Gizmodo: Toshiba

Toshiba Demos UMPC Hand-Held Tablet Prototype, But Thinks it's Too Small

Kit Eaton — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:51:00 EDT

At a recent presentation, Toshiba demoed a little hand-held UMPC prototype, indicating that the company is considering that product market. The silver-framed machine has a 5.6-inch touchscreen, and runs Windows Vista on an Atom processor and 64GB of SSD storage, and even packs in GPS. Though the onscreen touch keyboard takes up too much real estate, it's a great-looking little package. But apparently Toshiba isn't going to turn prototype into product as it's considered too small for practical use. That'll interest fans of the fabled Apple touch tablet, I'm sure. What do you think guys: would you buy a PC this size? [PCAuthority via Gizmodo.au]

Toshiba and Matsushita to Start Cranking Out OLEDs in Massive Numbers

John Mahoney — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:40:56 EDT

Toshiba and Matsushita's joint display group is about to become the first Japanese firm to jump into the OLED production game, and in a big way—their announced factory will begin producing as many as one million 2.5-inch OLED panels per month when it comes online in the fall of next year. What could they be up to? OLED iPods perhaps?

It's pretty far down the road for any serious speculation, but rumors of an OLED-equipped iPod which would use less power by eliminating the backlight and offer better color reproduction have been flying for a while. And the 2.5-inch size matches what's currently found on the iPod classic, ~~as well as the Zune 80~~ (Zune 80 uses a 3.2 inch screen, thanks Marx). Autumn 2009 is a long way off, and these could just end up in one of many OLED-equipped phones or PMPs already out there, so don't hold your breath on this one. [Bloomberg via Electronista]

15.4-Inch Toshiba Satellite Notebook On Sale For $398

Elaine Chow — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Let's say that you did have some disposable income at some point in time, but it happened to turn into a spankin' new iPhone 3G right before you realized Junior desperately needed a new computer for the school year. Don't worry, Gizmodo's here to help make up for your bad parenting without throwing you deeper into debt: Starting Sunday at 8am, Wal-Mart will be selling a 15.4-inch Toshiba Satellite notebook with an Intel Celeron processor for $398. The Toshiba will be decked out with 2GB RAM, a 120GB hard drive, CD-RW and Windows Vista Premium. [Check Out Blog]

Toshiba's Slim 2.5-inch Hard Drive Beefed Up to 400GB

Kit Eaton — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:40:00 EDT

Toshiba's just added a 400GB model to its range of 2.5-inch drives destined for notebook use. Not content with upping the capacity, the 9.5mm deep MK4058GSX is also designed for low noise emissions, and somehow squeezes those extra gigs onto only two platters. And it consumes 20% less power than its predecessor 320GB version, which sounds like good news for laptop battery life. It even earns green credentials as it's low enough in chlorine and bromine to be recognized as Toshiba's first 2.5-inch HDD "environmentally conscious product." It goes into mass production in September. Another five 7,200rpm HDDs also released at the same time are documented in the (enormously long) press release.

Jul 15, 2008 21:57

Toshiba Launches 400GB 2.5-Inch HDD Introduces New Line-up Of 7,200rpm Drives

-400GB Drive Cuts Acoustic Noise During Data Seek By 2dB(1) For near Silent Operation-
TOKYO —(Business Wire)— Jul. 15, 2008 Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO:6502) today announced a new line-up of high performance 2.5-inch HDDs, including a low-noise flagship model that boosts areal density to 477Mbit/mm2 (308Gbpsi) to achieve a capacity of 400GB on just two platters, plus five drives that bring new levels of performance and 7,200rpm rotational speeds to the company's full range of storage capacities.

Mass production of the 400GB MK4058GSX will start from September, targeting notebook PC and consumer electronic applications. Mass production of the 7,200rpm drives will start in August. The line-up includes the 320GB MK3254GSY and models with 80, 120, 160 and 250GB capacities.

Toshiba will feature the new drives at DISKCON JAPAN 2008, organized by The International Disk Drive Equipment and Materials Association (IDEMA), which will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 22 to 23, and at IFA 2008, one of the world's largest consumer electronics trade fairs, which will be held in Berlin, Germany, from August 29 to September 3.

The MK4058GSX uses an improved read-write head and enhanced magnetic layer to boost areal density to 477Mbit/mm2 and achieve a capacity of 400GB on only two platters, the highest data density of any of Toshiba's 2.5-inch HDD. A further plus is that acoustic noise during data seek has been reduced by 2 decibels (dB), compared to the company's current top-of-the-line 320GB MK3252GSX, making operation almost inaudible. As a result, the new 400GB drive is ideally suited for noise-free playback of movies and music on notebook PCs and digital products. These advances are complemented by an improved energy consumption efficiency(2) that makes the MK4058GSX approximately 20% more efficient than Toshiba's current top-of-the-line MK3252GSX.

The five other drives that Toshiba has added to its line-up take full advantage of a 7,200rpm rotation speed to boost performance. Compared to the current 200GB model (MK2049GSY), the 320GB MK3254GSY improves maximum internal data transfers rate by approximately 14% to support high-speed processing of high volume data, meeting demand for notebook and desktop PCs offering faster performance. The 320GB drives is also 37% more efficient than the MK2049GSY in terms of energy consumption efficiency(2). All of the drives, available in a line-up of 80, 120, 160, 250 and 320GB capacities, support an optional Free Fall Sensor function, that detects a falling HDD and parks the head before impact.

All the new drives comply with the European Union's RoHS directive(3) for eliminating use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, and the MK4058GSX is Toshiba's first halogen-free(4) 2.5-inch HDD.

Toshiba Group, a Corporate Citizen of the Planet Earth, is committed to realizing a better environment. Guided by "Toshiba Group Environmental Vision 2050" the Group is implementing measures to boost environmental efficiency by 10 times in FY2050, against the benchmark of FY2000. The core target is to reduce projected CO2 emissions by a total equivalent to 117.7 million tons a year by FY2025, through the development and sales of highly efficient power supply equipment and systems, and the manufacture of environmentally conscious home appliances and office equipment. By working to mitigate global warming, make efficient use of resources and control management of chemicals, Toshiba Group creates value for people and promotes lifestyles in harmony with the Earth.

Background

2.5-inch hard disk drives are now found in many and diverse applications, from desktop and mobile PCs to other digital consumer products. The market has a voracious appetite for larger data capacities, as more powerful networks and applications bring audio-visual capabilities to more products. Toshiba will sustain the industry's ability to meet customer needs by providing cutting-edge technologies that add to areal density, operating speed and overall drive performance.

Key Features of New Products

MK4058GSX

1. Achieving areal density of 477Mbit/mm2 (308Gbspi).

MK4058GSX achieves an areal density of 477Mbit/mm2, by the result of improving the read-write head and of an enhanced magnetic layer. With the same two platter design as Toshiba's current 320GB design, the new model offers a 400GB capacity, the largest yet achieved, while retaining the 9.5mm thickness of its predecessor.

2. 2dB acoustic noise reduction in data seek.

Toshiba has directed its latest advances in HDD technology to reduce noise by 2dB, suppressing it to a level where users can playback movies and music without any noise distraction during data seek.

3. Improved energy consumption efficiency.

Compared to the 320GB MK3252GSX, the new MK4058GSX improves energy consumption efficiency, as defined under the Japanese legal standard, to 0.0015W/GB, a 20% improvement.

4. Environmentally conscious products

(1) Halogen Free Product

The MK4058GSX is Toshiba's first 2.5-inch HDD that achieve chlorine and bromine concentrations below the standard required for recognition as a Toshiba environmentally conscious products, an ECP (below 900ppm for each, and an overall total below 1,500ppm).

(2) Lower CO2 emissions during the product lifecycle

During their lifecycle, the new drives will lower CO2 emissions by approximately 95g a year(5).

(3) RoHS compatible

The new drive complies with the European Union's RoHS directive for eliminating use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

(4) MK4058GSX meets standards for certification as a standout Toshiba ECP

Toshiba is promoting an "Excellent ECP" program to stimulate creation of high value products offering exceptional environmental friendliness. For more information, visit http://www.toshiba.co.jp/env/en/products/index.htm

MK3254GSY and other 7,200rpm drives

1. Expanding the 7,200rpm line-up to a storage capacity of 320GB.

An improved read-write head and enhanced magnetic layer combine with a rotation speed of 7,200rpm to realize a maximum storage capacity of 320GB. Toshiba's 7,200rpm HDD offer a wide line-up of capacities: 80, 120, 160, 250 and 320GB.

2. Improved energy consumption efficiency

Compared to the 200GB MK2049GSY, the new MK3254GSY improves energy consumption efficiency, as defined under the Japanese legal standard, to 0.0028W/GB, a 37% improvement.

3. Free Fall Sensor function integrated (option).

The new 7,200rpm drive support an optional Free Fall Sensor function, which detects a falling HDD and parks the head before it crashes.

4. Environmentally conscious products

(1) RoHS compatible

The new drives comply with the European Union's RoHS directive for eliminating use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

(2) The new 7,200rpm drives meet standards for certification as a standout Toshiba ECPs

Toshiba is promoting an "Excellent ECP" program to stimulate creation of high value products offering exceptional environmental friendliness. For more information, visit http://www.toshiba.co.jp/env/en/products/index.htm

*1 Comparison based on Toshiba's current 2.5-inch HDD (MK3252GSX).

*2 Energy consumption efficiency is calculated based power consumption divided by formatted capacity, as defined by Japanese law.

*3 The RoHS Directive, which came into effect in July 2006, is a European Union directive that eliminates the use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

*4 Chlorine and bromine reductions are targeted, and concentrations are controlled to a level below the standard required for recognition as a Toshiba environmentally conscious products, an ECP (below 900ppm for each, with an overall total below 1,500ppm).

*5 Comparison based on MK6015MAP (Year 2000 model). Based on Toshiba's evaluation method of LCA (Life Cycle Assesment).

Toshiba's LED TV Screen Lights up Center Stage in Times Square

Kit Eaton — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:50:00 EDT

Only back in May were we talking about another Times Square display—Walgreen's one—and today Toshiba's news is about its new display there. Sitting 285 feet in the air, the 51.2-foot by 52.5-foot display is a 1280 x 1248 pixel LED high-definition monster that uses some proprietary Technovirtual technology to create virtual pixels to achieve an even higher apparent resolution. It can show over a billion colors, and since it sits atop One Times Square, it's got a pretty commanding view over the streets. And environmentalists may be pleased to learn it replaces a previous screen that consumed much more power. High-def advertising and green credentials? Impressive. [Toshiba]

Toshiba Qosmio G55 is First Laptop With Cell Processor Aboard

Kit Eaton — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:24:00 EDT

Toshiba's Qosmio G55 has popped up on Giz over the last couple of months, talking about its advanced gesture controls which rely on its use of the PS3's Cell processor tech, and now it's official. Toshiba's calling it the "world's first laptop with cell processor tech inside," and concentrates on four functions it gives the machine. Upconvert/upconversion (basically 1080i upscaling,) transcoding of video formats, face-based video indexing and gesture control. The laptop will have a starting price of $1,299.99. Press release below.

Jul 15, 2008 00:01

Toshiba Qosmio World's First Laptop with Cell Processor Technology

¶ TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Cell Processor Provides Revolutionary Multimedia Experience Through Enhanced Speed and Control
IRVINE, Calif. —(Business Wire)— Jul. 15, 2008 Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the world's first laptop PC to feature Cell processor technology. This computing advancement, called the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor(1), is available on Toshiba's Qosmio(R) G55-Q802 laptop PC and delivers a revolutionary high-definition, multimedia user experience.

"In terms of the Qosmio laptop brand, innovation is the key ingredient," said Jeff Barney, vice president and general manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. "The addition of the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor marks a watershed moment in the multimedia and HD segments. Qosmio G55-Q802 laptop PC users now have the power and ability to control and manipulate their personal content with unmatched precision and speed while also enjoying their full DVD collections at resolutions up to 1080i."

The TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor was designed to better serve the creative process by alleviating the intense burden that's placed on the CPU while handling a wide range of multimedia tasks, such as video transcoding. The complex task of transcoding and encoding a personal video project monopolizes a majority of the processing power of today's advanced computer systems. Through the addition of the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, along with the combined strength of Intel's latest Core(TM) 2 Duo processor(1) technology and the NVIDIA GeForce(R) 9600M(2) GT graphics card, tasks that once took hours to complete now are accomplished in a fraction of the time with Toshiba's Qosmio(R) G55-Q802 laptop PC.

This revolutionary Cell processor technology was co-developed by Toshiba, Sony and IBM, and is best known for its use within the popular Sony PlayStation(R) 3 and various supercomputers. Branded the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, it currently consists of four cutting-edge, distinctive proprietary features:

— Upconvert/Upconversion - Through "Upconvert/Upconversion," standard-definition video files, such as home videos and DVDs, are upscaled in real time to 720p high-definition. Combined with the use of the Qosmio's HDMI-CEC port, users can output today's standard DVDs in stunning clarity up to 1080i on an HDTV.

— Transcoding - The included Ulead(R) DVD MovieFactory(R) 5 for TOSHIBA has been optimized to take advantage of the Toshiba Quad Core HD Processor to dramatically reduce the time needed in high-definition video editing. Transcoding video between high-definition formats or converting high-definition video into standard definition for burning to DVD can be completed up to 10 times(3) faster on the Qosmio(R) G55-Q802 laptop PC.

— Video Indexing - "Video Indexing" provides the power to catalog video clips based on an individual's face in a scene. This unique technology enables quick and easy scene access by eliminating the need to manually search through hours of video content.

— Gesture Control - Using a remote to control DVDs, CDs and PowerPoint is a thing of the past. Through the use of "Gesture Control" and the Qosmio's Webcam, physical motions, such as extending an arm and simple hand gestures, users can control the play, pause, rewind and fast-forward functions of their movies, music and slides.

The Qosmio G55 series laptop is also available without the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, but the series was collectively designed to enhance the digital lifestyle by providing cutting-edge innovations that are built upon the backbone of sharp picture quality and pristine sound reproduction. In addition to the technological advancement of the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, the Qosmio is built around an expansive 18.4-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite(R) high-definition display that sports a true 16:9 aspect ratio. Users can take advantage of more of the display and enjoy their widescreen movies with less of the black bar letterboxing, which frames a picture on other displays. To further enhance the visual experience, the Qosmio G55 laptop PC sports two premium Harman Kardon(R) stereo speakers, a sub-woofer and Dolby Home Theater(TM) technology, which allows users to experience their content in surround sound. The Qosmio can be seamlessly integrated into a user's home theater system for a complete surround sound experience thanks to its REGZA LINK(TM) HDMI technology while empowering users with simultaneous instant device configuration and the ability to control REGZA LINK enabled devices, such as Toshiba's REGZA(TM) HDTVs and a Qosmio laptop, with a single remote.

The Qosmio G55 laptop PC has several design features that magnify its cutting edge nature, such as its striking Fusion(TM) finish with Vibe design, white-LED FeatherTouch multimedia buttons and a flush-mounted Touchpad. These external features do much to enhance the overall quality and premium feel of the new Qosmio, which has a starting price of $1,299.99(4).

For the first time, Toshiba will offer users the option of configuring their laptop to run either a 32-bit or 64-bit(5) version of Windows Vista, depending on a user's preference and intended computer use.

The Qosmio G55 laptop PC is available from a variety of major consumer electronic and computer stores nationwide or directly from Toshiba at http://www.toshibadirect.com. Detailed product information is available at http://www.explore.toshiba.com/G55.

The Qosmio G55 series is available in the following configurations: -0-

Qosmio G55-Q802 Unique Specifications (MSRP $1,549.99(4))
—OS selection at first boot:
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit5
version)(default)
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit version)
—Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T7350(1)
- 2.0 GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB
—TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor(1)
—4096MB PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz SDRAM memory(6)
—500GB using two 5400 RPM Serial ATA hard disk drives(7)
—DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive with Labelflash(TM)
supporting 11 formats
—NVIDIA(R) GeForce(TM) 9600M GT with 512MB GDDR2 discrete graphics(2)
memory,
—Atheros(R) 802.11 b/g/n wireless-LAN(8)

-0-

Qosmio G55-Q801 Unique Specifications (MSRP $1,299.99(4))
—OS selection at first boot:
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 64-bit(5)
version)(default)
- Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit version)
—Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T7350(1)
- 2.0 GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB
—4096MB PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz SDRAM memory(6)
—320GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive(7)
—DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive with Labelflash(TM)
supporting 11 formats
—NVIDIA(R) GeForce(TM) 9200M GS with 256MB GDDR2 discrete graphics(2)
memory
—Atheros(R) 802.11 b/g/n wireless-LAN(8)

Multimedia: Qosmio G55 Series

Satellite Pro S300, Tecra A10 and M10: Toshiba's First Centrino 2 vPro Notebooks Can Be Fixed Wirelessly Even While Frozen

matt buchanan — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:01:00 EDT

The Satellite Pro S300, Tecra A10 and Tecra M10 all have Toshiba's EasyGuard with shock and spill protection, a business card reader, a combo USB 2.0 eSATA port, and sleep-and-charge USB ports. A point of differentiation is that the Tecra A10 and M10 both rock Centrino 2 vPro, which has tech for the enterprise set so IT can fix your comp wirelessly, even when it's frozen.

TOSHIBA SATELLITE PRO LAPTOP ENHANCES INTEL CENTRINO 2 PROCESSOR WITH BUSINESS ESSENTIALS
First Satellite Pro With EasyGuard Technology, Docking Capabilities and Business Card Reader

IRVINE, Calif., (July 15, 2008) – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the expansion of its Satellite Pro family with the Satellite Pro® S300 laptop. This affordable laptop PC with Intel® Centrino® 2 processor technology1 is packed with the key essential business features to increase productivity plus Toshiba’s fourth-generation EasyGuard® technology2, built-in docking capabilities and Webcam with business card reader software.

“The Toshiba Satellite Pro S300 laptop delivers the essential feature sets our customers need and more for an improved mobile computing experience at an incredible price point,” said Jeff Barney, general manager and vice president, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “The design of the Satellite Pro S300 laptop is a direct reflection of customer feedback, providing mobile professionals with innovative and reliable computing performance that gives them the freedom to work or explore when they need and want.”

• Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology: Based on the latest 45nm mobile architecture, this new technology provides mobile professionals with higher performance, advanced connectivity3 and long battery life4 while on the go. The Satellite Pro S300 also uses Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD to provide up to three times better graphics performance5.

Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop Enhances Intel Centrino 2 Processor With Business Essentials
• EasyGuard Technology: Available for the first time in the Satellite Pro lineup, Toshiba integrated its fourth-generation EasyGuard Technology. Toshiba’s proprietary, value-add series of hardware and software enhancements is designed to better protect and secure the notebook during everyday computing. Components include HDD Protection, a spill-resistant keyboard6, fingerprint reader and Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
• Express Port Replicator: Toshiba’s Satellite Pro S300 is the first Satellite Pro laptop with built-in support for docking, giving users quicker access to a traditional desktop console and better cable management. This enhances the desktop experience plus mobile users can easily get up and go at the touch of a button.
• Webcam with Business Card Reader Software: Toshiba expanded the functionality of the standard 1.3 megapixel Webcam by integrating macro functionality with business card reader software to allow users to scan business cards and store them digitally.
• eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Port: This port enables the high-speed transfer of files between the laptop and an external eSATA hard drive with transfer rates that are up to five times faster than standard USB 2.0. High-speed data transfer is
ideal for data backup.
• Sleep-and-Charge USB Port7: The Satellite Pro S300 features four Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, which enable users to charge select mobile devices such as, cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs whether the computer is on, off, in sleep
mode or hibernation mode.
• Green Attributes: The Satellite Pro S300 is ENERGY STAR® 4.0 compliant and has achieved a Bronze status through the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT). The Satellite Pro S300 series is available with a one-year standard limited warranty8, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country such as UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations.

As a responsible global corporate citizen, Toshiba makes all new laptops to be RoHS-compatible9, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop Enhances Intel Centrino 2 Processor With Business Essentials use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. During the third quarter of 2008, Toshiba will offer a computer trade-in and recycling program for all manufacturer’s PCs with no obligation for the consumer to purchase a Toshiba product.

TOSHIBA ADDS NEW INTEL CENTRINO 2 WITH vPro TECHNOLOGY TO FLAGSHIP BUSINESS LAPTOPS
Tecra M10, Tecra A10 Provide a Superior Balance of Performance, Mobility and Security for Business and Education Users

IRVINE, Calif., (July 15, 2008) – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the Tecra® M10 and Tecra® A10 laptops with Intel® Centrino® 2 with vProTM technology1. These new laptop PCs feature Toshiba’s fourth-generation EasyGuard® technology2, Webcam with business card reader software and common motherboard designs.

“The Toshiba Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 provide the real-world mobile computing features that our business customers need most — in the office or while traveling,” said Jeff Barney, general manager and vice president, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “These new laptops give Toshiba’s customers the clear competitive edge and deliver Toshiba’s mission of creating innovative laptop PCs that improve the productivity and lives of our business customers.”

Toshiba’s Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 include the following leading-edge technologies:
• Intel® Centrino® 2 with vProTM Technology: This new micro-architecture helps keep mobile workforces, managed and secure. With hardware-assisted remote isolation, diagnostics and repair, IT professionals can manage their mobile workforce wirelessly, even if the system’s operating system is unresponsive.
• EasyGuard Technology: The Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 are Toshiba’s first laptops to incorporate Toshiba’s fourth-generation EasyGuard technology, including HDD protection, spill-resistant keyboard5, SmartCard reader, fingerprint reader and Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
• Webcam with Business Card Reader Software: Toshiba expanded the functionality of the standard 1.3 megapixel Webcam by integrating macro functionality with business card reader software to allow users to scan business cards and store them digitally.
• Common Motherboards: To better reduce the cost for customers and simplify the deployment of new laptops, the Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 feature a common motherboard and image, allowing companies to qualify both systems by qualifying one. This value-added feature also helps to lower the cost of service and support.
• eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Port: With an increased emphasis on data backup and protection, Toshiba incorporated an eSATA port to enable the high-speed transfer of files between the laptop and an external eSATA hard drive with transfer rates that are up to five times faster than standard USB 2.0.
• Sleep-and-Charge USB Port6: All Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 feature Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, which enable users to charge select mobile devices, such as cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs whether the computer is on, off, in sleep mode or hibernation mode.
• Solid State Drive Option: Toshiba offers a full Build-to-Order configurability on these Tecra series, allowing customers to add a 64 or 128 GB solid-state drive8 for enhanced reliability.
• Green Attributes: The Tecra M10 and A10 are ENERGY STAR® 4.0 compliant and have achieved a Bronze status through the Green Electronics Council’s Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).

The Tecra M10 and Tecra A10 series are available with a one- or three-year standard limited warranty9, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country such as UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations. As a responsible global corporate citizen, Toshiba makes all new laptops to be RoHS-compatible10, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. During the third quarter of 2008, Toshiba will offer a computer trade-in and recycling program for all manufacturer’s PCs with no obligation for the consumer to purchase a Toshiba product.

[Toshiba]

Toshiba's Internet Connected DVD Download DL Seems Like a Bad Idea

Jason Chen — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:20:00 EDT

Either Toshiba is still stinging from the HD DVD loss to Blu-ray, or they're really in need of some fast cash from the really low barrier of entry DVD market. Either way, it seems like the Japanese company is going to introduce an internet-connected DVD line called "DVD Download DL", using the nets to bring next-gen connectivity features to old-gen. This way Tosh can get easy money now from the huge DVD install base, then get into Blu-ray when that's cheaper and more widely adopted. [TGDaily]

Cillian Murphy Will Be The Last Thing HD DVD Sees Before It Dies

John Herrman — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:20:00 EDT

HD DVD was declared dead a long time ago, and the last film to be released to the US on the format will hit (roughly three to five) shelves tomorrow. Disco Pigs was originally released in 2001 and very appropriately stars Cillian Murphy and Elaine Cassidy as friends who were born in the same hospital, at the same time, and who grew up next to one another. Unfortunately, as they reach adulthood it is apparent that their relationship has become dangerously volatile. It doesn't end well. (Spoiler alert: Cillian Murphy's character is the HD DVD.) [Crave]

Question of the Day: Which Hard Drives Have Crashed On You?

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Today when I wrote up a WD RAID drive, the comment boxes were flooded with WD gripes. The funny thing is, the reverse happened when we wrote about Seagate a while ago. And Buchanan won't shut up about Hitachi's infamous "Death Star" drives. Are all drives equally prone to fail, or are there some makers who get it right more often than others? Yes, we would like you to share your most heart-wrenching drive crash stories, if you've finally got up the courage to talk about it. But first:

Update: By now, most of you have figured out that Iomega and LaCie only make the housings, so if the drive itself fails, you have to unscrew the box to see who the real culprit is. Also, anyone voting for IBM can just vote for Hitachi, which bought the whole IBM storage division a number of years ago.

I will say that, after reading the comments, I feel bad that I didn't divide Seagate and Maxtor, but then again, there is only one company to blame now—let's just hope they're not merging all of their manufacturing!!! My guess is that Maxtor may have ended up the biggest loser, at least proportionately, and Seagate, solo, would have looked a lot better than WD.

As for those of you who complain that this poll is not scientific, you are TOTALLY RIGHT!!! It's not scientific. Go back to your Science and your Nature for the raw research, cuz over here we're talking about life experiences.

Toshiba Qosmio Line Gets Cheaper, More Fun with GPS-Equipped F55, X305 Gamer and G55 with PS3 Cell Chip (Updated with Video)

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:25:28 EDT

Toshiba decided to divvy up its Qosmio line into three very different machines, with starting prices way below the $3,000 that Qosmios previously cost.
• The 15.4" F55, with starting price at $1,150, will include built-in GPS—with Garmin navigation and mapping software—while its $1,750 configuration will have some reasonably decent gaming capability as well.
• The already leaked (and leaked) 18.4" monster G55 includes gesture-based controls—hand gestures in front of the camera—enabled by the Cell chip found in PS3s. This secondary processor also helps transcoding HD video and face tracking while editing video. It is priced from $1,300 to $1,550.
• Toshiba has officially rolled its gaming systems into the Qosmio brand, starting with the X305 (which you may have seen). The 17" gaming notebook will cost anywhere from $1,550 (in retail configs) to $3,500 with overclocked Core 2 Extreme processor, WSXGA resolution screen and two 7200-rpm drives.
UPDATE: Video showing gestures, GPS interface and more below, along with gallery and press release.

TOSHIBA EMPHASIZES INNOVATION AND STYLE WITH NEW QOSMIO FAMILY

Qosmio Series Consists of Three Distinct Models that Uniquely Sport a Quad Core HD Processor, Gaming Grade Graphics and GPS Chipset

IRVINE, Calif., (June 17, 2008) - Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD),
today announced the expansion of its flagship Qosmio brand with three unique laptops, the Qosmio G55, Qosmio X305 and Qosmio F55. These new laptops are specifically designed for users who enjoy gaming, multimedia and advanced mobility technology.

“The Qosmio has long been the standard of excellence in the multimedia laptop space, in both styling and entertainment capabilities,” said Jeff Barney, vice president and general manager, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “In an effort to take this standard to the next level for gamers and multimedia enthusiasts alike, the three new Qosmio models have been tailored specifically towards their personal interests, while staying true to the incredible user-experience that the Qosmio family is known for.”

Designed to meet the needs of a growing demographic of digital consumers, each new Qosmio harnesses unique features that set them apart from their respective Qosmio siblings.

The Qosmio G55 is the world’s first notebook to incorporate a parallel media co-processor, which is based on the revolutionary Cell processor1 technology co-developed by Toshiba, Sony and IBM. This technology is best known for its use within the popular Sony PlayStation® 3 and various supercomputers. Branded as the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor, users have more power than ever to control and create personal movie projects with unmatched speed and efficiency. Additionally, the Qosmio G55 sports up to 500GB of hard drive storage space, and is the first laptop from Toshiba to include an expansive 18.4-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite® high-definition display sporting a true 16:9 aspect ratio that’s perfect for serious filmmakers.

As high-definition digital camcorders become more affordable, people quickly learn that video editing is a time-intensive process. Video often must be converted from the camcorder’s format into one the editing software understands (called transcoding). Burning the video onto a DVD requires reducing the resolution to standard-definition and then transcoding the final product to a DVD Video MPEG2 format. A 10-minute video can take an hour or more to transcode using a high performance processor. Offloading that work from the CPU to the TOSHIBA Quad Core HD Processor boosts the transcoding speed up to 10 times2 faster. The Toshiba DVD Player software also takes advantage of this extra performance, upscaling DVD video to high definition.

Toshiba’s Qosmio X305 is a powerful gaming rig that’s built around a stunning 17.1-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite high-definition display. Designed to provide gamers with the highest laptop performance possible, select Qosmio X305’s take advantage of the latest NVIDIA® GeForce® 9800 GTX GPU3, up to 1GB VRAM graphics memory, dual hard drives with up to 400GB of collective storage space, as well as leading-edge DDR3 RAM4. Collectively these features power a premium gaming machine that’s designed for high-level competition, while also looking the part of a gaming machine with an aggressively bold chassis and red-flamed Rogue design topped off with Toshiba’s Fusion™ finish.

The Qosmio F55 with its 15.4-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite high-definition display is a worthy gaming machine that also takes mobility seriously. Sporting gaming grade NVIDIA GeForce 9700 GTS graphics users can enjoy a fluid and impressive gaming experience. Toshiba’s first laptop with a built-in GPS receiver and Garmin™ mapping software, the Qosmio F55 frees users from the need for an Internet connection when searching for millions of points of interest, as the built-in GPS system empowers users to determine their exact location in relation to their destination within moments.

Beyond the laptops, the new Qosmio family has the power to be extended into the living room through REGZA LINK™ HDMI technology. This standard feature enables simultaneous instant device configuration, and the ability to control REGZA LINK enabled devices, such as Toshiba’s REGZA™ HDTVs and a Qosmio laptop with a single remote.

Adding to their quality appeal, the Qosmio X305, Qosmio G55 and Qosmio F55 feature several prominent design characteristics that magnify the cutting-edge nature of the series. Each Qosmio sports a striking new chassis design and Fusion™ finish, Feathertouch multimedia buttons, a flush-mounted Touchpad, a high-speed eSATA port and Harman® Kardon high-fidelity bass reflex speakers with a built-in sub-woofer. These features do much to enhance the overall quality and premium feel of the new Qosmio series.
Each new Qosmio model will be available later this summer from a variety of major consumer electronics and computer stores nationwide or available directly from Toshiba at www.toshibadirect.com. Additional information is available at www.explore.toshiba.com/Qosmio.

All new Toshiba laptops are RoHS-compatible5, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. Beginning in the third Quarter of 2008, Toshiba will offer a computer trade-in and recycling program for all manufacturer’s PCs to reduce environmental impact and promote efficient utilization of resources. To learn more about this free PC recycling program or to find out how to recycle other consumer electronic products, please visit: www.toshiba.eztradein.com/toshiba.

Toshiba Portege R500 Upgraded to 128GB SSD

Mark Wilson — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:45:00 EDT

That's a lot of numbers in the headline. Just know that the Toshiba Portege R500—an acclaimed 12.1" ultraportable—has officially gotten the rumored upgrade to a 128GB solid state hard drive. That's twice the SSD storage we see in the Lenovo X300 or the MacBook Air. Still priced at $2,999, the new 2.4-pound Portege R500-S5007V also features a 1.33GHz Core 2 Duo processor, DVD burner, 2GB RAM, and plenty of other goodies. For the full details, here's the mega press release:

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST LAPTOP WITH 128GB SOLID STATE DRIVE

Portégé R500-S5007V Measures 0.77-inches Thin and Weighs 2.4 Pounds Making it One of the Thinnest and Lightest Laptops

IRVINE, Calif. (June 17, 2008) – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, today announced the addition of a 128GB solid state drive (SSD)1 into the innovative Portégé laptop series. Toshiba’s 2.4 pound2 Portégé R500-S5007V is the world’s lightest laptop with a 128GB SSD and DVD SuperMulti drive and one of the world’s thinnest with a SSD and DVD SuperMulti drive.
“With seven world’s first technologies the Portégé R500 series has served as a technology launching pad and redefined the ultraportable marketplace with its world’s first technologies and ‘green’ attributes, such as a transreflective LED backlit indoor/outdoor viewing display, the industry’s highest rated EPEAT Gold laptop and Energy Star 4.0 compliance,” said Jeff Barney, general manager and vice president, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. “First to incorporate a 128GB solid state drive is another major accomplishment for Toshiba and illustrates how the company is committed to delivering solutions that meet the needs of our customers.”
Utilizing the industry’s largest solid state drive capacity of 128GB, Toshiba’s
Portégé R500-S5007V provides ample storage space for carrying critical company data
and sensitive personal data while traveling. With no moving parts, SSD technology
provides customers with an enhanced level of reliability, durability and system
responsiveness.
To provide added convenience and on-the-go productivity, the Portégé R500 series was the world’s first laptop to ship with a 7mm DVD SuperMulti drive. The built-in optical drive reduces the Portégé R500-S5007V’s travel weight by providing users with an all-in-one solution, eliminating the bulk and inconvenience of carrying additional drives and cables.
For enhanced outdoor viewing, the Portégé R500 series incorporates the world’s first widescreen 12.1-inch transreflective LED backlit display, a feature that embraces the variety of lighting scenarios in which laptop computers are used including direct sunlight. Indoors, the LED backlit display produces an image rich in color saturation and superb quality. Outdoors, the transreflective screen lets the sun’s light pass through and reflects it out to bring the images on the display to life so users can switch off the LED backlighting off while outdoors and decrease overall battery consumption. This feature also makes the Toshiba Portégé R500 series an ideal choice for environmentally conscious users. This innovative display technology also enables users to expand their mobile computing boundaries beyond the traditional four walls of their office, home or local coffee shop to include locations with direct sunlight.
Measuring as thin as 0.77-inches, the Portégé R500 series uses Toshiba’s proprietary High Density Mounting Technology process to enable dual-sided motherboard component mounting. This innovative technology produces a motherboard that is one-third the size of a mainstream 15.4-inch notebook’s motherboard, while still providing users the same functionality.
The more than eight hours of battery life3 of the Portégé R500-S5007V gives users a full work day of normal computing on a single charge. To achieve this extended computing life, Toshiba subjected key system components to meticulous energy efficiency evaluation. Key Portégé R500-S5007V components use low power consumption technology including both the 128GB SSD and an ultra low voltage processor.
For executive durability and security, the Portégé R500-S5007V incorporates Toshiba’s EasyGuard™ Technology4 including advanced encryption, multiple level passwords and a fingerprint reader. These innovative features help prevent theft, and protect against unauthorized access to the users system, helping keep confidential information secure. In terms of data protection, the elimination of all mechanical moving parts from the hard drive Toshiba has designed a machine that further enhances the level of reliability and durability.
Additional information about Toshiba’s EasyGuard Technology is available at
www.easyguard.toshiba.com
The Portégé R500-S5007V Recommended Configuration (MSRP $2,999)5
• Genuine Windows Vista™ Business (32-bit version)
o Downgrade media for Genuine Windows XP Professional
• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor U77006
o 1.33GHz, 2MB L2, 533MHz FSB with 64 bit
• 2048 PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM8
• 128GB Serial ATA solid state drive1
• 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen high brightness display
o 1280 x 800 (WXGA) – Transreflective backlit LED
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 9509
• 7mm, 8xDVD-SuperMulti (+/-R Single Layer) drive supporting 9 formats
• Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965AGN10
• Intel® PRO/1000 - 10/100/1000 Ethernet
• Bluetooth® 2.0 + EDR
• 3-Year Standard Limited Warranty11

Complete product specifications for all models within the Portégé R500 Series are available at www.explore.toshiba.com/laptops/portege/R500. The Portégé R500 Series is available with a three-year standard, limited warranty11, which includes carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country; or customers may utilize any of the 4,460 UPS Stores and Mail Boxes Etc. locations nationwide for packaging and delivery of the product to a centralized depot for prompt turnaround service. Customers can also choose to upgrade the notebooks’ service plans, including up to four years of extended warranty coverage.
All new Toshiba notebooks are RoHS-compatible12, effectively reducing the environmental impact by restricting the use of lead, mercury and certain other hazardous substances. Beginning in the third Quarter of 2008, Toshiba will offer a computer trade-in and recycling program for all manufacturer’s PCs to reduce environmental impact and promote efficient utilization of resources. To learn more about this free PC recycling program or to find out how to recycle other consumer electronic products, please visit: www.toshiba.eztradein.com/toshiba.

[Toshiba ]

Toshiba G55 Qosmio Has Gesture Control

Brian Lam — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:57:16 EDT

The Toshiba G55 Qosmio, great great grandson of those first Media Center lappies that Toshiba put out, can use its webcam to process gestures and remote control your music, movies and powerpoint. One of the first. Laptop Mag says it works pretty well, if not overly sensitive at times.

They say it's thanks to a the Qosmio's powerful processor, but I'm not sure if I buy that. And anyhow, I don't like to waste spare cycles on something an infrared or bluetooth remote can do just the same. Plus, this sounds a bit too much like exercise. There's a video over at [Laptop Mag]

Toshiba Qosmio X305 (Powerhouse Gaming Laptop) Leaked

Mark Wilson — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:53:00 EDT

Here's what looks like a pretty legit shot of Toshiba's new gaming laptop, the Qosimo X305. Expected for a July 14th release, the new system features a 17-inch screen, 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX, 3Ghz intel processor and dual 7200RPM hard drives up to 500GB a pop. We also dig the HDMI out and 4 Harmon Kardon speakers. But since we turned 12, this Pontiac red plastic styling hasn't really been our thing. Don't let us taint you, though. Here's a bonus shot:

Meh, we could live with the case for a 1GB video card. [Logic TV]

MRAM: A Blockbuster Slated for 2015 Release

Mark Wilson — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:15:00 EDT

The Good News: Toshiba and Hitachi are both flaunting new technologies to make MRAM (the successor to DRAM) more plausible for public consumption. Plus, the United States and Korea both have begun national-level projects to develop the tech.

Why We Care: MRAM uses just 10% of the power of DRAM and offers instant-on computer booting. Plus we're sick of typing "DRAM."

Why It's Too Good To Be True: Engineers still needs to get their MRAM failure rates down to 1% over a decade before the technology will be deemed acceptable. Everyone thinks that this can happen by 2015 (which is a lot further off than, say, tomorrow). [NikkeiNet via techradar]

Toshiba Beefs Up 5400rpm 1.8-Inch Drives to 160GB

Kit Eaton — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:48:00 EDT

Just a few months ago we reported that Toshiba had turned up the spin-speed on its 1.8-inch hard drives to 5400 rpm. And now Toshiba's squeezed yet more storage onto those tiny spinning platters, beefing the storage capactity up to 160GB. Apparently it's the industry's first such drive with a serial ATA interface and it's exactly the sort of thing that could become your ultra-portable PC's new best friend when it goes into mass production in August, alongside a smaller 80GB version. Full press release below.

Jun 11, 2008 01:00

Toshiba's New 1.8-Inch HDD Achieves 160GB, the Industry's Largest(1) Storage Capacity for Drive with a Serial ATA Interface

TOKYO —(Business Wire)— Jun. 11, 2008 Toshiba Corporation today announced a new line-up of 1.8-inch hard disk drives (HDD) adopting a serial ATA interface, including the industry's first(1) drive of this type with a capacity of 160 gigabytes. The new 160GB drive, MK1617GSG, and an 80GB drive, MK8017GSG, will enter mass production in August.
Toshiba's new 1.8-inch HDDs boost interface speed to 1.5Gbps and offer a rotation speed of 5,400 rpm, faster than the current generation of Toshiba 1.8-inch HDD (MK1214GAH, parallel ATA, 120GB). By realizing the industry's first 160GB 1.8-inch drive with a serial ATA interface, Toshiba assures that mobile PCs will be able to meet the most demanding user needs.

The new MK1617GSG drive is more environmentally efficient than Toshiba's current MK1216GSG (120GB) model, and raises energy consumption efficiency, as defined under the Japanese legal standard, to 0.00281W/GB, a 25% improvement. The drive improves the maximum internal data transfer rate by approximately 17%, and supports faster data access in reading and writing that enhances overall performance.

Alongside Toshiba's 1.8-inch HDD of 80GB and 120GB serial ATA interface drives already in the market, the new drives will provide product manufacturers with a broad line-up that supports diverse applications. The new drives will also contribute to achievement of environmentally conscious products in full compliance with the EU's RoHS directive(2). -0-

Outline of New Models
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Model name Formatted Capacity Dimensions Weight
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
MK1617GSG 160GB 54.0 x 78.5 x 8.0mm 62g
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
MK8017GSG 80GB 54.0 x 78.5 x 8.0mm 60g
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Background

Hard disk drives for mobile PCs must be small, light and able to withstand vibration and shock. While Toshiba's 1.8-inch HDD are more robust than 2.5-inch HDD, they have not matched the larger drives in data transfer rates. However, the company's new 1.8-inch HDD combine a serial ATA interface with a faster rotational speed to realize a high speed transfer rate. Building on the achievements of providing a 1.8- inch HDD that employs industry's largest capacity with a serial ATA interface, and expanding its product line-up, Toshiba will continue efforts to provide innovative products that meet market needs for HDD integrated mobile PCs.

Key Features of New Products

1. Industry's largest storage capacity:160GB (MK1617GSG)

The new MK 1617GSG brings the industry's largest capacity of 160GB to a 1.8-inch HDD with a serial ATA interface.

2. Improved energy consumption efficiency (MK1617GSG)

Compared to the MK1216GSG (Serial ATA, 120GB, 1.8-inch HDD), the new MK1617GSG raises energy consumption efficiency, as defined under the Japanese legal standard, to 0.00281W/GB, a 25% improvement.

3. Lighter weight (MK8017GSG)

The new 80GB drive weighs only 60g, 3% lighter than the MK8016GSG (serial ATA, 80GB, 1.8-inch HDD).

4. Higher rotational speed (MK1617GSG and MK8017GSG)

The serial ATA interface supports an interface speed of 1.5Gbps, surpassing the performance of drives with a parallel ATA interface. The drives also operate at a maximum rotation speed of 5,400 rpm, 29% faster than Toshiba's current MK1214GAH (parallel ATA, 120GB, 1.8-inch HDD), supporting much faster data transfers. The disk's higher areal density improves the maximum internal data transfer rate by approximately 17%, and supports faster data access in reading and writing that enhances overall performance.

5. High vibration and shock resistance (MK1617GSG and MK8017GSG)

Compared to current 2.5-inch HDD (MK1652GSX), the new drives offer the higher levels of vibration and shock resistance needed in mobile PCs.

6. Environmentally conscious products offering efficient power consumption (MK1617GSG and MK8017GSG)

Alongside capacity improvement, Toshiba has also achieved a power consumption efficiency of 0.00281W/GB for the MK1617GSG, and 0.00563W/GB for MK8017GSG, as defined in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Energy Conservation Law, assuring a more environmentally friendly design. The new drives also comply with the EU's RoHS directive.

(1) The industry's largest commercially available capacity in a serial ATA interface 1.8-inch hard disk drive, as of June 11, 2008 (source: Toshiba)

(2) The RoHS Directive, which came into effect in July 2006, is a European Union directive that eliminates the use of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Toshiba Group, a Corporate Citizen of the Planet Earth, is committed to realizing a better environment. Guided by Toshiba Group Environmental Vision 2050 Toshiba Group is implementing measures to boost environmental efficiency by 10 times in FY2050, against the benchmark of FY2000. Toshiba Group is seeking to reduce CO2 emissions by a total equivalent to 57.6 million tons by FY2025, through the development and sales of high efficiency power supply equipment and systems, and the manufacture of environmentally conscious home appliances and office equipment. By working to mitigate global warming, make efficient use of resources and control management of chemicals, Toshiba creates value for people and promotes lifestyles in harmony with earth. -0-

Main Specifications
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Model name MK1617GSG MK8017GSG
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Formatted capacity 160GB 80GB
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Number of platters 2 1
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Number of heads 4 2
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Average seek time 15msec
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Rotational speed 5,400rpm
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Interface Serial-ATA
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Interface speed 1.5Gbps
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Dimensions (W x D x H, mm) 54.0 (W) x 78.5 (D) x 8.0 (H)
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Weight 62g (max) 60g (max)
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Energy consumption efficiency 0.00281W/GB 0.00563W/GB
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--
Operating: 4,900 m/s2 (500G, 2msec)
Shock resistance —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—
Non-operating: 14,700 m/s2 (1,500G, 1msec)
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—--

Note: Hard disk capacity is calculated on the basis of 1MB = 1-million bytes, and 1GB = 1-billion bytes.

[Toshiba]

Toshiba Making Upconverting DVD Players Because HD DVD Loss Still Stings

Jason Chen — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:40:00 EDT

Poor Toshiba's still not quite over the HD DVD defeat earlier this year, as evidenced by its president saying that they will "not market DVD players that are compatible with Blu-ray," instead opting for upconverting DVD players to bide their time before Blu-ray becomes so prevalent that the company has no choice.

However, if you're looking at this from a pure monetary view, the amount of DVDs installed and the fact that the Blu-ray library is really tiny compared to the DVD library, Toshiba's decision might make them some decent cash. The end result is that consumers shouldn't expect a Toshiba Blu-ray player for a little while. [TGDaily]

Toshiba Bringing PS3 Innards to Notebooks, TVs

Adrian Covert — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:54:00 EDT

Its recently been revealed that Toshiba is planning to use Sony PS3 technology in its upcoming TVs and Notebooks. The OC Register's Gadgetress got her hands on the Toshiba's Qosmio notebook (shown above), which will use the SpursEngine chip, jointly developed between Toshiba and Sony around the Cell. The processor will handle much of the video and multimedia processing, taking the load off the main CPU.

According to Toshiba, HD processing that once took an hour now only takes 10 minutes. And though the SpursEngine chip can handle graphics processing for games, no PC games are currently optimized for the chip, rendering it useless. But game development built around the processor is in the works. Tentatively, the Qosmio will also feature gesture based controls via webcam, but will lack the usual Blu-ray drive, 1080p resolution and TV tuner. But it will only run for $1700, shaving about $1300 off the price.

As for the TV, it will make use of Sony's Cell microprocessor for realtime HD upscaling, recording of multiple channels, and "displaying video as if it is being viewed through opera glasses" (whatever that means). The Qosmio notebook is planned for a 2008 release while the TV will hit stores in Fall 2009. [Electronista and Gadgetress]

Dealzmodo Ahoy: HDTVs Will Get Stupid Cheap Next Month

matt buchanan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EDT

According to HD Guru, Sony's not content with its less-than-number-one status in flat panels, so it's planning to claw its way back into consumers' hearts with deep price cuts on all of its 2008 models next month. The other guys, like Samsung, LG and Sharp, are already planning their own price war counter-attacks. And then, in reaction to the wave of cheap LCDs, plasma dudes like Panasonic (check our quick and dirty guide to plasmas) will prolly be doing their own slashing. Conclusion: Wait till May to buy an HDTV, 'cause it'll be mucho cheaper.

To give you an idea of how much you might save, for instance, Sony's cutting $400 off its 46-inch KDL-46S4100, to $1599, and $500 off its newest 1080p 40-incher, to $1199. So we're looking at discounts in the 20-25 percent range, which is none too shabby, and definitely worth holding off for a couple weeks on your Best Buy TV hunting expedition. [HD Guru]

Dolby Volume: Solving the Problem of Annoyingly Loud TV Content

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:13:12 EDT

Toshiba TVs (in Japan) will be the first to feature good old Dubbly's newest technology, Dolby Volume, a smart system aimed at leveling off eardrum-shattering sources and content—hopefully eradicating the twin evils of loud-ass TV commercials and poorly-mastered MP3s. Here's how it works:

The system "continually monitors (or 'listens' to) the audio at all times and performs content-dependent processing...[on] all types of audio." The processing isn't just straight-up compression, it's more of a smart EQ that takes dialogue and music into concern, and adjusts many frequency bands. This has the benefit of keeping funky artifacts out of the process, but it does of course take more horsepower to do, hence the slow roll-out. The first TVs to have it will be Toshiba's REGZA ZH500 and ZV500 series LCD HDTVs, which will be out in Japan next month. No word yet on the US arrival.

In case you're wondering, Dolby Volume does have an advanced "night" mode that lets you hear everything in big epic films without waking the significant other kind enough to put up with your midnight epic marathons. That's all we know for now—when it hits the US (hopefully this year) we'll test it with American broadcast TV, a boatload of DVDs and Blu-rays, and an iPod, to see for ourselves how it fixes those nagging problems. [FAQ via Press Release]

HD DVD Fallout: Nukes 95 Percent of Toshiba's Profits

matt buchanan — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:51:53 EDT

"Toshiba Corp. said its profit plummeted 95 percent in the January-March quarter due to costs of its exit from next-generation video HD DVD business." $12 million profit, down from $251.57 million last year. Ouchies. [AP]

Toshiba Ratchets Portege R500 SSD Up To 128GB

Wilson Rothman — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:10:00 EDT

Toshiba's under-2-lb. Portege R500 will get its SSD boosted to 128GB, though at a still undeclared but likely super high price, says UK's Register. The machines get a bit of a chip upgrade, too, from Intel's 1.2GHz U7600 Core 2 Duo to a 1.33GHz U7700. The R500 is, to my knowledge, the lightest PC with an internal DVD burner, at least in the US market, but I can't back it 100% because of a little problem called Vista.

It's great to see Toshiba jacking up the specs on it to make it a total badass in the thin, light and fast category—with, ahem, 3 USB ports, and in addition to that, a FireWire port and a PC card slot. But Toshiba is still only offering Vista Business on these guys, and when I tested an R500 early on, it was Vista that totally stunk up the machine.

Toshiba's US site still shows the model capped at 64GB (for $3,000), but we assume it will be updated soon. When you do, Toshiba, please offer XP as an option. Then again, you never know how many of the issues were resolved by SP1. [Register]

Toshiba X205-SLi5 and SLi6 Gaming Notebooks Pack Penryn and SLI Goodness

matt buchanan — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:35:00 EDT

Along with the re-designed and cheaper Satellite notebooks from last week, Toshiba's tossing out a pair of gaming notebooks packing Penryn chips (Core 2 Duo 8300 or 9300) and NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT running in SLI, with HDD configs up to 400GB. Starting at two grand, which isn't bad for "gaming" notebooks, but churning the 8600M GT seems a bit old and busted with 9-series cards right around the corner. Plus, the plain Jane looks aren't going to turn any heads. [Toshiba]

Toshiba IK-HD1 is World's Smallest HDTV Camera

Haroon Malik — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:59:00 EDT

With vital measurements of 1-6-inches cubed and 2.3-ounces in weight, Toshiba's IK-HD1 waltzes in to easily steal the "Smallest HDTV Camera, Ever" title. Packed to the miniature eyeballs with three CCD chips, the 1K-HD1 can capture video at broadcast-quality at 1080i, but it won't be making its way to your camcorder anytime soon. The tiny marvel is actually intended for professional broadcasting, and needs to be hooked up to a rather sizable control unit, which can be placed up to 90-feet away. It appears Mr Professional Broadcasting wins again. Dammit. [DVice]

Is WiMax All Washed Up? An Open Letter

Adrian Covert — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Dear Sprint and Intel,
I'm sorry to hear about your recent WiMax delays and struggles, I really am. The Xohm service was originally scheduled to launch this month, but all you've given us are a few prototypes and half-baked demos in controlled environments—the public has yet to see the technology truly in action. WiMax in general and Xohm in particular have the potential for greatness, but you guys seem to have lost your way. Here are all the signs that WiMax may be washed up:

• When the rollout is already slower than people initially hoped, the aforementioned delays are never good.

• Aside from the Nokia N810, Asus Eee PC and Everex Cloudbook, Xohm lacks any mainstream WiMax-compliant devices, and we were hoping CTIA 2008 would be a good time to hear about them. An infrastructure is only as good as its end-user products (and vice-versa).

• Speaking of that, where are Intel's WiMax-compatible chips? What about the 20% of 2008 devices scheduled to have WiMax? What about the Montevina chipsets allegedly eagerly awaited by Lenovo, Acer, Asus, Panasonic and Toshiba? WiMax needs some love from its $2 billion champion.

• Xohm partners we spoke to were under the impression that a full Xohm demo would be set up for CTIA. However, Wired's Joe Brown attended Nokia's press conference and noted the N810 WiMax Edition Tablet was demoed over Wi-Fi. What's up with that?

• Similarly, while previewing the N810's HAVA Player at Nokia's booth, the Hava rep told me he was using Wi-Fi for demos because the Xohm booth just across the hall didn't have a strong enough WiMax signal. Laptop Magazine even suffered dropped connections inside the Xohm booth. What ever happened to 10Mbps at 10 kilometers?

• The WiMax demos that did work seemed promising, but the people running the booth operated with a healthy amount of paranoia. We weren't allowed to get too hands-on and they tried to kill our photos, suggesting perhaps things weren't as fully functional as they seemed.

• An early WiMax service rolled out in Australia last month suffered an EPIC FAIL, quickly closed up shop and prompted the CEO to say "WiMax may not work." Could Xohm be suffering from similar problems?

• WiMax's direct 4G competition, LTE, chosen by America's two biggest and most powerful wireless carriers, already seems to be gaining steam, not to mention showing well in recent demos.

So guys, anything we can do to help? I want the future of technology to actually make it to the future. Lord knows I'd feel better knowing I could play World of Warcraft lag-free while sitting in the middle of the Mojave Desert, not that I own WoW or plan to visit the Mojave Desert, but you never know. Seriously, just give me my damn WiMax already!!

Signed,
Adrian Covert

Toshiba's New Light Bulbs Have a 12,000 Hour Life-Span

Sean Fallon — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:50:00 EDT

Toshiba's new Neoball-Z Real Pride bulbs are actually fluorescent lamps that ditch the hideous corkscrew shape in favor of a more traditional design. However, the big news is that their life span is rated at 12,000 hours. That's 1.2 times better than similar existing products and about 12 times better than an incandescent bulb. Power consumption has been rated at a money-saving 10 watts and it will be available in warm white, day white and daylight flavors starting on July 1st. No pricing information has been announced. [Tech On]

Toshiba Satellite Laptops: New Fusion Look, Charge-Anytime USB Ports, Cheaper Prices

Wilson Rothman — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:20:00 EDT

Mr. T's favorite laptop maker rolled out slick, useful and budget-minded updates to its Satellite line today. First up, the 13.3" U400, 14.1" M300, 15.4" A300 and 17" P300 have a new look called "Fusion," a shiny finish with pinstripes and smoothed edges, not unlike that sucka HP's successful smooth-n-shiny-n-pinstripey look. The eight shots in the gallery make the design look a bit greenish, so we'll have to wait to pass final judgment. It's one thing to look nice on the outside, but like T, these have a lot going on on the inside, too...

The laptops will all have "Feather-Touch" multimedia touch-sensitive keys and a webcam with facial-recognition security login, presumably more for fun than true security. They will all also have Sleep-and-Charge USB ports, which will charge stuff even when the laptop is asleep or powered down, provided the laptop is plugged into a wall socket.

At the same time, Toshiba introduced two totally new laptops, the A200, with a starting price of $600 including 15.4" widescreen, DVD SuperMulti drive 160GB drive, 1GB of RAM and an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor. The company also introduced the 17" L350 with built-in webcam, ATI Radeon X1250 graphics and DVD SuperMulti drive for $750. [Toshiba releases: Redesigned laptops; Cheap laptops]

How to Get Your Hacked Obsolete Object on Gizmodo

AddyDugdale — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Chase Sechrist and Dan Weatherford went to work on Toshiba's HD-A1 HD-DVD player and, while it's pretty much only good as a doorstop now, at least it says something nice. [Doom9's Forum—thanks Mazyar!]

Toshiba's ApriPoko: a Remote Controller Companion Robot

Kit Eaton — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:37:49 EDT

Toshiba's new robot pal is basically a voice-operated infrared universal remote control, heavy on the cuteness. Programmed to be fairly smart, he'll wait until you use a controller for your electronics, then ask you what you were doing: the next time you want to perform the same action, you just have to tell ApriPoko to do it for you. He'll then wave his IR transmitter arm and *bing*, on goes your TV. He's even equipped with a camera to identify users, presumably to learn their habits. For now he's just an R&D demonstrator device, and is limited to simple commands. We hope we're right in expecting the technology to make its way into consumer gadgets soon. [Robot Watch]

Toshiba HD DVD Loses Less than Expected

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:25:09 EDT

Seems like the rumors on Toshiba's $1 billion loses on HD DVD were greatly exaggerated by a mere $342 million: the operating loss for HD DVD will be just $653 million. And still, they are turning a profit, although reduced 31% from previous forecasts. [Bloomberg]

Toshiba Dynabook SS RX1 Laptop First to Have 128GB SSD, Apparently

Kit Eaton — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:04:19 EDT

Toshiba's Dynabook SS RX1 now has an optional 128GB solid state drive built in, which Toshiba is claiming as a world first. It certainly beats the MacBook Air's SSD option, and is similarly slender, plus it squeezes in an optical drive. It has a 1.2 GHz Core 2 Duo, Intel graphics and a 12.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel screen, and a claimed battery life of 12.5 hours, which seems huge. It's also configurable without the SSD but with an 80GB hard drive and a CDMA card for mobile internet goodness. Available from April in Japan at first, for around $4,000. [Ascii]

Toshiba Takes $1 Billion Hit on HD DVD (Still Turns a Profit)

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:49:16 EDT

The Nikkei business daily is reporting that Toshiba will take a $986 million hit this year for its ill-fought HD DVD campaign, though somehow the manufacturing supergiant will manage to post a roughly $2.5 billion profit nonetheless, down from a projected $2.9 billion or so. The estimated cost of HD DVD for the company this year was supposed to be closer to half a billion, but the halt in production means costly line changes and "other charges." Toshiba itself isn't saying a word yet, but damn if there ain't truth to this. [Reuters; Bill Image Source]

Toshiba: F*** the Format War, We're Going Nuclear (No, Really)

matt buchanan — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:40:44 EST

Who needs to wage a costly format war when you could build nuclear power plants? That's Toshiba's thinking exactly. They just launched a brand new company, Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corp., which will "enhance" its nuclear power business in the US. Um...what? [Yahoo!/Reuters]

Dreamworks Still Tied to HD DVD's Corpse By Toshiba Contract

matt buchanan — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:50:01 EST

Okay, so one big studio actually hasn't made the jump to Blu yet: Dreamworks, which was paid $100 million to join HD DVD back in August. As we had pieced together in our closed-door analysis, they can't break rank until Toshiba lets them. Says Dreamworks chief: "It really is in their court at this point to really declare what the next step will be. We're poised either way to jump..."

Question: Paramount was part of the $150 million deal too—how come they're already out and true Blu? Did that extra $50 million lock Dreamworks into an even tighter (read: shittier) contract? [Reuters]

Toshiba 815T PB: Transformers-Like Cellphone of Geeky dreams

Kit Eaton — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:22:20 EST

Toshiba's new Softbank 815T PB is the robot/cellphone hybrid I would've dreamed of if cellphones had been around when I was a kid. It's made for an upcoming Japanese TV drama called Ketai Sousakan 7 and it really does transform, Transformers-like, into a robot toy complete with tiny bunched fists. Even the display-face is part of the robot effect, and the phone comes with games with the same theme. It's in silver and black, has a QVGA screen, 3.2 megapixel camera and is a 3G phone, so it might venture outside Japanese shores. We don't know much else other than an April release date, but we'll keep you posted. [Gizmodo Japan]