In 1981, IBM envisioned
computing at a new level-personal computing and thus was formed its famed Personal Computing Division
(PCD). PCD rewrote the market rules by coming out with very first laptops, built in airbags that protect data, ThinkPad and unique software tools like Thinkantage
Technology. This was the inspiration behind Lenovo.
In 1984, 11 Chinese engineers with $25,000 in seed capital set up shop in loaned premises in Beijing to bring the advantages of information technology to Chinese people. They named their company Legend, as Lenovo was then known as. It charted a new era in China by introducing PCs to households and then establishing infrastructure to support PC penetration in China. It developed the pioneering Legend Chinese Character Card that translated English operating software into Chinese characters and achieved breakthroughs like PCs with one button access to the Internet.
By 1994, Legend was trading on the Hong Kong Stock exchange and in 1998 crossed the significant milestone of producing its on e-millionth
personal computer. In 2003, Legend changed its name to Lenovo taking ‘Le’ from Legend, a nod to its heritage and adding ‘novo’, the Latin word for new to reflect the spirit of innovation at the core of the company.
At the same time Lenovo introduced self developed collaborative application technology that heralds the role Lenovo is now going to play in the 3C era. From being a leader in China for eight consecutive years Lenovo started spreading its wings in far-off lands and made global arena its playing field. In keeping with its commitment to advancements in information technology, Lenovo acquired IBM’s personal computing division and with this the wheel had come full circle. Having announced its arrival on world stage with a big bang Lenovo today is world leader in PC market. The company employs 19,000 people worldwide with headquarters in New York.