Lenovo goes green with new miniscule, power-saving desktop

MORRISVILLE – Lenovo is going from one extreme to another in its intensifying bid to increase global market share.

Just days after launching a $5,000 limited edition ThinkPad, Lenovo announced today its ThinkCenter A61e for a budget conscious $399.

Codenamed Blue Sky, the desktop has the footprint of an 8 ½ x 11 inch sheet of paper and weighs in at a mere 8 pounds.

It’s also a skinny 3 inches thick.

Reflecting the enviro-friendly name, Blue Sky consumes less power than other PCS. Lenovo estimates it will use more than 50 percent less power than its competitors.

It’s designed to run on minimal power. In fact, Lenovo is distributing a cartoon that shows a penguin quizzing a wolf about the Blue Sky operating with a solar panel.

The wolf also points out to the penguin that the machine is so quiet it reduces the chance of an avalanche.

“You never seen that one on the spec sheets,” the penguin replies.

Lenovo has been hammered and then praised in enviro-analysis by Greenpeace. And the PC maker points out that the new desktop is made with 90 percent recycled materials.

But in a world where green is increasingly “in,” Lenovo also hopes the machine wins sales because of its drastic reduction in power consumption.

The $399 price doesn’t include keyboard or monitor, so a complete outfit won’t be the cheapest buy on the street. However, customers can pick a dual-core processor chip from AMD so the Blue Sky shouldn’t lack for power.

As an added convenience, the Blue Sky is built to stand vertically or horizontally.

Bottom line?

Blue Sky, which ships in October, is further proof that Lenovo is deadly serious about selling more machines to consumers and small business owners. While it’s not covered in leather like the limited edition ThinkPad, Blue Sky is also more than just blue sky thinking.