CES 2020: Lenovo debuts the ThinkSmart View for working in public spaces
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Lenovo, on Friday, announced the expansion of its ThinkSmart portfolio with a new device designed for mobile workers. The ThinkSmart View is a personal business communications device that should help workers easily and responsibly connect with colleagues, even in public spaces.
Also: More CES coverage at CNET
The new ThinkSmart View is powered by the Qualcomm APQ8053 system-on-chip (SoC). It's effectively a dedicated screen for conducting Microsoft Teams audio and video calls from anywhere.
The display lets you start meetings with one touch, and you can pair it to a Bluetooth headset to dampen background noise and improve confidentiality. It comes with a physical camera shutter and device lock by PIN for additional security.
The new device should be available this month, starting at $349 or $449 with a ThinkPad X1 ANC Bluetooth headset
Lenovo began its push into the smart office market in 2018 with the launch of its ThinkSmart office products. It's introduced hardware, software, and services, including Smart Office Professional Services to help customers adopt and implement new interconnected technologies. The company has also built products to accommodate different, unified communications platforms, partnering with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms.
Also: Microsoft Teams gains traction faster than expected, catches Plantronics flat-footed
Lenovo, on Friday, also announced new ThinkSmart Manager software, which helps IT departments manage specific ThinkSmart devices. With the software, IT teams can remotely deploy, manage, configure, update, and resolve issues across devices. They can get real-time status updates on individual devices via the console, as well as reports on issues and usage trends. IT administrators can also use the software, protected by Lenovo Secure Authentication, to remotely change BIOS and supervisor passwords on ThinkSmart devices and prevent unwanted USB port use.
Lenovo also announced a series of new and updated PCs and displays, including the new ThinkCentre M90a all-in-one (AIO) desktop. The device features 10th Gen Intel Core processors, a 23.8-inch FHD display, and Dolby Atmos audio. It comes with ThinkShield security features, while the display offers a PrivacyGuard option to protect sensitive data. It can also use software to automatically blur the screen when the user turns away from the display. The IR Camera is protected with a ThinkShutter to block the lens, as well as the option to use facial recognition biometric login through Windows Hello.
Meanwhile, the new ThinkVision Creator Extreme is a 27-inch HDR1000 compatible display designed for professional content creators. The display offers factory-calibrated color accuracy with 99 percent DCI-P3, 100 percent sRGB, and 100 percent BT.709 color gamut. Its 1152 mini-LED zones produce high-quality images while its 10,368 LEDs deliver dynamic local dimming.
Next, the ThinkVision T34w-20 monitor offers a 34-inch 21:9 1500R curved display with 3440x1440 resolution and a USB Type-C one-cable solution. Lenovo pitches the monitor as a replacement for a dual-screen configuration.
Lastly, the latest ThinkPad X1 laptops, coming later in 2020, will be powered by 10th Gen Intel Core vPro processor-based systems. They feature display options such as a 4K HDR display with Dolby Vision or a bright 500-nit FHD PrivacyGuard display. A new keyboard for the ThinkPad X1 devices will include a unified communications function row buttons for instant Voice-over-IP access.