Today, PC company Lenovo, Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and TOP Sponsor of the Olympic Games, launched the first of three online auctions taking place in India as part of a global online Olympic philanthropic auction counting down to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Just as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will travel around the world, a new Lenovo auction is beginning each week in a different country, as a countdown down to the Olympic Games. The auction features limited-edition, notebook PCs inspired by the Lenovo-designed Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch.

Lenovo recently announced additional torch relay components with the same ‘Cloud of Promise’ theme including the lantern that will carry the flame around the world and the cauldron lit at the end of the relay day, in each city.

Starting from midnight today, over the next ten days, a “Cloud of Promise”-themed notebook PC will be available for bidding at www.lenovohopefundauctions.com. The limited-edition notebook PC offers the Olympic fans the opportunity to bid and own a part of Olympic history. The auction site will be closed at midnight of March 6th, 2008. The remaining two auctions in India will begin on May 6th and July 29th, 2008 respectively.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction will be distributed through the Lenovo Hope Fund to select philanthropies, including Right to Play. In the spirit of Lenovo’s sponsorship of the Olympic Games, the proceeds will be utilized to concentrate on microfinance, small- and medium-enterprise development and bringing sports to communities of children.

“We are thrilled to offer fans the unique opportunity to own these one-of-a-kind Olympic torch themed notebook PCs,” said Deepak Advani, Senior Vice President, E-Commerce, and Chief Marketing Officer, Lenovo.” Just as our technology helps bridge the physical gaps among different parts of the world, Lenovo’s goal is to do the same through social investments. In the Olympic spirit of internationalism and cooperation, it is fitting that these Olympic torch-themed notebook PCs should benefit worthy causes.”

The global auction is taking place in Japan, Australia, UK, France, Russia, USA, Hong Kong, Argentina, China, India, Brazil and Canada. In the final week leading up to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, 12 notebook PCs, one from each of the participating countries, will be auctioned to conclude the program. A total of 36 limited edition Lenovo notebook PCs are being auctioned around the world.

The auction will live on a Lenovo micro-site - www.lenovohopefundauctions.com. Each bidder will be directed to a country specific listing where they will find additional information about the notebook PC and bidding process. Bidders will be pre-qualified to bid in US dollars through Kompolt, an on-line auction agency focused on creating successful high-value, high-profile promotional and charity auctions. Due to export restrictions and policies, the Olympic torch-themed notebook PCs may only be purchased for use in India.

Like the “Cloud of Promise” on which the design is based, the notebook cover features striking swirls of silver against a pure red base color. Because computer configurations and ability to sell, vary by market, Lenovo has added the Lenovo Olympic Torch-themed design to notebook PCs in the markets for which they are configured in order to create this global auction. The product for auction will be the Lenovo 3000 V200 notebook with the special Olympic Torch-themed cover. In China, the product being offered will be the Lenovo Tianyi F21 notebook with an Olympic Torch-themed cover.

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About the Lenovo Olympic Torch Notebook Design

Lenovo’s award-winning design team spent more than 10 months on the design of the torch. Altogether, more than 30 Lenovo design specialists were involved in the torch project. The team was truly multinational, including designers from Germany, Singapore, US, Japan, New Zealand, Italy and China. For its winning torch design, the Lenovo Innovation Design Center group employed a number of innovative materials and techniques, from precision-machining an aluminum-magnesium alloy into the scroll-shaped curves of the torch body, to using rubberized paint for the first time ever in an Olympic torch to provide the sensation of one hand gripping another. Like the “Cloud of Promise,” on which the design is based, the notebooks are characterized by striking swirls of regal red against a pure silver base color, a contrast representative of the traditional Chinese concern for balance and harmony.

About the Lenovo Hope Fund
The Lenovo Hope Fund is a donor-advised philanthropic fund created by Lenovo Group and managed through the Triangle Community Foundation. The mission of the Lenovo Hope Fund is to support the creation and growth of new businesses in distressed communities around the world, as well as innovative nonprofit organizations that serve these communities.

About the Lenovo TOP Sponsorship

In addition to its role as the designer of the Beijing 2008 Olympic torch and Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay, Lenovo is also the technology hardware supplier for the 2008 Games. Nearly every aspect of the management of the Games, from gathering and storing participant data to displaying the scores to organizing all activities for BOCOG, depends on hardware provided by Lenovo. The company was also the Technology Equipment supplier for the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, where Lenovo hardware supported critical Games systems as well as specially designed Internet lounges for athletes and journalists.

About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building the world's best engineered personal computers. Lenovo's business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group's acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, see www.lenovo.com.

Issued by:
Sampark Public Relations
Rajat Chandihok / Lalit Pandey
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