ThinkPad X60 goes into tablet mode

Darius Chang | Nov 15, 2006

After much speculation and rumors, the ThinkPad X60 Tablet will finally be hitting stores come December, bringing with it a few unexpected surprises.

Besides promising the excellent battery life of its non-tablet sibling, the ThinkPad X60, the new tablet features dual-core technology in a 12.1-inch form factor. Appearing for the first time will be the dual touchscreen/digitizer display and active rotation features which may get consumers thinking "Now why didn't I miss them before"?

The accelerometer, used to park and protect the harddisk reader, is now used in another more user-friendly way. By detecting which direction the notebook is held, the screen automatically rotates to an upright orientation. The X60 Tablet's :CD panel has also its outdoor viewability increased.

Most tablet displays require the use of a digitizer stylus for onscreen navigation. However, the new ThinkPad Tablet can switch to a touchscreen mode that allows one to use finger tips or any other pointed object to move the cursor. This provides an additional input method for users.

The ThinkPad X60 Tablet will race out of the warehouse and into Asia-Pacific stores on December 17. Pricing will be announced at a later date.

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