Lenovo debuts IdeaPad U8 mobile Internet device

Using its home country's Olympics as a springboard, Lenovo has announced the IdeaPad U8, a new mobile Internet device (MID). The device is equipped with a 800MHz Atom Z500 processor, 1 to 2GB of RAM, and a 6GB solid-state drive. It also has twin cameras, and includes at least one USB port, which lets it access mobile TV through supporting tuner add-ons. It is unknown if other peripherals might be compatible.

Notably the unit is controlled mostly through a stylus-operated touchscreen, and supports wireless technologies including GPS, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g and EDGE cellular. It should also be capable of supporting 3G and WiMAX broadband, though whether or not this will be built-in is unclear. The U8 is set to ship to China in the "near future," at a price roughly on par with smartphones.