January 13th, 2007
Supply constraints dog Lenovo on new Tablet PC
eWEEK confirms what I was told by a Lenovo rep at CES this week – supply issues related the displays used in some models of the new X60 Tablet PC are creating delays in fulfilling order and the drought will extend for a while to come. The X60 is high on my list of most desirable new Tablet PC to replace my aging Toshiba M200 – a device I have really enjoyed using but which has proved incapable of handling Vista due to its aging specs and the company's decision not to bother supplying drivers for critical hardware components.
Me? I'm content to wait a bit longer before making a purchase. The new Tablet PCs I saw on display and had a chance to fondle during the show convinced me that there will be a wide variety of excellent options available later in Q1 for those looking to jump into ink or upgrade from a previous generation device. I saw very nice models from Asus, H-P, and Toshiba that are all worthy of consideration. The UMPC space, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is also heating up.
But the X60 is calling to me and, having had the chance (finally) to actually work with the keyboard and dual-mode screen (touch and stylus) and gauge the machine's heft, fit and finish has convinced me that it remains worthy of ultra-serious consideration. It's not an inexpensive option but it feels like it will offer the kind of longevity I'm looking for in a device I take into some less than forgiving environments.
An interesting footnote in the article states that, according to Gartner, Lenovo has quickly risen to number two status on the list of volume producers of Tablets. They're now second only to Toshiba and followed by H-P and Fujitsu.
Marc Orchant has been building, testing, and sometimes breaking hardware and software for 25 years. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
