Lenovo's new multimedia PCs set for April rollout

First introduced at CES 2009 in January, Lenovo's latest models will include the IdeaPad Y650/Y550/Y450 laptops, the IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop PC, and an updated IdeaPad s10 netbook with Lenovo QuickStart, for rapid access to frequently used appplications.

Aside from Fry's, the PCs will be sold on Amazon.com, TigerDirect.com, Newegg.com, and Lenovo's own Web site, a Lenovo spokesperson told Betanews this week.

Slated for availability this month, Lenovo's new IdeaCenter A600 desktop and three latest Y Series notebooks are geared to multimedia entertainment and gaming. All are outfitted with 16:9 aspect screens. Among the new Y series notebooks, screen sizes are 16 inches for the Y650 (pictured here), 15.6 inches for the Y550, and 14 inches for the Y450.

All three laptops come with Intel processors, Dolby Home Theater surround sound, optional Nvidia GFX graphics for video and gaming, and Lenovo OneKey Theater software for adjusting the display and sound effect settings. The software offers a "movie mode" for optimizing the picture when watching movies or playing games. Each of the three IdeaPads is configurable with up to 500 GB of hard drive space and up to 4 GB of memory. The Y650, which is only one-inch thick at its thinnest point, also comes with JBL speakers.

The new all-in-one desktop PC, on the other hand, is equipped with a frameless, 21.5-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 "full HD" resolution. It also comes with a new four-in-one optional remote controller, combining a "motion drive" for accessing on-screen gaming objects based on the movement of the remote, a Vista Media Center/TV remote, a VoIP handset, and an air mouse for wireless control of the cursor on the screen.

The all-in-one provides Intel Core 2 Duo processing technology; up to 1 TB of hard drive space; up to 4 GB of fast DDR3 memory; an optional Blu-ray player; a bass sub-woofer; high-speed Wi-Fi; Dolby Home Theater audio certification; a 6-in-1 media card reader; VeriFace face recognition technology, for using a facial image as a logon password; and side-mounted USB and FireWire ports with extra USB ports on the back of the panel.

Beyond Lenovo QuickStart, Lenovo's updated IdeaPad S10 netbook also introduces a new set of social networking software tools dubbed LenovoSocial.