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        Toshiba spins a shiny netbook

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Apr 20, 2009 | Comments: 1


        Toshiba has announced a new netbook using Intel's Atom N280 processor. The "Dynabook UX" features a white or "satin brown" cover and a "chiclet" keyboard, a 10.1-inch screen, a 160GB hard drive, and up to ten hours of battery life, the company says.



        (Click here for a larger view of Toshiba's Dynabook UX)

        Toshiba, which ironically pioneered subnotebook computers more than ten years ago with its Libretto product line, was late to the netbook market, and, as far as we know, has so far produced only the dowdy-looking NB100 pictured at right. For its new, second-generation netbook, the manufacturer has placed substantially more emphasis on style: The Dynabook UX features a cover that comes in white or satin brown, with an imitation carbon-fiber effect, and the device's shiny keyboard uses a chiclet design similar to Apple's MacBooks.

        According to Toshiba, the expanded keyboard (below) has a 19mm pitch, decreasing typing mistakes. Compared to the NB100, the Dynabook UX's LED-backlit screen is larger, now spreading its 1024 x 600 pixels over a 10.1-inch work area.


        Toshiba's Dynabook UX
        (Click to enlarge)

        Under the gloss, the Dynabook has standard netbook ingredients, though it uses a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor, instead of the 1.6GHz N270 that still features in most other such devices. Employing the usual 945GSE (945GCSE northbridge and 82801GBM southbridge) chipset, the Dynabook UX comes with 1GB of RAM, though Toshiba doesn't provide word about whether this can be expanded.

        Toshiba claims the Dynabook UX will run for approximately four hours with its standard battery, or for ten hours with an optional extended battery (right). Featuring a 160GB hard disk drive loaded with Windows XP Home, the device weighs 2.6 pounds (1.18kg) with the standard battery or 2.9 pounds (1.33kg) with the extended battery, the company says.

        Finally, the Dynabook UX has three USB 2.0 ports, a webcam, a VGA output, a microphone input and headphone output, and a 10/100 Ethernet port. Noting that one of the Dynabook's USB ports can supply power to external devices even when the netbook is turned off, Toshiba also cites 802.11b/g wireless networking and an SD expansion slot.

        Features and specifications listed by Toshiba for the Dynabook UX include:
        • Processor -- 1.66GHz Atom N280
        • Memory -- 1GB of DDR2 memory (no details about expansion provided)
        • Display -- 10.1-inch LED-backlit display with 1024 x 600 resolution
        • Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
        • Storage -- 160GB hard disk drive
        • Networking -- 10/100 Ethernet port and 802.11b/g wireless
        • Other I/O:
          • 3 x USB 2.0
          • 1 x VGA
          • Microphone input
          • Headphone output
        • Expansion -- SD slot
        • Battery life -- Four hours (standard) or ten hours (extended)
        • Operating temperature -- 41 to 95 deg. F (5 to 35 deg. C)
        • Dimensions -- 10.35 x 7.57 x 1 to 1.21 inches (263 x 192.3 x 25.4 to 30.8mm)
        • Weight -- With standard battery, 2.6 pounds (1.18kg); with extended battery, 2.9 pounds (1.33kg)
        Availability

        Toshiba did not provide any details about international availability, but said the Dynabook UX will be available this week in Japan for about 59,000 Yen (approximately $600).

        More information on the Dynabook UX may be found on the Toshiba website, here.


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