Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet Review

With their virtual keyboards and focus on media consumption, most tablets appeal more to couch-cruising consumers than professionals looking to get some work done. Built for productivity, the ThinkPad Tablet breaks the slate mold by providing first-rate digital pen support, business-friendly software, a durable design, and plentiful ports. With a starting price of Rs 22,500, Lenovo's first Think-branded Android slate isn't perfect, but it is the best content creation tablet on the market.

DesignThe ThinkPad Tablet incorporates the same raven-black aesthetic we've come to know and love in Lenovo's ThinkPad business notebooks. Made from Corning's scratch- and break-resistant Gorilla Glass, the glossy screen is surrounded by a thin black bezel emblazoned with light gray ThinkPad and Lenovo logos. At the bottom of the front bezel sit four physical buttons with functions like auto rotate on/off, web browser, back, and home. Too bad the buttons are stiff; we found them more difficult to press than we'd like.
The rubberized back and sides reminded us of the sleek sof-ttouch lids we've seen on notebooks like the ThinkPad T series. The back panel features a silver ThinkPad logo with a red light that illuminates whenever the tablet is in use. It's a nice touch.

At 10.3 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches and 1.6 pounds, the ThinkPad Tablet weighs the same as the Toshiba Thrive (1.6 pounds) and the Lenovo IdeaPad K1. However, both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (1.2 pounds, 0.34 inches thick) and the Apple's iPad 2 (1.3 pounds, 0.34 inches) are significantly lighter and thinner. Still, we like the solid feel of the ThinkPad Tablet, and it's easy to lean the device against your lap when taking notes with the included pen.

PortsThe ThinkPad Tablet has a broad selection of ports and slots. On the short bottom side of the chassis sit a headphone jack, mini HDMI out, microUSB, and docking station ports. Beneath a flap cover you'll find a full-size SD card reader and a SIM card slot (which only works on 3G versions of the device).