(Click here for a larger view of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12)Lenovo's IdeaPad S12 is set to inspire debates about what, exactly, is a netbook, as opposed to a "sub-notebook, a "laptop," or an "ultra-portable." With its claimed full-size keyboard and 12.1-inch display, the device is a far cry from the first
netbooks, which had 8.9-inch (or in some cases, only seven-inch) screens.
Both Microsoft and Intel have discouraged vendors from making low-cost netbooks that too closely approximate the capabilities of other computers costing three times as much. Last week, in fact, a website called
Techarp claimed that while Microsoft has allowed portables with up to 12.1-inch screens to be considered "netbooks," and therefore qualify for a reduced-cost Windows XP license, only devices with 10.2-inch screens or smaller can be sold with the forthcoming Windows 7 Starter Edition. (On the other hand, Microsoft reportedly did away with limitations on devices' graphics capabilities, and will now allow processors up to 2GHz.)
Regarding its new IdeaPad S12, a Lenovo spokesperson was reported by our sister site
eWEEK.com as saying, "We're not here to decide where the industry is going, but to deliver what customers want." In April, Lenovo acknowledged that its business customers have been asking about netbooks, and said it was mulling over
adding one of the low-cost devices to its enterprise-oriented ThinkPad line.
Call it what you will, the IdeaPad S12 has some typical netbook features, such as the Intel Atom
N270 clocked at 1.6GHz, and supported by the usual 945GSE chipset. The device also includes a webcam, three USB ports, a 4-in-one card reader, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g or 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, and a VGA output. The IdeaPad S12 also has an ExpressCard 34 slot (like Lenovo's initial netbook, the
IdeaPad S10 netbook, but unlike the revised
IdeaPad S10-2 announced earlier this month).
Apart from the S12's "100 percent" keyboard and 12.inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display, however, another unusual feature in the IdeaPad S12 is the optional availability of Nvidia's
Ion. This combination northbridge/southbridge chip gives the S12 a GeForce 9400 graphics processing unit, with claimed support for DirectX 10 and 1080p HD video playback. Lenovo will also reportedly offer the S12 with Via's 1.3GHz
Nano U2250 processor, but this configuration is not planned for the United States.
According to Lenovo, the IdeaPad S12 comes with 160GB, 250GB, or 320GB hard disk drives, and 1GB of DDD2 memory. The netbook, said to weigh 3.08 pounds with its standard three-cell battery, will also be offered with a six-cell battery claimed to double battery life to six hours.
Features and specifications listed by Lenovo for the IdeaPad S12 include:
- Processor -- 1.6GHz Atom N270
- Memory -- 1GB of DDR2 memory (no details about expansion provided)
- Display -- 12.1-inch LED-backlit display with 1280 x 800 resolution
- Graphics -- Optional Nvidia Ion adds DirectX 10, 1080p video playback, and HDMI port
- Camera -- resolution n/s, but IdeaPad S10-2 has 1.3 megapixel
- Storage -- 160GB, 250GB, or 320GB hard disk drive
- Networking -- 10/100 Ethernet port
- Wireless:
- LAN -- 802.11b/g or 802.11b/g/n
- Other I/O:
- 3 x USB 2.0
- 1 x VGA
- HDMI (Ion models only)
- Microphone input
- Headphone output
- Expansion -- 4-in-1 card reader
- Battery life -- Up to six hours with six-cell battery; three hours with three-cell battery
- Dimensions -- 11.1 x 8.5 x 1.13 inches
- Weight -- 3.08 pounds (1.4kg) with three-cell battery; 3.41 (1.55kg) with six-cell battery
Further informationAccording to Lenovo, the S12 will be available in June for prices starting at $449. Models with Nvidia Ion graphics will be available "later this summer," the company adds.
For a video review of the IdeaPad S12, see the
Laptop Magazine website,
here.
To see the
Techarp item about Microsoft's supposed new definition of what a "netbook" is, see
here.
Related stories:
