The Toshiba Libretto: Pocket Power in a Tiny Laptop

I have a little writing tool that I love - that I got for free - and that I can literally carry around in my pocket. It's an older Toshiba Libretto, and you can only get them today - new or used - through places like eBay or by visiting Japanese computer sales sites.

I was really lucky. Mine came to me through Freecycle, a nationwide online mailing list that helps people give away unwanted items to others who do want them, rather than dumping them in landfills. It had been used as a travel mini laptop by a business, but it had outworn its usefulness - and they hadn't used it all that much anyway. I got a Libretto with briefcase, some software, external drives, and tons of cable connections for various functions.

What's A Libretto, Anyway?

The Libretto is a tiny, but complete, laptop-style PC. When the screen is closed, my Libretto is about the same size and shape as a videotape, or as one of the slightly-oversize paperbacks we're seeing sold today. It's only a little bit longer than a standard paperback book, but the same width and depth. I can slip it into any of my purses, or into cargo-pants pockets or jacket pockets, where it fits with room to spare.

It has a full keyboard, though the keys are a little cramped for anyone with big hands (not a problem for my hobbit-sized fingers). The screen is small, making it impractical for anyone who is starting to have age-related vision problems, but it's a full screen. The mouse functions are built into the screen portion, just to the side; some newer Librettos have touch pads or touch screens.

Because of its tiny size, external media drives are not incorporated into the body of the Libretto; your floppy and CD drives are attachments you need to plug into the computer. Newer Librettos (not mine, alas) come with USB ports, so it's easy to cart around additional data on flash drives.

So I have a little box with internal RAM and a decently large hard drive. It runs on anything a standard computer would run on - in my case (again, age) Windows 95. My aged battery is limited, but newer Librettos come with LIon batteries that can last up to 5 hours. And my Libretto doesn't hook to the Internet - while newer models do come with integrated wireless connections.

Why I Love It

Despite its limitations due to age, my Libretto works beautifully for what I require of it. It holds an older version of Open Office, giving me all the word processing and spreadsheet capabilities I need. I keep my grocery list on it, using it at the store (what laptop could you do that with?), and it's always handy when writing ideas strike me. I can take it out literally anywhere and jot things down - then transfer them to my working computer later, or retype and reorganize thoughts.

One of my favorite things, though, is the reaction it gets from other people. I've pulled it out waiting in line, at concerts (before the music not during!), taken it to writing groups, and used it at the grocery. Invariably, people are drawn to it, and I hear all the whispers around me: oh, look at that tiny computer! That's so cool! Where do you get something like that?

It won't last forever, of course. I'll be upgrading in a year or so, after I buy a new full-size laptop for regular work - the crampy keyboard makes the Libretto impractical for a regular 8-hour day of typing. On that distant day, I'll probably pass my little friend on to some other deserving writer.

But I'll miss him.