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IBM Debuts Light Laptop
(By Ed Scannell)
IBM announced what company officials said is its lightest portable notebook that features the companys built-in fingerprint reader, along with new software that carries out a complete hardware check to ensure the system is working at peak performance.
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The new software with the ThinkPad X41, weighs in at 2.7 pou- nds, does a check of the machines system software and compares that to a list of available updates. Users can obtain the most recent versions of files such as drivers, BIOS updates, and system utilities. The software offers users the chance to get the latest in system upgrades, company officials said.
As with other IBM mobile systems, X41 users can download the latest version of the companys Rescue and Recovery technology, which includes an embedded, preboot emergency system that provides one-button access to tools that can recover information from a software failure.
The new ThinkPad X41 is fueled by Intels Pentium M Processor as well as that companys 915GM chipset. The portable system has a 400MHz front-side bus, and Intels Graphics Media Accelerator 900. The system also comes with the ThinkPad Power Manager, which gives users control over the thermal management of the system by allowing them to control the speed of the chip and speed of the fan that cools the chip.
Confident the systems will appeal to SMBs, IBM announced it would make versions of the new system available through its Express program, which could help lower costs associated with password management and resets. With the built-in fingerprint reader, IT administrators gain an extra layer of security to mobile systems and have fewer concerns about passwords being stolen, company officials said.
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