The
Toshiba Libretto W100 made a guest appearance on the
Engadget Show last week, and since we got to spend a bit more time with the dualscreen laptop we thought it was only right to release some more impressions into the ether. We also got confirmation from Toshiba that the somewhat-of-a-concept-PC will be hitting retail channels in August, including Amazon, and will cost $1,100. It may be one of the only dualscreen tablets on the market, but no matter how you break it down that price seems a little outrageous. But you wouldn't make up your mind before reading some further impressions and watching a close up video of the screens working in tandem, would you? Well then, we'll see you after the break.
The Libretto W100's external hardware design is exactly the same as we described it in our
original hands on -- it's a cute little system, though a bit thick. We're still going to point fingers at its Intel Pentium CPU for the heat coming out of the top of the device, however. The fan does seems to be working overtime, but the whole thing still gets rather toasty -- Toshiba assures us that this is one of the issues it's rigorously working on. The accelerometer does turn the device into a e-reader of sorts, but it took a few seconds to adjust the orientation.
It's on the software front where we've seen major improvements, and the two screens sure do seem to be working as more of a team. To start Toshiba has put controls throughout the whole Win 7 OS -- on every window there's two added controls to the left of the minimize button. The first lets you extend the specific window across both screens, while the other moves the window either to the top or bottom screen. Beyond those controls there's also a home button on the right edge that brings up a shortcut menus on the bottom panel. The software is fairly snappy and helpful for launching programs, making OS tweaks, etc. However, for the most part we used the bottom screen as a keyboard. As you'll see in the video, Toshiba's come up with six different keyboard options, but we're preferential to the split one that allows for thumb typing. In addition to the keyboards, there's also a touchpad button that brings up a small touchpad area that functions just like a regular touchpad -- as ridiculous as it sounds to have a touchpad on a touchscreen, it's actually pretty helpful if you want to dig through narrower menus.
So, what's our overall takeaway after spending an afternoon with the W100? It's definitely working better than the model we saw a few months back, but even when it did work there's not much you can do with it. It's neat as a web surfing device, but very few things take advantage of the two screens -- for instance, we'd like to see a compelling e-reading app (eh hem
Toshiba Book Place). In the end -- even if Toshiba gets all the hardware and software kinks worked out -- we're far from convinced that there's a place for the W100 in our lives for $1,100.
posted July 1st 2010 2:00PM
Courier, I miss you so much.
@Revolutionary Me too... makes me wonder why it's even worth it to put Windows 7 on one of these things anymore after seeing what the Courier shoulda done... Windows 7 doesnt even compare on a dual screen tablet...
@Revolutionary R.I.P Courier, the only MS product I can remember that bloody breathtaking. :'(
@GadgetNiall *that was
@Revolutionary
This is the Courier's ugly stepchild.
@SolidSnake nah, more like an ugly imposter. This shit ain't related to the courier at all!! Courier's a lady, don't foul her good name!!
@Revolutionary
oh baby it's beautiful! what's the matter with you guys?
@Revolutionary
Courier was the one one device concept that made my heart bit stop for a second.
@MrFluffyThing
Put MeeGo on this darn thing and we have a deal!
@SolidSnake does the Courier was only a concept work, or will it be release someday?
@Ellianth Guys, the courier was a video, not a product, it was pure concept. It may have looked cool but don't fool yourselves into thinking it was so far along that they were weeks away from releasing a product or anything because that's just not true.
Get over it, it's dead.
@MrFluffyThing How do you know courier wasn't going to be an Application running on Windows? Why would Microsoft create yet another OS? Would make more sense for Courier to be an App that runs on their flagship OS.
@ttringle I think we're just playing around.
@Revolutionary
You know I start putting pieces together in my head. I think M$ for all their incredible bureaucracy is letting the market run with this for a while. It was supposedly a Q3/Q4 launch and we're barely into Q2. Have faith.
@Revolutionary Yo dawg! I heard you like to touch, so we put a touchpad on your touchscreen so you can touch while you touch!
This netbook form MUST come with Pixel Qi.
The courier had some pretty specific uses. The video made it look like it was built around note taking. There was no mention of hardware specs. And it relied on that stylus. Even when the product was purely conceptual and marketers could make it look as cool as they wanted the users hand still had keep flipping that stylus back and use fingers for some things.
It looked really cool for what it did, but it did a few specific things. Or at least it would have.
@Revolutionary yea u know toshiba should not put this in limited quantity. its a taste of a courier.
@Revolutionary
Can we get webOS ported to this thing?!? I WANT ONE....
YESTERDAY!!
@Revolutionary Courier was as much of a product as a unicorn is a real animal.
@ttringle
Funny, because this site said that they were very close to a prototype. I'd source link it, but I don't care that much to find it.
lol this looks like a giant, well designed DS :D
You could get a top-of-the-line gaming laptop for that price. I mean, I get that two screens are cool, but that's just not worth it.
@FallenArms3
Wait, what? Why is this price outrageous? The cheapest Dell tablet (not Streak) is more than twice this...
@Greg F SAeriously. Take the iPad for instance. One screen, one G. So if we multiply that this unit should be 2 G's lol
@bit1
No... 1 screen $500. Add a second screen would be more like +$200.
@bit1 um, yeah there is a little more to the iPad than your generalized statement. And at it's most expensive the iPad costs $830 which is just a wee short of the 1G you are claiming. If your going to spout off at least try to be near the mark.
@Greg F : The XT2? That also has an active digitizer though, and the price of that sort of convertible slate (with the exception of HP's consumer line) is almost always in the high 1k/2k range. Also, it's a Core 2 Duo vs an Atom.
looks like shit! who would buy that? jesus christ
@iCole Not even Jesus Christ has need for this thing.
@WUSS
Yes I do, my son...
Libretto: Because typing on glass is an enjoyable experience.
/s
I'm still waiting for my dream tablet that's just 2 physical keyboards
They need to get those two screen close to each other. I mean almost seamless. This seems like design 101 to me. I mean who completely failed on that?
okay, I have to admit the way you have to use this kinda....Sucks
the courier (horizontal way) would had own this thing :)
I'd get one for $700
"They Keyboard app is one of our favorites. Of course, you can do this on the iPhone.".......WTF?
I was wondering the same thing. Wtf does the iPhone have anything to do with this?!
@KlassiK
she was talking about the piano thing; exactly the same as the iphone app...
@jam1n Thanks, Captain Obvious...
Sorry Gandalf, but i'll pass.
Wait... Where's the scorecard?!!
How can I possible comprehend how good/bad this product is as compared to others with a scorecard?!!
Lets every one who wants Courier send emails to S. Ballmer saying bring back Courier from the grave!!!
Woah! Who scored pics of the Nintendo DSi XXL?
I like it. If they resolve the heat issues I'll buy one.
It seems to lag quite a bit. If this is the final product I could see myself getting frustrated with the delay. It's cool though, I'll give em that.
@spearman LOL yeah, that was my first impression. Nintendo could make their XL double or triple in size and not have it be so pricey. I know, OS wise it's not the same, still. Super Size my DS please.
SCORECARD
Libretto W100
Toshiba
$1,100
3/10
THE GOOD
Two Screens
THE BAD
Price
Battery Life
@One Love
Yea, NO DEAL @ $1100. The EFF are they thinking?!? Its a netbook, $550 at Most.
FAIL, why wud anyone need double screen (dis-joint) tablet ever..
well, ya.. just to say - O' it has got two screens!