Lenovo Smartbook with AT&T coming

AT&T will launch the first Lenovo Smartbook in the US. Lenovo hasn’t put a final name to the Smartbook – a combination of smartphone and Netbook – which will be displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show next year.

Lenevo Smartbook leaked photo

The Lenovo Smartbook will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, which does not require heat sink or a cooling fan. The tie-up with AT&T means the Lenovo Smartbook will definitely come with wireless internet, probably WiFi and 3G connectivity. The Lenovo Smartbook is expected to sport linux operating system, although details like price features and tech specs are sketchy as of now. The Lenovo Smartbook is expected to have six large icons for widgets on its display, which Qualcomm said will be a high-definition screen.

At first look, the Lenovo Smartbook seems to be going up against the Nokia Booklet 3G we reported on earlier.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset on the Lenovo Smartbook bundles a low-power ARM-based CPU with integrated wireless features and graphics with 720p high-definition video capabilities.

The battery capacity of the Lenovo Smartbook will be rather similar to the smartphone – which will have a long battery life and long standby time. Qualcomm’s low-power chip is expected to be a boon for the Lenovo Smartbook. Users of the Lenovo Smartbook will expect the new gadget to have battery life of a smartphone and the capabilities of a netbook.

At this point, all we have is a rather unclear photo of the Smartbook, and no information on the actual specifications of the product at all. But we will be watching out for any more leaks.

The Lenovo Smartbook will also run flash applications, said Qualcomm. Many reports had raised questions about the Qualcomm chipset’s capability to display flash animation.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset is already present in many mobile phones and PDA. It can connect to a wireless network as well as power the smartphone. Qualcomm has designed the Snapdragon in such a way that it can run on a wide range of products, from smartphones to PDAs and netbooks.

It is expected that AT&T will offer a subsidised price for the Lenovo Smartbook, bundling it with a data plan for a year or two. No other network operators will be selling the Lenovo Smartbook as of now, though in markets outside the US, the product may be available without a contract and at a higher price.

Along with the Lenovo Smartbook, Qualcomm also showed off a chip, which it said will be compatible with LTE networks, the next phase of telecom connectivity.

Qualcomm chief executive displayed the shiny red Smartbook at a meeting with analysts. The company has not released official photographs of the same.