Toshiba Netbook-iPad Hybrid to Run Windows 7

Toshiba is hoping to do more than capture an iPad-friendly market with its upcoming Libretto W100 -- instead, the tech firm seems ready to unearth a whole new audience, one that will appreciate a dual touchscreen device sporting Windows 7.

The Toshiba Libretto W100 measures 7.95 x 4.84 x 1.2 inches and weighs much less than most netbooks at just 1.8 pounds. However, it's not all that similar to the tiny laptops; instead, its dynamics fall somewhere between an Apple iPad and a Nintendo DS.

Techies Push for Alternative to Android

Just as important as Libretto's size is its operating system, which Toshiba says will be Microsoft's very popular Windows 7. That could be an enormously successful move if done right, given that many tech pundits have shown a disgruntled attitude towards Google's Android, which many critics suggest is better suited for smartphones than portable computers. (Source: pcworld.com)

By using Windows 7, Toshiba plans to make the Libretto W100 compatible with Microsoft software, most notably Microsoft Office applications. The company also plans to make Skype video calling a main feature, along with an application called File Browser (for quickly searching out documents) and ReelTime, which is used to provide a visual history of used files.

Hardware-wise, the Libretto W100 sports two 7-inch diagonal touchscreens each running 1024 x 600 resolutions. It's expected the system, which is meant to act as either a tablet or a netbook, will have QWERTY keyboard functionality in the same vein as that used by Apple's iPad. (Source: seattlepi.com)

Big Features Could Bring Heavy Price Tag

Under the hood, the Libretto features an Intel 1.2 GHz processor along with 2GB of DDR3 RAM and 62GB of hard drive space. Aside from its use of Windows 7 and two touchscreens, the Libretto has several other features not found on the iPad: a USB port, a microSD slot, and a web cam.

Unfortunately, all those goodies could translate to a steep price tag: although Toshiba hasn't reported an official price yet, estimates suggest the Libretto could sell for $1000 or more, which is twice the iPad's going rate.