Jane Spencer | January 04, 2008
FOR Lenovo Group, red is the new black.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y510 will be available locally for $1499
After years of targeting business users with its conservative, black ThinkPad laptops, the personal computer company is going after everyday consumers with a flashy new notebook line called IdeaPad.
The product line, which includes red aluminum-alloy cases, beefed-up gaming features and halo lighting, is part of a major strategic shift for Lenovo, as it tries to compete head-on with the likes of Hewlett-Packard and Apple in selling PCs directly to consumers in the US and other developed countries.
But as Lenovo takes aim at consumers, it is looking at a crowded, competitive market. Companies such as Dell and Acer are vying for space on retail shelves, and brands are struggling to distinguish themselves on something other than price as differences among computer brands on performance and function have diminished in recent years.
"Everybody's got a glossy black notebook that's super thin and super light, and the question is, what do they do next?" John Spooner, a senior analyst at Technology Business Research, said.
As with many of its competitors, Lenovo is emphasising design and style, and trying to turn notebooks into fashion accessories that reflect individual personality. Stylish design is expected to be a key theme at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
"The notebook market is getting more like cars," Craig Merrigan, vice president of global consumer marketing for Lenovo, said. "The car you drive reflects on you, and notebooks are becoming more of a form of self-expression."
Lenovo's new IdeaPad notebooks look like the hipper cousins of the ThinkPad line, which Lenovo inherited from IBM in 2005, when the Chinese company purchased the personal computer arm of IBM. The notebooks feature textured cases, including one that resembles linen fabric, and frameless screens.
ThinkPad has a reputation for strong engineering and durability, and Lenovo is trying to capitalise on IBM's engineering legacy with the IdeaPad line. One of the new products, a red notebook called the IdeaPad U110, borrows features from the ThinkPad, including an air bag-like device that is designed to protect data during a fall.
Another distinguishing feature on the new models is face recognition technology that allows users to instantly log on to their computer by looking at the screen. (The computer takes a photo of the user, and matches it against a database of registered users.) The new consumer notebooks will also use the same type of keyboard as the ThinkPad, which was known for comfort.
The initial product line includes three notebooks, including the IdeaPad Y710, aimed at gaming and entertainment users, and the IdeaPad Y510, which is being pitched as a basic, all-in-one notebook.
The Y510 will be available in Australia this month for $1499, while the Y710, priced at $2499, will go on sale in March.
Lenovo Australia said the IdeaPad range would be sold through various retailers whom it would announce shortly.
The company also launched its desktop line dubbed IdeaCentre, with prices ranging from $900 to $1399.
The Wall Street Journal
Additional reporting: Fran Foo