* Active protection system, active hard drive protection used on IBM / Lenovo ThinkPad laptop computers

The Japan-only ThinkPad 235 ( or Type 2607 ), was the progeny of the IBM / Ricoh RIOS project.

It was replaced in 1991 by the IBM PS / 2 L40 SX, and in Japan by the IBM Personal System / 55note, which was the predecessor to the ThinkPad.

From 1983 onward, several new input techniques were developed and included in laptops, including the touchpad ( Gavilan SC, 1983 ), the pointing stick ( IBM ThinkPad 700, 1992 ) and handwriting recognition ( Linus Write-Top, 1987 ).

The first three ThinkPad models introduced were the 700, 700C, and 700T, which debuted in October 1992.

Throughout 2006, a ThinkPad A31p was being used in the Service Module Central Post of the International Space Station and seven ThinkPad A31p laptops were in service in orbit aboard the International Space Station.

They were also one of the first ThinkPad series to contain a built-in Mini PCI card slot ( form factor 3b ).

They were lower specified versions of the ThinkPad 700 series, available at a lower price.

For the 2010-2011 school year, these were replaced with newer Lenovo ThinkPad X201s, using the Windows 7 operating system.

Each successive ThinkPad is based on successive improvements to previous generations.

The Lenovo ThinkPad was the PC Magazine 2006 Reader's Choice for PC based laptops, and ranked number 1 in Support for PC based laptops.

The ThinkPad has been used in space, and is the only laptop certified for use on the International Space Station.

The fold-out butterfly keyboard, which appeared in the ThinkPad 701 series, is widely considered a design masterpiece and is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The ThinkPad 760 series also included an unusual keyboard design ; the keyboard was elevated by two arms riding on small rails on the side of the screen, tilting the keyboard to achieve a more ergonomic design.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X60s Series is on PC World's Top 100 Products of 2006.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T400-Series was on PC World's Top 100 Products of 2009.

The ThinkPad 750 flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during a mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope on December 2, 1993.

Lenovo says that the ThinkPad Tablet 2 will be available on 28 October 2012 when Windows 8 is released.

These include the traditional ThinkPad features, and have been noted for using a higher quality AFFS-type screen with better viewing angles compared to the screens used on other ThinkPads.

A 13. 3 " X1 ThinkPad was announced to be available in the UK on June 7, 2011.

The design was a radical departure compared to the traditional black boxy ThinkPad design, with glossy surfaces ( optional matte finish on later models ), rounded corners, and silver trim.

The Z-Series is also the first ThinkPad equipped with a titanium lid ( on some models ).

* thinkpad. com, portal to ThinkPad module on Lenovo's official website

Pointing stick on a Lenovo ThinkPad.

The pointing stick has a replaceable rubber cap, traditionally red on the ThinkPad but also found in other colors on other machines.

It ran on AT & T's EO Personal Communicator as well as a number of Intel x86 powered tablet PCs including IBM's ThinkPad 700T series, NCR's 3125, 3130 and some of GRiD Systems ' pen-based portables.

IBM UltraPort was a nonstandard USB 1. 1 port used by IBM on its range of ThinkPad laptop computers.

Select ThinkPad models from 2000 to 2002 came with an UltraPort connector on the top edge of the laptop's screen, and IBM sold a variety of laptop-relevant UltraPort devices, including webcams, speakers, and microphone arrays.

White LED ThinkLight on a ThinkPad A21p Laptop

The on-screen display of ThinkPad computers will display a light on and a light off indicator.

* ThinkLight on ThinkWiki — section listing ThinkPad models that feature the ThinkLight

The X60 is the first X-Series ThinkPad to feature Intel chips using the Intel Core architecture.

NASA purchased more than 500 ThinkPad 750 laptops for flight qualification, software development, and crew training.

These lacked several traditional ThinkPad features, such as the ThinkLight, magnesium alloy roll cage, Ultrabay, and lid latch, and use a 6-row keyboard with a different layout than the traditional 7-row ThinkPad keyboard.

The ThinkPad X300 used the small form factor Intel GS965 chipset, instead of the standard GM965 along with Intel Core 2 Duo L7100 low voltage CPU with only 12 W TDP.

Its successor, the ThinkPad X301 uses the Intel Centrino 2 mobile platform with GS45 chipset and an ultra low voltage CPU.

Successor to the X60-series, the ThinkPad X200 laptop leverages the new technology from the X300, including the options of a Solid State Drive ( SSD ), an optional integrated camera, 12. 1 " widescreen display, optional 3G WWAN, a new 9-cell battery for extended running time up to 9. 8 hours, weight as low as, and CPU up to 2. 66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.

The ultraportable ThinkPad 240 ( X, Z ) started with an Intel Celeron processor and went up to the 600 MHz Intel Pentium III.

The series includes, as of 2006, the Z60 ( Z60m and Z60t ) and Z61 ; the latter of which is the first Z-Series ThinkPad with Intel " Yonah " Dual Core Technology.

Despite popularity of its ThinkPad set of laptop PC's, IBM finally relinquished its role as a PC manufacturer during April 2005, when it sold its consumer PC division to Lenovo for $ 1. 75 billion.

Their Teaching, Learning and Communication ( TLC ) program, which is the largest of its kind in the country, gives every student an IBM ThinkPad or Apple MacBook.

It inspired IBM's ( later sold to Lenovo ) ThinkPad design.

ThinkPad products currently have a copy of the latest version of PC DOS in their Rescue and Recovery partition.

IBM's tablet computer was the first to use the ThinkPad name and used IBM's handwriting recognition.

The ThinkPad is a line of laptop computers and tablets originally designed, developed and sold by IBM but now produced by Lenovo.

Lenovo purchased IBM's personal computer business and acquired the ThinkPad brand in 2005.

IBM introduced the ThinkPad line in 1992.

The name " ThinkPad " is a product of IBM's corporate history and culture.

The name ThinkPad was suggested by IBM employee Denny Wainwright, who had a " THINK " notepad in his pocket.

The name faced disagreements from the IBM corporate naming committee because the nomenclature system for the IBM computers was then numerical ; however, the brand name " ThinkPad " was kept as the press showed appreciation for the title.

The ThinkPad has introduced innovations, including the TrackPoint pointing device, the ThinkLight, a LED keyboard light at the top of the LCD screen, the Active Protection System, an accelerometer sensor which detects when a ThinkPad is falling and shuts down the hard disk drive to prevent damage, roll cage design to minimize motherboard flex, stainless steel hinges, a biometric fingerprint reader, Client Security Solution, which improves security using a built-in Trusted Platform Module ( TPM ) and facilitates deployment in corporate environment, the ThinkVantage Technologies suite of computer management applications, and drain holes to help reduce damage to the keyboard and components from accidental spillage.

Since 1995, the design of ThinkPad has been led and managed by industrial designer David Hill.

Laptop Magazine in 2006 called the ThinkPad the highest-quality laptop computer keyboard available.

The ThinkPad was ranked first in reliability and support in PC Magazine's 2007 Survey.

The ThinkPad Series was the first product to receive PC World's Hall of Fame award.

The ThinkPad X Tablet-series was PC Magazine Editor's Choice for tablet PCs.