Lenovo IdeaPad, IdeaCentre PCs Grow with Intel, Windows 7

Lenovo is rolling out three new IdeaPad laptops and three IdeaCentre desktops, all of  which feature Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system, new Intel processors and Lenovo’s Enhanced Experience for Windows 7, which the company developed with Microsoft in order to offer faster boot-up and shutdown times, as well as multimedia features and maintenance tools.  

“Our Idea products are designed with the user experience in mind — every aspect of product design and technology is engineered to improve how consumers seamlessly use these products to enrich their daily lives,” said Liu Jun, a Lenovo senior vice president, in an Oct. 26 statement.  
The three new IdeaPads are the U150, U550 and Y550P.
 
The IdeaPad Y550P is the most powerful laptop in Lenovo’s consumer portfolio and is the company’s first to feature the Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, which is said to automatically speed up the processor when additional performance is needed. Additional features include Nvidia discrete graphics, a 15.6-inch HD widescreen display, Dolby Home Theater surround sound and a touch-sensitive SlideNav bar above the keyboard for more quickly navigating documents and between programs. It’s priced at $1,149.

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The very portable IdeaPad U150 is 0.5-inches thick, weighs 3 pounds and features an 11.6-inch HD widescreen display. The processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo, and up to 8GB of DDR3 (double data rate 3) memory is supported. An Active Protection System protects the hard drive, when the laptop is bumped or dropped, and a OneKey Rescue System performs data backups scans for viruses before the operating system loads. Available in red or black, the U150 will retail for $585.
 
The final new laptop, intended to offer a balance between home and office, is the IdeaPad U550. It’s just under an inch thick and features a 15.6-inch HD widescreen display and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. The discrete graphics card can be easily turned on and off, to extend battery life, and there’s an integrated fingerprint reader and VeriFace facial recognition software for password-free login. There’s also a DVD drive for accessing and sharing content, a Dolby Sound Room sound system and an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness to its environment. The U550 is priced at $650.
 
Among Lenovo’s new desktops the IdeaCentre H230 is the most value-minded. At $449, it offers a range of hard drive and DDR3 memory configurations, plus integrated tools such as Lenovo Rescue System software for data recovery.
 
The IdeaCentre K300 is optimized for power and control, which means it includes high-performance RAID-configured hard drives, Lenovo’s Power Control Switch, for adjusting the machine’s power and efficiency, and an Intel Core 2 Quad processor. It’s priced at $499.
 
And finally the beast of the bunch is the B500, which features a 23-inch HD screen and JBL integrated speakers. There’s an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, discrete graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory and 1TB of HDD storage space. Ideal for gamers, its 4-in-1 remote control can be used as a controller for driving games, and there’s a VOIP (Voice over IP) handset, wireless mouse, media remote and a CamSuite for controlling the webcam’s focus and special effects.
 
On top of its six-strong new lineup, Lenovo announced that its IdeaPad U350 can now be purchased in a “brown lizard print, white lamb skin print and red light weave” for $649. Additionally, it has given its S10-2 netbook a visual lift and is now offering it in, according to Lenovo, “pop art, violet floral, red floral, green floral, phoenix, garden, sailing and origami” designs for $349.