Lenovo Announces Chromebook ThinkPad

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

Previously, Chromebook shoppers have been restricted to either Samsung or Asus when purchasing their Chrome OS laptop. However, Lenovo today announced that it will soon launch a version of its ThinkPad X131e running Google's Chrome OS. The laptop is aimed at school goers and Lenovo has 'school-proofed' the machine with ruggedized edges. The hinge has been stress tested with 50,000 open and close cycles.

"The ThinkPad X131e has proven to be very successful in education environments," said Jerry Paradise, executive director of product marketing, ThinkPad Product Group. "With the rugged features we added to the X131e, we've seen reduced failure rates in the field. This is a huge benefit to schools and students. We're pleased to be able to offer this hardened ThinkPad Chromebook as a great computer for schools."

Lenovo says the ThinkPad X131e is an 11.6-inch device based on an Intel processor and packs three USB ports. Other than that little bit of information (and the fact that the screen is a 1366x768 HD LED anti-glare affair), the company provided little in the way of specs.

The ThinkPad X131e Chromebook will be available starting February 26. For now, it looks like Lenovo won't be selling this notebook to the average consumer. Instead, it will be available to purchase in bulk by educational institutions. Still, that may change. We'll keep you posted if it does.

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Jane McEntegart
8 Comments Comment from the forums
  • game junky
    Intriguing - has anyone used Chrome OS? Sounds like Android and Linux mated for the personal computer, but don't know how well that translated
    Reply
  • zubikov
    This is arguably the official end to the WinTel era. The most powerful name in laptops "ThinkPad" is dropping exclusive use the most powerful OS in the last two decades "Windows", and replacing it with one from arguably the most powerful company today "Google". Sign of the times.
    Reply
  • joytech22
    game junkyIntriguing - has anyone used Chrome OS? Sounds like Android and Linux mated for the personal computer, but don't know how well that translated
    It's like Google Chrome with a desktop, you get almost all of the Web Store as well as Google Chrome.
    Good for first buyers of computers, not so good for those who already own one unless they are looking for portability.
    Reply
  • assasin32
    game junkyIntriguing - has anyone used Chrome OS? Sounds like Android and Linux mated for the personal computer, but don't know how well that translated
    I have a chromebook. It works quite well for what it is a portable laptop purposed built for web browsing. And designed with ease of use and security in mind (encryption is also included by default for personal data).

    It definately doesn't feel like Android, and nothing like any Linux distro I have tried. It feels like Chrome OS there is nothing out there I have tried which has the same feel to it. I have the cheap $250 arm based Samsung Chromebook and so far after about of month of almost daily use I couldn't be happier. It makes a great secondary computer to get things done. I can't imagine using it for a primary computer as you can't do much with it in terms of programs but it was also never made for that purpose.

    I actually find myself going to this laptop which has a worse screen, specs, and about everything else over my desktop because it will boot in less than 10sec. And it just works. I don't have to wait for my computer to boot up (or in my case wake up from hibernation) and it will just work. The most I have to do is restart the machine after it updates which took a few minutes when I first bought the machine. And that is about the only thing that I notice in terms of updates. So for user experience a drastic difference.
    Reply
  • flrod
    IMO it's a waste of money, I wouldn't justify spending 200 bucks on this. Just spend 100 more bucks and get a real laptop.
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    zubikovThis is arguably the official end to the WinTel era. The most powerful name in laptops "ThinkPad" is dropping exclusive use the most powerful OS in the last two decades "Windows", and replacing it with one from arguably the most powerful company today "Google". Sign of the times.
    Did you say the same thing upon the initial release of chromebooks? It's taken a dramatic price drop to start sales.
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    assasin32I actually find myself going to this laptop which has a worse screen, specs, and about everything else over my desktop because it will boot in less than 10sec. And it just works. I don't have to wait for my computer to boot up (or in my case wake up from hibernation) and it will just work.
    The strange thing is that my desktop and laptops 'just work'. There's NOTHING special about Chromebooks... nothing.

    P.s. Windows 7 could boot from 'off' to desktop with an SSD and now Windows 8 is hitting around 7/8 seconds.
    Reply
  • jn77
    What is it with these sub 1080p displays in products coming out in 2013. 4k and 8k screens will be knocking on our doors in less than 24 months at prices people can afford.

    It is a sad day in computer history when TV's have more pixels than computer screens.
    Reply