Lenovo Debuts Entertainment Nettops, First Home Media Server

Lenovo is hoping to appeal to consumers with its first home media server, the IdeaCentre Q700, plus two super-thing nettop PCs designed for the home.

Computer maker Lenovo is continuing its push into the consumer and digital entertainment spaces, announcing its first home media server, the IdeaCentre Q700, along with two super-slim nettops designed for home computing and entertainment, the IdeaCentre D400 and the IdeaCentre Q100/Q110.

“We created our latest IdeaCentre PCs to help consumers manage their personal and professional content with the performance they need and with a style that expresses their individuality,” said Lenovo’s VP of business operations Dion Weisler, in a statement. “Our super small nettops give consumers the portability of a laptop, making them a versatile and affordable part of the digital home experience.”

The IdeaCentre Q700 is the big box of the bunch, aiming at both professionals and personal users. The Q700 features a 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, support for 1080p graphics (albeit via Intel GMA X4500 graphics), 7.1 digital surround sound, and up to 1 TB of onboard storage. The Q700 runs Microsoft Windows Vista Premium 64-bit, and packs pack 4 GB of RAM, a 4-in-1 media card reader, a DVD±RW burner and sports eight USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA port, one iEEE 1394 port, along with HDMI and VGA outputs. Pricing on the Q700 should start at about $499, and they’re available now.

Next up, the IdeaCentre D400 aims to be a home server, supporting up to 8 terabytes of storage (through add-on external hard drives on five USB 2.0 ports); the system also sports a one-touch data copy function for quick backups and an eSATA port for high-speed data transfers. The D400 is designed to sit at the heart of a home or small office network and handle users’ data, backup, and media-serving needs; it should be available now for prices starting at $499.

Finally, the IdeaCentre Q100 and Q110 are Atom-based nettops designed to offer slim alternatives (just 0.7 inches thick) to traditional desktop PCs, offering stylish designs and enough power for basic computing and Internet tasks. The Q110 is differentiated by Nvidia Ion graphics and supports 1080p high-definition video playback and and DirectX 10 graphics. The Q100 should start at a suggested price of $249 while the Q110 will start at $349; both should be available in mid-September.