Toshiba makes their blazing gaming laptop even faster, and brings some new HDTVs to the show, with a hint of what's to come.
The Qosmio X305 gets a boost from an SSD drive
The Toshiba Qosmio X305 was already a high-spec laptop, and at CES 2009 Toshiba announced a new configuration option that takes things a step further. The Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q725 (better write that down) comes with dual hard disk drives. One is a 64GB SSD, the other is a 320GB 7200RPM SATA drive. Presumably, system software and other programs that would benefit from rapid booting would be stored on the SSD, and this could cut down on load times, launch and startup times and even the power drain to the system. That 320GB drive is no slouch, either, and if that weren't enough, the Qosmio X305 also uses the Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX graphics card, fully loaded with 1GB of dedicated GDDR3 RAM. The 17-inch laptop also includes 4 USB ports, with an eSATA / USB combo, as well as a host of other features already found on the Toshiba Qosmio X305 models. The new configuration is available immediately for $2,700.
The new LCD high-definition televisions
Toshiba launched a trio of new Regza LCD panels, available in a variety of sizes with a slick style cutting across the line. Toshiba loves to brand their proprietary image enhancement features, so we won't rattle off a list of cool-sounding tech like Resolution+, CrystalCoat, FocaLight, etc. Needless to say that the best of these TVs will start with a 120Hz refresh rate and then get a boost from the backlighting system to enhance the motion to what Toshiba claims will be 240Hz quality. Toshiba has taken steps to improve HDMI switching speeds, and the new sets can also regulate volume on their onboard speakers to make sure loud commercials aren't jarring between programs.
XV and ZV models
Toshiba's Regza XV645 will come in 40-, 46- and 52-inch sizes. These sets will feature a 120Hz refresh rate, but will use Toshiba's new "Deep Lagoon" styling, so they will look something like the high-end panels. The XV series will feature 3 HDMI inputs and a PC input. The sets will be available in May.
The ZV series will be a step up from the XV models, and the Regza ZV650 LCD TV will come in 42-, 47- and 55-inch sizes. Here we start to see some of the high-end features creep into the line. The ZV650 will get an SD card slot for JPEG slideshows, as well as a USB slot. Using the USB port, users can play JPEG slideshows, MP3 music files, MPEG videos and even DivX movies. The Toshiba Regza ZV650 will also use the new Clearscan technology that purports to boost refresh rates to look like 240Hz. The Regza ZV650 series will be available in April.
The best of the best, and what's next
The Toshiba Regza SV670 represents the top-of-the-line LCD panel, and is styled after the company's "Deep Lagoon Infinity Flush" styling. Love the naming yet? The Toshiba LCD basically follows the modern style of making the LCD device itself disappear behind the image, and for Toshiba this means mimicking an infinity pool. It's a nice look for a premium set. The Toshiba Regza SV670 also uses LED backlighting with Local Dimming, so it can shut down dark pixels, presumably creating a more dynamic look with deeper colors. The SV series will be available in 46- and 55-inch models some time in May.
The most interesting part of Toshiba's CES announcements, though, were undoubtedly a little hint about what's coming next. While not groundbreaking, Toshiba is already promising that the next HDTVs to come out later this year will feature Internet connectivity with Widgets Channel framework support. The new TVs will also be DLNA enabled and can be loaded with MS Extender so they work with Microsoft's Media Center PC software. It seems like a strange move touting the imminent launch of even better versions of the current lineup, but our thanks to Toshiba for giving us something to talk about, at least.
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