ThinkPad SL Series – Did Lenovo find our spy?

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Lenovo ThinkPad SL400 and ThinkPad SL500 released

We really shot ourselves in the foot over the weekend when we jokingly intimated in an article on the new ThinkPad SL Series that we had had a ‘Spy’ inside Lenovo. Or maybe it was the heavies over at Lenovo Headquarters in Raleigh North Carolina, that found our Secret Agent and shot him?

Anyway, in a surprise move on Monday, (or was it Tuesday?), Lenovo released the new ThinkPad SL models and they appeared on the Lenovo site!

It would seem right now that there is no sign of the ThinkPad SL300 on the site but we do have two models, the ThinkPad SL400 14.1″ widescreen, and the ThinkPad SL500 15.4″ widescreen that have been released.

The ThinkPad SL300 is due for release in August according to our source.

These new notebooks from Lenovo really do look good.  The finish on these new style ThinkPad’s is shiny black rather than the more conventional ThinkPad T61 matt black.  An initial review of the specifications tell us they should perform really well.

Quick Specs are:

ThinkPad SL400 – There are 6 options listed all with a 14.1 WXGA AntiGlare TFT Screen

• Intel Core™ 2 Duo T5670 ( 1.80GHz 800MHz 2MB ) up to Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 ( 2.40GHz 1GHz 3MB )
• Graphics, Intel Integrated Graphics X4500 to a choice of NVIDA GeForce 9300M 256MB
• 2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz memory
• Choice of 160GB to 250GB Hard Drive
• and a DVD Recordable (Dual Layer) 24X Max. A Blu-ray option will be available

Also included is the option Ericsson’s F3507g Mobile Broadband Module.

Prices range from $799 to $1249. It starts to get interesting however when you click the customize button because Lenovo then offers you a whole range of service options and packs for the ThinkPad SL400, and of course because these superb new Laptops are aimed firmly at the Small Business Sector, you get a business lease option.

ThinkPad SL500 – There are 5 options listed all with a 15.4 WXGA AntiGlare TFT

• Intel Core? 2 Duo T5670 ( 1.80GHz 800MHz 2MB ) up to Intel Core? 2 Duo Processor P8600 ( 2.40GHz 1GHz 3MB )
• Graphics, Intel Integrated Graphics X4500 to a choice of NVIDA GeForce 9300M 256MB
• 2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz memory
• and a DVD Recordable (Dual Layer) 24X Max and again, A Blu-ray option will be available

Prices range from $799 to $1349. And again it starts to get interesting when you click the customize button because Lenovo then offers you a whole range of service options and packs for the ThinkPad SL500, and of course because these superb new Laptops are aimed firmly at the Small Business Sector, you get a business lease option.

Both models come pre installed with Windows Vista Business.

The ThinkPad SL400 and SL500 launch is just a small part of Lenovo’s current bold marketing initiative to win more consumer and small-business customers worldwide.  Lenovo, who is a major sponsor of the Beijing Olympics, is going head on to penetrate markets deserted a long time ago by IBM. Lenovo bought the revered ThinkPad and ThinkCenter brands from IBM in 2005 and has completely revitalized the whole  ThinkPad Laptop and PC business.

Check out the new Thinkpad SL range at the Lenovo Site

Feast Your eyes on the pictures!

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