Lenovo’s new laptops have clever built-in webcam covers so you can finally ditch the piece of tape

• Lenovo unveiled a slew of new laptops ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show next week.
• Several laptops in the new lineup include a cool new feature called the ThinkShutter, which is a sliding security cover for the webcam.

There’s a cool new reason to consider Lenovo’s ThinkPads.

Among the many new tablets, laptops, and 2-in-1 machines Lenovo unveiled on Thursday, one of the more interesting innovations is a built-in webcam cover for laptops that Lenovo is calling the “ThinkShutter.”

The ThinkShutter is a tiny sliding cover that sits next to the webcam at the top of the device. It can be moved to the side when you want to make a Skype call or record a video, then slid back again when you’re not using the webcam in order to protect your privacy.

The ThinkPad X280 ($999) has the ThinkShutter cover, as do three laptops in Lenovo’s T series – the T480s, T480, and T580 laptops, which go for $989, $1,269, and $1,079, respectively.

If you've ever seen someone with an old piece of tape stuck over the webcam on their $1,000 machine, you know just how silly it can look. But many smart people who know about technology do this, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who puts tape over his computer's webcam and microphone jack, and former FBI director James Comey, who once said, "I put a piece of tape over the camera because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera." The ThinkShutter may be a small tweak, but it's a subtle and effective solution for anyone concerned about their privacy.