ThinkPad SL400 - SL500, is it a REAL ThinkPad?

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We have had this controversy raging on the ThinkPadToday.com blog for days now and the argument continues to boil over unabated. The basic contention from the ‘ThinkPad’ old guard is that the ThinkPad SL Series notebooks are not ‘real’ ThinkPad’s.

You know sometimes I think as a group ThinkPad devotees are worse than Apple fanboys and girls!To be honest there is very little real ‘meat’ to this argument other then the fact that the new ThinkPad SL400 and SL500 are errr …… different?

Whenever you get a group of people who frantically loyal to a brand, emotions will run high. To be honest though, I never thought it would be this bad! Thanks goodness that Lenovo came up with the IdeaPad brand when they wanted to launch their consumer range of laptops earlier this year.

I mean, could you imagine what the outcry would have been if we had an IdeaPad U110 that had been branded a ThinkPad instead? I shudder to think!

Anyway, we really do believe that the uber ThinkGeeks have missed the point with the ThinkPad SL Series.

The SL400 and SL500 and whatever new models Lenovo introduce into the range are as much an IT Solution and a service as they are a model of  ThinkPad notebook. Let me quote from the thread.

“I have lots of friends who are highly intelligent, successful business people who just want a notebook solution that works.

They are computer literate, but not IT literate.

They want, (and need) a solution that schedules backups and updates drivers, and has a great warranty package if things go wrong. These are the same people that buy a Toyota Prius, or Ford Focus Edge and DON’T expect to have to change the oil every Sunday afternoon.

They are focused, busy people who live the internet lifestyle. They want to drive into the Toyota Dealership on a Monday morning, walk in to reception that has not the faintest smell of oil, pick up the keys to the courtesy car, and a cup of fresh brewed coffee for the onward drive to the office or client.”

And that’s what the ThinkPad SL Series is about, it’s as much a concept as it is a model range.

We would love you to join in the conversation and air your views!

Go to the tread on the blog and have your say!

http://www.thinkpadtoday.com/thinkpad-sl500-review-a-detailed-look-2.htm