Ever since we started the Smartbook Blog the main talking point has been whether the smartbook would prove a worthwhile addition to an already crowded sector. Today I can emphatically say yes after getting some serious hands-on time with the very first mass-market smartbook, Lenovo’s strikingly named ‘Skylight’.
We’ll get the hardware out of the way first since that is the most predictable aspect. Like all smartbooks it is powered by an ARM based-processor, in this case, Qualcomm’s 1-Hz Snapdragon chipset, and sticks to the smartbook mantra: slim (on a par with the MacBook Air), light (under 2lbs), packing long battery life (in excess of 10 hours) and constant connectivity (courtesy of Wi-Fi and integrated 3G). More unusual is the large (for a smartbook) 10-in. LED display, but its 1280 x 720 native resolution is crisp and easy on the eye.
On the downside the price could be slightly lower. Smartbooks have long professed to be a much cheaper alternate to netbooks, though the $499 asking price doesn’t bear this out. That said, you do need to factor for the integrated 3G which is usually an option in netbooks and adds a significant premium.
Most important, however, is how the Skylight feels to use. I’m happy to report that after about 20 minutes with the machine my first impressions are extremely positive. For starters the build quality is excellent and we are perhaps lucky Lenovo was the first manufacturer behind it, as it feels very much like a premium ThinkPad. By the same token, Lenovo has also nailed the keyboard, which is as good as anything I have used on a laptop of any size – it really is that good.
Furthermore, while the custom Linux UI will be alien to all at first, its Mac OS X-style dock and intuitive, snappy interface mean users should be up and running in no time. Lenovo’s decision to go with a 20GB SSD also pays benefits, since the cloud-based nature of a smartbook means you need little in the way of native storage, and the boot time is consequently measured in seconds, not minutes. Add in HD definition video playback and mini HDMI output and Lenovo is off to a winner.
The Skylight is scheduled for an April release and while I suspect a few smaller name manufacturers may sneak out a smartbook or two of their own by then, this is definitely the one to wait for.
Gordon
