Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet Keyboard Folio Case Quick Review

I managed to get my hands on the Thinkpad Tablet Keyboard Folio Case from Lenovo recently, fairly cheaply.  I hadn’t worried about one before as I found that the Tablet was fine without it for my current needs, but the offer was too attractive to knock back. I’ve mentioned in several of my Thinkpad Tablet articles (see Related Items below) that you can quite easily input data just using the screen and either on-board keyboards or the active stylus, but that longer articles might be an issue. Does the keyboard folio change that?  Read on.

Connection

Here’s the empty folio case; you can see that the Tablet slides into the top of the case using the two slide rails on the bottom and the soft rubber top bumper locks your Tablet into the case. The tablet connects via it’s full size USB port on the bottom right hand side.  The method is a bit fiddly, but at no time have I felt that I’m going to damage either the tablet or the folio. Connection via USB has the advantage of not blowing battery power connecting via a wireless protocol, and there’s certainly no lag when typing, which you sometimes get when you use a wireless solution. The big disadvantage is that when you are docked, you can’t use your full-sized USB port for anything else, like inserting a memory stick.

Side Access

When inserted, on the right hand side you can still access your micro-HDMI, micro-USB port and headphone port.  You can’t access your SD card or SIM slot, but that’s no biggie really.

On the left hand side, you get easy access to the active pen.  The case is capable of holding the tablet in 3 different positions, and rather than just sit there via gravity, the base has magnets in it which gives you a nice positive click and lock mechanism.  Note the flap on the top; this is the magnetic closure strap, and as a nice little touch, when using the folio, the magnet holds the flap out of the way as well.

The Keyboard

The keyboard itself  is 9.5 inches wide and 4 inches deep. The top has a row of system controls such as volume, home, settings and music control that are quite handy. In the middle of the keyboard is a Trackpoint.  It’s not like a normal Thinkpad Trackpoint, as it’s optical, so rather than physically move it, you slide your finger over the top of it.  It doesn’t take too much getting use to, especially if you’re used to using this sort of system before with devices like Ipaqs and O2 Atoms :)  If your tablet’s screen blanks but you’re not in “deep sleep”, swiping the Trackpoint will also wake your tablet up. For my usage, I’m actually not using the Trackpoint at all.  It’s just as easy to reach up and touch the screen with my finger, and where I need more precision, I can use the active pen.

The real test for any keyboard, portable or otherwise, is how well it feels typing.  Thanks to Mrs. Cornock and manual typewriters back in 1981, I’m a touch typist. (Never let it be said that having your knuckles rapped with a ruler when she caught you looking at your hands is just child abuse. :) ) The keys on the Folio keyboard are “standard” size, no miniaturization here.  They have a nice amount of play, and unlike some “mini” keyboards, it didn’t take me any time to be able to use.  Even the shrunken Enter and Shift keys don’t cause me an issue. Thinkpads have always be known for their fantastic keyboards, and even in it’s smaller state, this keyboard is no exception.  I can easily write a long article with this keyboard just as well as I could on my standard notebook.

It’s worth noting here that the stand is fine when you’ve got it on a solid surface like a desk; however, it’s not all that good for lap use as it becomes a bit “floppy” if your lap isn’t perfectly horizontal.

The  major issue is that the keyboard cannot be turned off.  This means that when your tablet is docked in the Folio if you fold back the keyboard and try and use it as a tablet, if you rest the keyboard on your forearm you get random key presses.  Tablet mode does work fine if you hold the folio like a book, but as soon as you want to input any text you need to use the physical keyboard, you don’t get the option for an on-screen one which isn’t good when you’re in portrait mode.

Weight and size

Now here comes the kicker with the folio case; when closed up, the case is 1.25″ thick and with the tablet attached weighs around 3 pounds.  That’s even heavier and thicker than some notebooks, especially with the Ultrabooks being released these days.  That being said, you can tell that the folio is well-engineered and isn’t going to break easily.

Conclusion

This really is a good little accessory for your Thinkpad Tablet. The keyboard certainly lives up to the reputation that Thinkpad keyboards have developed over time.  I can now easily use my tablet to write much longer articles and reviews if required, quickly and efficiently.

A lot of thought has gone into the design of this folio; from the easy pen access to the magnets to hold the base in place however, the big downside is the additional weight and bulk that the case adds.  Like much of Lenovo’s equipment, you know that this has been (over?) engineered to survive; there are no cheap, creaky joints or materials here.  Most of the additional weight is in the tablet-holding mechanism, and it’s a pity that they couldn’t have come up with a lighter solution. The inability to turn off the physical keyboard means you really have to decide if you want the tablet docked or not, there’s not really any in-between solution.

It would have been nice to have access to an additional USB port when docked and even nicer if, like the ASUS Transformer, there was an additional battery inside the keyboard. (The feel of this keyboard is way better than the Transformer one). I mean, they’ve aimed this tablet at the mobile executive who’s going to be out of the office all day using their tablet.  But then an additional battery would have added even more weight to the unit . :)

It’s not a case that I’ll be carrying around with me all the time, but if I know I’m going to have to do a lot of typing, then this will be invaluable.

Product Information

Price:$99.99
Manufacturer:Lenovo
Requirements:
  • Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet
Pros:
  • Fantastic keyboard
  • Well made
  • Added protection
Cons:
  • Heavy and Bulky
  • No full size USB port available when used

Filed in categories: Android related, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: ,

Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet Keyboard Folio Case Quick Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 23, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Facebook's new Recommendations Bar pops up, just wants to be liked

Facebook's new Recommendations Bar pops up, just wants to be liked

Facebook's Recommendations Box sits passively on many websites, allowing us to engage or ignore as we see fit. But too much of the latter option has led to something slightly different: the new Recommendations Bar -- a pop-up variant which, when integrated by your favorite page, plugs site-specific links based on your friends' thumbs and shares. The Bar is similar to the in-house recommendation pop-ups we're all familiar with, but adds a like button for posting the current page to your timeline. It shouts much louder than the Box, so it's no surprise that in early tests the new plug-in produced a three-fold increase in click-throughs. In this case, privacy wasn't an afterthought -- Bar integration, like the Box, is at the site's discretion and sharing pages is very much on your terms. Just try not to accidently hit that like button during your daily scan of Bieber's homepage.

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Facebook's new Recommendations Bar pops up, just wants to be liked originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/27/facebook-recommendation-bar/

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New Dock Connector Would Be Huge Boon for iThingy Makers

Apple hasn't confirmed it, but rumors suggest that the iPhone 5, which will hit stores this October, will have a 19-pin connector port instead of the 30-pin connector it has had for years. The new connector will allow for a slimmer design and for the earphone to be moved to the bottom of the phone. "The rumor is that they're shrinking the existing connector to save space on the product, but there will still be a physical connector," said Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at Current Analysis.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/21ab7f4f/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C757180Bhtml/story01.htm

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Opera 11.10 gets HTML5 File API support, IMAP improvements

opera 11.10
The crew in Oslo keeps plugging away at Opera 11.10, and the latest snapshot build includes a number of improvements to Opera's built-in email client -- as well as HTML5-related additions.

On the IMAP front, Opera now supports special folders like sent items, spam, and trash. It also better handles duplicate items in Gmail -- such as those which appear in all mail and under your custom labels.

Opera 11.10 now partially supports the HTML5 File API as well, which means your favorite Web apps (like Gmail) may soon begin adding Opera to the list of supported browsers.

You can download the latest Opera 11.10 snapshot for Windows, Mac, or Linux from the official release post.

Update: The Opera 11.10 RC is now available, as pointed out by SlashZaku in the comments. Thanks!

Opera 11.10 gets HTML5 File API support, IMAP improvements originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/04/06/opera-11-10-gets-html5-file-api-support-imap-improvements/

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Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video)

videostudioprox4
Corel seems to be on a roll lately; after releasing WinZip System Utilities just last week, this morning the company announced VideoStudio Pro X4.

VideoStudio Pro is aimed at home users and small business professionals who want to create professional-looking videos, but without the hassle, steep learning curve and price of Adobe Premiere Pro and the likes.

This new version introduces several features:

  • Stop motion animation: You can now capture still frames using a webcam, camcorder or DSLR and use them to produce an animation. Tools such as "onion skin view" let you compare the previous image in the sequence with the current one and make the animation as smooth as possible.
  • Processor optimization: Corel says the app is optimized for Intel's new Sandy Bridge systems, and have shown us some graphs with very impressive numbers. We've been unable to test this particular point, but if you have a recent-generation Intel or AMD Fusion system, VideoStudio performance should be blazing. Even on our older test system performance was quite impressive.
  • Customizable workspace: You can drag the video preview window to your secondary monitor (if you have one) and tweak just about any other element in the window layout. Once done, you can save your ideal workspace in one of three slots.
  • Share-to-Web: VideoStudio Pro X4 hooks directly into YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Flickr, so you don't even have to launch a browser to upload your final product. Edit, produce and share from within the app itself.
  • Smart Package: Video projects typically consist of many files; Smart Package lets you bundle all video assets for a given project into one ZIP file which you can password-protect and keep in a safe place once you're done editing.
I've had a chance to play around with a pre-release version for a few days, and have put it through its paces editing a short video for my day job. Overall, I've been impressed with how easy it was to create pro-looking results. If you do any sort of video editing but are leery of the investment other apps require (both in dollars and effort), VideoStudio Pro is well worth checking out. To see a bit of the interface itself and what the app can do, watch the video after the jump.

Note: We'll be running a give-away of ten VideoStudio Pro X4 licenses later today, each worth $100 USD. Keep your eyes peeled for the giveaway post!

Continue reading Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video)

Corel releases VideoStudio Pro X4, we go hands on (video) originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/02/22/corel-releases-videostudio-pro-x4-we-go-hands-on/

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Buying a Ton of Guns on the Internet Is Cheap, Legal, and Shockingly Easy [Video]

If you're a terrorist, a guerrilla, or are aspiring toward either, The Armory might be your gun depot of choice. But for anyone not on the government's radar, 100-percent legal, open websites are all you need to plan an American massacre. This is a little scary. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/CWr2lXRvTHA/buying-a-ton-of-guns-on-the-internet-is-cheap-legal-and-shockingly-easy

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App Developers Tilt Toward iOS

A survey of more than 3,600 Appcelerator Titanium developers has revealed that they would rather develop mobile apps for iOS than for Android. iOS led Android by 16 percent in the Appcelerator/IDC Q2 2012 Mobile Developer Report. Fifty-three percent of the respondents believed that iOS was winning in enterprise app development, whereas only 37 percent believed Android was. The survey's numbers for consumer app developers indicated a similar preference for iOS.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/21b4e4a9/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C757290Bhtml/story01.htm

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In-app payment support arrives on Android

Right on cue, Google has launched in-app payment support for Android applications. Developer testing began last week, and now many popular apps -- like the ones pictured above -- can begin charging users for add-on functionality, content, or whatever the heck else they feel is worthy of additional bits of your pocket change. If you were wondering, Google will take the same 30% cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases.

At last we can buy individual issues in Comics with minimal fuss!

In-app payment support arrives on Android originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/30/in-app-payment-support-arrives-on-android/

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Pastebin updated to V3, releases Windows app

pastebin
Pastebin is a very popular website aimed at coders and other nerdy types, which allows them (or should I say, us) to paste and share snippets of code with lovely syntax highlighting.

It has recently undergone a major overhaul which includes the release of a brand new Windows client. The new client lets you create new "pastes" and manage your existing ones. It joins a host of other tools from Pastebin, such as the Google and Chrome extensions, OS X widget and the mobile apps.

If you're currently using Pastebin, the new client is a great addition. And if you haven't tried it before, next time you have a piece of code you want to share or get some feedback on, you could do worse than try out Pastebin.

[Thanks, Jeroen!]

Pastebin updated to V3, releases Windows app originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/04/pastebin-updated-to-v3-releases-windows-app/

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