| Thin-client ThinkPad runs XP Embedded |
May 20, 2008
 Devon IT has allied with Lenovo to announce a thin-client notebook based on a ThinkPad R61 without a hard drive. The SafeBook LVO runs Windows XP Embedded on a 2.0 GHz Celeron processor, and boasts 802.11a/b/g wireless, gigabit Ethernet, and ThinkPad accessories, says Devon IT.
(Click here for a larger view of the SafeBook LVO)
With its original 2006 SafeBook, Devon IT was one of the first companies to market a mobile thin client -- basically a standard laptop computer with its hard drive removed. The new SafeBook LVO follows that same recipe, seasoned to the taste of enterprise customers.
Carrying the Lenovo part number 8930-A93, the device is essentially identical to the previously available ThinkPad R61. Compatible with relevant docking stations, power supplies, and other Lenovo accessories, the SafeBook LVO will be easy for IT departments to deploy and support, claims Devon IT.
The R61's standard hard disk drive has been replaced here by a 2.5-inch SATA flash drive, whose rated 1GB capacity is apparently enough to hold Windows XP Embedded. Bundled client software is said to support connection to a variety of servers, including Microsoft Windows Terminal Servers 2000/2003/2008, Citrix XenAPP, XenDesktop and XenServer, VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and Unix/Linux. With an optional terminal emulation package, mainframes and IBM AS400 minicomputers are also supported.
With little local storage, users of the SafeBook LVO will be mostly dependent on a live connection in order to get their work done. Fortunately, the device appears to have the networking bases covered, with a gigabit Ethernet port, 802.11b/g wireless, plus the relatively rare 802.11a option. Devon IT said a GSM cellular modem will also be available, though further details were not provided.
The SafeBook LVO has a 15.5 display with 1680 x 1050 resolution, a trackpad, keyboard lighting, and Lenovo's love-it-or-hate-it TrackPoint pointing device. The notebook provides 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 2.0GHZ Intel Celeron 550 processor.
Other characteristics of the 5.5-pound device are, naturally, the same as on the ThinkPad R61 that spawned it. These include three USB 2.0 ports, a Type II PC Card slot, a smart card slot, a VGA port, and a docking connector. The device also incorporates Lenovo's integrated "Ultrabay, which has the potential to support an extra battery or the optical drive options previously offered for the R61 by Lenovo, including a CD/DVD burner and a Blu-ray writer, though Devon IT did not confirm compatibility.
Features and specifications listed by Devon IT for the SafeBook LVO include:- Processor -- Intel Celeron 550 clocked at 2.0GHZ
- Memory -- 1.0GB of DDR2 RAM
- Display -- 15.4-inch WXGA display with 1680 x 1050 resolution
- Networking:
- LAN -- gigabit Ethernet
- 802.11a/b/g wireless
- Other I/O:
- VGA port
- 3 x USB 2.0
- 1 x docking connector
- 1 x audio mic in
- 1 x audio line out
- Expansion:
- Ultrabay
- Smart card slot
- Type II PC Card slot
- Battery type/life -- not specified
- Dimensions -- 14.1 x 10 x 1.4 inches
- Weight -- 5.5 pounds
- Operating temperature range -- 0 to 40 deg. C
Joe Makoid, president of Devon IT, said, "The Lenovo ThinkPad has long been the preferred notebook for corporate and other mobile users due to its durability and advanced technology. By blending with it our thin technologies we will allow companies and organizations to make a smooth transition from PCs and laptops to server-centric computing environments."
The SafeBook LVO is available now for approximately $840, according to Devon IT.
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