Lenovo has unveiled a lighter, quicker ThinkPad notebook computer inspired by the convenience of tablets and smartphones.

The Chinese computer maker displayed the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon on Monday and said it would go on sale later this month.

A Lenovo vice president, Dilip Bhatia, said it will have a longer battery life and lighter weight. He said that was in response to demands by customers who want a tablet's convenience but need a notebook's wider range of functions.

Lenovo acquired the ThinkPad brand with IBM Corp.'s personal computer unit in 2005. Lenovo passed Dell Inc. last year to become the second-largest PC manufacturer after Hewlett-Packard Co.