Lenovo to Run Internet Lounges and PC Service Centers for Journalists at 2008 Olympic Games

Lenovo (News - Alert), company that develops personal computers, will be providing support services for journalists during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The company will be running two PC service centers and two Internet lounges at the Games, starting July 25.

 

The service centers and Internet lounges are designed to accommodate approximately 30,000 journalists expected to use the Main Press Center and Beijing International Media Center during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Support will continue during the Paralympic Games in September.

 

Company officials informed that the support service will be provided to all journalists

regardless of the laptop computer model they use. The services include hardware repairs for Lenovo- and ThinkPad-branded notebook PCs, troubleshooting and technical consulting for non-Lenovo-branded notebook PCs, free virus checking and repair, operating system rescue and recovery, and application software installation and testing.

 

Though most of the services will be provided freely, the company would be charging the journalist for hardware parts replacement or accessories.

 

Lenovo is offering a team of nearly 600 engineers and technicians to support the Olympic Games, of which about 100 will support the Main Press Center and the Beijing International Media Center. These Lenovo Internet lounges and service centers has just entered the test operations phase. The centers are on the first floor of the media centers and will operate between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., seven days a week.

 

The Main Press Center is the working headquarters for registered print and broadcast media during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The Beijing International Media Center will support journalists who are not accredited with the International Olympic Committee.

 

"As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, Lenovo is providing high-quality PCs, services and technology to successfully build the information system for the Main Press Center and Beijing International Media Center," said Alice Li, vice president of Olympic marketing for Lenovo.

 

Li added, "By providing these support services for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, Lenovo is ensuring that journalists from throughout the world will have properly functioning equipment to distribute news."

 

With a total of 260 PCs, the Lenovo i.lounges will provide free and convenient computer and Internet access services to athletes, coaches, trainers, and news media from around the world.