rock solid performers. Lenovo have a reputation for being ... well ... sold on the cheap in Fortress.

[jaetee]

Great - so any Thinkpads we buy now (T43, etc.) are possibly cheap and shoddy, though still carry the high price tag?

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by jaetee

Great - so any Thinkpads we buy now (T43, etc.) are possibly cheap and shoddy, though still carry the high price tag?

They won't be cheap and shoddy far from it. thinkpads never have been.

Price tags aren't too high especially when compared against say vaio's

[JaredHK]

I am using a Thinkpad Tablet and highly recommend it.

[freeier]

sorry if i confused anyone.

lenova has always been making the thinkpad for IBM, so effectively nothing has changed.

but as part of IBM's restructuring, they sold the PC business entirely to lenova, and now lenova actually owns the thinkpad stuffs.

the deal allows for lenova to continue use the IBM name for the next 3 years, but subsequently IBM name has to be removed. so what lenova is trying to do now is to establish the name Thinkpad on its own, instead of IBM thinkpad. Then eventually they can continue to sell thinkpad well even without the IBM logo.

quality wise, as of now, there isn't any different between lenova thinkpad and IBM thinkpad because they are manufactured by lenova all this while. and desktop wise, they are both just as bad. 8-)

[Gillig Phantom]

My friend's company overestimated the number of laptops needed for WTO and it's now trying to get rid of the T43s at HK$6,000 each. Too bad, it's selling like hot cakes among their employees that I can't even get myself one.