Lenovo lines up ThinkPad Tablet 2 to coincide with Windows 8's October debut

Atom-based ThinkPad tablet set to be available at the launch of Windows 8

Lenovo has officially confirmed it will have a new ThinkPad tablet device running Windows 8 available as soon as Microsoft's new platform is launched in October.

The mobile professionals-targeted ThinkPad Tablet 2 will be based on Intel Atom processor chips, with mobile broadband options and corporate-grade security and management technologies, the firm said.

Set to be shown off at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin at the end of this month, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 will boast a 10.1in screen, weigh less than 600g and support multiple input methods, including the touch-screen or a digital stylus.

An optional keyboard and dock will also allow the tablet to be used on a desk with an external monitor and other peripherals for a full "PC-like" experience.

Lenovo said that the ThinkPad Tablet 2 will be ready for corporate use, with a built-in fingerprint reader and encryption support to protect both internal and external storage. The addition of Windows 8 Pro makes the device compatible with existing Windows management tools.

"Our new ThinkPad Tablet 2 marries incredible hardware and software to give consumers a great device for office, home or travel while also offering companies and IT managers the oversight they need to help secure and manage their company's networks and data," said Dilip Bhatia, vice president of Lenovo's ThinkPad Business Unit.

The announcement of the ThinkPad Tablet 2 shows that Lenovo is following a similar strategy to many of the other PC vendors with regards to Windows 8, bringing to market a fairly conservative tablet design, largely based on existing PC technology rather than opting for a more radical ARM-based device.

This may have something to do with Microsoft's decision to bring to market its own Surface tablet systems, which many vendor partners are reported to be unhappy with. Acer in particular has been particularly vocal in its criticism of the Surface devices.