Fast on the heels of Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet annoucement, Toshiba debuts its own tablet device, the Google Android-powered Folio 100.
Computer maker Toshiba Europe introduced its media tablet, the Folio
100, a 10.1-inch touch screen device that the company said is being
targeted at users looking for a portable and versatile computer. The
tablet comes with a selection of apps and services dedicated to media
consumption, Web browsing and social networking, and sports an
intuitive graphical interface developed by Toshiba to run on top of
Android 2.2 (Froyo). The Folio 100, which will retail for ?ö?®??399, or
roughly $500, will be available during the fourth quarter of 2010
throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa, according to a company
release.
Offering a range of connectivity options, the Folio 100 is equipped
with an SD card slot, an HDMI connector, USB 2.0, WiFi and Bluetooth,
while a Mobile Broadband (3G) ready version is planned to follow soon.
The tablet also features a Nvidia TegraTM 2 processor and boasts a
battery life of up to seven hours. A 16GB on-board storage hosts music,
videos, photos, e-mails and other data and is also expandable via SD
card. Toshiba has also already established a destination for developers
where they can get support to optimize their apps for the tablet.
"Our Folio 100 media tablet offers a seamless, easy-to-use experience
across entertainment, social networking and mobile Internet-anytime
and anywhere," said Marco Perino, general manager of digital life
products and services at the company. "We encourage users and
developers to join our Folio 100 eco system to create and offer apps,
games and other content for Folio 100."
The tablet also features Toshiba Market Place, a service that offers
access to various download choices for multimedia content, services and
apps. Music Place, powered by 7Digital, offers access to a catalogue of
music and allows syncing to a choice of devices. Radio Place gives
access to a selection of IP radio services. Through the App Place,
users are able to download applications compatible to the Folio 100.
The Folio 100 also ships with a selection of applications preinstalled,
including the Opera Mobile Web browser, FBReader, an e-book
reader, Document To Go, the tablet's office suite, Evernote notes,
Adobe Flash 10.1 and Fring, an app that in combination with the
embedded Web cam allows video calls.
The announcement follows a release earlier this week from Samsung,
whose Galaxy Tab tablet computer fits in between Apple's iPad and the
company's popular iPhone smartphone. A 7-inch display allows users to
communicate via e-mail, voice and video call, SMS/MMS, or social
networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Supporting the latest Adobe Flash
Player 10.1, the tablet also features a "Readers Hub," Samsung's
e-reading application, as well as a media application, a gateway to
films and videos, and a digital music application.
Toshiba also had some less positive news today: The company announced
a voluntary recall of its Satellite T135, Satellite T135D and Satellite
ProT130 notebooks, which are being recalled due to overheating that
could cause damage to the notebooks and burn the users. Toshiba has
received 129 reports of the notebook computers overheating and
deforming the plastic casing area around the AC adapter plug, including
two reports of minor burn injuries that did not require medical
attention and two reports of minor property damage.
Nathan Eddy is Associate Editor, Midmarket, at eWEEK.com. Before joining eWEEK.com, Nate was a writer with ChannelWeb and he served as an editor at FierceMarkets. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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