Yesterday, I was able to attend a small media event where Lenovo representatives talked about their upcoming notebook and netbook computers. I was interested with its entry to the netbook which is the IdeaPad, more particularly with the S10 model.
I first saw the S10 the other day during the Intel Atom launch and it really grabbed my attention away from the other netbooks on display. It simply looked gorgeous and I was glad that I get to see more if it yesterday.
The IdeaPad S10 sports a 10.2″ display that I think is the sweet spot screen size for netbooks. It comes in pastel pink, black or white colors (while the S9 also has a red and dark blue version) and has this sleek finish that gives it the sturdy feeling.
The S10 and S9 has the same dimensions and specs except that S9 has an 8.9″ screen. Here’s a shot of both netbooks on top of each other.
The keyboard design is big enough to avoid having to hit the backspace quite often although some of the key’s placing could use some improvement. Need to get used to not hitting the right arrow key by accident.
As you can see, the touchpad is a bit smaller than other netbooks so you’ll have to get used to that. One cool thing that they mentioned was the multi-touch feature of the IdeaPad where you could pinch, flick or swipe your fingers on the touchpad to perform different tasks. Similar to the iPhone.
The speakers are nicely situated just above the keypad and on the front panel as well where the power and battery indicators are located.
What’s inside?
It comes with the Intel Atom (1.6GHz) processor and a 1GB of memory which can be switched into a 2GB one. You can choose between a 160GB hard disk drive or a solid state drive (4 or 8 GB). Included is a Windows XP or a Linux operating system although they said that the Linux option will come much later (only available in US for the mean time).
Connectivity?
The IdeaPad features a WiFi a/b/g and Bluetooth as well as an Express Card slot for those wanting 3G or HSDPA connectivity. It also has an Ethernet port by the way.
What else?
It comes with a 3-cell battery but you can opt to use a 6-cell one (unlike the MSI Wind). It comes with 2 USB ports, a VGA port, and a 4-1 multicard reader. It also has a built-in microphone (left side below the Fn key) and a 1.3 MP webcam as well.
Price and release date?
The price for the S10 will start at Php22,990 but they haven’t released all possible configurations yet. The IdeaPad S10 will be available here in the Philippines by the end of September.
I’m thinking that the Windows version will go for around Php27,000 but let’s just wait for their price setup that will probably be available late this month.
Would I recommend this?
I’m not sure if my opinion matters to you but I would absolutely recommend the S10 for a netbook! I have a soft heart for the MSI Wind but this one made me think twice. I really love its stylish looks. It’s not too light that it would feel cheap. The small touchpad and 2 USB ports are not dealbreakers for me anyway.
If I have to make a guess, the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 and the MSI Wind will probably be the best netbook for 2008. Forget about the Dell Inspiron Mini, HP Mini-Note 2133 and Acer Aspire One, or even the Asus Eee 1000. MSI and Lenovo are the tops on my list as of now when it comes to netbooks.
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Calvin is a newbie blogger who’s working as an IT consultant and blogs for a hobby. He has his own personal blog, Calvin’s Hub, where he writes about his thoughts on just about everything that interests him.
