Toshiba unveils new netbook, laptops

MANILA, Philippines - Consolidating its position as one of the more desirable and feature-packed brands when it comes to portable computing, Toshiba announced recently a slew of new laptops spearheaded by a delectable new netbook, the P29,990 NB200.

Toshiba’s new NB200 is one of the more head-turning netbooks in the market today. It comes in stylish high-fashion colors with diagonal ridges on the lid, monitor bezel, and on the generously sized trackpad. The chrome hinge, powder-coated silver keyboard, and matte silver body give the NB200 an extra touch of class.

It has an edge-to-edge raised-tile keyboard, which makes typing more comfortable than on other netbooks. It has a 10.1-inch widescreen LED-backlit display with a 1024 x 600 native resolution and a power button that glows white when the unit is on. A VGA webcam and microphone are positioned above the display.

What makes the NB200 different from the rest of the netbooks in the market today are the 3D accelerometer monitoring system and the Sleep-and-Charge port.

The hard drive protection detects shocks and vibrations and protects the 160GB HDD — a worthwhile feature to have considering you’ll probably be lugging around your netbook everywhere.

The Sleep-and-Charge USB 2.0 port, on the other hand, is a convenient feature that allows you to charge portable devices such as your music player or phone while the netbook is switched off or in sleep mode.

The NB200 runs on Windows XP and is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor (it comes with 1GB of RAM). Connectivity comes from Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), and 10/100 Ethernet interfaces.

Three USB slots (including the Sleep-and-Charge port), 100Mbps Ethernet, VGA-out, an SD card reader, and microphone and headphone outputs round out the port connections.

Delivering a broad range of everyday computing features, Toshiba’s Satellite L510 (P36,990 for the P40 model and P49,990 for the S431 model) offers a higher level of design than what could be expected from such an affordable device.

IMR (In-Mould Rolling) is used to deliver a unique Breeze design, with rolling slim lines on the glossy metallic gray surface. A multimedia bar with four buttons enhances usability, as does the seamlessly integrated touch pad.

The Satellite L510 offers a choice between three CPUs (with Intel Pentium Dual Core or Core2 Duo processors) and two GPUs (Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4530).

It has a 14-inch high-definition LED-backlit display with Clear SuperView Technology and a true widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio that offers 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. Connectivity is via WLAN (including draft-n), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), and Fast Ethernet LAN.

The L510 comes with a variety of ports: a four-in-one card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, additional eSATA/USB combo port, and an HDMI port on selected configurations. A DVD Super Multi (Dual Layer) drive and a VGA webcam supporting Toshiba’s SmartFace face recognition software are also onboard.

Meanwhile, Toshiba’s Premier Series notebook, the P84,990 Satellite M500, promises a powerful multimedia experience. Featuring a premier black chassis, the M500’s LCD cover comes with a Toshiba Fusion finish also based on IMR technology with a Sonic Boom design.

It boasts an edge-to-edge display with a glass mask, while chrome rims and hinges and a keyboard with flat keys in a matte black finish further enhance the elegant looks.

With an advanced Hybrid SSD (Solid State Drive)/HDD (Hard Disk Drive) system in selected models, users get the best of both worlds. The M500’s OS and applications are stored in the SSD, which has access speeds five times faster than a hard drive. User data are stored in the hard drive.

The M500 protects its hard drive, thanks to a built-in 3D motion sensor that dynamically monitors free-falls, shock, and vibration, and rapidly prepares the drive head for impact. A Fingerprint Security Suite secures your data.

This multimedia machine features a 14-inch high-def LED-backlit display with Clear SuperView Technology and a 16:9 aspect ratio that offers a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. High-end Harman-Kardon stereo speakers deliver vibrant sound.

It also comes with a DVD Super Multi (Dual Layer) drive supporting LabelFlash Technology, a five-in-one card reader, three USB 2.0 slots, and an additional eSATA/USB combo port that supports Sleep-and-Charge. The multi-touch pad with Gesture Support provides an innovative alternative to conventional scrolling and buttons.

The M500 is powered by Intel Core2 Duo processors. Its Hybrid storage system combines a 500GB (SATA) HDD and a 64GB SSD. Standard 320GB and 500GB HDD configurations are available as well.

For advanced graphics performance the M500 offers ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 up to 1278MB total available graphics (ext 512MB VRAM). An HD webcam records videos in wide format.

Last but not least is Toshiba’s new 13.3-inch ultra portable, the P59,990 Portege M900. Part of Toshiba’s new Signature Series, the M900 offers an optimal balance of size, weight and performance in a stylish, eye-catching textured finish that comes in four colors: signature brown, white, red, and pink.

Despite being a full-featured performance machine, every aspect of the M900 has been crafted with portability in mind. A lightweight of 2.15 kg and measurements of 317 x 230.6 mm and a height of 29.5 mm at the front and 38.2 mm at the back ensure high mobility.

Like the Satellite M500, the Portege M900 comes with Toshiba’s 3D motion sensor hard drive protection and Fingerprint Security Suite. It also has a multi-touch pad with Gesture Support. Eight feather-touch buttons give direct access to audio/video functions and also to Toshiba’s Eco utility, which makes reduction of power consumption easy and visible.

The M900 is powered by an Intel Core2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB) and 2048MB system memory. It incorporates ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 up to 1278MB total available graphics (ext 512MB VRAM), and a 13.3-inch high-def Clear SuperView display and a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.

The M900 connects via Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, a five-in-one card reader, HDMI, two USB 2.0 ports, and an additional eSATA/USB combo port, which supports Sleep-and-Charge. It also offers an HD webcam and supports Toshiba’s SmartFace face recognition software. It has wireless LAN and Gigabit LAN.