Toshiba announces its latest series of laptops
New features include improved processors, upscaling technology and gesture recognition...
At a press conference in London today, Toshiba announced a new range of laptops that utilise the company's new Quad Core SpursEngine technology.
In a move that's sure to strengthen Toshiba's footing in the laptop market, the new laptops use a separate processor when dealing with high-definition video and the like, leaving the main processor to deal with the normal things like loading files.
The SpursEngine was developed from the Cell processor that drives Sony's PlayStation 3 as a low-power version of the console powerhouse.
New range
The brand-new series of laptops include: the Qosmio F50, G50 and the X300. The F50 is the 'baby' of the group (Toshiba's words), with a 15.4in screen, and a 640GB hard drive, while its bedfellow, the G50, houses an impressive 18.4in widescreen display tipped to replace your existing desktop computer.
The X300 is Toshiba's new gaming machine, an update of the Satellite X200, coloured in an eye-catching red. According to Emily Shirley, Toshiba's head of product marketing, the laptop is a "strong, aggressive product, in a strong, aggressive market."
In-built upscaling technology
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The big announcement concerning the laptops was to do with the technology that's being used in them.
It seems the company is not yet ready to adapt its laptops for the Blu-ray market, instead opting to add technology that will enhance your viewing of standard definition material.
The new Quad Core processor has been added as it can upscale - in real-time - standard-definition video to 1080i high-definition.
Speaking about the announcement, Alan Thompson, CEO of Toshiba Europe, said: "If you go to Lovefilm.com, there are 70,000 standard DVDs available and only a few HD ones.
The majority of [visual] material available is standard definition. What we want to do is make this SD material look HD."
Gesture recognition
Another addition to the laptop range is something called Gesture Recognition. This handy little option allows you to wave your hands at your laptop to control certain things, such as the pausing and playing of movies. This Minority Report-style function works through the notebook's webcam.
Unfortunately, there are set gestures to use to control the laptop, so no rude funny business can be used to impress your friends.
The new laptops will be available Q3 of this year. No pricing has been announced, but we will keep you updated.
Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.