Lenovo To Buy IBM's Server Business For $2.3 Billion

itwbennett writes "Well, that was fast. Earlier this week the rumor mill was getting revved up about a potential sale of IBM's x86 server business, with Lenovo, Dell, and Fujitsu reportedly all interested in scooping it up. On Thursday, Lenovo Group announced it has agreed to buy IBM's x86 server hardware business and related maintenance services for $2.3 billion. The deal encompasses IBM's System x, BladeCenter and Flex System blade servers and switches, x86-based Flex integrated systems, NeXtScale and iDataPlex servers and associated software, blade networking and maintenance operations. IBM will retain its System z mainframes, Power Systems, Storage Systems, Power-based Flex servers, and PureApplication and PureData appliances." SlashBI has some words from an analyst about why Lenovo wants the x86 product line more than IBM does.

Re:Chinese Rule!!!

[hendrips]

Lenovo has "dual headquarters" in Beijing and Morrisville, North Carolina, but it is definitely a Chinese company - stock is traded in Hong Kong, the directors are Chinese, etc. That said, Lenovo isn't really a state-backed enterprise to the same degree as companies like Huawei; they probably don't receive much more government interference than, say, Apple or HP. Admittedly, that's not much comfort...

Re:Too harsh...

[Anonymous Coward]

I just went through the entire Lenovo line - every laptop/ultrabook they produce - and they offer only ONE machine that:

• * doesn't have a reflective screen
• * has a centered keyboard and trackpad
• * is a 15" screen or higher, 1920x1080

That machine is the W530 [lenovo.com], and it doesn't even have the new Haswell i7 processors. It's one generation behind and they're still asking $1300 for the base configuration.

The rest of the Lenovo models have characteristics which impair usability - basically, doesn't meet the bulleted list above. In addition, they add on screwed-up keyboards, like:

• * the X1 Carbon [lenovo.com], which instead of a caps lock key has a home + end key and replaces the function keys with an LCD panel that changes based on the application you're in
• * other models which don't have an indicator light for caps lock - I'm getting lazy and don't feel like posting any more links

I saw another, new model that was ranked 2.5/5 stars for being unable to resume from sleep mode because Lenovo ships broken drivers that conflict with each other.

Lenovo has destroyed Thinkpad.

CAPTCHA: stable

Re:Too harsh...

[bill_mcgonigle]

They have a model that competes in that space, sure.

However, I'm typing this on an e430. Proper keyboard, non-glare screen, f-keys (OK, the F-key paint is secondary to the 'media' paint, buy they are marked). It has a trackpoint and hard buttons for the insane people who can use those and they work on Fedora just fine. Centrino wireless, mSATA slot for the SSD (128GB Mushkin in mine), DVD-R, removable battery. I've got 8 gigs of RAM in it. The BIOS even has a setting to put the control key back where it belongs. I got the one with the lowest-wattage i5 that has AES-NI and the whole rig cost me under $900.

Two things I would like: backlit keyboard, better resolution screen. What I don't care about: looking hipster at Starbucks.