One of the latest announcements to come in from Lenovo’s Tech World event in Beijing is the second generation of Lenovo’s “business tablet,” the ThinkPad 10. Unveiled on May 28, the 10.1-inch tablet is broadly similar to the first incarnation, but does pack in a few new features while keeping the starting price down at $549 (UK and Australian pricing yet to be announced).
The ThinkPad runs the new Windows 10 operating system on Intel’s latest Atom chipset, either the Z8500 or Z8700 quad-core processors. The screen is the same 1,920 x 1,200-resolution panel as the first generation model, bolstered by Gorilla Corning Glass 3 for added durability.
You can get up to 128GB of internal storage and 4GB of RAM, with ports to take USB 3.0, Mini-HDMI and microSD. The ThinkPad 10 weighs 21.7 ounces (617g) and measures 10.1 x 7.0 x 0.35 inches (256.5 x 177 x 9.1 mm).
The stylus is one of the big new features. Called the ThinkPad Pen Pro, if you want to get technical, it’s coupled with WriteIt software which can perform handwriting-to-text conversion in “nearly any” text field. That “nearly any” disclaimer might be the kicker, depending on what sort of software you’re using in your daily work life.
Lenovo will offer 3G- and 4G-enabled versions of the tablet, and has added some additional optional business security features such as a fingerprint scanner and smartcard reader.
Lenovo also has an array of accessories, all of which come at an additional cost. Two different keyboards are on offer — the ThinkPad 10 Folio Keyboard for $110 or the Ultrabook Keyboard for $119, so you should factor in these costs when you’re looking at the price tag.
Lenovo also showed off the Lenovo Cast in Beijing, a small hockey-puck style streaming device for sharing content from your mobile device. It’s going to be available in August for $49, with UK and Australian pricing also still to be confirmed.