Toshiba reveals more tablet details, confirms Windows and Android versions

It wasn't that long ago that we heard confirmation from Toshiba America's Jeff Barney that there was a slate coming from the company in early 2011. Now Jeff has disclosed a bit more information to Reuters, including the presence of not one but at least two of the things, and he's saying they'll be out before the year is through. The first will be a premium model running Windows 7, roughly 10 inches in size and, interestingly, having not one but two screens. (Is this you, Courier?) The second will run Android and is said to come in at a lower price, though beyond that it's up to you to decide what kind of specs it should have. The prime intent for both is "media consumption" according to Barney, who sees the presence of slates as "expansive like netbooks." In other words: not stealing sales from the company's laptop business. Given he also took the time to talk up the 50-percent boost in Toshiba laptop and PC sales this year, he'd better hope that's the case.

[Atkins Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:57AM]

Can't understand the point of having two screens.

[unwynd Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:19AM]

this looks like a toy i had about 15 years ago, seriously toshiba?

[Pixie91075 Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:48AM]

@Atkins have you looked at the mock-up of the Courier... that looks sweet. The Courier looks to be the hight and width of a paperback book, but incredibly thin. The Courier looks like it could be really the next big thing. I just wish Microsoft would quit goofing off and get it done.

[locked Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:00AM]

@Atkins
It would be great to use the dual screen tablet as a regular netbook with one screen as the monitor and the other as keyboard. To use the screen as a keyboard it would be nice to put a flexible keyboard kind of sheet on the screen when needed which would send the key presses as touch inputs to the screen thus giving the user the much appreciated physical keyboard and not tapping on the screen. The flexible keyboards wont need any wires to connect to the device nor any extreme engineering. I hope someone makes such a flexible keyboard for use with any such dual-screen tablets.

[Atkins Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:16AM]

@Pixie91075 Here is my point: they say the Courier will be oriented for productivity - that's why the stylus. I think many of those buying Tablet PCs with styluses are buying them for sketching, drawing etc. At least that is why I bought my Lenovo. I don't see myself choosing 2x7" screens for those purposes vs. the 12" screens of most Tablet PCs. I am not saying the Courier won't have its use for other people though, but between Tablet PCs, netbooks and iPads, it is a pretty tiny niche.

[rdrunner Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:34AM]

@Atkins

I see what MS did there

Courier's... Kin O_o

[strawe Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:00AM]

That thing looks thick and ugly.

[ChairmanMeow Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:07AM]

@strawe thats what she said

[techee44 Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:10AM]

@strawe

Thugly.

Wait..........

[Beatnik Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:19AM]

@strawe
Well, I really hope this is a proto and the final version wont be that ugly.
Hey Toshiba I want a Double Boot slate (Android and Windows), with specs similar to those Notion Ink ADAM and ICD Gemini:
Dual Core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, 2 USB ports, Webcam and Photo camera, Flash support, 1080p HDMI video out, 3G phone calling enabled, Double Display color and eReader, 1Gb of RAM, SD slot.

[Flanjygo Posted Apr 15th 2010 3:21PM]

@strawe

Especially with that blue "e" on there. I would not buy it simply because it has Internet Explorer on it.

[bob e Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:01AM]

I'd love to have a 2 screen version :)

[brrip Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:02AM]

Wow the icons look big enough to scroll with my fists. And no I don't have small hands.

[steel Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:03AM]

2011....

/hits snooze button

[jjrp123 Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:10AM]

Courier is windows CE I thought

[shizzledmg Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:12AM]

they should reconsider the whole ui, and the icons are so 1998

[AngelLulu Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:14AM]

THis looks craptacular! Resistive screen ?

[aardman Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:14AM]

Does it have to be that ugly?

[i3ipad Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:27AM]

Who buys this crap?

[Anatidae Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:30AM]

Manufactures who spout about products not even remotely shipping are annoying.

I'll be interested when you have it for sale, Toshiba.

[vanglorious Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:36AM]

@Anatidae

i won't. it looks like shit. i just don't understand exactly who these companies are targeting with their shit tablet computers. do agree that it's annoying to be given all these announcements and no firm release date.

[Eternity Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:40AM]

Media Consumption Tablet = FAIL

Also... Fat tablet is FAT

and 1 more thing... why not a productivity and consumption tablet?
Fuck your laptop business, I'd rather have a sleek pen enabled tablet then lug one of those around.

[scatterz Posted Apr 15th 2010 9:40AM]

Is that a DVD drive ?? seroiusly ..

[mark29 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:03AM]

@scatterz no it's a cover with sd slot usb and usb mini underneath

[mark29 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:02AM]

is it the tablet in the photo? because they've been selling that here in Spain for at least 2 months.

[mark29 Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:07AM]

@mark29 http://www.fnac.es/Toshiba-Journe-Touch-Tableta-de-internet-multimedia-7-Ordenador-portartil-Notebook/a361017?PID=10&Mn=-1&Ra=-5000&To=0&Nu=7&Fr=0

[saposmak Posted Apr 15th 2010 10:26AM]

I hope it's not the Courier. Windows 7 on a 2 screen tablet sounds very bleh.

[bonedog73 Posted Apr 15th 2010 11:22AM]

Looks like a freakin brick...

I don't get why these electronics companies even try with this shit. Is it that hard to make something similar or better than the iPad?

Why waste money making crap like this??

[hsmoker Posted Apr 15th 2010 11:20PM]

@bonedog73 Obviously it is that hard. Top-notch designers and years of R&D don't come cheap.

[MysticMaven Posted Apr 15th 2010 11:30AM]

If any of these tablets weigh more than 1.5lbs then they automatically FAIL!! The iPad at 1.5 is even too heavy IMO.

[fermanog Posted Apr 15th 2010 3:10PM]

More and more tablets...
But wend will this things realy come out??
By the time they will my money will be spent in some other gadget...

[vqro Posted Apr 15th 2010 4:53PM]

It's chunky and clunky. not feeling it.

[Bingremailedws Posted Apr 15th 2010 8:50PM]

Wow, incredible. this is going to be good!

Lou
www.fbi-logs.hk.tc