Lenovo has introduced a first of its kind keyboard, available on select devices, designed to seamlessly write in the indigenous language “te reo Maori” of New Zealand. This will enable Lenovo’s customers to communicate in their preferred language.
The bilingual keyboard is a product result of Lenovo and AMD collaboration. The idea came about when the brand’s New Zealand Country Manager, Libby Macgregor’s 8-year-old son Felix began to learn te reo Maori in school and questioned why there wasn’t any hardware available to support his learning.
Macgregor then realized that Lenovo didn’t have the hardware to make this as easy as it should be. “Lenovo has an incredible Product Diversity Office, and it was in consultation with this team we created something that could support the learning and use of te reo Maori. This is why this launch is particularly meaningful for me, personally.”
She believes that digital devices in countries with large English-speaking populations often miss out on products with alternate characters for languages. And results in a digital divide for consumers who do not have a viable solution to use technology the way they want to. It impacts their daily use of preferred languages.
Lenovo launched its Product Diversity Office in 2020 to ensure that its solutions are easily accessible and reflect the diverse needs of its worldwide customer base with a goal to have 75 percent of all products vetted for inclusion by 2025. Its bilingual keyboard is a significant step towards changing the landscape of digital equality and inclusion, through smarter technology for all Aotearoa New Zealand.
Peter Chambers, Managing Director Sales, AMD Asia Pacific & Japan, said language is fundamental when it comes to culture. “Preserving it allows us to pass on history and traditions for generations to come. We at AMD are active champions of diversity and inclusion. Our relentless drive to innovate means we always seek to redefine the status quo. It is through the launch of the Lenovo Aotearoa New Zealand bilingual keyboard in select ThinkPad and Education laptop devices.
Furthermore, the bilingual keyboard highlights Lenovo’s increasing investment into the preservation of indigenous cultures through its Lenovo Foundation, which has most recently seen Motorola partnering with UNESCO to conduct further research on the impact and potential of digitizing endangered indigenous languages.
