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​Windows 10 new wave: Now Toshiba's dynaPad follows Surface down the 2-in-1 road

Toshiba takes the wraps off its lightweight 12-inch tablet with a hard keyboard dock and sensitive TruPen stylus.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer
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Toshiba's dynaPad should ship in Japan in December, with US and Europe following in Q1 2016.
Image: Microsoft

The October Windows 10 bandwagon is rolling, with Toshiba taking the wraps off its dynaPad, revamping a 30-year-old brand and joining Microsoft's Surface 4 in the 2-in-1 category.

The Japanese hardware maker says at 6.99mm (0.27 inches) thick and weighing in at 569 grams (1.25lb), the dynaPad is the thinnest and lightest 12-inch mobile notebook in the world.

Indeed, excluding the dynaPad's hard keyboard dock, it comes in under the Surface 4's 9.1mm (0.36 inches) depth and 757-gram (1.66lb) weight.

With the dynaPad keyboard dock attached, its height expands to 14.99mm (0.59 inches) and the weight is bumped up to 996 grams (2.2lb).

The device is available for pre-order in Japan today and is expected to begin shipping there in December, with US and Europe availability due in the first quarter of 2016.

A standout feature of Toshiba's new hardware, which shows off Microsoft's Edge browser technology, is the dynaPad's high-precision TruPen from Wacom. This device is described as offering 2,048 levels of pressure, allowing for natural writing when taking notes or drawing.

The advantage for Windows 10 is that TruPen will also work with Microsoft's WebNote technology in its Edge browser, enabling users to take notes and annotate content.

Specs released by Toshiba indicate the dynaPad 72/TG model and a separate 'corporate model' will both have an Intel AtomTM X5-Z8300 processor. The device will ship with 4GB RAM, 128GB flash memory, and a battery that Toshiba says should last about seven hours.

Toshiba is also bringing its own line of business applications to the device, including TruNote, TruCapture, and TruRecorder for collecting, organising, and sharing notes, images, and files.

It's also offering new TruNote Clip and TruNote Share apps for capturing screen clips and sharing handwriting. Of course, as a Windows 10 device, it will integrate with the Office suite.

"The dynaPad is yet another mile marker in our great relationship with Toshiba and an impressive achievement in the 2-in-1 category," Microsoft Windows and devices chief Terry Myerson said in a blog.

"In addition to being a powerful note-taking device - designed to replicate the way people write on paper - the dynaPad has great support for Continuum, and is ultra-thin and lightweight."

Toshiba is the latest Microsoft partner to show off new hardware that takes advantage of the latest features offered in Windows 10, following on from Acer's Aspire R14 convertible notebook and its Aspire Z3-700 tablet and notebook, as well as new Windows 10 offerings from ASUS, Dell, and HP.

Next up, the world's largest PC maker, Lenovo, will show off its Windows 10 hardware at an event in San Francisco on October 19.

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