The technological era

IT managers the world cover: thin notebook war

Posted on May 16th, 2008 in Depth reading test

IT managers cover the world map

Cost-effective the end of the era, the era of values starting point.

Ji Yong-Qing / text

"All the other is only hot air (Everything else is just hot air"). Many of the industry to see Lenovo ThinkPad X300 notebook computers this customized advertisements must be carefully laugh, if you know that Apple introduced in January of this year's new notebook computer called the MacBook Air, they would understand why they Smiling.

A tinge of Lenovo and Apple have been in the top two among notebook computer makers. This year on March 18, Beijing Kerry Centre Hotel, Lenovo ThinkPad X300 issued a new "world's most thin and light notebook computers." In this before the Mac World Conference, when Apple CEO Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs) from the big envelope out of thin MacBook Air time, he also claimed that this is one of the most thin and light notebooks .

In the Chinese word meaning, "light" are often used to describe people misconduct. But now it is absolutely the IT industry can be the most popular, the most in demand terms.

ThinkPad X300 in the end how thin ? Lenovo's vice president for Xiaohui say a figure - 18.6 millimeters, it is necessary to know, the iceberg coin is 19 mm in diameter. - Xiaohui also brought a post-mortem out of half of the pencil, and this is the X300's built-in optical drive thicknesses - 7 mm! MacBook Air how thin ? The thinnest 4 mm, 19.4 mm at the thickest. Some people have claimed that, to use Air Qiecai are suitable. They have light in the end ? 64 newspaper version of the weight is 1.5 kg, if the balance of the newspaper on one end, X300 or Air on the other end, it is certainly the newspaper.

ThinkPad and MacBook, a Zhengjinweizuo is like a middle-aged gentleman, has been stable, professional brand image showing, in the commercial market傲视群雄another for the right way Pianpianshaonian, fashion has been to unite the style of Apple's young fans. In the past between them almost no common ground. Now, they embarked on the same "thin", and to that end began facing fierce exchange of fire. At this time, commercial markets and the limits of the consumer market has become blurred and the pursuit of comfort and fashion style into notebook computers and the development of the common trend of the trend.

The birth of thin

Whether or MacBook ThinkPad, the two companies decided to design the new products are under the re-injection, they also demonstrated the design involved in research and development capacity.

According to Steve Jobs revealed that Apple MacBook Air R & D work to spend a full two years time. As early as in a few years before Apple decided to develop a global thinnest and lightest notebook computers. To that end, Apple's designers came up with a total of almost 100 sets of design options, they enthusiastically discussed a laptop computer can do more in the end thin, and more light. Finally, they finally selected a set of full-metal design, and on this basis for development. This is not an easy thing, because to achieve such a thin, must have extremely sophisticated aluminum processing technology, and must do a motherboard will be the length of a pencil. Finally, Apple introduced a new product on schedule.

ThinkPad X300 research and development at the same two years ago. At that time, Lenovo Group Chairman Yang Yuanqing put forward can be developed a technique and technology in both the significance of innovative products, Lenovo Group chief designer David Hill (David Hill) accepted the challenge, in his view Only developed the thinnest and lightest ThinkPad history of a product can meet the requirements of Yang Yuanqing.

June 2006, Hill began his Mingsikuxiang, he decided Fanpuguizhen - the new laptop will have no surface of the interface and labels, and even power lines do not need it, all the interfaces are all hidden Below the smooth shell. To achieve the smallest laptops, the length to less than 10 inches, the thickness of not more than 1 inches, have to be equipped with large-size keyboard.

This time, Lenovo unique "Innovation Triangle" development pattern played a role: the Hill of the United States Raleigh mainly engaged in the conceptual design and product planning, and in Japan and Japan's R & D staff will be Raleigh's concept of a product Drawings, China's R & D personnel responsible for selecting suitable material to the final drawings into real products.

In the three R & D staff have been in the course of the exchange, Hill encountered the idea of a challenge: thin does not mean that there must be small, according to Hill's idea of a 10-inch screen, notebook computers will be out of the current 12 to 15 inches The main battlefield of a marginal product. Moreover, with only 10 inches of the small screen to watch now increasingly popular video results also poor. Finally, the display was identified as the mainstream 13.3-inch widescreen.

Of course, this also means that this notebook computer can use a common laptop computer using a keyboard rather than folding keyboard, it also will further thin notebook computers to create the conditions. However, the big screen and the keyboard also to the notebook computer's "drop weight" has posed a challenge - engineers feel that, if the interface and label hidden, it is necessary in the greater area outside with the metal shell, thus greatly increasing notebook The weight of computers, Hill's "stealth interface" concept has been rejected.

October 2006, Lenovo's R & D team formed a prototype of the product and the development of new notebook computer code named "Kodachi", also referred to as the Japanese is too small knife, the Japanese samurai sword than the ordinary common - Nearly half knife to short, they are thinner than some of the Long Knives, particularly conducive to the past war. "We have named their Kodachi, that requires us to develop the products must be light enough, thin enough." Yang said. January 2007, "Kodachi" R & D plan was approved by senior associate, entered the planning stage.

Time schedule was very tight: In early September 2007, research and development team must come up with products of mechanical prototypes, and then nine to 10 months to complete the prototype and test the performance of components, in November introduced qualitative prototype, completed production in early December Before the test. December, the project team plans to the review committee in Japan and Japan meet the laboratory, decided to "Kodachi" be put into trial production.

In order to ensure the thin notebook computers, Lenovo's R & D personnel is painstaking. They ThinkPad series in the first use of a solid-state hard drive, solid-state drive with one hand, compared to ordinary hard drive is not afraid of the collision, the greater stability of some other solid-state hard drive the size than ordinary drive to some small, some thinner. In addition, they decided to adopt an ultra-thin DVD drive, only a 7 mm thickness.

By October, the problem comes, Lenovo to "Kodachi" Order of the solid-state storage drive has not passed quality inspection, this also means that the product will be a critical lack of spare parts, which will make overall progress of the research and development are postponed.

Lenovo's R & D for the adventure at this time to take action, he decided ranging from solid-state storage drive and continue to improve other parts of the research and development. Fortunately, although the solid-state drive the main supplier until the final products are not able to resolve the existing problems, but back-up suppliers in the last minute production of the products meet the requirements of the association. January 25, 2008, X300 volume production in Shenzhen.

The thin technology

Technology advances in the light of the prevalence of wind has brought the possibility.

In the design of products, Yang gave new products set a principle: "Light is important, but more important is not at the expense of the functions of the existing mature product cost." Therefore, X300 is the slogan of "thinking, Do not compromise the lightweight. " In fact, the mainstream notebook computer with the functions of ThinkPad X300 almost as many: high-speed USB interface, DVD burner drive, Ethernet interface RG45, support for Ethernet and wireless LAN, Bluetooth 2.0, WiMax, 802.11n, WWAN and UMB, and other network connections. In addition, equipped with a fingerprint identification, 1.3-megapixel camera, digital noise reduction microphone, professional stereo speakers Pang really can be described as "the sparrow may be small, Wuzangjuquan."

PC is already a highly modular production industry, which also caused the PC brand manufacturers almost does not manufacture any parts, but through global procurement needs of the module, the final assembly to focus on the way to produce the finished product. In such a business environment, the importance of parts and components are self-evident - if not the appropriate parts and components, even the best circuit design also powerless.

Precisely at this time, the notebook computer parts and components to achieve a qualitative leap, and notebook computers simultaneously entered the era of thinner and lighter, which is thin and light notebook computers earlier unsuccessful reason. A few years ago HP, Asustek, Sony, and other mainstream manufacturers have introduced a number of thin and light notebook computers, has hit at the time, but ultimately not in the market set off a trend, one of the major reason for this is that at that time Not a good solution to the problem of heat and strong - small notebook to do a thin, the inside of the small spare room, but also a fan of the installation problems, the result of running a long time after Tangde scary. In addition, the drive was generally thicker, small notebook computers do not thin on the local hard drive after the release, even if reluctantly put it to squeeze also vulnerable to impact and affect life.

Today, these issues are compared to find a satisfactory solution. Air whether or X300, they are standing behind a technology giant, which is Intel Corporation. In fact, Intel has long taken note of the thin and light notebook computers to the bottleneck which has been committed to the development of application processors. Intel eventually be required by the Jobs "more refined, more low-power chips." January this year, the Mac World Conference, when Steve Jobs released the Air, Intel CEO Paul Otellini also came to power back, he smiled and pointed to Air on Jobs, said: "About a year ago has given you We have a great challenge, the world's best microprocessors into the computer. At first we think that this is not possible to complete the task. But we make every effort to complete this the best products, as in a manufacturing Arts & Crafts. "Created by the new SFF (Small Form Factor, small size packaging) processor, Intel processors will narrow the size of a 40 per cent, while a better solution to the problem of heat and power consumption, thus ensuring the Apple Air launched as scheduled.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 will catch up with a better opportunity to use Intel has just launched the SFF 45-nanometer low-power processor. As the most advanced process technology, processors will be significantly lower the cost, performance will become more stable.

Apple and Lenovo But coincidentally the "bulky" The adoption of a new technology, that is, solid-state drive. Although known as solid-state drive, in fact, flash memory. Compared with traditional hard drive, solid-state drive start faster, not afraid of collisions and sudden power, is clearly more suitable for highly mobile notebook computers. Before solid-state drive is not universal, the main reason is price is not high - 500 G traditional drive the price can only buy two 4 G's solid-state drive. However, if a large number of notebook computers to light, are bound to make solid-state drive significant growth in demand, prices dropped substantially, so cost-effective than traditional hard drive that day. In fact, solid-state drive exceptional growth rate has caused the traditional hard drive boss Seagate's great concern, as early as last year, Seagate introduced the face of a notebook computer's Momentus 5400 PSD drive on the part of the embedded flash Of functions, Seagate is the last in 2008 that will enter the solid-state drive market.

It is in stealth technology behind the veteran's support, only to be thin and light notebook computers popular.

Expectations of re -

This time, both the Lenovo or Apple, the new thin and light notebook PCs are released into a lot of effort: Apple has chosen to participate in the tens of thousands of Apple's Mac World Fans posted on the Air, but only released this paragraph Products from Lenovo chairman Yang Yuanqing person referred to a grand, even in this year's CPPCC National Committee, the venue, Yang Yuanqing not forget to come up with X300, "Hyun" some.

As a pinning too much hope that the two companies, originally lightweight X300 and Air looks as if a lot of heavy. For Jobs,, Air will be the Apple Shahui "PC main battlefield" a powerful weapon. That year, IBM, Compaq and other manufacturers with "ugly" desktop Apple expelled from the mainstream of micro-computer market now, in music players and mobile phone market scenery unlimited Jobs hope that once again proves that the notebook computer market He also can become the master. Bajiansigu, he found that the Yuanjiaduitou has not died, replaced by is the acquisition of the HP and Lenovo.

Compared to Apple, Lenovo's mood is clearly even more urgent, in stripping the phone, the computer has become the only Lenovo Group the main industry. The acquisition of highly respected in the ThinkPad nearly three years of time, Lenovo has not been able to come up with any one of the people stripped out ThinkPad products, which also makes the outside world for the integration of Lenovo's ability to question, many people even Prophecy, "ThinkPad to be destroyed in the hands of Lenovo", which is Lenovo also do not want to see anyway - was acquired IBM PCD, a very important factor to consider is that IBM PCD has an envy of the ThinkPad. So when Lenovo completed the acquisition of IBM PCD, has acquired some idea of China Taiwan manufacturers can not help but Zhuihuimoji.

With representatives of the top level of design ThinkPad X300, Lenovo will be able to prove to the outside world, IBM PCD proud to have the top notebook computer design capacity and not in the hands of Lenovo and the loss of depreciation, ThinkPad IBM but even if it does not name the name Lenovo , It still maintained the original design.

It is in such a state of mind around, the two companies in the market were "uncompromising" struggle. ThinkPad X300 in the conference, Lenovo Group vice president for Xiaohui picked up a golf club waving, big-screen on the golf-hit to open up the face of the X300, golf fragmented, X300 unharmed. "A laptop computer can really can not be used, mainly to see it is not strong enough." He said proudly like some, the language front against Air. In the United States, the two companies notebook computers have been released ads, while some cities in the domestic cable television programming, Apple can hear the female singers that slightly husky ad songs.

But far from the two products from the current mainstream notebook computer price range of ultra-high prices, or whether Apple is also currently impossible to think of this as the two main products to sell. They just want more through these two revolutionary products, to guide the whole market right to speak purpose. If this goal reached, they will complete the task.

The thin technology

Technology advances in the light of the prevalence of wind has brought the possibility.

In the design of products, Yang gave new products set a principle: "Light is important, but more important is not at the expense of the functions of the existing mature product cost." Therefore, X300 is the slogan of "thinking, Do not compromise the lightweight. " In fact, the mainstream notebook computer with the functions of ThinkPad X300 almost as many: high-speed USB interface, DVD burner drive, Ethernet interface RG45, support for Ethernet and wireless LAN, Bluetooth 2.0, WiMax, 802.11n, WWAN and UMB, and other network connections. In addition, equipped with a fingerprint identification, 1.3-megapixel camera, digital noise reduction microphone, professional stereo speakers Pang really can be described as "the sparrow may be small, Wuzangjuquan."

PC is already a highly modular production industry, which also caused the PC brand manufacturers almost does not manufacture any parts, but through global procurement needs of the module, the final assembly to focus on the way to produce the finished product. In such a business environment, the importance of parts and components are self-evident - if not the appropriate parts and components, even the best circuit design also powerless.

Precisely at this time, the notebook computer parts and components to achieve a qualitative leap, and notebook computers simultaneously entered the era of thinner and lighter, which is thin and light notebook computers earlier unsuccessful reason. A few years ago HP, Asustek, Sony, and other mainstream manufacturers have introduced a number of thin and light notebook computers, has hit at the time, but ultimately not in the market set off a trend, one of the major reason for this is that at that time Not a good solution to the problem of heat and strong - small notebook to do a thin, the inside of the small spare room, but also a fan of the installation problems, the result of running a long time after Tangde scary. In addition, the drive was generally thicker, small notebook computers do not thin on the local hard drive after the release, even if reluctantly put it to squeeze also vulnerable to impact and affect life.

Today, these issues are compared to find a satisfactory solution. Air whether or X300, they are standing behind a technology giant, which is Intel Corporation. In fact, Intel has long taken note of the thin and light notebook computers to the bottleneck which has been committed to the development of application processors. Intel eventually be required by the Jobs "more refined, more low-power chips." January this year, the Mac World Conference, when Steve Jobs released the Air, Intel CEO Paul Otellini also came to power back, he smiled and pointed to Air on Jobs, said: "About a year ago has given you We have a great challenge, the world's best microprocessors into the computer. At first we think that this is not possible to complete the task. But we make every effort to complete this the best products, as in a manufacturing Arts & Crafts. "Created by the new SFF (Small Form Factor, small size packaging) processor, Intel processors will narrow the size of a 40 per cent, while a better solution to the problem of heat and power consumption, thus ensuring the Apple Air launched as scheduled.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X300 will catch up with a better opportunity to use Intel has just launched the SFF 45-nanometer low-power processor. As the most advanced process technology, processors will be significantly lower the cost, performance will become more stable.

Apple and Lenovo But coincidentally the "bulky" The adoption of a new technology, that is, solid-state drive. Although known as solid-state drive, in fact, flash memory. Compared with traditional hard drive, solid-state drive start faster, not afraid of collisions and sudden power, is clearly more suitable for highly mobile notebook computers. Before solid-state drive is not universal, the main reason is price is not high - 500 G traditional drive the price can only buy two 4 G's solid-state drive. However, if a large number of notebook computers to light, are bound to make solid-state drive significant growth in demand, prices dropped substantially, so cost-effective than traditional hard drive that day. In fact, solid-state drive exceptional growth rate has caused the traditional hard drive boss Seagate's great concern, as early as last year, Seagate introduced the face of a notebook computer's Momentus 5400 PSD drive on the part of the embedded flash Of functions, Seagate is the last in 2008 that will enter the solid-state drive market.

It is in stealth technology behind the veteran's support, only to be thin and light notebook computers popular.

Expectations of re -

This time, both the Lenovo or Apple, the new thin and light notebook PCs are released into a lot of effort: Apple has chosen to participate in the tens of thousands of Apple's Mac World Fans posted on the Air, but only released this paragraph Products from Lenovo chairman Yang Yuanqing person referred to a grand, even in this year's CPPCC National Committee, the venue, Yang Yuanqing not forget to come up with X300, "Hyun" some.

As a pinning too much hope that the two companies, originally lightweight X300 and Air looks as if a lot of heavy. For Jobs,, Air will be the Apple Shahui "PC main battlefield" a powerful weapon. That year, IBM, Compaq and other manufacturers with "ugly" desktop Apple expelled from the mainstream of micro-computer market now, in music players and mobile phone market scenery unlimited Jobs hope that once again proves that the notebook computer market He also can become the master. Bajiansigu, he found that the Yuanjiaduitou has not died, replaced by is the acquisition of the HP and Lenovo.

Compared to Apple, Lenovo's mood is clearly even more urgent, in stripping the phone, the computer has become the only Lenovo Group the main industry. The acquisition of highly respected in the ThinkPad nearly three years of time, Lenovo has not been able to come up with any one of the people stripped out ThinkPad products, which also makes the outside world for the integration of Lenovo's ability to question, many people even Prophecy, "ThinkPad to be destroyed in the hands of Lenovo", which is Lenovo also do not want to see anyway - was acquired IBM PCD, a very important factor to consider is that IBM PCD has an envy of the ThinkPad. So when Lenovo completed the acquisition of IBM PCD, has acquired some idea of China Taiwan manufacturers can not help but Zhuihuimoji.

With representatives of the top level of design ThinkPad X300, Lenovo will be able to prove to the outside world, IBM PCD proud to have the top notebook computer design capacity and not in the hands of Lenovo and the loss of depreciation, ThinkPad IBM but even if it does not name the name Lenovo , It still maintained the original design.

It is in such a state of mind around, the two companies in the market were "uncompromising" struggle. ThinkPad X300 in the conference, Lenovo Group vice president for Xiaohui picked up a golf club waving, big-screen on the golf-hit to open up the face of the X300, golf fragmented, X300 unharmed. "A laptop computer can really can not be used, mainly to see it is not strong enough." He said proudly like some, the language front against Air. In the United States, the two companies notebook computers have been released ads, while some cities in the domestic cable television programming, Apple can hear the female singers that slightly husky ad songs.

But far from the two products from the current mainstream notebook computer price range of ultra-high prices, or whether Apple is also currently impossible to think of this as the two main products to sell. They just want more through these two revolutionary products, to guide the whole market right to speak purpose. If this goal reached, they will complete the task.