shahine.com/omar/

homepage | Send mail to the author(s) contact

yet another Microsoft blogger

# Tuesday, September 13, 2005

« Congrats Dan and Max! | Main | Kahuna Invites »

Thinkpad + Windows Key?

Unless I am mistaken, this new thinkpad has a Windows key. If that’s true, I think I know what my next laptop will be :-).

Currently, IBM has refused to add the Windows Key to any of their laptops. I guess this is a remnant of the OS/2 days.

I’m beginning to realize that the Thinkpad is pretty much the top of the food chain in the PC world for laptops. People that have them swear by them. The quality seems better, but they cost way more than Dell’s. Anyhoo, up till now I never considered a Thinkpad cause of the Windows key thing. Too many of my favorite shortcut keys use the Windows key.

Gear
Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2005    Permalink    Comments [6]  View blog reactions

Related posts:
ordered my laptop
making my PC quiet
I'm never getting that time back
Treo 670
Motorola Moto Q
Writing to you via my new G5

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2005 8:54:25 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
I *love* my thinkpad. Best hardware I've owned.
Steve
Tuesday, September 13, 2005 11:50:27 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
I was looking for a laptop several months ago and my choices bottom-lined to IBM T42, the equivalent Dell (600 I think? Can't remember), HP NC6000 and... LG LM50. The configuration I chose (Dothan 1.7GHz, 1GB RAM, 14" SXGA+ monitor and 60gb 7200RPM Hitachi hard drive as bare minimum) meant that the HP and LG were similarly priced (~12,000 NIS in Israel), whereas a similarly configured T42 from IBM (albeit with 1.8GHz processor, although the price difference for any other company would've been about 500 NIS) would have cost 14,000 NIS.

I initially went for the HP but the importer sent the wrong machine (XGA instead of SXGA+ monitor, which was a must-have for me), and after a couple of days of waiting I decided that if the importer doesn't take a >$2000 order seriously I don't want their business. I had a touch choice between the IBM and the LG and eventually went for the LG, mostly because of price. This has been the best decision I've ever made. The performance is fantastic, for office applications, coding and gaming alike (it plays UT2k4 like a charm), the laptop is robust and takes abuse well and the monitor is positively the best I've ever seen. Not only is it very bright, it has terrific colours and great viewing angles.

I've since moved jobs and we have a bunch of T41/42s - the display panels on them are absolutely horrible. Bottom line, you should have a look at LG. You'd be surprised.
Tomer Gabel
Wednesday, September 14, 2005 6:45:19 AM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
Hm - I have a T40 with SXGA and run it at 1400x1050.. the display is WAY better than the Sony's that I've had in the past.
Steve
Thursday, September 15, 2005 1:40:29 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
I have a ThinkPadT42 *and* a Windows Key. I remapped Right-Alt with the Registry.

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/GryoscopesAndRemappingAWindowsButtonForTheIBMThinkPad.aspx
Scott Hanselman
Sunday, September 18, 2005 8:20:43 PM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
I used SharpKeys to remap Right-Alt as well: http://www.randyrants.com/sharpkeys/

Been working great.
Steve
Monday, September 26, 2005 9:31:34 AM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00)
While those solutions all work, Thinkpads come with a built-in utility that allows you to map the Windows key, and many other keys. Programs -> Access IBM -> Keyboard / Mouse Settings -> Key Mappings. I use my right-Alt key, and it works great.

I'm with you, my favourite shortcuts use the Windows key.
Mike
Comments are closed.