As part of its IDF Technology Showcase, Intel is showing a number of Windows tablet designs featuring its relatively new 1.5-GHz Atom N670 "Oak Trail" CPU. The Fujitsu TH40/D is clearly the most interesting of these products, because of a unique sliding design.
Slide the 10.1-inch TH40/D open and a full QWERTY keyboard sits at the base of the screen, complete with a tiny optical touchpad that's just to the right of the spacebar. Slide it closed and you have a thin Windows slate with a 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen.
At 2.4 pounds, the Fujitsu TH40/D is heavier than most Android slates, but lighter than most 10-inch netbooks. Its 120GB 4,200 rpm hard drive won't win anyspeed awards while its touted 6-hour battery life won't win any longevity prizes. However, there's something really attractive and unique about the sliding keyboard mechanism, which felt really solid and snappy in our hands.
At present the TH40/D is only available in Japan where it sells for the equivalent of roughly $700 U.S. However, an Intel rep told us Fujitsu is still considering bringing it to the U.S. market. Until then, check out the hands-on video and gallery below to get a closer look at the Fujitsu TH40/D.
