ThinkPad roadmap 2015-2016

If they refresh the Helix with Skylake and change it to 3:2, I'm on board in a heartbeat.

 

If the Helix was 10.1" and Core M or Atom, I'd have it. I had the 1dt gen for a while, and it was still heavier and bigger than what I wanted for a truly mobile solution. When it hits 11.6", full sized keyboard, and 3-3.5", IMO you should just graduate up to 12.5" and get a proper convertible laptop. I've got a Thinkpad Tablet 2, and for really "in the hand" note taking and browsing, there is a clear improvement in functionality compared to the current Helix line.

 

The Helix won´t be around much longer.

 

Ah that's too bad, I was secretly hoping that they'd make a detachable WITH a Yoga hinge. Like a flippable Helix or Felix(tm).

 

I would take the ThinkPad tablet 10 with a dockable clamshell keyboard. That'll be OK with me! Helix is just a name after all. What I really want is a small Wacom tablet that attaches to a real clamshell keyboard. Why is that so hard to find!?

 

A 3:2 Helix-like device was also something that I had hoped for.
With several companies coming out now with their Surface Pro competitors, maybe next year we will see some Surface Book detachable alternatives.

 

Yoga has been Lenovo´s most successful Convertible form-factor, and thus, thats where the main focus is.

Detachables are very difficult to balance out correctly, and to make them really reliable. They are very expensive and very complex to make. I don´t think the Helix I & II were such a big success after all. Sure, some of the choices Lenovo made for these didn´t resonate well (like the small 16:9 screen), but in general, the detachable formfactor also caused some problems here (like the devices being top-heavy, for example, and the fact that they got really hot and uncomfortable to use and hold after a while). In contrast, Lenovo´s various Yoga lines were really successful.

If you look at the leaked roadmap again, you can see which device will replace the Helix line. If you liked the Helix, too bad. The only hope there is that the Surface Book is a success and that it opens up the market to detachables.

 

I guess that would be the X1 tablet with the Kutcher hinge. Not an improvement imo, but I understand the points you're making. Now where's that X1 Yoga, only 18 more days in December!

 

The x1 tab seems less like a convertible than just a tablet, though it may well be true that they consider that a replacement. Lenovo has shown some interest in remaining diversified despite the ridiculous popularity of the yoga hinge. I wouldn't mind seeing them bring back the twist/x series tablet hinge for a convertible alternative to yoga.

Of course, the helix may not be dead. There was no haswell release & the ivy bridge version was a late releaser and even the broadwell version was only half-released at first with the real keyboard delayed for months. It's not crazy to imagine a summer or even fall 2016 successor. There are no rules for this model. It's like that family member who always drops by unannounced. You only really know they're coming when they're there.

 

I am not sure what the date means. I think it doesn´t necessarily mean "announcement to public". Maybe its just a reference date for some retailers, like an early order window? Pretty sure Lenovo isn´t going to announce anything at this point in December.

Thats unfortunately also not happening anytime soon.