Lenovo ThinkPad keyboards

by Ching-Wan Yip

Last Updated: April 30, 2014 6:08 AM

First published: Mar 21, 2014


 

Model Photo Bad (and good)
360CE
  • no middle button
  • no power on, volume up/down, ThinkVantage buttons
365XD [pending]  
380D [pending]  
380XD [pending]  
390E [pending]  
A20m [pending]  
A21m  
A30 [pending]  
A31p
  • navigation keys on left
  • no touchpad yet
R40 [pending]  
T40p  
R51 [pending]  
R52 [pending]  
T60 [pending]  
R60 [pending]  
T60p
  • Windows key
  • Property key
T61
  • deosn't said IBM anymore
T400  
W500  
T400s

(image from lenovo.com)

  • see next model for illustration

 

  • lighted buttons - speaker mute, mic mutee, power, Caps Lk
  • larger Del key (Ins moved)
  • larger Esc key
  • larger touchpad
T410  
W520  
T420s

(image from lenovo.com) [pending - replace with own photo?]

 
T430s

when it goes down hill

 

  • no gap between F4-F5, F8,F9 (fixed in X1 Carbon)
  • no property key - PrtSc moved there
  • no backward/forward keys - PgUp PgDn moved there
  • rotated double wide Esc, Delete (instead of double height)
  • no CapsLock light
  • shunken TrackPoint
  • no NumLk keys
  • hidden ScrLk, Pause, Break keys

supposedly more touch area for each key going to smiley face island keys (still no blackit until X1 Carbon)

http://blog.lenovo.com/products/why-you-should-give-in-to-the-new-thinkpad-keyboard

http://blog.lenovo.com/design/thinkpad-x1-stradivarius-keyboard

http://blog.lenovo.com/design/thinkpad-x1-designing-the-ultimate-keyboard

http://blog.lenovo.com/design/differentiation-of-isolation

http://blog.lenovo.com/design/keyboard-illumination-thinklight-or-backlight

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-x1.aspx

http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/05/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-review/

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/254197/new_lenovo_thinkpad_laptops_will_ditch_the_classic_keyboard.html

2013 X1 Carbon  
2013 Helix

 

  • no button 5 "buttons" clickpad
  • Ins key is now a hidden key
  • F1-F12 label demoted to very small font, need Fn Lock
  • no more ThinkVantage blue button
2013 ThinkPad Yoga

(image from lenovo.com) [pending - replace with own photo?]

 
2013 IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro (for comparison vs ThinkPad line)
  • Home End, PgUp, PgDn vertical arrangement like hey should any good physical affordance design (bad thing Home is next to BackSpace)
  • retains Property key
  • Ctrl and Fn like other manufacturer's instead of traditional ThinkPad
  •  

T440

(image from lenovo.com) [pending - replace with own photo of T440p?]

 
2014 X1 Carbon (Gen 2)

(image from lenovo.com) [pending - replace with own photo?]

Designers gone crazy

  • adaptive keyboard
  • delete next to Backspace
  • no caps lk - home/end took its place
  • no PrtSc (Fn+Alt+T (hidden key for PrtSc) doesn't work in Windows)

if you need that many youtube tutorials to use they keys, you failed

Think Innovation Minute: X1 Carbon -- Adaptive Keyboard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT8pPS0JPrQ&list=PLs18hw3X0NC5MkNRO66XM3g-YVoYwgNhN

Lightweight and Virtually Indestructible: Introducing the New ThinkPad X1 Carbon http://blog.lenovo.com/products/introducing-the-new-thinkpad-x1-carbon

The New X1 Carbon – Less is more (and more is more)
http://blog.lenovo.com/social-media/the-new-x1-carbon-less-is-more-and-more-is-more

Adaptive Keyboard Deployment Guide - http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles_pdf/adaptive_keyboard_dg_en.pdf

Introduction to Adaptive Keys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a6nhDmyMH4&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

hidden keys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3daxc6x8PY

Dim and Wake up the Adaptive Keys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-rxqez18TQ&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

layflat mode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwZ3aWLEBvQ

Change Adaptive Key modes with the Fn Key - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L-mIqJW1v0&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

Quick-Access mode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPvXYQ2UPns&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

Change the Adaptive Key mode sequence - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ubgz1G7TmU&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

Change Adaptive Key modes by application - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXZqnUivFIE&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

Adaptive Keys Advanced Settings - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db3C_1sgP04&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

Change the Default Adaptive Keys Cloud App - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F520za9WHt4&list=UU_zKfEC5FB3ou4n9lOiwLYw

Ars Technica - Stop Trying to Innovate Keyboards You're Just Making Them Worse

http://arstechnica.com/staff/2014/01/stop-trying-to-innovate-keyboards-youre-just-making-them-worse/