Toshiba Launches an Android Powered Mobile Internet Device

Toshiba launched an Android powered mobile internet, aka, a netbook in India. Toshiba claims it’s the first Android powered device to have a full-sized keyboard. It runs on Android 2.1 (Eclair) which is a little ‘scratch your head to wonder why’ because if you’re launching a device like this, you may as well power it with Froyo at the very least. Depending on location or what the AC100 is running, Android can automatically switch to a prefigured home screen to best suit the user. For example, users can set shortcuts for work-related applications, widgets and ‘live-files’ to appear when working in the office, or personal applications and widgets to appear when the AC100 detects they are at home. Users can also manually switch between home screens as they wish – allowing them to access all of their content, wherever they are.

The Toshiba mobile internet device. Basically a netbook

The user interface also offers the possibility for users to further personalise the device by downloading a range of applications and widgets on-demand. A number of applications are pre-installed for immediate use out-of-the-box, including Documents to Go for viewing and editing Microsoft Office files, a POP3 email client, IMAP and Exchange support, a messaging client, Opera Mobile for browsing the web, and the Toshiba Media Player for playing and viewing video, music and pictures.

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The device offers up to seven days standby under mixed use, with a start-up time of less than a second. In constant use the AC100 can provide up to eight hours of battery life. It measures 14 mm at its thinnest point and weighs 870 grams.