IBM on Tuesday will introduce a new series of ThinkPads designed for people who need the mobility of a notebook computer, but not necessarily the battery life.
The ThinkPad G40 is a notebook designed to be a desktop replacement for users who rely more on AC power than battery power, simply moving from one AC outlet to the next.
Because of that, it supports processors designed for desktops rather than more expensive ones designed to save battery life in laptops, such as Intel Corp.s new Centrino chip set.
“Even Intel has recognized there is a significant portion that will not move … to Centrino,” said Grant Shenk, product manager for the ThinkPad G series at IBM in Somers, N.Y. “This represents the true desktop replacement.”
The G40 sports a floppy drive, four USB 2.0 slots, an inclined keyboard designed to feel like a desktop keyboard, and a pivoting base that makes it easier for users to adjust the angle of the notebook.
It is not designed for a corporate network, so it does not include a docking station. But some models come with support for 802.11b (Wi-Fi) wireless LANs, and there are third parties that are building docking options for the G Series, Shenk said.
As with most ThinkPad lines, the ThinkPad G40 comes in a variety of models and prices.
At the low end is the 23881CU. It includes a 14-inch XGA display, a 20GB hard drive, CD-ROM, 128MB of memory, a lithium ion battery, a 56K-bps modem and 10/100 Ethernet port, a 2GHz Intel Celeron processor, and 90 minutes of battery life for $949.
At the high end is the 23885BU. It sports an Intel 3GHz Pentium 4 desktop processor, a 15-inch XG-plus display, a 40GB hard drive, a DVD/CD-RW drive along with the floppy drive, 256MB of memory, a 12-cell lithium ion battery that lasts 2 hours, a modem, and Ethernet support as well as support for 802.11b. It costs $2,069.
The G40 will be available Tuesday.
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