Toshiba is ready to release their newest dynabook, the "dynabook SS S30" in early September. It features a 12.1" widescreen display and single spindle (e.g. no optical drive). It's one of Toshiba's smaller dynabooks, measuring 283 x 196.6 x 26.9 ~ 35.5mm. Some other nice features of the SS S30 include a "Water Block Construction" that prevents water that may have spilled on the keyboard from reaching the unit's internal components, lock feature (like the one on your portable audio player to prevent accidental keypresses), fingerprint security, and a presentation button for changing to external output with a preset resolution.

Two models will be available: the "lightweight and long battery life" model with a 1280 x 800 dot screen, Core Solo U1300 (1.06GHz) processor, Intel 945GM Express chipset, 512MB of memory, and 30GB/4200rpm hard drive, and the "high speed hard drive model" that knocks the hard drive up to 40GB/5400rpm. Each model is equipped with three USB 2.0 ports, a Type2 PC card slot, SD card slot, IEEE 802.11a/b/g LNA, Gigabit Ethernet, a modem, and mini D-Sub15 pin. The battery on the "long battery life" model lasts roughly 9 hours, and on the fast hard drive model about 7.7 hours.



Inspired by:
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/0824/toshiba.htm

Press Release:
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2006_08/pr_j2402.htm

Toshiba's new line of SD cards support the latest "SD Speed Class" specification from the SD Card Association, which guarantee minimum speeds by allowing host devices to check and read the cards tht are inserted in their SD slots. At the top is the "Ultra High Speed Series" sustaining 20MB/sec available in 512MB, 1GB, and 2GB capacities, and "High Speed Series" available in the same capacities guarantees transfer rates of 5MB/sec.

There are three classes in the SD Speed Class: Class 2 guaranteeing over 2MB/sec, Class 4 at 4MB/sec, and Class 6 at 6MB/sec. Toshiba's new cards fall into Class 6 and Class 4, and are compatible with existing SD card-supporting devices in addition to SDHC devies.



Inspired by:
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/0824/toshiba2.htm

Press Release:
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2006_08/pr_j2401.htm

Two new "gigashot" digital video cameras from Toshiba. The R30 has a 30GB capacity, and the R60 a 60Gb capacity.

Toshiba has introduced flash memory models of their respected gigabeat audio players. 512MB and 1GB versions are available. Yay?

We're not really sure what connection Toshiba has to King Kong, but they did announce a new "King Kong" version of their "gigabeat X20" player (which is itself just a 20GB model of the X30).

If you don't think LCDs are thin enough already, you'll be pleased to know Toshiba Matsushita Display Technologies has introduced an 11.1 inch display that's a mere 2.75mm (0.10 inches) thick. Let's hope it has a titanium backing, since those dimensions just scream brittle.

Here's a nice looking new audio player from Toshiba, called the X30. It features a 30GB hard drive and the same nice looking screen as the company put o­n their F series of players. Yet it's 20% smaller.

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology has created a neat little (3.5") display that features direct pen input via an optical pen. It's similar to a touchscreen, but isn't actually a touchscreen. If that makes sense.

Toshiba has announced they have successfully developed portable audio players that can be powered by fuel cells, and are beginning further experiments.

The company showed fuel cells last summer (our coverage here), and the concept designs show what looks to be an F60. Of course, they're just concept designs -- I'd personally like to see completely new units from Toshiba, rather than just a modified version of their already pricey F series players. Details inside.

No sign of any actual products yet, but Toshiba and Microsoft had a pretty big announcement today regarding joint development efforts between the two companies. They're apparently working towards incorporating Windows CE in HD DVD players (which in all honesty, will probably just be modified version of Microsoft's XBox 360 software) and that they "plan to strengthen their collaboration on iHD, the DVD Forum’s latest interactivity format." Whatever that means.

Either way, we already know that Microsoft will be supporting HD DVD on Longhorn, which I don't think is due until 2007. Given both Blu-Ray and HD DVD products are supposed to be hitting the market by the end of this year, it seems both organizations will need to work towards getting their technologies supported under Windows XP.

I'm sure Toshiba has made a special effort to try and convince Microsoft to not support Blu-Ray in Longhorn, but frankly, I doubt Microsoft would want to limit the capabilities of "the biggest Windows since 95" (Ballmer said this, IIRC). It will be interesting to see what role Microsoft has to play in the HD DVD vs Blu-Ray war due to their involvement on both the hardware (Xbox 360) and software (Longhorn) ends of things.

Microsoft's official press release on the announcement is right here, in English, so I needn't be bothered translating it.

Not content to let Apple, and to a lesser extent, Sony, dominate the portable audio player market, Toshiba has released a firmware update for their "gigabeat" range of HDD-based players. The update adds some nice functionality including a photo viewer, ability to customise screen settings and automatic transfer of album art. And, in a stroke of marketing genius, Toshiba is also now using a panda to promote the gigabeat series. Rock you! New gigabeat. Yeah!

A second notebook...of note from Toshiba today is the "libretto U100." With outrageously small dimensions, the U100 follows the tradition set forth by previous Libretto machines, though it is certainly updated for modern specifications. This is the first update to the Libretto line in about 3 years.

From Toshiba comes the "dynabook SS SX," a machine that is a tiny 9.9mm at its thinnest point. These things are getting awfully thin...

80% charge in 1 minute. I don't need to say anything else.

Available in a 250GB capacity, and that's basically it. Interestingly enough, it's fairly cheap -- estimated at less than 35,000 yen. The biggest feature of the player, "Net de Dubbing," allows for users to losslessly copy video to other R series recorders o­n the same network. Legal? I guess, because you apparently copy copy-protected video.

If you are for some reason opposed to the purchase of Green House products, look into Toshiba's portable DVD player also announced today. I likewise has a 7" widescreen LCD, can play JPEGs, and appears to have similar specifications all-around. It's about 40,000 yen, too, so you pay a bit more for the brand-name. Interestingly enough, Toshiba will be releasing a TV tuner attachment to go with this player.

Toshiba has announced a couple new tablet PCs, and while not exactly a bargain, they're still lower cost than most. They also have a dual-axis hinge, so you can use them as a normal laptop, too.

Toshiba appears to now have an 80GB 1.8" hard drive coming out, making it the world's highest capacity for this size.

They've beaten us to an English translation of their press release, though. Those jokers.

Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology (TMD) has a new 3.5" polysilicon LCD that has an optical touchscreen function, and it's pretty cool looking.

What's so great about an optical touchscreen? Conventional touchscreen technologies have required sensors to detect the pressure put o­n certain parts of the screen when pushed. That's all happy doing, but the conventional method of integrating touchscreen functionality requires the use of two screens, actually: o­ne pressure sensitive, and o­ne LCD.

Enter TMD's touchscreen with an optical sensor, taking away the need for the pressure sensitive part.

Toshiba will release a new portable DVD player in December that boasts a 1024 x 600 8.9" wide LCD display. The screen of the "SD-P2700" can also be rotated 180 degrees clock-wise and laid flat for some DVD viewing "tablet-style". I bet you Scoble would love that. The "SD-P2700" will retail for approximately 70,000 yen.

Toshiba continues their unstoppable march towards world domination of the notebook market with the release of three new Qosmio AV notebooks, including two with 17" widescreen displays. Notable features of the new machines include dual-layer compatible DVD Super-Multi drives and up to 160GB of storage!

What was o­nce 17 inches is now 32...

I haven't got a topic for "Toshiba Matsushita Display Technologies" yet, so I'm just putting this under Toshiba for now.

Pricey, but these are pretty nice. Some features include a "+" sign touch sensor, industry's first 60GB capacity, and 2.2" color QVGA screen.

You're probably wondering why Apple didn't announce a 60GB iPod, and I guess this is why. Toshiba hasn't even begun mass production of these yet.

Thanks to their record setting 0.85 inch hard drive, Toshiba should claim a new title in 2005 with their new portable audio player - "world's smallest iPod competitor."
First details, right here.

Alright, I *really* didn't see this coming.
I imagine a product like this would really, really piss off Sony. This LSI, however, o­nly mentions the playback of ATRAC3plus files o­n CDs, rather than those from a flash memory or hard drive.
The next logical step for Toshiba is to get rights to produce Hi-MD products, and they've got themselves a superior piece of hardware to any of Sony's "ATRAC3plus o­nly" devices. I'm pretty sure that if Hi-MDs supported MP3 playback, the world would be a much better place.

I'm glad to see someone still cares about these things. This comes from an English Toshiba press release.

Toshiba adds new functionality and a wider variety of capacities and colors to their Gigabeat line. New functions include USB charging, and Windows Media DRM support.

Who says you can't have both DVD burner and 160GB HD in under 60mm?

Toshiba gets over the 80GB mark for laptops with their new hard drive. It's a mere 2.5 inches high, and o­nly 9.5mm thick. Don't ask me why they use both metric and imperial measurements for these though. Seriously, I just had "inch" and "mm" in the same sentence!

The EDEX2004 show is apparently an exhibition all about electronic displays. It's currently being held at Tokyo's Big Site, wherever that may be.
Anyway, this is just a list of what different companies had to exhibit for the first day of the show. For pictures and more details, you'll need to see the original Japanese article. As always, if you would like me to translate more of the content, just contact me and I'd be glad to help you. I particularly like the 2.6" screen with VGA resolution.

Devices include a "SD Card Viewer," a 3D display, fuel cells for laptops, and the 0.85 inch hard drive. No story to go with this o­ne, because the release is in English:

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2004_03/pr1701.htm

You can follow that link to get some more information, and the following for pictures:

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/info/cebit2004/archive/index.htm

Toshiba will release a new version of their 20GB mp3 player, the gigabeat.
Updates this time around include LAN connection, and o­n-strap (not strap-on) controls.

The company is a joint venture between Toshiba and Samsung, and will be named "Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation."
Details inside.

At 0.85 inches, it's smaller than a MicroDrive.

For those of you that don't know, bone conduction is a technique used to vibrate the skull so that users with hearing disabilities can hear better. It is commonly used in hearing aids. Toshiba Consumer Marketing has developed a wireless speaker, inside a pillow, using this technology.