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Last year, Toshiba's Libretto 5OCT created a whole new category for portable PCs: the mininotebook. We raved about last year's model and gave it three stars ("New & Noteworthy," November 1997). But despite being praised for its ultracompact form, the underpowered and overpriced device failed to catch on among home office buyers. Now, with the 7OCT, Toshiba has endeavored to correct those shortcomings, while attempting to stave off an emerging crowd of competitors. Sadly, it hasn't succeeded on either count.
Size still remains the Libretto's most amazing feature. Looking more like a videocassette than a Windows 95 notebook, the 1.9-pound 7OCT has the same dimensions as its predecessor. But although the 5OCT limped along on a 75MHz Pentium processor and an 800MB hard disk, the 7OCT packs a 120MHz Pentium MMX...