Toshiba Libretto

The Libretto is a line of subnotebook computers designed and produced by Toshiba. The line was distinguished by its combination of functionality and small size, squeezing a full Windows PC into a device the size of a hardback book. The first model, the Libretto 20, was released on April 17, 1996, with a volume of 821 cm³ and weighing just 840 g. The original Libretto line was discontinued in Europe and the U.S. in 1999, but the production continued in Japan with the SS, FF and then the L series until 2001. The L series range of Librettos were released in 2001 (in Japan only) and were produced for just 11 months. Production of all Librettos ceased from 2001 until the release of the Libretto U100 in 2005.

It was a further 5 years before the Libretto returned again in 2010 with the limited edition dual touch screen tablet W100 model.

The Toshiba Libretto was used as the "Palm-top" in the Film Total Recall 2070, with it being marketed in the show as a Toshiba EPK 2000 Organizer.

Models

The following models were available:

In 2001, Toshiba released the L series range of Librettos. This was the first major change of footprint since the range was first introduced and represented a significant improvement in performance over the previous models, however it also represented a significant increase in overall size. The L series had moved the Libretto range away from what was a UMPC, to that of an early Netbook.

The L1 had built in USB and IEEE1394 Firewire. The L2 dropped the IEEE1394 in favor of an Ethernet Port. The L5 was optionally available with built in Wifi 802.11b. All models featured a widescreen display with the unusual resolution of 1280x600 pixels.

Like the majority of Librettos models produced, the L series were not officially available outside of Japan.

In 2005, Toshiba announced a new model, the Libretto U100:

All three of the above were essentially the same machine but with different options. The U100 was available in Europe with either:

In 2010, Toshiba announced a new Tablet Libretto model, the W100:

The W100 was released in August 2010 as a limited-edition model and was only available for a short time. The Toshiba website mentions that it is no longer available at retail stores or at ToshibaDirect.com. It was available in both English and Japanese versions. There is no VGA port on the W100, the keyboard is virtual (standard, split, or 10-key numeric). The display can be viewed in portrait or landscape mode, though portrait is limited to one direction of change. The case has metal top.

References

External links

Category:Laptops Libretto Category:1996 introductions Category:Subnotebooks