IFA 2019: Lenovo launches new ThinkBook, Yoga laptops

A sleek workstation that sits comfortably on a table or your lap when you are on the move, keeps pace with every finger tap and when you relax, streams movies and videos to give you a theatre-like experience and what's more, it also comes with an enviable battery life.

That's what Lenovo is promising in its premium range of Yoga series and Thinkbooks that it unveiled at the annual tech industry event "IFA 2019" here.

The Chinese technology major showcased a new range of slim and stylish ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 aimed at small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), while its Yoga series flexible laptops included the Yoga C940 (14/15 inch), S740 (14/15-inch), C740 (14/15-inch) and C640 (13-inch).

"Lenovo is targeting the new Generation Z, the millennial workforce. The new tech-savvy generation born in the internet era, who require instant information, are always on the move," said Sanjeev Menon, Vice President, Small and Medium Business, Product Marketing, Accessories, at Lenovo.

Besides an efficient laptop, this new workforce also requires a device that looks stylish and showcases their personality.

"It should provide a mobile-like experience, a connected and instant information requirement. The Thinkbook is a perfect device for small and medium businesses; it is a notebook of choice with its durable design and security. It has a sleek metal exterior and comes with a fingerprint reader. Lenovo is among the firsts to come with a fingerprint reader," Menon said here while unveiling the products.

With its Thinkbooks and Yoga series, Lenovo is targeting the section of customers who want to make a statement with their choice but, at the same time, scout for better pricing, reliability and security, he added.

These laptops are equipped with the latest Intel 10th-generation processors and Windows 10, as well as powered by "Project Athena" that has helped Lenovo engineers develop sleek machines that offer optimised performance and good battery life.

"Lenovo's Yoga range of laptops is built on the theme of 'smarter tech for all'. It focuses on a person trying to do computational analysis, or a student trying to get his or her homework done," said Matt Bereda, Vice President, Global Consumer Marketing, at Lenovo.

The Yoga laptops come with high-resolution screen quality and Dolby sound to give users a theatre-like experience.

"We have worked really hard to get high-quality resolution and display, and have got 90.5 per cent screen and have still managed to keep the camera at the top," Bereda added.

With high-screen quality and Dolby sound, the Yoga laptops, besides being a productive workstation, can also become an entertainment centre for the users. With a battery life of a gadget being a subject of concern to all, the Lenovo laptops come with 20-hour battery life, so "you can make it through the day without worries," he added.

The Yoga series also comes with the 'Modern Standby' mode, which while the laptop is in sleep mode, will still get all the mail notifications, and Alexa can be used to play music or get directions.

"We are leveraging AI to make the users' experience better. Though the device will be asleep, you can use Alexa above the locked screen. We are the first to deliver the experience," said Bereda.

The laptops also come equipped with a blur filter that will ensure that the background is blurred during a video chat and the focus is entirely on the person talking. He said the laptops are 4G-connected over LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and 5G is "definitely on the road-map for Lenovo".

Lenovo is also using Q control for intelligent cooling of the system, which works to keep pace with the user. It works in three different modes -- stealth mode when it is being used at a low level, and at a fast pace when the user is into gaming and needs maximum power. The third is using the artificial intelligence (AI) mode to sense how the device is being used.

"If the processor is not being used at its maximum, then the battery and fan will be lower for optimal battery usage. With this technology, the user gets another 15-20 per cent battery life," Bereda explained.

"It depends on the user. We get 20 hours, and now an additional 20 per cent out of that. You won't need to run around charging all the time," he added.

Lenovo also launched it's two new tabs -- Yoga Smart Tab and Lenovo Smart Tab M8 -- that are hands-free, smart home hubs. The tablets are designed to sit anywhere comfortably, from the living room to the kitchen, and has a detachable stand that acts as a charging station.

The tab has a cylindrical device that gives it more battery life, has a more robust speaker and a much better audio-video quality, said Bereda. It also has Google Assistant capability that can be used to play videos and get information on weather, etc.