Lenovo takes a page from the Steve Jobs playbook

Lenovo has taken a page straight from Apple's playbook. The parody of the Macbook Air commercial promoting the ThinkPad X300 ultramobile PC has an effect similar to Apple's series of ads with John Hodgman and Justin Long that put down Windows.

It's not what you would expect from the Chinese company that acquired IBM's PC business, but it works. The ad is getting passed around like candy, and it is really funny and points out the weakness of the Macbook Air. (It lacks some ports and an optical drive.) Expect the Macbook Air crowd to strike back with a parody of its own.

Check out our reviews of the pricey X300 and the sleek Macbook Air.

[MCOjerry]

I have to admit, that was funny. However, that thing is ugly and looks to be about circa 1995.

I'm sure that the people buying the Air would rather have that the the black box in the ad. Also, I'm sure that Apple will improve their model at some point in the near future; while the black box will always be a...black box.

[Renegade Knight]

Of the two I'm going to have to say the silver slug was the ugly one. No amount of improvements on future models will fix what it lacks. That's not to say it doens't have a place, but Lenovo has a point. I'd rather get the regualr MacBook Pro. In Black.

[tdaloisio]

Has it been confirmed that this was actually created by Lenovo and wasn't user generated?

[georgiarat]

Nice ad but notice that the flap would not close on the envelope, it is much thicker and heavier, and has no pizzaz.

[Renegade Knight]

Pizzaz is in the eye of the beholder. The only pizzaz about the Air was Steve Jobs introducing the projects. Too bad it wasn't an Apple Newton/iPod/Media Device wehere a USB option would be great and a lack of a DVD expected.

[aka_tripleB]

It might be thicker (I wouldn't say much when even its thichest point is still under 1 inch), but it's actually lighter.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Apple`s AIR is now seen as an AirFart by most people. Watch HP kick A** with th "mini-note"

[littlejoeh]

"No compromise"??
Then what is Vista doing on the machine?

[AppleSuxLeo]

Apple blew it and produced an overpriced AirFart .

[setgo]

NLMAO. AirFart... that is really, really, Not funny. And you posted it twice as if it would be funnier the second time. Get out of your mom's basement LeoSux. There's a whole world out there and Apple is just a very small part of it.

[regal909]

Yes, it's cute and creative. But let's look at it rationally. The Air is for travel. When you travel, you might want to bring an optical drive, I'll admit that. But when you return home to your desk, the monitor is already attached to the dongle and all your USB "stuff" is already plugged into your hub. So upon arriving home, you just plug two things in and you're good to go. The cumbersome process depicted in the video just wouldn't happen on a regular basis for most folks.

[ecowper]

That's very true. I travel regularly and love the Air for that. And, honestly, I haven't docked a laptop or used an external monitor, keyboard, etc. in several years anyhow.

[ecowper]

I just bought an Air. It's fast. It's thin. It has OS X. And Windows, IF I need it, can be installed using bootcamp or parallels. I have yet to want, or desire, a CD or DVD drive. If I do need it, I can use the drive on my wife's iMac with remote drive. I don't use ethernet, I use wireless.

Bottom line, I don't need a built-in optical drive or built-in ethernet. I don't need Windows. I only need a usb port for iPhone. I travel all the time with my laptop and the weight, size, and utility of the Air are awesome. The built in cam and integration of iChat with Google Talk is very cool, I can say goodnight to my kids by webcam very easily when I'm on the road. I'm sure that I can do that on other laptops, but the point is that I can easily do it on THIS laptop. And it looks good. And feels good. I love the keyboard and trackpad.

For someone looking for an ultraportable and not wedded to Windows, this laptop is a delight. I would not buy the Lenovo just because, for the price (pretty comparable to the Air), it's pretty darned ugly.

[ecowper]

And the more I think about it, the more I wonder why I would want to spend so much money on the Lenovo when it's ugly? At least the Sony Vaio is nice to look at.

[Maccess]

That's typical PC mentality: Mine is better than yours, because it has all these built-in features. Apple's mentality is to be elegant and logical about choosing what should be included and what should be excluded. The MacBook Air is for a specific market. It is not an all-in-one--there's the MacBook and MacBook Pro for that.

Lenovo's x60/x61, the businessman's uber-portable also lacks a CD/DVD drive. These are excellent machines.

The x300 is more of an evolution of the T series. The everything portable: Includes a CD-DVD drive, which is about as useful today as a floppy. drive. If you need to send a large file, use sendspace or something similar, or buy a USB flash drive around the corner. If you REALLY need to burn a disc, do it at home or in your hotel room. The x300 market comes from current T-series users.

[ecowper]

Absolutely agree. The PC approach of an ugly box with everything you might conceivably need stuffed in it produces very utilitarian computers. It does not produce elegance or simplicity. Like I said in my own comment, I have no need for all that stuff that Lenovo puts in the X300. I cannot see why I would pay that price for something that is ugly and clumsy. And, frankly, I don't need the solid state drive, so my Air cost quite a bit less than the X300.

[vmlenigma]

Yeah that that thing runs Windblows

[MaLvaDo39]

Lenovo is using a much slower chip and uses Windows... game over for them.
MacBook Air presents the future... no shiny plastic discs and bluetooth/wireless everything and OSX!

[ethana2]

If they want to compete with apple effectively they need to offer a decent OS.
OSX kicks Windows' butt.
Ubuntu kicks mac's... well.. Nevermind, it doesn't have those. (drivers?)

[mbalton]

This looks and sounds like it was put together by a 12-year-old. I take that back: my 12 year old could do a better job producing a parody. And the punchline doesn't work, because the product has all the appeal of a brick.

[mikele11111]

The commercial is funny and creative, but the computer - it's not a mac and no commercial can obscure that fact.

[Bill Bromeland]

Very funny... I would never buy an Air, at least not in it's current version. It does, however, run OS X (legally) which by default makes it a better machine than the X300. What's with the names of these PCs anyway? "X300" sounds like a 1950s vacuum or something.

[CompReviews]

Knowing that users prefer a choice in how the exterior looks, Lenovo also offers laptops with a leather exterior as well as in other colors like silver and red. Most educated consumers don't select a system based on it's looks, but on it's features and performance. However, the X300 is a sharp looking system.
There are several comments comparing the size, weight and features.. here are the facts

X300 Air

Weight 2.9 - 3.1 lbs 3.0 lbs

Thickest area 0.92 0.76

Screen 1440 X 900 1280 X 800

Battery Removable Not Removable

Net Connectivity Ethernet & Wi-Fi Wi-Fi

Ports 3 - USB Ports 1 - USB Port

DVD YES NO

[CompReviews]

Sorry, comparisons ran together...

Lenovo X300 - Weight 2.9 - 3.1 lbs (Air = 3.0 lbs), Thickest area 0.92 (Air = 0.76), Screen 1440 X 900 (Air = 1280 X 800), Battery Removable (Air = Not Removable) Net Connectivity Ethernet & Wi-Fi (Air = Wi-Fi only), Ports 3 USB (Air = 1 USB), DVD YES (Air = NO)

[CompReviews]

Sorry, the comparisons ran together on my previous comments. I'll try again,
Lenovo X300 Weight = 2.9 - 3.1 lbs and the Air = 3.0 lbs, Thickest area X300 = 0.92 and Air = 0.76, Screen X300 = 1440 X 900 and Air = 1280 X 800, Battery X300 = Removable and Air = Not Removable, Net Connectivity X300 Ethernet & Wi-Fi and Air = Wi-Fi only, Ports X300 = 3 - USB Ports and Air = 1 - USB Port, DVD X300 = YES and Air = NO

[ecowper]

How many people actually use ethernet to connect their laptop to a network? I haven't in about 2 years now. I have two USB devices that I need: my iPhone and my WWAN card. I have yet to feel any sort of issue from not being able to connect them both to my Air at the same time. I have a faster processor, more memory standard, a great OS (XP or Vista??? no thanks) and didn't have to buy it only with SSD, which reduced my price dramatically compared to the X300. Someone please explain to me what value the X300 is giving me for the additional $1500?

[Nooorm]

You forgot, X300 WWAN - Yes, Air - nada; X300 - 4GB RAM Max, Air - 2GB RAM Max

Also...
X300 offers an optional bay battery.
X300 runs every OS, including OSX.
X300 looks like a business laptop...not a toy.

[ecowper]

Ummmm, I am a regular business traveller and I completely disagree that the the X300 looks like a business laptop or that the Air looks like a toy. The X300 looks like every IBM/Lenovo ever made, black and square. Lack of innovation doesn't = "business laptop". Do you know why companies don't want those things design to change? They don't want their employees to get jealous. That's an HR design, not a business design.

[pwrmacbob--2008]

Not to mention, according to the cnet reviews, the Macbook Air faster and has better battery life.