We took a gander at Toshiba's Folio 100 today and here's the main takeaway: sucker be huge. It has a 10.1" screen and a fairly reasonable bezel around it - though the resolution on that screen is still only 1024x600, same as the 7" Galaxy Tab. The whole thing is hard plastic with a small texture to the back and felt fine despite being what we suspect is still pre-production hardware. It weighs in at 1.7 pounds and is carry-able, sure, but it's such a large, wide screen that this is pretty much a sit-down device only. The battery died on us pretty quickly - at 1020mAh it's probably difficult to get through an entire day of IFA fondling. Toshiba claims 7 hours of battery life.
The HDMI-out and USB-host (yay!) ports are hidden underneath a port cover. There's 16gigs on board and it's expandable via a standard, large SD card slot. Combine that full-sized SD card slot, the USB Host port, and the HDMI-out and we're thinking this is a business-focused device that has aspirations of being a professional photographer's bestest friend ever.
We were looking at at build of Android 2.2 that didn't look quite optimized for the big screen and definitely isn't final build ("TOSHIBA_FOLIO_AND_A 2.2 3.0004 for IFA test-keys" is a pretty good hint there), but we did find it to be responsive and quick - for the most part. There was the occasional lag and jaggy transition, due to that early build moreso than the Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, which should be the definition of fast. We would definitely like to see the final build on this - we bet that the included Opera Mobile browser will simply fly.
$540 in "late October" for the WiFi only version is what they quoted us in the booth, with the 3G version coming next year. Catch more photos after the break!
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doomed b4 it even launches.
1. 1024x600 is too low of a resolution for a 10' screen to compete with the ipad. It seems this is the max resolution Google is allowing until android 3.0 to make it easier for app developers to make new versions to upscale.
2. Charging $540 for a device that is worse than the ipad in almost every way doesn't make any sense.
3. Toshiba didn't make many apps/optimizations for the android OS. (Look at the galaxy tab).
4. 1020MAH battery!? This thing is gonna die after a few hours of use. The galaxy tab has a 4000mah battery and 7' screen.
Agreed. And its too damn BIG AND HEAVY. People dont realize until you own one how big and heavy the iPad is for a so called portable device.
Add that to the fact thT the iPad has ZERO extra ports and no camera which is the reason why its barely portable. You add all these hardware features and stikl use a 10inch screen? It would NEVER WORK. 7INCH is the sweet spot i think..... Samsung is leading the way
1024mah battery for a 10" screen? WTF!!
Yeah, I was thinking that has GOT to be a typo. My *PHONE* has a bigger battery than that!!
They need to cut down on the size of the bezel. I would prefer a screen larger that the 7" that seems to be the fad now.
I will agree with the pricing and resolution being a disadvantage. If this is anything like their laptops/netbooks in regards to the battery, I would believe their claims. IMO the stock android look is perfect. Not saying Samsung's interface isnt nice, but the Vanilla feel is nice. One advantage this does have over the Galaxy Tab is the wifi option. I already have an android on a network, why would I need this to be?
all i gotta say is Nvidia Tegra 2 .. guys stop bitching you dont like it don't buy it
real hands on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blba_3Vyipw
Agreed. This is half the point of Android, that you AREN'T locked into one device on one carrier. You can get budget phones on any carrier, or fancy high end phones on any carrier, or anything in between. Android tablets are just starting to come out. Give it time and you'll have as wide and as varied of a choice as you do with the phones.
Fine...done...not buying it. What's next on the android front. Because so far every damn manufacturer has neutered their device in one way or another.
Samsung... proprietary port.
Toshiba...no market, shit battery, so so resolution.
Wow, look at the screen in that video. Pulled straight from a netbook no doubt. Come on toshiba, even apple managed to fit an IPS panel into the budget. I haven't seen a similar video of the tab, hopefully, the screen is better.
I agree!
"It has a 10.1" screen and a fairly reasonable bezel around it - though the resolution on that screen is still only 1024x600,"
That is the same resolution as my (and almost ALL) 10" Netbook. It is not too low (although the bezel is far too big). And unlike the too-small Galaxy Tab, this unit has REAL ports, not proprietary!
The problem is their price is way too high. I don't think many people will pay $540. I would spend no more than $400...
I think Dieter was giving a subliminal message with that picture:
Let's highlight the Toshiba folio by flashing our Galaxy Tab header from the website on it.
Go ahead Dieter, admit it, you weren't impressed by the Folio. The Freudian slip proves it :)
at 1020mAh....the device, when actually being USED, will last like 4 hours before dying. Are you serious?
All the people complaining about the bez need to shut up until you have used a tablet for more then 2 minutes. Without that bez you would be constantly touching the screen with your palm while trying to use it with you finger. The bezel isn't there just for the hell of it. It serves as a buffer between the hand holding it and the screen.
What a let down. Our family has three Toshiba laptops and love them. I thought this would be a shoe in for our first tablet, but not with tjat price and those hardware specs. Shoot, the battery in my Dinc was bigger. What were they thinking!
This is going to sell? The Archos 10 tablet has a 10 inch screen and a front facing camera. Plus all the same ports and good build quality. And it will be available in Best Buy next month for $299.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=HWrNvIQHms0
Granted the Samsung is sleeker and the Archos 10" is cheaper but what most of you are neglecting is that the Folio has a Tegra 2 250. That there is a dual core Cortex A9 clocked at 1Ghz and has a nVidia Geforce GPU. This tablet + root and a good clean AOSP build of Froyo will be a MONSTER. I mean absolute and utter beast.