Toshiba ships Folio Android tablet
Undercuts similar-size iPad by £100
Toshiba isn't waiting for Honyecomb - it has begun selling its Android tablet, the Folio 100, with Froyo, it announced today.
The 10.1in tablet has a 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, Nvidia Tegra 2 system-on-a-chip, 16GB of media storage, 2.4GHz 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1, front-facing 1.3Mp webcam, a memory card reader, master USB 2.0 port and a mini HDMI connector.
All that will set you back £329 - £100 less than the entry level, less functional 9.7in iPad.
Toshiba claimed the 281 x 181 x 14mm, 760g Folio will deliver up to seven hours' battery life, on the basis of a lot of web browsing, a little movie viewing and a quarter of the time in standby mode.
Toshiba has its own app store, the Toshiba Market Place, installed, plus a music shop powered by 7Digital. The Folio 100 is out now. ®
Review Toshiba AC100 smartbook
COMMENTS
Exactly
After years of buying and using cheaper gear and suffering from mediocre experiences as a result I now spend more on better quality kit. I'd rather use "limited" hardware but get the most out of it then spend more for extra hardware features which are badly implemented or have crap software support. I also find the more expensive stuff lasts longer and has a higher resale value (although I prefer to keep most kit for sentimental reasons 8-)
Value for money is in the eye of the beholder and cheaper does not necessarily mean better - I would not bang on to people to only buy Apple or Sony kit etc but I would suggest that they have a play with the different kit and make up their own mind. Buy what you like but only if you will like what you buy.
Battery life
"Folio will deliver up to seven hours' battery life, on the basis of a lot of web browsing, a little movie viewing and a quarter of the time in standby mode."
Does that mean that it will only standby for a quarter of 7 hours?
Or that they quote the battery life including some time as effectively switched off?
Why don't they claim a life of 5 hours of real usage?
Otherwise I can see this going like "unlimited" broadband <small print> with a cap</small print>
"My tablet has 12 days battery life <small print> with 4 hours use</small print>"
App Store
So does it have access to the Google App Store?
Or not because it doesn't have 3G and so isn't a phone as Google requires for access?
Sounds good otherwise. Seriously tempted - looking forward to the in-depth reviews
Sounds like ...
... a breakthrough in marketing technology to me.
7hrs
of battery life, INCLUDING 25% of that (an hour and three quarters), in standby? Thats more than a little bonkers.
