Jenn of Pocketables has a Libretto U100 from Conics.net and in her unboxing and first impressions there are definitely getting some good vibes being sent out. ‘The cool factor is off the charts’ she says. I tend to agree but is it actually usable?
I had a chat with the guys from Wow Pow blog yesterday and there’s some good vibes coming from them too. Certainly the keyboard software seems well thought out and provides for some unique flexibility. Heat and battery life are flagged as issues and of course, there’s the price to think about too. $1100 for a 2hrs device! (W105 in the USA only comes with standard battery and no 3G or 4G, the W100 import from Conics is more expensive but comes with the large battery in addition to WiMax.)
Two very interesting ultra mobile PC designs. HTC Shift and W100
International users will be happy with the different language keyboard layouts (video) although both Jenn and Pow-Wow say that the full keyboard layout is too small to touch type on. I get the feeling that the Sony Vaio P would be a better choice is you need to input a lot of text on a sub-800gm device although the comparison image of the HTC Shift above highlights another very interesting design.
The CPU power on this can’t be understated though. It will bring Windows 7 multitouch features to life. If only there was a VGA or docking port then you’d have a really nice mobile desktop set-up.
Check out Jenns unboxing and first impressions bullet-point list and stay tuned over there for more. We’re tracking important news, popularity and forums on the W100 information page.
New article: Libretto U100 Gets Unboxing, Credit! http://bit.ly/bsT8c1
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Libretto W100 Gets Unboxing, Credit! http://bit.ly/9XJuAv
Undoubtedly super cool and something that could have easily got me back spending.
But the $1600 import price (+ I assume taxes) as US ones seem to be sold out already is the first issue, but the real killers for me are the step back to 2008 in battery life and noisy fans.
I thought we’d escaped those!
The US model is the one that only has an 8-cell battery while the Japanese model ships with both batteries. From one review I have read in Japan the 4-cell battery gets around 1 hour but we’ll see.
this Libretto W100 is not only no HDMI output port, nor any a port could connect an exterior monitor. If you went to travel staying a hotel-room, over there provides a HDTV and its HDMI input port to be available, unfortunately your Libretto W100 is unable to enjoy on a large screen.
Also, the battery life is clearly a trouble on this Libretto W100:
a processor of the TPD 18-Watt + two screen of 7-inch = got a poor battery life.
Well, you need to take a high-capacity battery in the Libretto W100. The right side in the image, there is clearly became a thicker than 1.5 inches. 2 hours of playback video from a high-capacity battery.
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/img/pcw/docs/375/378/html/R1143425.JPG.html
http://img.kakaku.com/images/magazinem/org/kakaku/i20100618/report52_22.jpg
http://img.kakaku.com/images/magazinem/org/kakaku/i20100618/report52_23.jpg
this Libretto W100 is not only no HDMI output port, nor any a port could connect an exterior monitor. If you went to travel staying a hotel-room, over there provides a HDTV and its HDMI input port to be available, unfortunately your Libretto W100 is unable to enjoy on a large screen.
Also, the battery life is clearly a trouble on this Libretto W100:
a processor of the TPD 18-Watt + two screen of 7-inch = got a poor battery life.
Well, you need to take a high-capacity battery in the Libretto W100. there is clearly became a thicker than 1.5 inches. 2 hours of playback video from a high-capacity battery.
no battery life = no value
sorry, no matter how fancy and portable it might appear to be, less than 6 hours in reality, it’s nothing but a piece of scrap metal
2 hours is a joke, especially when it costs you such a fortune to enjoy no luxury on mobility. Even a $250 netbook can easily hit 3 hours.
the performance can be really a secondary thing on a handheld device like such, and yet the battery life is never something to be compromised on.
Frankly speaking, even 6 hours cant be considered “whole-day use”. toshiba really should have emphasized on and been aware of this way more than merely trying to create a fancy looking product with no “practical use”..
no thanks, i’ll pass
Whole day use should be unambiguously defined as 24 hour of battery life. I don’t think it’s meaningful to define a whole day as more or less.
Clearly, this isn’t the right device for you. It’s not the right device for me either. Batter life and price keep this from being a practical “everyman’s device”. However, nobody, not even Toshiba, is claiming that it is.
However, I can promise you that there is no shortage of people who don’t even have two hours of time everyday, or even any day, to play around with a device like this. They’re at a desk working for 8-10 hours a day. They’re in a car driving for 1-2 hours a day. They’re in a bed sleeping for 6-8 hours a day. They spend most of their time at home. They cook. They have families, spouses, and children. They have friends. They have hobbies and interests. They use their computers to get work done and earn money, not to distract themselves from their real lives or simulate social relationships. They also tend to be the ones with enough disposable money to buy a device like this. Eight of my clients got in on this pre-order, and they are all this kind of person.
i get your point but you really didnt have to go too far on this trying to sarcastically imply that people spend much time on computers have no life.
you do realize that you have also neglected the ones who need computers at least 4,5 hours a day outdoor for business purposes. portable devices like this are constantly used for presentations. clearly not everyone on earth has the same type of job as yours.
Regardless of how much time you have, 2 hours usage is rubbish. It means you are always concerned about having it on charge or being near a power supply.
And if time is of a premium you want it to be instantly on and being in standby to get that will lose some of that battery reserve too.
I don’t use my mobile devices that much, have a very busy life, and have certainly splashed out on devices like this. But all too often I’ve been very frustrated when I’ve gone for a device and it’s not had enough juice for a session.
The best thing about my iPad is that I press a button and it’s instantly on and in general usage I don’t have to think about charging it all week…
this Libretto W100 is not only no HDMI output port, nor any a port could connect an exterior monitor. If you went to travel staying a hotel-room, over there provides a HDTV and its HDMI input port to be available, unfortunately your Libretto W100 is unable to enjoy on a large screen.
Also, the battery life is clearly a trouble on this Libretto W100:
a processor of the TPD 18-Watt + two screen of 7-inch = got a poor battery life.
Well, you need to take a high-capacity battery in the Libretto W100. The right side in the image, then a fulsome size is clearly thicker than 1.5 inches. 2 hours of playback video from a high-capacity battery.
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/img/pcw/docs/375/378/html/R1143425.JPG.html
http://img.kakaku.com/images/magazinem/org/kakaku/i20100618/report52_22.jpg
http://img.kakaku.com/images/magazinem/org/kakaku/i20100618/report52_23.jpg
If the HTC Shift had updated internal hardware, I’d go for that instead. To me, the Shift has a better mobile form factor. It would be nice if the Libretto could twist the screen and fold down to make a smaller tablet when using while mobile or you just need a smaller overall device at the moment.
This concept begs for lower power display technology with built-in touch sensing, e.g. next generation e-paper. Here’s hoping it doesn’t get lost due to “too early” a release.
I spoke with a member of the uk toshiba technical support today and he said they have a 3G version in testing now, for release later in the year ( the existing USA/uk models have no 3G)
He was very impressed with it and said it’s one of the most beautiful bits of kit he has ever seen.
Chippy if you look on the uk site there is a docking port option of sorts listed that offers 1920 resolution output for circa£80
Hopefully it isn’t a mistake as it also said it has 128ssd until I got them to change it
This is the docking solution, I use the older version at home and it has a max resolution of 1280×1024 and I use the newer one at work and supports the 1920×1200. I’ve been using them for the last 3 years…
http://laptops.toshiba.com/dynadock
‘docking’
It is USB Port Replicator, that is actually external USB video card, and it was not a mini-shape nor a low weight, would be more the trouble in the applied side. I cannot imagine that users would be willing to carry and using those, because Libretto W100?
And, an external USB video card would be higher to consume up the battery, takes up the more system resources and running would be slower.
other, two 7-inch screens are not equivalent with a 14-inche screen, nor an area of same size between both sides.
Also, a HDTV is 27-inch at least , a monitor is usually 20-inch at least, if you want to show some pictures by a projector, it could be 100-inch at least.
It will run hot and noisy and will drain fast the batery!Do you need more?
If they replaced the bottom screen with a keyboard. I’d totally buy it. Why can’t companies make netbooks with CULV CPUs? If they can cram one in a tablet (Toshiba and Hanvon) then they can stick it in a notebook with a 7 to 10 inch screen.
Libretto W100 Gets Unboxing, Credit! http://tinyurl.com/34pqbbm (via @pulsepad)
Don’t want to sound like I’m wearing a tin hat, but it looks to me as if MS gave Toshiba a lot of help with this – perhaps all the fruits of its “Courier” Team. The UI experience looks incredibly slick and incredibly well thought out. I think, 3G is a must in this type of device, the two hour battery life is what my Samsung Q1 was doing for most of its life so its not overly shocking. If you get a 4hr battery thrown in thats 6hrs or the classic – London to New York flight. The ipad comparison doesn’t really hold water because the processors are from a different universe and the potential for productivity operate on a different plane too. Bluetooth 2.1 means a world of devices, one USB 2.0 port means printers, cameras, keyboards, mice and all other kinds of peripheral are compatible too. Then you have the micro SD slot which means another 32GB if your so inclined. All in all a pretty sweet package.
N.b. the lack of HDMI is not a killer for me, its just not that type of device.
Before three years, I bought a Samsung Q1u, it has already provided with 3.5 hours the typical use or 2 hours playback video (DVD only), just a standard battery (4-cell, 30Wh). And, a 6-cell battery is with 5.5 hours the typical use or 3.5 hours playback video.
you must bear in mind, ——- in 2007, did not have the 32nm technology in the mobile processor. Samsung Q1u has Intel A110 processor, it was just 90nm, and the northbridge, video card were not inside one chip! Also, Q1u screen is very bright, and not the ‘Max brightness looks like 1 / 2 to 3 / 4 brightness’.
Samsung Q1u is already three years ago, not the 2010.
In today, we are expecting a standard battery of 36Wh would support the typical run of 5 hours at least.