IBM on Monday unveiled two new models in its ThinkPad line of laptops that boast a new data protection scheme that detects sudden movements -- such as a dropped notebook -- and locks down the hard drive before the fall can cause a crash.
The new ThinkPad R50 and T41 laptops boast what IBM"s calling Active Protection System, technology that responds to sudden acceleration by parking the hard drive read/write head until the PC is stabilized. Likening Active Protection to the equivalent of airbags for laptops, IBM said that the technology will prevent the hard drive crashes that can result from dropping a computer.
IBM also refreshed several other ThinkPad models -- including the X31, R40, R40e, and G40 -- with faster processors, integrated wireless networking on some of the portables, and additional features from IBM"s ThinkVantage technology line, including an enhanced one-button restore of the hard drive and easier access to IBM"s online support.