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It was during last year’s CES when Lenovo unveiled the dual-mode IdeaPad U1. At that point, the company used its own flavor of Linux to run the show while the device was running the in the slate mode. This year they’re opting for Android, providing users with access to tons of apps from the Android Market. The change also required a new name for the slate – LePad.
In addition to standard suite of Google apps, Lenovo is also bundling its own stuff which it developed for the Chinese market (where Lenovo sells LePhone). Then there’s a customized user interface that should provide users with quick access to applications and popular web services.
The pricing and availability information goes as follows – the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 with LePad will be available beginning in China in Q1 2011. The LePad slate can be purchased separately from the U1 base for RMB 3,499 which is approximately $520. The U1 hybrid laptop with LePad slate starts at approximately RMB 8,888 (about $1,300).
No word when or even whether Lenovo will export this baby outside of China. When that happens though, we hope the price will not be that steep – these days, $1,300 buys you both a tablet and decent Windows 7 laptop…
About The Author
Dusan Belic
Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run SymbianWatch.com which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis.
