Lenovo strikes with some interesting stuff at this early stage of the year. The latest, is the company’s stunning ARM-based smartbook, called Skylight. It’s a 10.1-inch 1,280 x 720 display device that offers a new stylish approach that we haven’t seen out there before. For this reason, it’s priced above the average at $499, but offers nice specs lineup which includes a fast 1GHz ARM Snapdragon processor, together with 20GB of flash storage, 2GB of cloud storage, plus an 8GB miniSD card. Furthermore, you get a 1.3 megapixel camera, 2 X USB ports, WiFi, 3G connections and battery with up to 10 hours of continuous work time. The rounded clamshell design looks stunning and the weight is just under 2 pounds, which grants a more convenient portability to this new Skylight machine. According to Lenovo, shipping suppose to begin somewhere around April, as buyers will enjoy a variant of 18 widgets and web apps, already preloaded inside, amongst you’ll find Facebook, Twitter, Gmail Youtube and more. Introduction video tucked with some PR words, after the jump.
Update1: We’ve added another video of Lenovo’s new Skylight UI, courtesy of engadget.
Update2: Looks like April release date has been delayed until July, as Lenovo is still working to make things properly, before getting it out.
[via Gizmodo]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w10XEy8DG60[/youtube]
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Lenovo Skylight Lights Up The Web with Industry’s First ARM-Based, Qualcomm Smartbook All Day Use, Always Connected Device Heightens Mobile Internet Experience, Connects with AT&T 3G Mobile Broadband Service in the U.S.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 5, 2010: Lenovo today announced the Lenovo Skylight, the first ARM-based smartbook based on Qualcomm’s SnapdragonTM chipset platform. Skylight harnesses the best of smartphones and netbooks to create a new mobile consumer device. With a stunningly sleek and slim design, all day battery life, robust wireless connectivity and custom interface with live web gadgets, Skylight is designed to transform the mobile Internet experience. The Skylight smartbook connects with AT&T 3G mobile broadband service in the U.S.
“The web has become the window to the world for more and more people, helping them connect with friends and family across town or thousands of miles away,” said Peter Gaucher, executive director, Mobile Internet Product Management, Lenovo. “Skylight combines the long battery life and connectivity of a smartphone with the full web browsing and multimedia experience of a netbook to create one of the first devices in this developing smartbook category. Consumers want choices. They can now choose from a full portfolio of Lenovo mobile consumer devices including netbooks, smartbooks and laptops.”
“Now more than ever, consumers are looking for devices that will keep them connected virtually anytime and anywhere,” said David Haight, vice president, business development, AT&T Mobility. “The Lenovo Skylight is slim and attractive with extraordinary battery life, and when paired with the nation’s fastest 3G network and AT&T Wi-Fi service, it gives consumers a great web and media experience on the go.”
Skylight brings users a brand new way to enhance their mobile web experience:
Beauty and Brains – Thinner than many smartphones, Skylight’s sleek and lightweight design is a technological combination of beauty and function. Skylight is being introduced in two new vibrant colors, glossy lotus blue and earth red models. Skylight’s clamshell design opens to reveal a brilliant high definition 10.1 inch screen designed for watching high definition videos or viewing photos. Tote it in a purse, backpack or bag. Weighing less than two pounds, Skylight is extremely mobile and lightweight enough for the user to tote it in a purse, backpack or bag. Unlike many netbooks, Skylight’s full size keyboard makes typing easy.
No Power Cord? No Problem – Skylight has over 10 hours of active battery life,1 enough to allow the user to watch two movies or more back to back on the next plane flight. Simply plug it in at night to charge like a mobile phone. On the next plane flight, enjoy watching two movies or more back to back.
Wireless Freedom – Skylight has built-in WiFi and 3G connectivity to give users a web connection nearly everywhere they go, and Skylight will seamlessly handoff between the WiFi and 3G. With the purchase of an AT&T DataConnect plan, users get 3G data but also access to AT&T’s nationwide Wi-Fi network, including more than 20,000 Hot Spots in the U.S. for fast and easy web access on the go.
Web Optimized Interface – Skylight’s unique custom interface lets the full capabilities of the web shine through with live web gadgets. Users can check Google GmailTM, update their FacebookTM status, see what’s new on YouTubeTM or browse the Internet. simultaneously without having to continually refresh or log in. There are more than 18 preloaded web gadgets including Amazon MP3 to download digital music favorites and Roxio CinemaNow to buy and download digital movies. Powered by the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon chipset platform and featuring 20 GB of standard flash and 2 GB of cloud storage, Skylight delivers the performance needed for mobile users unwilling to compromise their mobile experience and the flexibility to store their data wherever they like – in the cloud or on the device.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform offers a powerful combination of mobile processing performance, optimized power consumption, ubiquitous connectivity and powerful multimedia in a single chip.
“Snapdragon-based smartbooks like the Lenovo Skylight will change the way we connect to the world, and enjoy the web and media on the go,” said Luis Pineda, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “Lenovo is leading the way for innovation in this space by utilizing the groundbreaking capabilities of our Snapdragon platform. We are excited for consumers to enjoy the new mobile experiences, such as extended battery life and increased connectivity that the Skylight will deliver.”Pricing and Availability
The Lenovo Skylight smartbook will be available starting in April in the U.S. It will be available in China and in Europe later this year. In the U.S., it will be sold through www.lenovo.com, www.att.com and AT&T retail stores. Pricing will start at $499 at full retail price. AT&T offers two- year AT&T DataConnect service plans, as well as Data Connect Pass – a pay-as-you-need it data service available by the day, by the week or by the month.
