Similar to the i Series 1400, the i Series 1500 is a notebook manufactured by Acer in cooperation with IBM on the basis of the ThinkPad 390E. This results in some technical similarities - but also numerous visual differences. The device was primarily aimed at consumers and was designed as a multimedia device. It was produced from July 1999 to April 2002.

One of the most striking features is the CD player built into the front of the housing, which can be used without a booted operating system when turned off. The control panel consists of a small display and several buttons to control the player. Even when closed, the display can be read through a small Plexiglas cut-out in the display cover.

The keyboard has four colorful, freely programmable shortcut keys. In contrast to other consumer ThinkPads, the device has a ThinkLight, which is controlled with a toggle switch on the display. Like the 390E, the i1500 has fold-out feet on the housing tray to increase the angle and reduce the strain on the hands.

Unfortunately, a plug-on adapter is required for the hard disk (which is missing from my device), which ports the IDE pins to a proprietary slot. All in all, the i1500 is a very exciting device from a time when a lot of design experimentation was going on.

Technical data

Special features:

• Colorful special keys on the keyboard
• CD player that works when switched off
• ThinkLight with switch on the display
• Transparent view of CD player when display is closed
• Fold-out feet in the housing tray

Diagnostic output

# lspci
TODO

# lsusb
TODO

# lscpu
TODO

Links

• ThinkWiki entry