The Lenovo IdeaPad U150 features an 11.6 inch screen and an Intel CULV processor. It’s available in a variety of configurations with up to 4GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive, and a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 CPU, and a choice of a 3 or 6 cell battery.

There are a lot of things to like about the IdeaPad U150. It has an distinctive textured lid, an attractive two-tone keyboard, and a combo eSATA/USB port, which is something you won’t find on a lot of ultraportable laptops. But there are a few down sides as well. While the laptop gets decent battery life, it doesn’t last as long as I’ve come to expect of a laptop with an Intel CULV processor. And while the keyboard is attractive, I found it mildly uncomfortable to use.

The unit Lenovo sent me to review features a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 dual core CPU, GMA 4500MHD graphics, a4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and a 6 cell battery. It features 802.11b/g/n WiFi and runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and has an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display. This model is available from Lenovo for a starting price of $749, but there’s also a $649 model with a slower processor, less RAM and storage.

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Just over a week after launching a product page for the IdeaPad S10 mini-laptop, Lenovo has removed the order button. When you visit the S10 page now, you can find all sorts of information about the laptop, but you cannot place an order.

The move isn’t particularly surprising. Customers who placed orders early on August 19th received notifications letting them know the computer would ship on 9/9/08. Later the same day customers were getting ship dates of 9/16 or even 9/23. Liliputing reader Lee Fairbanks says when he called Lenovo today he was told that the company pulled the order page because of a six week backlog for orders.

In related news, German site MSI Wind.net reporting on a rumor that MSI has stopped producing the MSI Wind U100 laptop, perhaps as the company prepares to unveil a new and improved model. I find this pretty unlikely, since the Wind has only been available for a few months. It’s more likely that the reason it’s hard to find the Wind in stock is because of battery and Intel Atom CPU shortages.

Oh, and did I mention that MSI just officially unveiled the Wind in Europe?

thanks Lee and Dave!

There’s a bit more info about the upcoming Lenovo IdeaPad S10 netbook. Laptop Magazine has a ton of details and a ton of pictures. First up, the operating system: Lenovo plans to ship the computer with Windows XP in the US, but the company will make a version with Linpus Linux Lite available elsewhere. Second, we now have dimensions and weight: 9.8 x 7.2 x .81 ~ 1.08 inches and 2.4 pounds. In other words, it’s a bit thicker than it looks in the video we saw yesterday, but still pretty tiny by laptop standards.

The 10 inch screen will display 1024 x 600 pixels, which is pretty much par for the course these days. The computer will also support 802.11b/g and Bluetooth, has an Ethernet jack, Express card, 1.3MP webcam, 2 USB ports, and a 4-in-1 card reader. I have no idea why Lenovo couldn’t slap an extra USB port on there. The HP Mini-Note also has just two, and I have to say, sometimes two just ain’t enough. It’s hard to call a computer ultraportable if you have to carry around a USB hub.

So here’s the complete rundown for those who like their specs in bullet point form:

• CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor
• Display: 10 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel screen
• RAM: 512MB or 1GB
• Storage: 80GB or 160GB hard drive
• OS: Windows XP or Linpus Linux Lite
• Connectivity: Ethernet, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth
• Expansion: 2 USB ports, 4-in-1 card reader, Express card slot,VGA output
• Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.2 x .81 ~ 1.08 inches
• Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Price: $399 to $449

While we’d originally heard that Lenovo would be putting out a 10 inch and 8.9 inch model, it looks like only the 10 inch version will be available in the west. Laptop Magazin reports the smaller computer will be sold in Mexico, India, and parts of Asia and Europe. The S10 will be available in the US on September 28th, but should hit China on September 5th and other parts of Asia on September 10th.