MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - The "other" dual screen computer- Just Released

alefor · 08-16-2010, 07:13 AM

Just in case anyone is interested, I would like to briefly review the other dual screen computer, the Toshiba W100 Libretto, which was released (in Japan only so far) on August 11th. It took me until August 14th to buy it.

This dual screen computer, two 7-inch screens, costs about US 1300. It has 2GB of RAM, and a 62GB SSD. It runs Windows 7,and comes loaded with the "Home Premium" version. The processor is an Intel U5400 running at 1.2GHz. It comes with 2 batteries, a thin short-term one, and a thicker one that lasts longer. The Japan version also has built-n WiMax, which I have not used yet. There is a single USB port, a micro SD slot, and a headphone jack, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth.

I immediately installed the "Windows Anytime Upgrade" to Windows 7 Ultimate which (very surprisingly) went quickly and without a hitch. I am very impressed by that alone! The last time I tried such an upgrade on another machine, it was a nightmare.

The dual screens are capacitive type, so a stylus doesnt work. The screens are hinged together, and can be used in many ways. Unlike the eDGe, they are essentially equal. You can use them together as one large screen, or run different apps on each screen.

The computer comes pre-loaded with a bunch of typical Windows "bloat-ware" as well as a nice Toshiba app called Bulletin Board that can easily be made to run on the lower screen while other stuff runs on the upper screen. The bulletin board functions just as its name suggests. Its a nice piece of graphical software. There are multiple touch-screen keyboards built in.

In general, its a nice computer. It weighs about 700g and is thus highly portable, fitting easily in a jacket pocket. It runs full-blown Windows. And compared to other netbooks and such (usually with Intel ATOM processors) its fairly speedy, subjectively at least. Boot time is great at about 45 seconds.

If you need a highly portable computer, you should consider it (price notwithstanding). However, due to the screen size, it doesnt come close to the eDGe as a device for reading.

08-16-2010, 07:13 AM	#1
alefor Edge User	The "other" dual screen computer- Just Released Just in case anyone is interested, I would like to briefly review the other dual screen computer, the Toshiba W100 Libretto, which was released (in Japan only so far) on August 11th. It took me until August 14th to buy it. This dual screen computer, two 7-inch screens, costs about US 1300. It has 2GB of RAM, and a 62GB SSD. It runs Windows 7,and comes loaded with the "Home Premium" version. The processor is an Intel U5400 running at 1.2GHz. It comes with 2 batteries, a thin short-term one, and a thicker one that lasts longer. The Japan version also has built-n WiMax, which I have not used yet. There is a single USB port, a micro SD slot, and a headphone jack, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth. I immediately installed the "Windows Anytime Upgrade" to Windows 7 Ultimate which (very surprisingly) went quickly and without a hitch. I am very impressed by that alone! The last time I tried such an upgrade on another machine, it was a nightmare. The dual screens are capacitive type, so a stylus doesnt work. The screens are hinged together, and can be used in many ways. Unlike the eDGe, they are essentially equal. You can use them together as one large screen, or run different apps on each screen. The computer comes pre-loaded with a bunch of typical Windows "bloat-ware" as well as a nice Toshiba app called Bulletin Board that can easily be made to run on the lower screen while other stuff runs on the upper screen. The bulletin board functions just as its name suggests. Its a nice piece of graphical software. There are multiple touch-screen keyboards built in. In general, its a nice computer. It weighs about 700g and is thus highly portable, fitting easily in a jacket pocket. It runs full-blown Windows. And compared to other netbooks and such (usually with Intel ATOM processors) its fairly speedy, subjectively at least. Boot time is great at about 45 seconds. If you need a highly portable computer, you should consider it (price notwithstanding). However, due to the screen size, it doesnt come close to the eDGe as a device for reading.