Toshiba AC100 Smartbook Unboxing & First Impressions

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27 Aug, 2010 2:44 pm

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Update: Our Toshiba AC100 review is now up. Go read.

We’ve just got our hands on the world’s first true smartbook – The Toshiba AC100. We’ve been promised this new segment of “smartbooks” for over a year or more now and there hasn’t been much action up until now.

Lenovo showed some promise with it’s U1 Hybrid smartbook / tablet combo and the Skylight but both were cancelled earlier this year as they want to get a proper OS on them – Android instead of whatever fancy Linux OS they had built in their labs. We might see them before the end of the year or sometime next year. Then there was the HP Compaq Airlife which went on sale in Spain – probably even more suited than this smartbook as it has dedicated Android buttons along with a touchscreen, both of which are lacking on the Toshiba AC100.

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Our Unboxing

Here’s our unboxing. Nothing special in the box. If you’ve seen one netbook unboxing well, you’ve seen them all. Skip to the end to see the first boot up of Android.

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  • sdb

    looks good – what apps come on it?

  • Anonymous

    There are 19 apps in the app drawer – Email, Browser, Opera Mobile, fring, Evernote, Toshiba media player, Documents To Go (PDF reader etc), Dejizo (Japanese Dictionary), Toshiba File Manager (access your files), SingleClick Connect, messaging, camera, music, gallery, calculator, sound recorder, contacts, alarm clock, toshiba upgrade control panel

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  • T Durden2812

    Do you think someone who was already an android phone user would find the ac100 much easier to navigate and use than someone who hasnt used android before?

  • Anonymous

    The only issue is the initial few hours I believe or maybe a few days for non techies. I am already used to most of the interface differences with Windows 7 after a couple of hours with it.

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  • Bartletts4

    Does it have Android Market?

  • Anonymous

    No, there’s no marketplace.

  • Johny

    could maybe get linux loaded onto this for more conviniece ? The tegra platform schoud support it.

  • Anonymous

    Okay looks like there are some dedicated android buttons on the bottom row of keys. Home key, settings key, options, search and mail keys. (escape works as back key)

  • Simondbailey11

    apart from time to boot what do you think are the plus points for the AC100 ? Im looking to but one but thought the price would be less than £200

  • Anonymous

    I can install Android apps. An option (set by default) in the settings allows me to install non-marketplace apps as simply as downloading an .apk file and clicking to install. I’ve installed various apps some working and some not (Google maps, Skype – needs a phone number)

  • sdb

    apart from time to boot what do you think are the plus points for the AC100 ? Im looking to but one but thought the price would be less than £200

  • http://randomfoo.net/ lhl

    Peter, do you know what the release schedule/model for the 3G model in jp/tw is?

    In the UK, it looks like the ‘U’ model has been released w/ a 3G modem, however I’ll be in jp/tw next month, so ideally I’d like to pick one up there rather than wait and have one shipped internationally. (I live in the US, which doesn’t have a release scheduled at all :(

    Are you planning on doing a teardown? Would be interesting to see if there’s an empty mini pci-e slot or not.

    Also, how does the screen look in daylight? I wonder if the panel could be replaced w/ a Pixel Qi one…

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  • http://randomfoo.net/ lhl

    Also, second the requests for testing out different flavors of Linux on the AC100. Nvidia supplies Tegra2 kernels: http://developer.nvidia.com/tegra/downloads and provides ARM USB key images (these should be able to be combined so you don’t need to wipe the internal SSD): http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/

  • Anonymous

    I probably won’t be doing a teardown, but we’ll see.

    Last Toshiba told me was somewhere along the lines of a couple of months after the Wi-Fi model, though like any laptop with built-in 3G here you’ll probably have to buy it directly from the telcos.

    As for the screen brightness.. I am using it at 50% brightness indoors in a dimly lit room, so it’s not that bright. Probably around or under 200 cd/m2. It is hard to read the screen outdoors due to the low brightness, and obviously the glare from the screen). Pixel Qi screen.. don’t know about compatibility unless I do a teardown..

  • Anonymous

    + extremely thin and light
    + good battery life for the size (you’ll get around 6 hours from this 7 hour rated battery doing web browsing). This size is just not possible with a netbook.
    + HDMI out (haven’t tested yet however)
    + SSD instead of less rugged HDD
    + instant ON (gets out of standby in a few seconds, but has instant connection to Wi-Fi)
    + better standby time than Intel hardware (3% battery drain leaving it on standby overnight)
    + fanless / silent
    + low heat (haven’t tested)

  • Anonymous

    I might give that a try if it’s easy and safe enough. Thanks for the links.

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  • Simondbailey11

    does the iplayer app work – is it easy to download

  • Anonymous

    BBC iPlayer? Couldn’t find a download with a quick search. I found a Beebplayer which is restricted to UK users.

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  • Guest

    Hi!

    Does someone know do external 3G USB modems generally work on Toshiba AC100 (Android 2.1/2.2)?
    I have one model of Huawei 3G USB modem (E169). May depend on models too, will those work.

    Thanks for the review!

  • Anonymous

    I don’t have any 3G USB modems on hand. I have a WiMAX USB modem but it requires Windows software to connect.

  • Simondbailey11

    hi

    is there a release date for the uk yet?

    good review

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  • Guest

    I went to a shop and they let me try the 3G USB stick. Android 2.1 did not recognise the stick. I do not know will Android 2.2 recognise it. 3G version of Toshiba AC100 is coming, but I do not know will it be available in my home country (it is not listed on Toshiba web page).

    It would also be nice if an other linux distro would be possible to be installed on Toshiba AC100. It might help too.

  • Anonymous

    Sorry for the late reply. If you haven’t seen already, Toshiba UK went official already and you buy directly from Toshiba (I think they are in stock there).

  • Dean

    Hi Peter – this is agood review and I certainly have appreciated readin/viewing your content. How would one get on if trying to run windows apps, such as for working on a spreadsheet or ‘word’ type document – through this OS?

    Perhaps there are apps that allow import/export into windows favourable formats?

  • Anonymous

    Hi Dean. Documents To Go is preloaded and it seems to be the best available, although it’s a paid app. The demo on the AC100 only allows you to read PDFs. Perhaps there are free ones.. I found one PDF reader that was better than the default. Didn’t look into office type apps.

    http://www.dataviz.com/

    Forget about working with Google apps through the browser though. It barely works. Wait for version 2.2 and it might be good – Chippy from CarryPad will have an update on that next month.

  • Guest

    Dear Peter,

    nice review and an interesting piece of hardware. You mention that you installed various apps…some working and others not. What about Skype? You mention that it needs a phone number. Could you use it just for VoIP calls between Skype users or is there a paid phone number required?

    Thanks for your input!

  • Anonymous

    There’s no Skype installed.. but Fring is, and it won’t work without a cellular 3G connection. Skype does not make their app as a public download.

  • Zackthirtyrose

    Hi,

    Can you run programs like ”vlc” to watch videos? Also will you just be able to upgrade to 2.2 with a simple update?

    Thanks

  • Anonymous

    There is no VLC app for Android yet but there are other competent video players you can download. As for upgrading, there is an app for that, so I assume it will be straightforward. Update is not available yet.

  • Dream

    have you had any news on the 2.2 update?

  • Deekiernan

    Hi Peter i just bought this laptop and cant work alot of my programs.do you think its ok to delete the google android OS for windows xp. the shop wont let me return it and i really need to work in microsort word for my reports as i work with stenograph and they will not be making their program compatible with documents to go. Do you know how much it costs to upgrade the documents to go for editing im waiting on my broadband ethernet for wifi and cant find it the price easy online on my work computer??

  • Anonymous

    You can’t install Windows on the AC100. I don’t know any more about Documents To Go. I can’t tell you how much it is to upgrade and what specific features it has.

  • Chandraamarath

    Hey… did you already..using linux on AC100 if it is safe…

  • Anonymous

    No 2.2 updates yet.

  • Anonymous

    I do not recommend getting the Dynabook AZ, unless you have prior experience with Android and know what you’re getting yourself into.

  • stephen

    Hi Peter I have acquired an ac100. A few things, can I get an ap for skype, can i get an ap for windows messanger or do i have to always have to have a page open, can a i get a better version. I want to use the web cam for discussions how can i do this?
    What do I have to use to ba able to do this.
    How do I get the updates.
    I am a real novice

  • купивший

    ГАВНО!!!!

  • http://mobimation.com Gunnar @ Mobimation

    I noticed (on Android 2.2) the preloaded app “Fring” is configured to always start at power on. This app seems to fire a timer interrupt once per minute or so and this takes the AC100 out of standby so it continues to discharge the battery. I found that out running the ddms debugger and looking at the messages logged. Disable the Fring setting for power on start. Then exit Fring off to see if this solves your standby issue. Another reason for going out of standby I have seen is when the Mail application checks for new GMail messages, if a new message arrives this throws the AC100 out of standby. Setting mail check interval to Never seems to cure this at the expense of having to check mail manually.

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  • ES

    I have a new Toshiba AC100 and I would like to install skype on it. My trials were until now unsuccessful. Does someone know what can I do? Please, help!

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