Lenovo To Begin Pre-Orders For Smart TV In China

One thing that attendees of CES 2012 couldn't escape from was the rise of the Smart TV. Various manufacturers like Samsung and LG showed off what they're hoping will reignite television sales, with some sets running Android and offering a variety of apps and custom content. One surprising addition to the TV market is Lenovo, who will begin taking pre-orders shortly for their own Smart TV, the K71.PCWorld reports that Lenovo has will start taking pre-orders for their Smart TVs on April 10th, with the first TV, the 42-inch K71, shipping towards the end of this month. The K71 will cost around 6499 yuan (~$1,030). Pricing and availability for three other models in the range has yet to be confirmed by Lenovo.

The new line of Smart TVs are running Android, or more specifically Ice Cream Sandwich. They'll also come with specs you'd expect from a typical Android smartphone, with a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor running the show. The TVs are able to run ordinary Android apps, as well as apps from Lenovo's own store.

We went hands-on with the K91 TV back at CES, and were intrigued by the premise. Back then, Lenovo was showing off a custom gaming controller for the TV in order to play Android games, as well a crazy remote for regular TV functions. Check out our CES video below.