ThinkPad
ThinkPad is the brand name for a highly successful range of portable computers (laptop / notebook computers) manufactured and marketed by IBM. Traditionally black in color, they feature innovations such as the TrackPoint pointing device, some of the best keyboards seen on portables (including the fold-out butterfly keyboard on the 701 models) and have a reputation for being solidly built and dependable. Their speciality is their mouse, which is a piece of rubber between the keys.
The ThinkPad name was inspired by the leather-bound pocket notebooks issued to all IBM employees with the corporate motto 'Think' embossed on the cover. IBM's corporate naming team was initially against using the name since all IBM computers (till then) were referred to by model numbers rather than names, but subsequently came around recognizing its popularity in the press. Design work on the first ThinkPads was done at IBM's Yamato design center in Japan. The clean black lines of the ThinkPad were apparently inspired by shoukadou bentou, a traditional black-lacquered Japanese lunch box.
IBM launched the ThinkPad line in 1992 with the ThinkPad 700. The first ThinkPad 700 sold for US$4,350, weighed 6.5 pounds, and was a 2.2" x 11.7" x 8.3" notebook. Its screen was 10.4 inches, the largest at that time, it had a 386SX 25 MHz processor, and a 120 MB hard disk drive with an easy-to-use keyboard with a distinguishing TrackPoint pointing device. The ThinkPad 700's bright red pointing stick, embedded in the keyboard, enabled the notebook to be used on an airline tray table without a mouse.
ThinkPad Model Letters
The following is a list of various recent models of ThinkPad computers. (In some cases, they are followed by examples of models in those respective series.)
- Thinkpad A: All in One Notebooks, heavy, large, three spindle machines, all drives internal, two swappable drive bays. This line has been discontinued.
- Thinkpad R: Traditionally the budget laptop line, there are now 'mobile workstation' configurations to replace the now-discontinued A-series.
- Thinkpad G: Desktop replacement machines built on desktop processors, large and heavy with limited battery runtime.
- Thinkpad T: Slimline Notebook, two drives internal, light and thin with one swappable bay.
- Thinkpad X: Subnotebook, very small and light, hard drive internal, no internal optical drive, small screen.
- Thinkpad i: Budget consumer series notebooks manufactured by Acer under license from IBM. (No longer manufactured)
Model Specific Information
- T41p
- Type 2373-315 Features an ATI Mobility Fire GL T2 video card. Omega Video Drivers 2.5.67 are recommended for gaming on this type of a video card
- Thinkpad 235
- Type 2607, or the Japan-only Thinkpad 235, is an interesting product because it is a progeny of the IBM/Ricoh RIOS project. Also known as Clavius or Chandra2, it features weird features like the presence of 3 PCMCIA slots, and the use of dual Camcorder batteries as a source of power. Features an Intel Pentium 233MMX CPU, support of up to 160MB of EDO memory, and a built-in 2.5" Hard drive with UDMA support. Hitachi markets Chandra2 as the Prius Note 210.
External links
- IBM's ThinkPad page (http://www.ibm.com/thinkpad)
- Bill Morrow's ThinkPad Open Forum (http://forum.thinkpads.com)
- German ThinkPad Portal & Community: Open Forum, FAQs, Gallery, Downloads & Links Database-join us! (http://www.thinkpad-portal.de)
- Thinkpad Wiki (http://www.thinkwiki.org)
- Part I of an article on the origins of the ThinkPad (http://www.e-insite.net/eb-mag/index.asp?layout=article&articleId=CA66399&stt=00)
- Part II of an article on the origins of the ThinkPad (http://www.e-insite.net/eb-mag/index.asp?layout=article&articleId=CA66373&stt=00)
- http://www.linux-thinkpad.org
- Unofficial Thinkpad mailing list (since 1993) (http://zurich.csail.mit.edu/hypermail/thinkpad/)
- Linux on IBM ThinkPads (http://tuxmobil.org/ibm.html)
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