IBM’s ThinkPad G41 Offers Automated Security

IBM’s newest addition to the ThinkPad dynasty, the G41, comes with a solid list of technical specifications intended to make your mobile computing experience more powerful and productive. But beyond the evolutionary path of performance computing, the company also announced that it’s adding to its popular and well-received ThinkVantage Technologies in an attempt to keep computers safe from security risks.

According to IBM, its enhanced Rescue and Recovery 2.0 with Antidote Delivery Manager, available via download, will help users back-up their own systems, restore infected or deleted files and install critical updates. IBM said the updates can be deployed even if the computer’s operating system has been hit with a worm or virus &#151 even if it won’t run.

Hyper-Threading &#151 Why Care?
IBM incorporates Intel’s hyper-threading technology into the G41 &#151 a first for an IBM notebook. The idea behind the technology is to let a computer run various applications at the same time without taxing the computer’s processor.

According to IBM, companies can run demanding applications ranging from medical imaging to statistical computation while at the same time perform security updates or scheduled maintenance. Essentially, if your business calls for heavy duty processing power, a computer with hyper-threading technology could help speed things along.

One From Column A and Two From Column B
The G41 comes in a variety of hardware configurations. The pricing starts at $999 and moves up depending on the features and models you choose:

• Mobile Pentium 4 or Celeron D processors
• MS Windows XP Professional
• Hard drives ranging from 30 to 80GB in 4200 to 5400 rpm
• Memory ranging from 128MB to 1GB DDR SDRAM
• Optical drives: Multi-burner DVD recordable, CD-RW/DVD Combo, 8X Max DVD or 24X MAX CD
• Intel Extreme Graphics2 or NVidia GeForce FX Go5200 high-performance graphics
• Modem, 10.100.1000 Ethernet, Gigabit IBM 11b/g Wi-Fi wireless or IBM 11a/b/g II
• 14.1- or 15-inch TFT XGA 1024×768 or 15-inch TFT SXGA+/1400×1050 resolution displays
• IBM’s Rescue and Recovery software, preloaded

Think Express(ly) About SMBs
IBM designed its Think Express program for SMBs. The company says its program is meant to “offer relevant technologies and configurations for small and medium business, make choice and ordering easy for IBM customers and Business Partners and offer low prices and good availability.”

Essentially, IBM prices various models of ThinkPads and ThinkCentre deskstops to make them attractive to SMBs. Certain ThinkPad G41 configurations fall into the Think Express category.

Lauren Simonds is the managing editor of SmallBusinessComputing.com