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Fancy that, Fancy This. The Lenovo N700 does the horizontal twist

8/22/2014

Hello. This is Greg Costa, the creator of this site. I was fortunate enough to receive for review a dual mode Lenovo N700 mouse/laser pointer, which has proven to be a perfect companion at my workplace, where I have to both analyze data and present information.

A little bit about what I currently do for a living: I’m an analytical scientist for Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, here in the wonder West Greenwich, Rhode Island, and work as a contract worker for a large biotech company. I largely run the bioassays, particularly the ELISAs, on products designed for anything from lowering cholesterol to treating arthritis. Using the ELISA, which uses antibodies and a color change to measure substance, I quantify how much residual Chinese hamster ovary protein (CHOP) and Protein A are in the products. The Chinese hamster cells are necessary to produce the biopharmaceuticals, while the Protein A is used for purification, but both substances must be removed from the final product (and thus it’s my job to see that their levels are as expected). If you are unfamiliar with the ELISA, I’m sure you’ve seen it applied in the every-day world—the birth control test is a simplified, more rapid adaption of this method. Though at first glance it seems like a simple assay, especially in comparison to the sophisticated pieces of equipment we have, it is actually one of the most sensitive.

The ELISA, with its pretty yellow colors, may look primitive in comparison to the complexities of HPLC, but it remains one of our most sensitive methods.

So why would the N700 be a perfect companion to my day? Well, perhaps one imagines that my job is spent entirely in the lab, but in truth, a good portion of my day is spent running from one building to another. I begin my morning by getting my laptop, I head over to another building to pick up my samples from the -80°C freezers, and I go to yet another building to actually run the samples, walk to get much needed coffee (and lunch, I guess)…then, at the end of the day, I go back to my desk to analyze my results. Generally, I log five miles of walking just from my routine at work. Though I’m perfectly content using the keyboard of a laptop, the touchpad is a different matter—I find that one of the best ways to speed productivity is to use a real mouse. Now, my hands are full with boxes of samples, my laptop, operating procedures, etc. and anything that can be compact and slipped into a pocket is most welcome; fortunately, the mouse is capable of twisting to a completely flat position to fit in a jean pocket. Generally, I use the mouse for anything, whether it be entering the data into SoftMax or working on a PowerPoint—though the mouse lacks a dedicated scroll wheel, the center of the mouse contains a scroll bar that surprisingly functions very well.

One of the uses of my Lenovo mouse is for inputting and analyzing my ELISA data in SoftMax (that beautiful blue is read with a plate reader and quantified). One medicine we analyze is Enbrel, which is used to treat inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis

Watching the N700 convert from a mouse to a presentation device is when the N700 gets the most looks. Presentations are an integral part of my job, and being able to seamlessly transition from making last minute changes to a presentation to actually presenting, without having to carry both a mouse and clicker, is very convenient. Twisting the mouse to the candy bar position allows it to be used as a traditional clicking device, and the center scrolling device, when depressed, activates the laser pointer (rather ingenious).

The Lenovo N700 can swivel into a presentation mode. Please do not shine laser in eyes.

So how does it function? I have used corded infrared mice for many years (as most us have), but one problem that has always plagued mine has been using them on shiny surfaces…like the lab bench. The mouse pointer often jumps on me or doesn’t move at all, necessitating the use of a mouse pad or another matte surface. For some reason, the Lenovo mouse is not troubled by this problem, and has worked flawlessly on our black, glossy lab benches. The only adjustment I do recommend the user make is changing the sensitivity in Windows to his or her liking (I found it not nearly sensitive enough to my tastes). Another feature I like, as silly as this is, is the soft, rubber coating the mouse is clad in (similar to a ThinkPad’s or Blackberry’s--yes, I use a BlackBerry). Not only is it comfortable to the touch, but has ended one of my own careless mistakes—many a time I have walked with a mouse on my laptop, only to have it slip and hit the floor. Lenovo, much to my delight, designed the mouse to function with either Bluetooth 4.0 or a 2.4G USB nano receiver. Because I use an old T400, the receiver is a requirement (as it will likely be for many users)—the receiver, fortunately, works like a charm—drivers are installed within seconds once connected to the USB port. I used the mouse for a presentation on the LAL test, a test that uses horseshoe crab blood to detect endotoxins, and it worked like a charm. One criticism--I know many of us think smaller is better, but I would prefer the nano dongle to be maybe a...microdongle. Though it can be conveniently stored in a compartment in the mouse, it is still very easy to lose when removed, as I discovered while hunting for it on the carpet.

The N700 can connect to a computer via Bluetooth or the provided USB nano receiver

I think it’s clear that the Lenovo N700 has left me with a very positive impression. At $31.99 it is not cheap, but it works very well while obviating the need to purchase two separate devices, a mouse and a presentation device. It does this in a svelte, compact form factor.

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An Analytical Scientist's Dream Machines: Why go Big when you can go slim?

8/16/2014

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Benjamin Vieira graduated from Northeastern University in 2012 with a degree in biochemistry. Since interning at Genzyme, he has worked at several pharmaceutical companies in the Boston area. Hobbies include filling every party with music from a piano (somehow a piano always appears), planning the next day for his Beer Club, and staring dreamily into cameras. Here he discusses how his current workplace utilizes the latest Lenovo products to maximize productivity and space in the lab.

My name is Ben. I work at a large biotech company, as a scientist in pre-clinical research. The focus of my work is Analytical Biochemistry. During the discovery process of new drug candidates, detailed information about proteins, cells types, and many other aspects of biological processes is often sought in order to make educated decisions for these projects. In my group, we specialize in examining the chemistry of these interactions: Everything from detecting tiny quantities of a single molecule to assembling libraries of information about how enzymes or antibodies interact with cells. Carrying out my job often requires the use of the latest instruments and the automated processing of large sets of data. Some chemistry instruments can detect hundreds to thousands of individual molecules in the space of a single analysis, and can produce gigabytes of data per sample. I spend as much time interpreting this raw data as I do in the lab! Because of this, reliable computing is essential to what we do.

In the past year, the company switched to issuing Lenovo brand desktops and laptops as part of an effort to completely replace an aging handful of assorted computers used with scientific instruments. As part of the switch, I received the ThinkPad T430s with a dock for use at my desk. (Slimmer and sleeker options were available, but the scientist in me had to opt for all of the ports and CD drive) My first laptop had been an IBM ThinkPad. After switching around in the years afterward to a handful of different laptop brands, I decided to purchase the most up to date Lenovo T530 series about 2 years ago as my personal laptop. Most of my previous laptops ended up being dropped and tossed around during heavy use, usually resulting in dents, snapped plastic, and at least one broken hinge. I had decided that this time around, I didn’t just need the performance specs, I needed the construction. I didn’t know what to expect from the smaller T430s, but I knew I would be able to put it to the test. My commute to work each day totals 4 hours both ways, and includes a short drive , walk, and a much longer ride on public transportation. Since October, the laptop has travelled thousands of miles. I’ve left it on accidentally in my case, watched the case go flying as the bus screeches to a halt, and accidentally sat on it at least a few times. All the while I have never stopped enjoying the ability to work on my analyses or charge my phone and mp3 player on the go. The Power Manager included with Lenovo’s suite of software is particularly useful. I end up having to tweak the power settings often in order to maximize my processing power or battery life, and this can usually be accomplished by tossing the slider one way or another. I have been extremely pleased working with the T430s.

Don't be fooled. The T430s is a powerhouse. Despite being a mere 23.6mm, the T430s contains an array of ports and can be equipped with such features as a discrete graphics card.

This laptop isn’t the only Lenovo product I work with, though. Communal X1 Carbons have been setup for use inside the lab, and my instrument computers have been replaced with small form factor ThinkCentre M92p desktops. Both are exciting additions to the lab. The X1 Carbons are for use with our electronic notebook systems, and they are fantastic for this purpose. Connected to the network, the super light laptops can be used to check chemical info, pull up old data, or remote desktop into instrument computers in another building to check on your work. The ThinkCentre desktops free up a decent amount of bench space, and in one instance allowed me to move an instrument to a spot where there was no room for an additional computer in the traditional tower format.

Since my first ThinkPad, I’ve been associating Lenovo with dependable laptops. Now that I trek to work with one, I know I’ll be able to continue to focus on the science I love and I will always have the tools I need.

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Shaking up Design

8/14/2014

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Over the weekend, I had the fortune to tour Hancock Shaker Villa in Hancock, MA. The settlement was founded by the Shakers in 1783 and remained active through 1960; it now functions as a museum. Though I found much of their beliefs intriguing—like pacifism, celibacy, and communal living—it’s their art, architecture, and craftsmanship that is the most relevant to this blog. The works that the Shakers produced were not just simple, but also purposeful. Their ladder black chairs with woven seats, for instance, were fast and easy to produce. The interiors of rooms were standardized and mass produced, yet the originality and quality of design was not diminished. When one walks through a space, it’s apparent how their philosophy of “form fits function” has influenced American architecture. Rooms are designed to maximize lighting naturally, built-in cabinets abound, lines are clean, and little details, like peg rails for hanging miscellaneous clothing, demonstrate their emphasis on utility. Perfection in one's work was seen as an act of prayer in itself.

A distinguishing feature of the Shakers from other religious groups, like the Amish, is that they utilized and welcomed advances in technology. For example, a state-of-the-art water turbine powered many of the tools, like the lathe and wood saw, in their woodshop. The Round Stone Barn is perhaps the most impressive structure in the village—it was designed to ventilate the hay to prevent mold growth and spontaneous combustion of the hay, and to allow the farm animals to efficiently be fed and the space to be efficiently cleaned. These hygienic conditions and the design of floor layout minimized the chance of milk becoming contaminated.

I see many similarities between the Shaker’s and Lenovo’s design ethos, which emphasizes purposeful simplicity. Take a look at the Lenovo ThinkStation: While many companies would streamline the appearance, Lenovo continues to include a robust carrying handle in the design and USB ports that are easily reached from a seated position for the sake of ergonomics.

From the IBM towers to the modern Lenovo ThinkStation, handles are included

The ThinkPad embodies Lenovo’s commitment to practicality. The ThinkPad T420, perhaps my favorite of the ThinkPads, clashed with contemporary designs that were shifting to minimalism at the cost of function. The T420 has latches to prevent the computer from accidentally opening, a seven-row keyboard with the most-used keys enlarged (look at the escape and delete keys) a clamshell design, plentiful indicator lights, a matte screen (great for sun glare problems) in an era when glossy was dominating, and physical keys above and below the trackpad. Let’s of course not forget the signature red TrackPoint, often derided by the ignorant, yet still admired as one of the most efficient navigation tools by "those who do."

The Lenovo T420 represents the zenith of design for me. A perfect keyboard, indicator lights, a ThinkLight, dedicated volume/UltraNav buttons, and latches are becoming a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, many of Lenovo’s most important and impressive design features are naked or overlooked. Modern ThinkPads, for instance, are designed with an internal roll-cage to increase strength and stability; keyboards are manufactured with drainage holes to make them spill resistant; and the laptops are clad in a soft, rubbery finish to decrease the likelihood of accidental slips.

Much of the durability of the ThinkPad is a result of features unseen to the eye

And if you think that a unibody metal laptop is stronger than the composite plastic and composite materials that ThinkPads are made of, here is the result of a premium work computer that fell off a lab bench and landed on the lab floor, a distance of about three feet, or 0.91m for you metric folk (My T400 has survived unscathed by similar falls…and had there been any damage, Lenovo designs many of their laptops in such a way that they are user-serviceable; saving the user time and potentially the hundreds of dollars in repairs to have the computer professionally serviced).

The good news is that most of the damage was cosmetic

Lenovo continues to innovate with their designs, from the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga to the integrated function keys in the X1 Carbon. Some changes are exciting and helpful; others make me a little wary. But it’s always a good feeling knowing that Lenovo has the user, and not the latest fashion trend, in mind.

I'm sure modern Shakers would use ThinkPads (maybe we're too old for playing dress-up)

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Ninety Days on the Bering Sea: How Lenovo Saved My Sanity

8/12/2014

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Alexander Sousa graduated from Boston University in 2012 with his bachelor’s degree in marine biology . He has worked as a fisheries observer and currently works as a high school biology and marine biology teacher. Hobbies include skateboarding, surfing, charming women with his guitar, and reminding me that patience is a virtue. Here Alex describes how his IdeaPad Y560p fills his needs during the working day and when the working day is done (scientists just wanna have fun).

Work:

A North Pacific ground fisheries observer is a strange job. An observer is sent to live on a boat for a few days or a few months and collect data on the catch. This includes which specifies are being caught, and what size, gender, and condition many of them are in. The work is critical in assessing stocks of fish in the Bering Sea and off the West Coast of America. In fact there exists a worldwide network of observers working in different countries in order to ensure the health and continued sustainable harvest of wild caught fish.

Conditions:

The Bering Sea is no place for a weak spirited disciple of science or for a weak spirited computer. The weather is brutal, the hours one ends up working are erratic, and long stays out at sea make dependability of equipment and personnel key. Quarters were extremely small and only allowed for the bare essentials.

Select images below to expand. Seeing them high-res is worth it. I promise.

My Lenovo IdeaPad’s part in my work and life:

Without my Lenovo IdeaPad Y560p I would have been significantly less equipped to do my work. My laptop served both as a secondary reference for identifying species and performing my duties and as my main source of entertainment and backup for all my photos and videos. Being a gamer and movie lover, I needed a laptop that could meet intensive graphic demands for the time I had free and yet not be the fragile husks that gaming computers are known to be. My laptop was also my lifeline to family and friends. In my spare time I would write emails, kept a journal, and when I could find Wi-Fi, I Skyped with my family. My Lenovo helped me be an effective employee and kept me from the clutches of cabin fever, but these are only some of the ways my Lenovo has helped me. Over our time of three years together, my laptop has been a major force in my life. It has helped me both work—conducting research and writing papers culminating in my bachelor’s degree in biology—and play, from symphonies, innumerable seasons of Star Trek, and every game from Skyrim to Minecraft.

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DNA, p53, and My T430

8/11/2014

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Virginia Breese is a molecular biologist at Rhode Island Hospital. When she is not in the lab, she is travelling, training for the next bicycle race, and dispelling the myth that one has to be middle-aged and single to live with two cats. Here she describes how her ThinkPad T430 is, like her ABI 7900HT PCR System, another tool for her work.

When my netbook finally crashed, after about a year of abuse, I vowed to invest in a more suitable device for my computing needs. This required the admission that while my purchase was to serve primarily as my personal computer, it would inevitably be dragged into the workplace. For me, the requirements of a personal laptop are simple- durability (since I’m a little accident prone), portability, and internet access; however, to function in the workplace, as I learned the hard way, processing power and software compatibility are also important.

I work in the clinical molecular biology laboratory at Rhode Island Hospital, which is a branch of the pathology department that aids in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of genetic diseases by looking for changes in patients’ DNA. As the department’s “developmental technologist” I am responsible for developing, validating and implementing new tests for the laboratory. The field of molecular medicine is growing rapidly, especially in regard to diagnosis and treatment of cancer. As our understanding of the molecular landscape of cancer is constantly changing, so are the tools we’re using to incorporate this knowledge into clinical use. Over that past year, my Lenovo ThinkPad T430 has helped me to gather, process, and communicate this information to my peers in a centralized way.

In the lab, we use many different platforms to extract the appropriate genetic information from a variety of patient specimen types. Each platform requires a unique data analysis program and often, the lab prefers additional third party software to fully complement our clinical workup. During the evaluation process of new test implementation, having a personal computer that can easily install and run new programs is extremely convenient. It allows me to further process data remotely and very importantly, to demonstrate the efficacy of the software to peers and supervisors during meetings. Since incorporating the T430 into the lab, I’ve never had to awkwardly stall, waiting for a program to load during a presentation. I can seamlessly toggle between PowerPoint presentations and new software demonstrations, providing my audience with a clear understanding of the material.

Overall, my T430 has proven invaluable at work and at home. It more than satisfies my need for processing speed at work and, personally, I love the industrial design. I travel often and always bring it along- the screen is large enough to enjoyably watch videos and surf the web comfortably but still relatively light weight. Since I’m not exceptionally delicate with my electronics, I love that the frame appears indestructible.

In the fall I will be beginning graduate school while balancing working full time in the lab. Though I'm certain some days will be hectic and stressful, it's a good feeling knowing that I can rely on my ThinkPad.

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Bring your waffles and pancakes: My sappy story

8/8/2014

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Before discussing my research on rainbow trout (which I will at a later date), I figured I should start my blog on a more personal note; this should provide some insight into why someone would be so passionate about a product. Over the course of these past six years, my Lenovo ThinkPad T400 has seen me through great times (like beginning grad school at UMassD) and also accompanied me during difficult times that have often bled into the lab. One such time was in June 2011 when one of my closest friends, Marc Biszko, was deployed to Afghanistan. This began my daily tradition of typing in an electronic journal, a fancy way of saying Microsoft Word. Rather than sending a care package, every two weeks for over a year, I would email him my daily log. Though he returned home several years ago, I have continued writing: To date, I have typed 1052 pages…single-spaced. It has covered the death of loved ones, my sister’s proposal and marriage, the transition from school to a new job, and just about every topic in my daily life.

It was also while on my laptop that I met two of my closest friends. Jan de Wet, an artist/architect from South Africa, first spoke to me two years ago on a pen pal website (Interpals.net) and our friendship blossomed from one of Skyping , texting, and emailing daily to one where we eventually met in person; a year ago, we toured Barcelona together, leaving me with one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I also met my other friend, Karl Mick, online. Though Karl attends the same university from which I graduated, he is seven years my junior and an anthropology major—had we not discovered our mutual interest in classic literature and botany, chances are our paths never would have crossed. I should note that without their friendship, none of the original artwork on this blog would have been created. A collection of Jan's work can be found here.

Photos through the years: in Spain with my South African pen pal, a conference with my former lab(we're more diverse than the Village People), the Berkshires with Karl, my graduation, and my sister's wedding

Perhaps it’s overly sentimental to become so attached to a big black box, nothing more than a tool. . But like Woody Allen who has used the same Olympia portable typewriter for the past fifty years, I do plan on keeping my Lenovo for many years to come (seeing how not a single repair has been performed or component replaced since its purchase, this very well may be a possibility). When I type at the keys, I think of great memories with my former lab (some of the best years of my life), endless hours working on my thesis, my sister’s wedding, and traveling to Lancaster, PA, for work training, where my T400 was my only companion. I am reminded of my first high school reunion , loved ones who I will never see again, and the creation of new life. George Orwell’s Remington typewriter has been described as an “extension of his arm.” Though I'm far from Orwell, my Lenovo has been my workhorse: not just a reliable work machine, but a gateway to distant friends, keeper of memories and a portal to new friends.

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About Gregory Costa

Gregory Costa is a decent biologist, mediocre writer, terrible formatter, but true Lenovo enthusiast, who admires the use of their products in both the academic and industrial setting...when he's not busy delighting himself in science, nature, or his OkCupid profile.

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Welcome!

Fancy that, Fancy This. The Lenovo N700 does the horizontal twist

An Analytical Scientist's Dream Machines: Why go Big when you can go slim?

Shaking up Design

Ninety Days on the Bering Sea: How Lenovo Saved My Sanity

DNA, p53, and My T430

Bring your waffles and pancakes: My sappy story

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About Gregory Costa