ThinkPad Tablet PC

...till further notice.

2008-11-17T23:09:00.005Z

Ordered the new MacBook today with specifications and features far much higher than the ones on the ThinkPad x61 and at the same price. Expected to arrive in four days.

Full specs:

2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 3MB shared
4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM (PC3-8500)
250GB Serial ATA; 5400-rpm
8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
Built-in iSight camera; Mini DisplayPort output port with support for DVI, VGA and Dual-Link DVI (requires adapters, sold separately)
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1280-by-800 resolution
Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Built-in stereo speakers, built-in omnidirectional microphone, combined optical digital audio input/audio line in, combined optical digital audio output/audio line out
Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit) Ethernet
Built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi (based on IEEE 802.11n draft specification)²; built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module

And of course don't forget the Precision aluminium unibody, the amazing multi-touch touchpad with its innovative four fingers gesture thing, keyboard backlight, and excellent display.

So I guess there wont be any more things to blog about here unless I receive the ThinkPad from the University and I'll be writing about that.

Giving up on ThinkPad again?

2008-11-16T20:49:00.003Z

...maybe!

My order is still held by Lenovo, the guy I talked to at the University did not give me a reply, and I have been watching youtube...

You might want to skip till 3:00 :/

I think I'm sold.

Another Approach

2008-11-13T22:48:00.002Z

So I'm trying a different approach this time in hope to get the tablet pc. As you may recall from my previous entry, the University was unable to provide me with the R61i. According to the Computing Officer I still have to wait up to three weeks for them t purchase the new laptops and install their software on them. And since Lenovo already out of stock and don't have the R61i... I've asked the Computing Officer if its possible to upgrade to the Tablet PC and allow me to pay the difference.

I wish they allow me to do so. They will save me the headache of bothering with Lenovo US and the time I'll spend trying to sell the R61i once they give it to me.

I've sent the email yesterday, haven't got any reply... thats not a good sign. All I can do now is just wait.

The ThinkPad I'll never get...

2008-11-12T21:40:00.003Z

I don't really understand why this is happening. Its as if I'm never meant to have a ThinkPad EVER.

As expected, I got an email from Lenovo notifying me that my order is held by the credit card control thing, and that my shipping address must be added to my credit card. But I've already done those things... I don't understand what this delay is for.

Anyhow, this can be a good thing maybe... I've been thinking all day and I've decided maybe its not a good idea to go with the SXGA model because of the possibility getting one with a bezel issue.

I just called Lenovo and canceled my order... No, I didn't give up. I placed another order this time for one with multitouch feature. Now I hope this doesn't go wrong because I've already emailed my bank today. What could happen is verifying my cancel order, lenovo process the canceled order and then charge me for the second laptop >_<

Hope that doesn't happen!

On similar topic...

Six months ago I've been notified by my University that I'll be given a "free" laptop for my studies. Now I don't know what they mean by free especially that I'm paying ver 13000 pounds per year ... but anyways they're supposed to give me a ThinkPad R61i.
The semester started two months ago, and everyone got their laptops, except for the direct entry students like me. We were promised that we'll get them in few weeks, but two months later we just got notified that we'll be receiving the ThinkPads today.

And no surprise, no ThinkPad for me today either! Apparently they've brought only 20 units and it turned out there are over than 30 students... The person responsible for the distribution said they'll be placing an order for us that will take up to three weeks.

I've asked if its possible for me to upgrade to better unit and pay the difference but they said no. Why NO? I wish they'd say yes... so I can just get the thinkpad from them and get over this whole mess.

PS. Since I'm getting a Tablet PC, I'll be selling this University laptop most likely.

This Blog

2008-11-11T23:28:00.001Z

In this blog I plan to start a life long review of the ThinkPad X61 Tablet PC. I don't know for how long I'll continue doing this, I don't know for how long I will continue to have the this specific tablet pc. But if I ever get another one I will continue to review it on this blog.

Why bother with a blog? I don't really know... maybe because of all what I've went through in trying to get my hands on a ThinkPad!

Throughout the coming days, months, or maybe years I'll try to post as much as possible about my experience with the ThinkPad as a tablet pc in general, and as a Lenovo brand. I expect to have many problems with it (after reading some of the forums) and so I'll, most likely, be having my share of them.

As a student living abroad in the UK and doing two degrees the tablet pc will be my primary note taking device. It will also enable access to lecture notes, journals, and other learning materials I need for my studies. Having to do two degrees makes it interesting as I'll be having double the usual load and hopefully easy access to the information from anywhere will allow me to have all my notes with me anywhere at any time to either review or keep reading and writing.
In addition to studying, I'm also a photographer. I take a lot of photos and process them on photoshop. It will be interesting to see how the tablet pc is going to handle this.

After completing my studies in the UK, I plan going back to Kuwait and get involved again in the field surveys. That means taking the tablet pc to the field and see how it perform under Kuwait's extreme weather.

We'll see how things work out.

Why Tablet PC?

2008-11-11T23:08:00.003Z

I've been thinking for years now about getting a tablet pc. It never felt so right to get it as much as now. At the moment I'm continuing my studies in the UK doing undergraduates bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and at the same time a postgraduate masters degree in Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Without a computer I'm lost as both programs depend heavily on materials available on the web and the course portal.

Downloading and printing huge number of notes and journals made me think about how easy life would be if I could have everything in one file to carry around with me. Sure a normal laptop will do the job... but imagine being able to download, read, annotate, and distribute pdfs easily in the class and have them with all the handwritten class notes organized in one folder that I can easily upload to my online storage as a backup or to simply view it from any other place!
This tablet pc seems to have potential for improving my learning experience and add more accessibility to the information I need and provide more organizing that is needed.

In Kuwait, before coming to the UK, I was working as an assistant for a PhD student doing field surveys at Kuwait beaches. The survey included taking notes of all observations, writing down hundreds of measurements, doing calculations and taking more information. This was a difficult task as we had to write down all of the data on location and then go through the back breaking and time wasting process of inputting them again into excel. If a tablet pc was available on location, we would have saved plenty of time and having instant charts and comparisons of results would speed up the research pace.

Through this blog I hope to keep track of this tablet pc and see how it has improved productivity and increased my outcome!

Order Placed

2008-11-11T22:37:00.001Z

I've placed an order for ThinkPad X61 Tablet PC on Lenovo's website. I've been wanting to have a tablet PC since the X41 came out back in 2005. The price has always been an issue when it comes to tablet pc. And ThinkPads has always been too expensive compared to other laptops.

Just few days ago I came across an article on Gizmodo and it really made a lot of sense... Why pay extra if I can get the same laptop for a lot less simply because someone returned an item without even opening the box!

I went to Lenovo's website to check the outlet store and turned out they even have a section selling 'factory excess' and items from 'canceled orders'. Thats laptops that are brand new, never opened, and never shipped. This seems to be excellent as there shouldn't be any waiting period, since the laptop is ready for shipping, and its still being sold cheaper!

I got lucky I guess I found the tablet I've been looking for and it was $600 cheaper than the ones being sold in the configurator and $1000 cheaper than B&H website!

This was too good to be true, right on the budget, amazing specs (will post them later), and brand new never opened!

So I've placed the order, received my order number yesterday, and its in "processing" since then. I've called Lenovo and they told me they're trying to verify the credit card. I guess what they meant is that someone is trying to get in touch with me to tell me that my credit card has been declined. I hope this is not true.
The issue with Lenovo is that they're really complicating things. I've finally managed to get US shipping address and an AMEX with US billing address... I hope this is good enough for them!

The Story

2008-11-11T21:50:00.001Z

It was my first introduction to computers back in 1989 when my father got me an MSX computer. I remember spending hours playing with its keyboard, learning how to type, painting, or just playing games. I remember it being the most exciting time of my life having something so vague between my hands trying to figure it out. I was fascinated with every bit of it and so it became my most favorite thing.

Soon and in 1991 my father got another computer and that was Macintosh Classic. It was the first 'proper' computer I get to fiddle with and spend many hours trying to figure out what those icons mean. I remember the first day we got it my father had it on the dining table and was trying to figure out how to eject the floppy disk from it as it was showing a window with a 'bomb' on it warning us about something... I really thought if we dont eject the floppy disk the computer will explode! Well, many years I've spent with this computer at home and mostly at the office where it ended up being used by the secretary. It was the only computer I had access too and that did delay some of the secretary's work. I remember around 1993 the whole paper work at the office came to halt because they couldn't figure how to change the language from English to Arabic and the problem was blamed on me, even though I was in a summer vacation abroad!

After that incident my father decided to get a PC for his office which I'll be able to use and keeping me away from the secretary's work. But that was taken by the accountant soon after they learned about accountancy software.

I got my own first desktop in 1995. Before getting the desktop I had my father go through daily routine of begging him to get my an IBM ThinkPad laptop. I remember the ThinkPad 701 was just released and was being advertised in the news papers a lot. I had paperclips of those ads and I was falling in love with it! My father almost purchased it but then my uncle said its too expensive and somehow my father agreed and changed his mind. It was expensive by all means. They were selling it if my memory serves me well for approx $3500... and I was just 12 years old!

Now, and thirteen years later... I'm still trying to get my hands on a ThinkPad. This Lenovo is standing between me and the purchase of the ThinkPad!

In Kuwait, Al Yousifi is the agent of Lenovo and unfortunately they're selling the laptops for triple the price shown online. Over the past year or so I've been trying to place an order online but always ended up having my order declined, here are my attempts:

Declined, don't ship to international addressed or P.O. Box.
Declined, US shipping address OK, but not international credit cards.
Declined, US shipping address OK, US billing address OK, but credit card not issued in the US. They did however tell me AMEX is the only card that can be accepted if not issued in the US.
This is my fourth and hopefully final attempt. I have US shipping address, US billing address... and AMEX, which is not issued in the US, but they said in one of the previous correspondence that they do accept it. I just hope they didn't change their minds!

It has been really pain to go through each of those. Setting up the US address, billing information, and going through the ordering process and having it then declined is just horrible.

Right now I'm studying in the UK. I've ordered the ThinkPad from the US. If the order goes through smoothly, it should be then forwarded to my home in Kuwait, where I'll be there on Christmas to pick it up.

Wish me luck :)