Lenovo Skylight: its first ARM / Snapdragon-based smartbook, coming in April for $499

Remember that Snapdragon-powered Lenovo smartbook we peeked back in November of last year? No? Fret not, as the aforesaid outfit has just come clean with the details surrounding the previously elusive device. The Skylight is Lenovo's first-ever smartbook, and while we're still struggling to see what niche these things are designed to fill, we definitely can't knock the internals. It's the industry's first ARM-based, Qualcomm smartbook, and it's powered by a 1GHz processor. Other specs include a 10.1-inch display (1,280 x 720), a customized version of Linux, 20GB (total) of flash storage, 2GB of cloud storage, an 8GB miniSD card, twin USB ports, 1.3 megapixel camera, WiFi and a battery capable of humming along for ten hours on a full charge. It's also apt to be a lot like the unorthodox IdeaPad U1 Hybrid on the software front. The clamshell enclosure weighs under two pounds, and the integrated AT&T WWAN module ensures that you can get connected wherever a tower is available. The unit will ship this April with 18 preloaded web gadgets (including portals to Amazon MP3, Facebook, Gmail and YouTube), and pricing is set for $499 (MSRP). We're told that AT&T will offer it up as well, but it's unclear whether or not it'll subsidize the Skylight should you commit to a two-year DataConnect contract. Rest assured that we'll be getting some face time with this bugger in short order, but till then, you can peek the press release and a promo /hands-on video just after the break. Oh, and we should mention that we snapped an extremely brief hands-on with the machine a small bit ago, and we're still flabbergasted by how thin it was. Expect a more thorough look tomorrow!
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Lenovo Skylight Lights Up The Web with Industry's First ARM-Based, Qualcomm Smartbook

All Day Use, Always Connected Device Heightens Mobile Internet Experience, Connects with AT&T 3G Mobile Broadband Service in the U.S.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 5, 2010: Lenovo today announced the Lenovo Skylight, the first ARM-based smartbook based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon™ chipset platform. Skylight harnesses the best of smartphones and netbooks to create a new mobile consumer device. With a stunningly sleek and slim design, all day battery life, robust wireless connectivity and custom interface with live web gadgets, Skylight is designed to transform the mobile Internet experience. The Skylight smartbook connects with AT&T 3G mobile broadband service in the U.S.

"The web has become the window to the world for more and more people, helping them connect with friends and family across town or thousands of miles away," said Peter Gaucher, executive director, Mobile Internet Product Management, Lenovo. "Skylight combines the long battery life and connectivity of a smartphone with the full web browsing and multimedia experience of a netbook to create one of the first devices in this developing smartbook category. Consumers want choices. They can now choose from a full portfolio of Lenovo mobile consumer devices including netbooks, smartbooks and laptops."

"Now more than ever, consumers are looking for devices that will keep them connected virtually anytime and anywhere," said David Haight, vice president, business development, AT&T Mobility. "The Lenovo Skylight is slim and attractive with extraordinary battery life, and when paired with the nation's fastest 3G network and AT&T Wi-Fi service, it gives consumers a great web and media experience on the go."

Skylight brings users a brand new way to enhance their mobile web experience:

Beauty and Brains – Thinner than many smartphones, Skylight's sleek and lightweight design is a technological combination of beauty and function. Skylight is being introduced in two new vibrant colors, glossy lotus blue and earth red models. Skylight's clamshell design opens to reveal a brilliant high definition 10.1 inch screen designed for watching high definition videos or viewing photos. Tote it in a purse, backpack or bag. Weighing less than two pounds, Skylight is extremely mobile and lightweight enough for the user to tote it in a purse, backpack or bag. Unlike many netbooks, Skylight's full size keyboard makes typing easy.

No Power Cord? No Problem - Skylight has over 10 hours of active battery life,1 enough to allow the user to watch two movies or more back to back on the next plane flight.

· Simply plug it in at night to charge like a mobile phone. On the next plane flight, enjoy watching two movies or more back to back.

· Wireless Freedom – Skylight has built-in WiFi and 3G connectivity to give users a web connection nearly everywhere they go, and Skylight will seamlessly handoff between the WiFi and 3G. With the purchase of an AT&T DataConnect plan, users get 3G data but also access to AT&T's nationwide Wi-Fi network, including more than 20,000 Hot Spots in the U.S. for fast and easy web access on the go.

· Web Optimized Interface – Skylight's unique custom interface lets the full capabilities of the web shine through with live web gadgets. Users can check Google Gmail™, update their Facebook™ status, see what's new on YouTube™ or browse the Internet. simultaneously without having to continually refresh or log in. There are more than 18 preloaded web gadgets including Amazon MP3 to download digital music favorites and Roxio CinemaNow to buy and download digital movies. Powered by the Qualcomm 1GHz Snapdragon chipset platform and featuring 20 GB of standard flash and 2 GB of cloud storage, Skylight delivers the performance needed for mobile users unwilling to compromise their mobile experience and the flexibility to store their data wherever they like - in the cloud or on the device.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform offers a powerful combination of mobile processing performance, optimized power consumption, ubiquitous connectivity and powerful multimedia in a single chip.

"Snapdragon-based smartbooks like the Lenovo Skylight will change the way we connect to the world, and enjoy the web and media on the go," said Luis Pineda, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. "Lenovo is leading the way for innovation in this space by utilizing the groundbreaking capabilities of our Snapdragon platform. We are excited for consumers to enjoy the new mobile experiences, such as extended battery life and increased connectivity that the Skylight will deliver."

Pricing and Availability3

The Lenovo Skylight smartbook will be available starting in April in the U.S. It will be available in China and in Europe later this year. In the U.S., it will be sold through www.lenovo.com, www.att.com and AT&T retail stores. Pricing will start at $499 at full retail price. AT&T offers two-year AT&T DataConnect service plans, as well as Data Connect Pass – a pay-as-you-need it data service available by the day, by the week or by the month.

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