-
your Windows® embedded community
Windows For Devices
your Windows® embedded community
The Libretto W100 (right) has been called a riposte to Apple's hot-selling iPad, but Toshiba itself makes no such comparison. Rather, the company says the device was designed as "a groundbreaking showcase of Toshiba's innovation and strength of engineering excellence," celebrating its 25th year of producing portable computers.The "limited-production" W100 is going on sale in Japan next week and will be available in the U.S. by the end of this month. Priced at approximately $1,100, the device may be preordered now, Toshiba says.
Unlike the iPad, the Libretto W100 runs a full desktop operating system -- Windows 7 Home Premium -- with Toshiba's own tablet extensions. The device is powered by Intel's Pentium U5400, a recently introduced "Arrandale" processor that is similar to the Core i3 but does not include the chipmaker's Turbo Boost or hyperthreading technologies. The CPU has an 18-Watt TDP, and Toshiba cites "up to three hours" of cordless operation.
Obviously, the Libretto W100's battery life can't hold a candle to that of the iPad or other ARM-based devices. But Toshiba compensates with some interesting exclusive features: For example, the portable's dual, seven-inch multitouch displays each sport 1024 x 600 pixels.
According to the company, the W100 can be held vertically like a book, for example to read the double-page spread of a newspaper, or it can be used horizontally, reading a document on the upperscreen, while using the lower screen to capture clippings and ideas. The lower screen can also display one of six different virtual keyboards, all of which include haptic feedback, Toshiba says.
"The user can easily drag and drop content, files or icons from one screen to another with a simple sweep of the finger," the company states. It's further said that supplementary title bar buttons allow any application to be expanded so it displays on both screens.
Toshiba says the Libretto W100 weighs 1.2 pounds (819g) and measures 7.95 x 4.84 x 1.2 inches (202 x 123 x 30.7mm). The device folds up clamshell-style for easy carrying and protection of its screens, the company adds.
According to Toshiba, the Libretto W100 teams its Pentium processor with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 62GB SSD (solid state disk). In addition to a 1.2 megapixel webcam, the portable comes with a microSD slot and a USB 1.0 port, says the company.
It's said the Libretto W100 comes with 802.11b/g/n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1 as standard. Mobile broadband will be included too in some markets, according to Toshiba, though the company did not provide further details.
According to Toshiba, custom software on the Libretto W100 includes "Bulletin Board," for desktop personalization, "ReelTime," which helps users easily find files based on when they were opened witha "simple visual history," and "File Browser," which makes it easier to access file folders and applications. Quick access to the device's applications and keyboards is provided via icons, the company adds.
In addition to the Libretto W100, Toshiba has announced a netbook that has a traditional form factor, but runs Google's Android 1.2 version of Linux on a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 based Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. For further details, see previous coverage on LinuxDevices.com, here.
A product page for the Libretto W100 may be found on Toshiba's website, here. Amazon's page for the device may be found here.
A Techlicious.com posting incorporating a brief hands-on may be found here.
