Ever since acquiring the ThinkPad series from IBM a decade ago, Lenovo has done pretty well with the laptops. While the ThinkPad has evolved over the years to fit in with customers needs and desires, the Chinese company is working on a retro model of the popular laptops that will undoubtedly be a big hit among long-time fans.
In a fast-paced high technology market where change dominates, the ThinkPad design approach of purposeful evolution is nearly unheard of. Porsche has certainly played this card well within the automobile industry, but I can’t think of any other computer company that has stuck to its guns for so long. None of our competitors can lay claim to a heritage or pedigree as deep as ours. Remember the translucent computer craze of 1999? I’m still trying to forget it. You can buy a ThinkPad today that has a clear connection to the original concept conceived by Richard Sapper in 1992. The simple black box he imagined has served us well. After more than two decades of ThinkPad design evolution we’ve probably incorporated hundreds of modifications to 1992’s baseline 700c. As with all change, there are people who welcome it and others who are most comfortable without it. It’s unlikely that anyone would want a ThinkPad today that matches the 700c’s original thickness of 56mm, but some loyalists miss the 7 row keyboard. ThinkPad design, however, must continue to evolve to attract new customers and align with shifting market dynamics. With design, it’s nearly impossible to please everyone. Or is there a way?
