ThinkPad Helix looks promising

[stoneseeker]

No offense, but art work on a tablet represents what percentage of total sales?!

It's not just artists that benefit from full voltage CPU's. Engineers, Drafters, and buyers using complex math programs and voice dictation programs all need more CPU power than a ULV can give... there's plenty of more reasons too.

It's weird that in this era, my T902 is considered too "bulky" by the average consumer, but being 4.1 lbs. and this versatile is LIGHT and MOBILE compared to any laptop I have seen or used with even close to the same power. My last laptop was a 17" Sattelite Pro from Toshiba and it was twice as heavy, monstrous footprint, and only had a fraction of the power of my Fujitsu.

All things in perspective, I don't understand why the full voltage processors and their slightly larger more robust forms are getting the boot when they are barely a compromise in mobility or ease of use. I think there are plenty of people out there who need the power, but settle with the desktops for their "real"work, and then try their best to use and justify these ULV or android devices as supplementary work tools.

[czm2000]

It's not just artists that benefit from full voltage CPU's. Engineers, Drafters, and buyers using complex math programs and voice dictation programs all need more CPU power than a ULV can give... there's plenty of more reasons too.

It's weird that in this era, my T902 is considered too "bulky" by the average consumer, but being 4.1 lbs. and this versatile is LIGHT and MOBILE compared to any laptop I have seen or used with even close to the same power. My last laptop was a 17" Sattelite Pro from Toshiba and it was twice as heavy, monstrous footprint, and only had a fraction of the power of my Fujitsu.

All things in perspective, I don't understand why the full voltage processors and their slightly larger more robust forms are getting the boot when they are barely a compromise in mobility or ease of use. I think there are plenty of people out there who need the power, but settle with the desktops for their "real"work, and then try their best to use and justify these ULV or android devices as supplementary work tools.

Amen to that.

[Erik Latranyi]

It's not just artists that benefit from full voltage CPU's. Engineers, Drafters, and buyers using complex math programs and voice dictation programs all need more CPU power than a ULV can give... there's plenty of more reasons too.

It's weird that in this era, my T902 is considered too "bulky" by the average consumer, but being 4.1 lbs. and this versatile is LIGHT and MOBILE compared to any laptop I have seen or used with even close to the same power. My last laptop was a 17" Sattelite Pro from Toshiba and it was twice as heavy, monstrous footprint, and only had a fraction of the power of my Fujitsu.

All things in perspective, I don't understand why the full voltage processors and their slightly larger more robust forms are getting the boot when they are barely a compromise in mobility or ease of use. I think there are plenty of people out there who need the power, but settle with the desktops for their "real"work, and then try their best to use and justify these ULV or android devices as supplementary work tools.

The gap is closing. It will not be long before you have the processing strength you need in a low power consumption CPU.

[arvindsond]

Yeah this looks great, I was pretty much set on the samsung ativ pro, but to be honest the few reviews that have popped through they've have led me to believe that something better is on the way, and this Helix might just be it.
Just a couple of questions for me is (not sure if anyone knows the answer to these) but for a digital artist:

- how many levels of pressure will the pen support
- and can we use artDock/paintDock or something similar when using software like photoshop and zbrush, because you dont want to keep accessing the keyboard you need some sort of on screen overlay

Thanks

Arvind!

[Steve B]

Pressure sensitivity will be like all the other tablet pc's I would presume, and Artrdock currently only works on a few select Win7 devices, afaik-- the ep121, a thinkpad of some sort, and S7. You're not the only one who would like Artdock on a new Win8 slate. I'm surprised it hasn't been brought up more, as I think it would make these machines fantastically more productive.

[arvindsond]

Pressure sensitivity will be like all the other tablet pc's I would presume, and Artrdock currently only works on a few select Win7 devices, afaik-- the ep121, a thinkpad of some sort, and S7. You're not the only one who would like Artdock on a new Win8 slate. I'm surprised it hasn't been brought up more, as I think it would make these machines fantastically more productive.

Exactly, I mean what is the point of an ultrabook tablet if you have to keep converting back to the keyboard to use shortcuts on more of the powerful softwares (which is what the ultrabooks are aimed at anyway)
Really hope someone converts the artDock or makes something similar, would benefit many programs, not just for digital artists

Arvind!

[Zeelobby]

The gap is closing. It will not be long before you have the processing strength you need in a low power consumption CPU.

Exactly, Haswell. If rumored performance/power consumption of the new Haswell Intel chips is true than I wouldn't be surprised if Lenovo is waiting to announce that the Helix will be using those chips (maybe during the upcoming CES). Of course that means that it probably won't be available til summer or fall, but if it can add several hours to the device and compete closely with current i5/i7 chips than it would be worth the wait.

[Zeelobby]

Exactly, Haswell. If rumored performance/power consumption of the new Haswell Intel chips is true than I wouldn't be surprised if Lenovo is waiting to announce that the Helix will be using those chips (maybe during the upcoming CES). Of course that means that it probably won't be available til summer or fall, but if it can add several hours to the device and compete closely with current i5/i7 chips than it would be worth the wait.

And Boom, right on queue: Leaked chart appears to spill beans on Intel's Haswell desktop CPU range

Looks like some pretty solid chips, will have to see what their performance is, but I have high hopes that powerful low-powered alternatives to current ULV chips will be on the way soon.

[Bloody Nokia Adept]

There is a User's Guide leaked at Lenovo Chinese site http://webdoc.lenovo.com.cn/lenovows...%8D%97V1.0.pdf

It says:

Features

Processor
• Intel ® Core ™ i3, i5 or i7 ULV processor

Operating system
• Microsoft ® Windows 8 (64-bit)

Memory
• 4 GB

Built-in storage
• mSATA solid state drive: 128GB, 180GB, 256 GB (depending on the model may be)

Display
• Infinity Glass
• Size: 294.64 mm (11.6 inches)
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
• automatic brightness control (ambient light sensor)
• multi-touch technology
• Support for ThinkPad Digitizer Pen input
• Built-in digital dual array microphone
• a number of built-in stereo speakers

The keyboard in the keyboard on the docking station
• 6 line full-size keyboard
• ThinkPad positioning device (TrackPoint pointing device and touchpad)
• Fn key function
• volume control keys
• The speaker mute button
• Microphone mute button

Integrated camera
• front camera megapixels
• rear camera, 50 megapixels

Interface
• Tablet PC:
- A USB 2.0 interface
- A Mini DisplayPort interface
- An AC power connector
- Two keyboard docking connector
- A combination of audio interface
• keyboard docking station:
- Two USB 3.0 ports
- A Mini DisplayPort interface
- An AC power connector

GPS and wireless features
• Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite receiver (models equipped with wireless WAN)
• Bluetooth 4.0 (with some models)
• NFC (with some models)
• Wireless LAN (802.11a/g/n)
• Wireless WAN (equipped ThinkPad X1 Helix 3G)

Specification

Size
• Tablet PC:
- Length: 296.1 mm (11.66 inches)
- Width: 187.3 mm (7.37 inches)
- Height: 11.1 mm (0.44 in.)
• keyboard docking station:
- Length: 296.1 mm (11.66 inches)
- Width: 226 mm (8.90 in.)
- Height: 8.5 mm (0.33 inch)

Battery
• Tablet PC: 42Wh lithium-polymer battery
• keyboard docking station: 28Wh lithium-polymer battery
Power supply (AC adapter)
• sine wave input, 50-60 Hz
• AC power adapter rated input: 100 VAC to 240 VAC

[digitallysane]

So from the PDF I get that this Helix thing is the succesor to X1, not to the X2x0 line.