IBM updates mobile workstation range

 

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By Alun Williams

Posted on 17 Nov 2003 at 12:51

Two new ThinkPads from IBM feature its Active Protection System, first unveiled with the new T41 line. Both the ThinkPad R50p and T41p - which are classed as mobile workstations - employ sensors on the motherboard to detect movement of the machines and safely park the hard-disk reading head.

Adrian Horne, IBM ThinkVantage Specialist, demonstrated the feature to journalists while being driven round London. Bumps and jolts on the road were detected by the machines as disk access was temporarily suspended. Users can configure the system to be less sensitive in its operation, for when travelling by train and cars. In the most extreme case, the feature will detect when laptops are dropped.

Horne claimed the system has helped reduce hard-disk failures by as much as 30 per cent in the States, where the machine launched in October. He said some insurance companies were now even offering more favourable policies, covering data loss, for machines that carried the technology.

In terms of specs, the R50p (pictured, weighing 2.8kg) has a 15in UXGA display (supporting resolutions of 1,600x1,200), while the T41p (weighing 2.23kg) has a 14.1 SXGA display (1,400 x 1,050).

IBM claims the T41p to now be the 'thinnest and lightest' mobile workstation available in the market

They both run on a 1.7GH Pentium M processor (they are not full Centrino machines as IBM chooses to support tri-band wireless networking - 802.11a,b and g - as opposed to the 'a' and 'b' flavours of the Centrino certification). While the R50p has a claimed standard battery life of more than 5 hours (less, of course, with intense usage), the T41p lasts four hours.

The machines carry also ATI's mobile workstation graphics processor, the Mobility FireGL T2, which was launched last week. They run on Windows XP Professional and preloaded applications include Norton AntiVirus 2003, InterVideo WinDVD and PC Doctor.

The machines should have general availability within the UK as of today.

While conceding that mobile workstation sales form a small proportion of the notebook market - a percentage measured in single figures - Horne asserted the segment was growing. It is also a profitable area for the companies involved (HP, Dell and Fujitsu-Siemens are now competing with IBM in this space) - there is money to be had as systems will not be sold below cost, margins are maintained.

See also

ATI releases Mobility FireGL T2

IBM unveils ThinkPad T41 line, with new Active Protection System