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Artificial Intelligence

Lenovo Unlocks New AI PC Experiences with ThinkPad and IdeaPad Laptops

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Ahead of CES 2024, Lenovo unveiled new business and consumer laptops designed to unlock new AI experiences and boost productivity, creativity and efficiency. The new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, ThinkPad X1 2-in-1, and IdeaPad Pro 5i are Intel Evo laptops powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and Windows 11 that deliver optimal power efficiency, performance, and immersive experiences.

Dedicated AI acceleration support will help users embrace new experiences and enhance efficiency in work and play, including capabilities enabled by Copilot in Windows. Whether for business or leisure, these Lenovo laptops are amongst the first that are driving an AI PC revolution that will fundamentally change how people create, collaborate, and interact with PCs. Designed to offer users the most comprehensive PC experiences yet, ThinkPad X1 and IdeaPad Pro 5i will help users embrace a new generation of AI computing.

Lenovo laptops with Intel Core Ultra processors are ready for the future of business computing. They have three compute engines: CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and NPU (Neural Processing Unit), that can handle AI PC tasks efficiently and smartly. Offloading compute tasks to the NPU and/or GPU improves efficiency and performance, and delivers better power management. Users can enjoy higher quality free flowing workstreams in supported software applications such as Zoom (for which the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 are the only certified laptops2), Microsoft Teams, Studio Effects, Adobe Lightroom, and many more.

Characteristics such as text predictions, background blur, meeting transcripts, and summary emails improve productivity, while digital content tools maximise creativity without impacting overall system performance. With Copilot in Windows, the things users do every day are made easier, faster, and more effortless. New features will help summarise web pages, compose an email, change settings, and enable new experiences in apps including Paint, Snipping Tool, and more. Lenovo is transforming its PCs and other devices to deliver personalised AI solutions. Working together with strategic partners, Lenovo has a shared vision to lead this transformative shift in personal computing.

Additionally, Lenovo announced the expansion of its hybrid cloud portfolio, powered by the next generation of Intel Xeon Scalable Processors. It delivers a new AI-ready platform with improved performance, the latest accelerators, and new Lenovo Professional Services for AI as a critical next step for enabling a dynamic hybrid AI approach across public, private, and foundational models. Lenovo’s Product Diversity Office seeks to integrate inclusion and feedback from diverse user segments early on in product development. This inclusive customer experience has always been the key focus for ThinkPad innovation.

Tactile markings have always been part of ThinkPad design since 1992 to aid users who are visually impaired to navigate the keyboard. In 2021, Lenovo through its Product Diversity Office established a partnership with the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, North Carolina in the US to better understand how visually impaired users interact with their PCs. Lenovo is the first laptop manufacturer to integrate additional tactile cues that increase accessibility. Lenovo is aligning these changes with Microsoft’s Accessibility Team as it works toward new industry standards in keyboard design. The results of this collaboration are visible with new tactile markings on the keyboard.

They include:

  1. Volume up / down: Audio is crucial to visually impaired users. The F2 and F3 will include tactile markings, making it easier to distinguish between volume up and down.
  2. Insert key: Insert and Delete keys often sit side-by-side on keyboards and can result in time-wasting and document-ruining problems. Too often, users have deleted or inserted content when they meant to do the opposite. The tactile mark on the Insert key will make it easier to tell the difference between the two keys.
  3. Function key: The Fn key is essential for individuals using screen readers. Located next to, and the same size as the CTRL key can often be a source of frustration.
  4. Enter key: While this seems an obvious addition, Enter keys can vary in size by keyboard and language.

More user-centric innovations enhance device interaction on ThinkPad X1. A larger 120mm TrackPad with physical buttons improves pointing accuracy and one-handed use with the integrated TrackPoint. A new feature to ThinkPad X1 allows users to customise common features from a list of options by double-tapping the TrackPoint to open a TrackPoint Quick Menu. A glass Haptic TouchPad is an optional input method for the first time on ThinkPad X1. The ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 also has a larger magnetic pen for a better stylus experience.

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 have improved thermals and power consumption management, and Computer Vision5 features in Lenovo Commercial Vantage. They include a wake-on-approach with face sensing and support adaptive dimming on external monitors adding extra security and power savings. ThinkPad X1 has always excelled in display options and camera features. Lenovo View provides video-enhancing tools for the camera including a new Low Light Enhancer that can brighten and denoise video in low-light environments.

The software runs on the NPU to save power and processor load when running unified communications applications such as Teams or Zoom. ThinkPad X1 will include an optional 8MP camera6 within its unique Communications Bar that can deliver excellent video conferencing quality. The content becomes even sharper and smoother on the latest optional 120Hz OLED display. The Communications Bar also enables improved usability in the redesigned chassis with narrower bezels that deliver a higher screen-to-body ratio, and easy one-handed opening.

Next-generation business laptops not only need to deliver better user experiences but also continue to improve their contribution to a circular economy. The development of revolutionary supply chains, services, product design, and materials has enabled Lenovo to shift to a circular model of “design, use, return.” These latest ThinkPad X1’s continue to adopt the use of recycled materials, PCC (Post-Consumer Recycled Content) plastics9 and plastic-free bamboo and sugarcane packaging to minimise the use of virgin materials and increase the use of post-industrial recycled content (PIC) plastics. Lenovo is working closely with Toray Industries, Inc., who has been supplying Lenovo with carbon fibre material, supported by Toray’s relationships with Boeing, to also build into ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 recycled carbon fibre material recovered from carbon fibre composites used in Boeing 787 wing production.

The latest ThinkPad X1 Gen 12 and X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 create a breakthrough moment in premium laptop computing with new AI PC features and customer-centric innovations designed to transform user experiences. Through its focus on constant innovation in design, materials, and usability, and strong collaboration with leading industry partners, Lenovo has delivered new business laptops ready to fulfil its promise of AI for All.

“AI PC innovation has become our passion. We don’t just make PCs, we make experiences using diverse design brilliance, more sustainable materials, and revolutionary AI computing technologies to deliver the future of business computing,” said Jerry Paradise, Vice President, Commercial Portfolio and Product Management, Lenovo Intelligent Devices Group. “The latest Lenovo ThinkPad X1 laptops will transform user experiences in work and interaction through new AI speed and intelligence powered by Intel Core Ultra processors.”

Furthermore, AI technology extends into aspects of the product lifecycle. The ThinkPad laptops announced today support the optional Lenovo Device Intelligence (LDI) suite of solutions. Using AI-powered technology, LDI gives IT (Information Technology) teams the tools to diagnose, prevent, and remediate common PC performance issues and improve employee experience. The portfolio of solutions includes Lenovo Device Intelligence, Lenovo Device Intelligence Plus, as well as Lenovo Device Intelligence Plus Managed Services:

  • Lenovo Device Intelligence is the core Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) SaaS (Software as a Service), which is also included in the Lenovo Premier Support Plus service. Operating in a cloud-based environment, this solution is PC-agnostic10 and generates advanced AI-predictive analytics, proactive insights and alerts, robust reports, issue remediation, and fleet health scoring.
  • Lenovo Device Intelligence Plus is a Digital Employee Experience (DEX) SaaS, which combines all the AI technology of LDI, adding enhanced insights, alerts, reports, analytics, and more options for issue remediation.
  • Lenovo Device Intelligence Plus features increased functionality such as digital user experience scoring, hardware and software right sizing, productivity impact assessments, root cause analyses, peer benchmark comparisons, and self-healing capabilities with comprehensive dashboards and reporting.
  • Lenovo Device Intelligence Plus Managed Service provides a team of Lenovo service experts that manage LDI Plus software on behalf of the customers to monitor the health of a customer’s device fleet, remediate issues, help optimise their IT resource planning, and recommend improvements to their employees’ digital experience.

Push power to the limit with the new Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, the world’s first consumer Intel Evo Edition laptop powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, which power the device’s AI PC experience by providing faster AI-powered photo creation and editing, quicker video export, and speedier multitasking thanks to Intel AI. That means text-to-image capabilities, generative AI text creation, and quickening photo and video editing workflows by providing higher-quality previews and faster video export. With these all-new processors from Intel and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU pushing up to 115 TDP, the IdeaPad Pro 5i is supercharged with fast, generative AI-based creation tools to help creators bring their ideas to life, and the freedom to fit into more workflow styles with both 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. Whether it’s creating, editing, or even gaming, visuals are vibrant, crisp, and clean on the up to 16:10 OLED 100 per cent DCI-P3 120Hz display.

When productivity is at the top of your mind, the IdeaPad Pro 5i delivers top results, with an IR FHD camera with a ToF sensor and privacy shutter that supports Windows Hello for quick and secure login. The 84WHr Polymer battery supports Rapid Charge Express via Thunderbolt 4 for quick charging that maximises productivity sessions as well as faster data transfers, and the expandable SSD slot allows for even more data storage beyond the up to 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD11. All this power comes in at just 1.46kg (3.22 lbs) for the 14-inch variant, and 1.95kg (4.3 lbs) for the 16-inch variant, and with a sleek Arctic Grey chassis on all models, the IdeaPad Pro 5i lets creatives be the star of the show.

This productivity powerhouse also comes with a commitment to environmental sustainability. The bottom cover of the laptop contains 50% recycled aluminium, and 90% ocean-bound plastic in the system bag. The IdeaPad Pro 5i is also registered EPEAT Gold12 and ENERGY STAR certified, fulfilling the highest environmental performance criteria on product longevity, circular design, and energy efficiency. Lenovo also offers CO2 Offset Service13 to offset the estimated carbon emissions of the device.

“We are very proud to continue our close partnership with Intel on the launch of their newest generation of processors and are excited that our Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is the world’s first consumer Intel Evo Edition laptop to be powered by Intel Core Ultra processors,” said Jun Ouyang, Lenovo’s Vice President and General Manager of the Consumer Business Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. “The Intel Core Ultra line of processors enable AI capabilities on the IdeaPad Pro 5i that deliver disruptive new benefits to users in terms of output, both creative and productive.”

Just like the next wave of business laptops, the Lenovo ThinkVision 27 3D monitor is available now and ready to boost productivity and efficiency. The glasses-free 3D monitor now features an even more intuitive and interactive user interface version of 3D Explorer, which welcomes creators to the 3D realm and can also be used in 2D. Additionally, the monitor now comes with increased software support through proprietary applications, including Design Engine, which eliminates the need for individual plug-ins to provide a true interdimensional hybrid design experience. Users can now design in 2D and visualise in 3D, or use its 2D-to-3D Converter, enabling AI-powered 2D to 3D image, video, and content conversion in real-time. With AI, high resolution with high refresh rate 2D content instantly transforms into vivid 3D content with precise spatial reconstruction, regardless of how complex the backgrounds can be, and all without requiring additional power or system upgrades.

With a built-in 3D rendering engine, the ThinkVision 27 3D monitor elevates productivity by reducing the need for additional equipment and computing power. It also increases efficiency by giving users the ability to visualise and adjust designs in real-time. Artists, engineers, or designers can now create with 2D software on a 2D screen and immediately see their creations in 3D. In addition, any changes in 2D will simultaneously be reflected in 3D. The 27-inch glasses-free 3D monitor projects two independent images to the user’s eyes so that each sees the subject from a slightly different angle and paired with a 99% DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB colour accuracy, real-time eye-tracking technology, and a switchable lenticular lens – offering a natural 3D viewing experience.

The Lenovo USB-C Dual Display Travel Dock is a hub designed for users who work both onsite and remotely, helping them perform tasks and goals effectively and efficiently through an easy connection to external displays and devices. Connect a supported USB-C laptop to enable seven ports that boost performance, including two for dual 4K displays. Enjoy fast USB and dedicated ethernet connectivity, and continuous power supply with an ‘Always-On’ USB port and up to 100W14 USB-C PD (Power Delivery) port to power a connected laptop. The travel dock is sleek, and universal, features adjustable cable management, and is built using 66% Post-Consumer Recycled Content (PCC) in the exterior and plastic-free packaging.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 will be available starting April 2024, with an expected starting price of €1,679 (non-including VAT). The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9 will be available starting April 2024, with an expected starting price of €1,879 (non-including VAT). The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i (16”, 9) will be available starting end of December 2023, with an expected starting price of €1,099 (including VAT). The Lenovo ThinkVision 3D Monitor will be available in select markets starting middle of March 2024, with an expected starting price of €3,000 (including VAT). The Lenovo USB-C Dual Display Travel Dock will be available starting middle of April 2024, with an expected starting price of €89 (non-including VAT). The Lenovo Wireless VoIP Headset will be available starting middle of May 2024, with an expected starting price of €99 (non-including VAT).

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Artificial Intelligence

Dell Launches AI PCs and Workstations for Everyday Workers and Power Users

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Dell Technologies is making significant strides in the realm of AI by introducing the most comprehensive portfolio of AI PCs and workstations in the market. Setting a new benchmark for battery life, productivity, security, and performance, the PCs are tailored to meet the evolving needs of businesses, prioritising customer choice and flexibility, and equipping them for a future powered by AI. The innovative solutions mark a significant step forward in Dell’s broader AI strategy, which aims to use its AI portfolio to support businesses from the desktop to the data centre to the cloud.

“From running complex AI workloads on workstations to using day-to-day AI-powered applications on laptops, the AI PC will be an important investment that pays dividends in productivity and paves the way to a smarter, more efficient future. Dell’s advantage starts with offering more AI PCs across the commercial portfolio from day one, catering to customers’ unique needs and giving them the ability to start future-proofing for AI today,” said Haidi Nossair, Sr. Director – Client Solutions Group – META, Dell Technologies.

The neural processing unit (NPU)–equipped AI PC will grow from nearly 50 million units in 2024 to more than 167 million in 2027, representing nearly 60% of all PC shipments worldwide. The NPU adds an AI acceleration engine that can take on more dedicated AI tasks, freeing up the CPU and GPU to do other things. This creates a more responsive experience and enhances performance, security, battery life and productivity.

Dell provides the world’s most intelligent, manageable and secure commercial PCs. With a new line-up of Latitude laptops and Precision mobile workstations, Dell will offer customers the broadest portfolio of commercial AI laptops and mobile workstations, from entry-level to ultra-premium laptops and workstation options. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel vPro, Dell commercial PCs drive AI workloads and unlock new levels of productivity and efficiency.

For example, employees can now:

  • Collaborate more effectively. Combining the benefits of the NPU to offload capabilities like auto-framing, background blur and eye-tracking with the power efficiency of Intel Core Ultra processors, gives workers up to 38% more battery life and valuable working time in a day packed with Zoom calls.
  • Create content faster. By distributing AI processing across the CPU, GPU and now NPU, users can create generative AI images over five times faster with Stable Diffusion, a text-to-image model.
  • Work more securely in a hybrid work environment. More ISVs will continue to build applications for the AI PC. For example, Dell is working with CrowdStrike and Intel to offload security functions onto the device via the NPU. This provides more comprehensive threat detection, helping customers swiftly detect malicious sites and security vulnerabilities with reduced latency compared to cloud-based solutions.
  • Stay in the flow of work. The portfolio features Windows 11 and a Copilot key to make it even easier to get things done and stay in the flow of work. With the press of a key, you can have faster access to your everyday AI companion.

Building on years of industry leadership in proactive, predictive automation as well as expert advice and managed services, new Dell Services capabilities help customers:

  • Maximize PC uptime and improve productivity with new self-healing capabilities through the ProSupport Suite for PCs. Customers who connect to Dell’s SupportAssist technology can leverage telemetry and AI to fix PC issues without human intervention. This lets IT activate Dell-authored scripts to autonomously correct blue screen errors, thermal issues and more across their entire fleet of PCs.
  • Keep PC fleet refreshes on track and budget with Dell’s managed services. When customers need new AI devices, Dell provides detailed planning, forecasting and supply chain management to enable timely, targeted multi-vendor device rollouts.
  • Adopt and maximize GenAI investments with Digital Employee Experience Services for Gen AI. These services equip employees with the tools and technology tailored to their diverse roles.

Dell’s most intelligent headset portfolio in its class includes five new headsets. The Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset (WL7024) features AI-based noise-cancelling microphones that distinguish human speech signals from background noises from both the user and their audience and adjust the level of noise cancellation based on the user’s environment. The advanced smart sensor intelligently performs tasks like mute/unmute, and pause/play as long as the earcup is lifted, while intuitive touch controls tailor the audio experience.

The fully refreshed Latitude portfolio features updates across the 5000, 7000 and 9000 series. Latitude 5000 is Dell’s mainstream series of devices, offering flexibility, scalability, and security. The series is sustainable by design with materials ranging from recycled plastics to reclaimed carbon fibre, renewable materials and ocean-bound plastics.

The Latitude 7350/7450 Ultralights are the world’s lightest 13.3” and 14” premium commercial laptops. The Latitude 7455 is a premium AI laptop with up to 21 hours of battery life stacked with a stunning 14-inch QHD+ touch display, quad speakers with AI noise reduction, Qualcomm FastConnect Wi-Fi 7 and optional 5G for greater connectivity and collaboration. As Dell’s thinnest Latitude laptop ever, team members have the mobile form factor they need for productivity at the desk or on the go.

Designed for executives, salespeople and consultants, the Latitude 9450 2-in-1 provides a peek into the future of work from anywhere focused on ultra-premium design, collaboration & productivity. It boasts a haptic collaboration touchpad with support for Microsoft Teams and Zoom, a stunning QHD+ Infinity Edge display, top-firing speakers and a new HDR webcam. As new WiFi-7 capability rolls out throughout 2024, the Wi-Fi 7 capable wireless card on Latitude 9450 will expand throughput and connect us to our peers even faster. These enhancements paired with the ability to utilize AI to improve collaboration will deliver a premium new experience to end users.

Now featuring Intel Core Ultra processors Series 2, Dell’s thinnest XPS provides more power and efficiency to effortlessly tackle the most demanding tasks. This includes a dedicated NPU capable of up to 48 TOPS, enabling advanced AI capabilities such as text and image creation and faster photo or video editing. XPS 13 is the first laptop in the world to offer a tandem OLED display, allowing for higher brightness than a traditional OLED display and 26 hours of battery life while streaming on an FHD+ display.

Dell has also introduced new video conferencing monitors with upgraded convenience, a better camera and next-level multitasking features. These monitors are the world’s first 23.8-inch, 27-inch and 34-inch video conferencing monitors certified for both Microsoft Teams and Zoom7. These monitors include an integrated camera, speakers, and microphones to allow for a clean desk setup.

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Apps

Gemini Chat Joins Google Workspace

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Google is enhancing its business productivity suite, Google Workspace, with the addition of Gemini chatbot. This move aims to expand access to its enterprise-grade AI app and provide users with a powerful AI-powered assistant. “With built-in enterprise-grade data protections, employees can now save time and deliver higher quality work securely and compliantly,” said Aparna Pappu, vice president and general manager of Google Workspace.

Workspace users in the Business, Enterprise, and Frontline plans will automatically gain access to the Gemini app. The app allows users to ask questions about company information and suggest actions based on organizational policies. Similar to Microsoft’s Copilot, Gemini offers a seamless integration into the Workspace suite.

Google emphasizes user control over data and privacy. The company reiterates that data, prompts, and generated responses will not be used to train Gemini models. This is not the first time Google has incorporated generative AI into Workspace. For an additional fee, users can add the Gemini AI model to Gmail, Docs, Drive, and other apps. Google has also previewed Google Vids, an AI video generation platform for enterprise users.

To enhance security, Google announced a new security advisor tool for Workspace customers. This tool provides tailored insights, actionable guidance, and additional threat prevention and data protection controls. The advisor will send security insights directly to IT administrators’ inboxes. Google has also secured industry certifications for Gemini for Workspace, including SOC 1/2/3, ISO 27001, and ISO 27001 compliance. Earlier this year, it also achieved HIPAA compliance.

A recent Google survey revealed that 75% of daily Gemini users on Workspace reported improved work quality and time savings of 105 minutes per week. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian highlighted the significant adoption of Gemini among organizations, with over two million developers building with its AI platforms and a 36-fold increase in API usage. Many customers have successfully built AI agents and applications to boost productivity. “We are inspired by the ingenuity and speed with which our customers are embracing generative AI,” said Kurian. “We continue to partner with customers to help them deliver real business value.”

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Artificial Intelligence

Acer Expands Copilot+ PC Line with New Swift AI and Swift Go 14 AI Laptops

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Acer has launched its latest Swift laptops, powered by the new Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2). The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI Copilot+ PCs offer exceptional AI performance, sleek designs, and a suite of AI-powered features. Equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors, these laptops deliver up to 48 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of NPU AI performance. This enables them to accelerate generative AI tasks and creations with ease. The laptops also feature advanced security features, including biometric security and hardware-level protection, to safeguard user data.

The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI boast premium aluminium chassis and stunning OLED displays with 90 Hz refresh rates and HDR TrueBlack 500 certification. The laptops also offer exceptional battery life, thanks to efficient power management and the new Intel Core Ultra processors. Acer’s suite of AI features includes Copilot+, which provides intelligent assistance for various tasks. The laptops also feature AcerSense, which allows users to control system settings and access AI features with a single click. Additionally, Acer Assist offers AI-powered document search and troubleshooting, while Acer PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice enhance video conferencing experiences.

The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI are Copilot+ PCs, offering a new era of productivity and efficiency. With Copilot, users can access AI-powered tools like Cocreator for image generation and Live Captions for real-time speech translation. The Acer Swift Go 14 AI, powered by a Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor, offers exceptional performance and long battery life. It is designed for everyday users who seek a powerful and accessible AI-powered laptop.

Acer’s new Swift laptops offer a combination of powerful AI performance, sleek designs, and innovative features. Whether you’re a creative professional, a student, or a business user, these laptops have something to offer.

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