ThinkPad i Series

The ThinkPad i Series is a group of IBM ThinkPad laptop computers that were manufactered from 1998 to 2002. These machines were an effort to address the desire for a personal entertainment device and small business users.[1] They were designed and priced to be both for productivity and play.[2] IBM desired to gain ground in the consumer market and created the i Series as an answer to their competitors.[3]

While designed by IBM, several models of the i Series were manufactured by Acer on an OEM basis.[4]

Several alternate names were considered for this series including "X Pad", "X Series", "TrekPad", and "Aptiva Note Personal Series."[5] i Series was chosen with the "i" standing for individuals.[6]

Characteristics

David Hill who was the head of design for IBM Personal Systems Group led the design of the i Series. The design was informed by six research studies of the consumer mobile market.[7]

The i Series team collaborated with Altec Lansing to design the speaker system to fit into the thinner chassis.[5] The initial design was loosely based on the ThinkPad 600 with consumer features such as speakers mounted next to the display and front mounted optical drive controls.[3]

The red, green, blue and yellow ShortCut Keys were an effort to make the traditional corporate design feel more personal.[2][5]

The i Series introduced several items to the ThinkPad lineup including the ThinkLight.[1] Several models featured CD/DVD playback capability and a 14.1" screen.[8] The i Series was the first ThinkPads to feature wireless communications technology and the first notebook computer with an integrated antenna with a 802.11b WiFi radio.[9][10]

Reception

The ThinkPad i Series was generally well received. Reviewers would often note that the performance was not as good as more top of the line systems.[11] The lightweight nature of the i Series was favoured by reviewers including photographers.[12] Customers also appreciated how thin the device was built.[13] One of the common complaints was the lack of port replicator support.[14]

In 2004, IBM instigated a voluntary recall on 553,000 AC adapters, primarily bundled with i Series machines. These faulty units are labelled with the part number 02K6549. These are known to cause damage to internal components.[15]

Models

The i Series S30 (later rebranded to the S30) and S31 were unique ThinkPads that featured an optional piano black acryllic painted lid that IBM called "Mirage Black." The S30 was a successor to the i 1124 hence why it was originally included as part of the i Series.[16] The S31 was sold in the Asia Pacific market with the S30 exclusive to Japan. Production ran from June 2001 to March 2002.

For a complete list of models, see the list below. Models in brackets were rebranded low-cost versions of other models. Several models were available only in specific regions.

External links

• Personal Systems Reference IBM ThinkPad i Series Notebooks 1998 to 2002 - withdrawn April 2002 - Version 237