A Little Notebook with Bite

Jason Krause

The Toshiba Libretto 50 (around $2000) is not quite a palmtop, yet it's not a full notebook. It's a subnotebook that runs under Windows 95, not Windows CE. Previously available only in Japan, the Libretto 50 has a 75-MHz Intel Pentium processor, 760-MB hard disk, and 16 MB of EDO DRAM (expandable to 32 MB).

By removing the CD-ROM drive, Toshiba cut the Libretto's weight to 1.87 pounds. A portable CD-ROM drive is available that plugs into a SCSI port replicator. You can also hook up a PC Card-based floppy disk drive. The Libretto has a parallel port, ECP parallel support, and IR capabilities. The IR interface and port replicator make for quick file transfers and access to office information. A 6.1-inch color active matrix TFT display at the standard 640 by 480 resolution and Soun d Blaster Pro Card make multimedia dem onstrations possible on a small, though not ideal, scale. The notebook uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. The test model we saw had an impractically small keyboard, but Toshiba assured us that the production model will be resized for human hands.

The Libretto is ideal for checking e-mail on the road, as well as word processing and data acquisition. But even with a resized keypad, this subnotebook's small screen makes it impractical as a desktop replacement, but it is an interesting alternative for road warriors who don't want a bulky, standard notebook.

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Where to Find

Libretto 50.............................$2000

Toshiba America Information Systems
Irvine, CA
Phone:    714-583-3000
Internet: 
http://www.toshiba.com

Enter 1061 on Inquiry Card.

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More Than a Handful is Not a Waste

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