ThinkPad ThinkPad ThinkPad is a line of laptop computers and tablets designed, developed, and sold by Lenovo, and formerly IBM. ThinkPads are known for their minimalist, black, and boxy design which was initially modeled in 1990 by industrial designer Richard Sapper, based on the concept of a traditional Japanese "Bento" lunchbox revealing its nature only after being opened. According to later interviews with Sapper, he also characterized the simple ThinkPad form to be as elementary as a simple, black cigar box, and with similar proportions that offers a 'surprise' when opened. The line was first developed at the IBM Yamato Facility
Lenovo including its ThinkPad and ThinkCentre lines. As of January 2013, shipments of THINK-branded computers have doubled since Lenovo's takeover of the brand, with profit margins thought to be above 5%. Lenovo aggressively expanded the THINK brand away from traditional laptop computers in favor of tablets and hybrid devices such as the ThinkPad Tablet 2, ThinkPad Yoga, ThinkPad 8, ThinkPad Helix, and ThinkPad Twist; the shift came as a response to the growing popularity of mobile devices, and the release of Windows 8 in October 2012. Lenovo has achieved significant success with this high-value strategy and it now controls more than