Critical.
Authoritative.
Strategic.
Subscribe to CIO Magazine »

Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet to get Android 4.0 in May

ThinkPad Tablet will get a faster browser, voice recognition and face recognition with Android 4.0

Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet will get an upgrade to Google's latest Android 4.0 OS starting in May, Lenovo said on Monday.

The update to Android 4.0, code-named Ice Cream Sandwich, has features such as a faster browser, voice recognition and face recognition, a Lenovo spokeswoman said. The update will be delivered over-the-air to ThinkPad Tablets.

Besides being faster, the browser also saves Web pages that can be accessed when Internet connectivity is not available.

The new voice-input feature allows users to dictate text to the tablet. Possible dictation errors are highlighted in gray and underlined as the voice-input engine enters text. Users can then tap the underlined words to replace them from a list of suggestions.

Face Unlock, a face-recognition feature that can unlock a tablet, will also be new. A front-facing camera and facial-recognition software combine to unlock the tablet after verifying a face registered during tablet setup. A similar feature is already available on Lenovo's laptops.

Designed for both smartphones and tablets, Android 4.0 OS also includes user interface, connectivity, application and multimedia improvements. The OS improves encryption layers for data and email security, and improved management capabilities help system administrators better control tablets remotely.

However, the upgrade may not enable specific features such as Android Beam, which uses NFC (near field communications) technology to share content, maps and directions by simply tapping the tablets. The ThinkPad Tablet does not have NFC hardware yet.

The tablet was announced in July last year and is targeted at businesses. It currently runs Android 3.1 and retails starting at US$479.

Some companies are already delivering Android 4.0 upgrades to tablets. Asus is already delivering upgrades over-the-air to Asus' Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablets, and Samsung has said it would deliver OS upgrades in the first quarter this year.

Though the Android 4.0 upgrade is being delivered later than rivals, the Lenovo spokeswoman said the company will "future proof" its tablets by consistently delivering newer Android releases.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: Google, Lenovo, NFC, Samsung
References show all

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the CIO comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: Android tablets, hardware systems, Lenovo, tablets
Latest Blog Posts
Whitepapers
  • Synergy gains sustainable competitive edge with HP printers, services and solutions
    Western Australian electricity retailer Synergy signed a four-year HP Smart Print Services agreement to establish an efficient and sustainable imaging and printing network which reduces waste and the organisation’s environmental footprint, without compromising on quality, reliability or security. Read more.
    Learn more »
  • Protecting Generation Web
    From data privacy to personal safety issues, cyber-bullying, inappropriate content and malware, schools are facing an increasingly difficult task when it comes to allowing young people to spread their online wings without compromising their safety and personal development. The reality that most schools are catering to the needs of mixed age groups and abilities, and it’s easy to understand why a simple stop and block approach won’t work. Learning environments are, by nature, flexible. It stands to reason that the IT resources used in them should be flexible too. Read on.
    Learn more »
  • Cost Effective Security and Compliance with Oracle Database 11g Release 2
    Information ranging from trade secrets to financial data to privacy related information has become the target of sophisticated attacks from both sides of the firewall. Built upon 30 years of security experience, the Oracle database provides defense-in-depth security controls that enable organizations to transparently protect data. By leveraging these controls, organizations can safeguard data, ensure regulatory compliance, and achieve business goals such as consolidation, globalization, right sourcing and cloud computing while still maintaining scalability, performance and availability. Read this whitepaper.
    Learn more »
All whitepapers
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis.
Recent comments