By John Mark V. Tuazon
Computerworld Philippines
May 31, 2010

CLARK, PAMPANGA - As notebooks continue to enjoy popularity due to consecutive price markdowns, desktop PCs may see a second coming in the form of all-in-one (AIO) PCs, a Lenovo executive suggested Thursday.

Citing the change as a “transformation” of the desktop space, Michael Ngan, country manager for home and small business, Lenovo Philippines, said all-in-one PCs are filling certain market needs, especially because of its unique form factor.

“We see an opportunity for all-in-one PCs, especially, for example, in call centers,” Ngan explained. “We still see growth for desktop PCs, especially in the corporate space.”

Ngan disclosed that Lenovo experienced good reception of their AIO line, but the market for it is not that big just yet. “But it has been growing consistently,” he added.

In an earlier exclusive interview with Computerworld Philippines, Vicky Agorilla, the firm’s general country manager, said desktop PCs remain to be a viable PC product for Lenovo. “Some businesses, such as those in the financial services industry and the call center industry, simply can’t do away with desktops,” she recalled.

Agorilla said their notebook business has been increasing over the years, but that “the desktop units are still growing.”

The IT executive added that they have started pitching AIO PCs to enterprise customers, and that the feedback has been good because “it provides less clutter, and it’s ergonomic and sleek.”

Agorilla likewise cited the differing business requirements of enterprises, which may not be met if they opt to use laptops, due to their limited form factor.

Additionally, large enterprises often undergo occasional hardware refreshes, which continually fuels the businesses of PC vendors such as Lenovo. “Entry-level units often get upgraded when new processors arrive, while higher-grade desktop units undergo a yearly refresh rate,” she disclosed.

Lenovo Philippines on Thursday unveiled several additions to their Ideapad and Thinkpad line, which include a new AIO PC and several notebook units.

The vendor’s new AIO PC comes in the form of the Ideapad A300, a 21.5-inch unit that comes in a shiny white finish. The A300 sports an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and is the first AIO PC in the market to use an LED panel for display. It will retail for P47,900 come June.

SMBs, on the other hand, can take full advantage of the readily available ThinkCentre A70z, a 19-inch Windows 7-powered AIO that comes in a 2.4-inch black frame and a 16:10 widescreen monitor, which typically occupies 70% less space on most office desks.

Lenovo likewise refreshed two of its notebook lines—the Ideapad V460 and the ThinkPad Edge—to address the SMB market. The new Edge, which comes in a 14-inch display, now sports Intel’s Core i3 processor, unlike its predecessors which come with AMD processors.

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