Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »
Public Council Teleconference: Application Rationalization — Hidden Costs and Smart Decisions
November 17 at 11:00 am US/Eastern (GMT-5)
Join Honorio Padrón, of The Hackett Group, who will share the drivers for companies to tackle application rationalization and the results of research that define the hidden cost of complexity. Additionally, we will discuss key decision milestones—to start or not, holding the course steady and fulfilling expectations.
Virtual Desktop Cost-Benefit Analysis — Michael Jacobs, Catlin Group
The analysis contained in this presentation measures the cost of everything from the machines and licenses to the infrastructure for virtual vs. traditional desktop environments.
Honor your best senior team members - Apply for the CIO Ones to Watch Award
Get well-earned public recognition for your top up-and-coming team members, your IT organization and your enterprise. Award winners will be announced, publicized and feted in May 2010, great timing to help attract new IT recruits to your company.
Learn more about the CIO Executive Council »June 23, 2008 — IDG News Service —
Lenovo on Monday confirmed plans to launch a new ThinkPad laptop line, the SL series, with features and support services geared toward small and medium-size businesses.
Priced from US$699 to $1,199, the laptops will come with online backup services and LoJack technology to track down stolen laptops. The machines will be aimed at businesses with up to 99 employees that can't afford an IT staff to troubleshoot their own laptop problems.
The online backup service will be a first for the entire ThinkPad line, said Charles Sune, worldwide segment manager for Thinkpad SL series. It will provide a way for businesses on a budget to back up data.
Also included is Absolute Software's LoJack technology, which can help track down stolen laptops. Additional security and support tools will be provided from Lenovo's ThinkVantage hardware and software line, including its Active Protection System, which protects data on a notebook's hard drive.
Lenovo has also pulled a page from its consumer-focused IdeaPad laptops in the SL series, sprucing up the ThinkPad design with a more stylish look and multimedia features such as a connector to display high-definition video and software for video creation. That's a shift away from the ThinkPad's traditional business focus, with the new look intended to make it more palatable for both personal and business use.
The SMB market is a fast-growing but price-sensitive segment, so Lenovo made some trade-offs in designing the laptops, Sune said. For example, the SL laptops will not come with the proprietary docking stations usually found on enterprise ThinkPads, but will include a USB-based port replication system.
The laptops will be formally announced in the next few weeks. Lenovo declined to give specific hardware details.
Lenovo has been pushing high-end models priced above US$1,000, like the ultra-thin X300, but sees a new business opportunity among smaller businesses. Lenovo will target the products at Europe, the U.S., Greater China and Asia-Pacific, where SMBs will present the greatest opportunities over the next few years, Sune said.