The Unreleased IBM ThinkPad W-Note
The ThinkPad W Note.
This is a very unique laptop. Once we obtained this we searched all over the Internet trying to find out more about it but could not. So we did our own research.
Where did we get this? A customer gave it to us. They said they had no use for it. It had been used for a couple of years and has the average wear on the case to prove it. It was just treated like any old laptop until we received it. Here we have kept it under wraps and just shown it to a few ThinkPad fans over the years.
The machine is very similar to a Z60m. The plastics are glossy and unlike most ThinkPad laptops, they scratch very easily. According to the BIOS the machine type is VBW1-B30.
On the top of the laptop there is a label. Some of the relevant info that it reads is:
W_NOTE – S I V
Model Number: – BW1-B3
Processor: – Cel M 370 1.5Ghz
Chipset – 915PM (Leaded)
Graphics – ATI M22-CSP64 Hynix non-Compeq Substrate leaded 216TFHAKA13FH
M/E Top Case – ABS Model
AC Adapter – Astec’s 90W 2pin
Speaker – FG
Finger printer FPC – Flexium
Gate Array – Rohm TSURMIA (BD4175KVT)
PCB – Dynamic
Several places on the outside (& inside) of the laptop are labeled W-Note-I SIV #79081.
For an optical drive this has a DVD/CDRW flopping around in the bay. The drive has a matte finish. We were told this is how it was obtained.
Since it has a 915PM chipset it should take a 1.7Ghz PM CPU & 2GB DDR2.
While in storage the battery died. A Z60m battery will drop in but they will not have the glossy finish. On the back of the original battery there is a sticker that reads:
W-note by Pana
5.2Ah Rom:B-06 Ver22-B
#22 2005/03/17
The unit arrived here with a base XP install and no drivers. We installed the drivers and it works great.
Labels on the bottom indicate the unit has not met FCC regulations and may not be offered for sale. However this simply means it has never made it to production and gotten FCC approval. It is just like any other laptop, uses a standard battery, 15.4” screen, 2200BG wireless card, etc.; nothing crazy in it.
Would we sell it? Sure, if the price is right. We’re big ThinkPad fans here and it is neat having it around.
Other specs: 100GB HD, card reader, 3 USB ports. It came with a 256MB chip in it with the original “W-Note-I SIV #79081” label on it which we replaced with 2GB RAM. Any system with 256MB is unbearably slow and just plain abuse!
More pics:
Posted by admin | Posted in ThinkPad | Posted on 27-05-2011
