News Bits: Toshiba R200, Toshiba libretto, Toshiba M4 Tablet, ATI M28PRO

Toshiba Releases Portege R200 Ultra Portable Notebook

Toshiba today released a replacement to its popular Portege R100 Series of ultraportable notebook in the form of the Portege R200. A very logical number increment, thank you Toshiba! Weighing in at a paltry 2.7 lbs, you won't even notice this thing is in your bag when you're carrying it through the airport. Sporting a 12.1-inch screen, you'll still have enough viewing room to actually see documents well.

PC Magazine got an early version of this notebook and gave it an absolutely glowing review, here's the lead in to their article on the R200:

"It's as if Toshiba melted all its expensive silverware and draped it around the body of its latest lightweight R200 ultraportable. This luxuriously thin, silver-clad beauty barely tips the scales at 2.7 pounds (system weight). Like its predecessor, the R100, the R200 is just 0.7 inches thick, practically the size of a legal pad. Best part: It has a comfortable, full-size keyboard. There's little not to love about the R200, which is why it flies away with our Editors' Choice for ultraportables."

Toshiba R200 Specs

• Pentium M 1.2GHz Ultra Low Voltage Processor
• 512MB RAM
• 1.8-inch, 60GB Hard Drive, 4200RPM
• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
• 802.11 b/g wireless and Bluetooth integrated
• Ports: RGB, Fast Infrared (IrDA 1.1) port, 2 USB 2.0, RJ-11 modem (v.92), RJ-45 (10/100/1000 Ethernet), Headphone and microphone ports, 1 Type II PCMCIA slot, Secure Digital Card slot, slim port replicator port
• Screen: 12.1-inch
• Weight: 2.7lbs
• 6-cell Lithium Ion rechargeable battery
• Dimensions: 11.2" x 9.0" x 0.3/0.8"
• 3-year warranty

More: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1788181,00.asp

Toshiba Portege R100 Review (Precursor to R200): http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=1915

Toshiba Announces libretto U100 Mini Notebook

Just in case the 2.7 lbs Toshiba Portege R200 is a little big for you, Toshiba has announced the rebirth of its libretto brand. The new libretto U100 mini notebook computer has a 7.6-inch widescreen LCD. The libretto U100 features built-in 802.11 b/g wireless using a half-size mini-PCI wireless card, a 60GB hard drive (1.8-inch hard drive), a 2.16 pounds carrying weight, 1.2GHz Pentium M Ultra Low Voltage processor and 512MB of RAM. Impressive specs for such a small notebook. And yes, it does run Windows XP Pro as the default operating system.

Toshiba recommends the optional libretto DVD Dock with a DVD SuperMulti optical disk drive accessory. The libretto DVD Dock enables the user to burn data to a CD or DVD or watch movies while on the go. This functionality allows the libretto to serve as both a portable mini-notebook and DVD player in one

Libretto U100 specs

• Processor: Intel Pentium M processor4 Ultra Low Voltage 753 (1.20Ghz, 2MB L2 cache, 400Mhz FSB)
• Operating System:Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Display:7.2-inch diagonal widescreen TruBriteTM TFT LCD at 1280x768 native resolution (WXGA)
• System Chipset:Intel 855GME Chipset
• Graphics Controller:Intel Extreme Graphics 2, 16MB-64MB shared VRAM7 (DVMA)
• Memory:512MB (standard) DDR 333 MHz memory
• Hard Drive:60GB (4200 RPM) HDD (1.8-inch)
• Wireless:Atheros 802.11b/g integrated wireless2 Wi-Fi and BluetoothTM (2.0+EDR)
• Ports:RGB (mini connector), 2 USB 2.0, i.LINK (IEEE-1394), Headphone jack, RJ-45 (10/100 Ethernet) LAN port, RJ-11 V.92 Modem port, and Docking connector.
• Battery:6-cell lithium-ion battery
• Dimensions:8.27" x 6.5" x 1.17"
• Weight:2.16 lbs
• Warranty:Standard, limited three-year warranty

More: Toshiba libretto U100 Overview from CNET

Toshiba Releases Tecra M4 Tablet PC

Toshiba pushes the Tablet PC platform further with yet another new model. As if deciding between the Toshiba M200, R15 and R10 isn't hard enough, Toshiba now adds a third Tablet PC option (the Tecra M4 Tablet PC) to the mix!

This new model looks to be the top of the line, by offering up to 128MB dedicated video, a powerful Sonoma-based Pentium M CPU, SXGA+ resolution and a DVD burner. This premium model will come along with a higher price tag, starting at $1,999.

Description and Features as Stated by Toshiba:
"The Tecra M4 Tablet PC integrates the advanced features of a tablet with state-of-the-art notebook technology. A product of the Toshiba EasyGuard design philosophy, its every aspect is geared toward the optimal mobile experience. The Tecra M4 Tablet PC, our newest platform, is a serious convertible notebook for business professionals who won't compromise the consistency, reliability and longevity of today's business environment demands. Tecra M4 Tablet PC flexibility means you can input and review data, browse information and send emails with the keyboard or digital pen - whichever works best for you."

Toshiba Tecra M4 Tablet PC specs

• Intel Pentium M 740 (1.73GHz)
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Edition Operating System
• nVidia GeForce Go 6200 Graphics processor with 64MB DDR SDRAM
• 512MB PC4200 DDR2 SDRAM (1-stick)
• 14.1" SXGA+Screen
• 60GB5400RPM Hard Drive
• 802.11 b/g Intel PRO Wireless built-in
• 3-year warranty
• Ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, S-Video out, Parallel port, RGB monitor port, infrared port, headphone, microphone

Intel Reports Killer Earnings for Q1 Thanks to Pentium M and Notebook Sales

Last week IBM reported terrible earnings and their stock got pummeled, and so did the rest of the tech sector including Intel. But Intel today reported earnings for the 1st Quarter of the year, and boy were they impressive. Intel revenue was $9.4 billion for the first 3 months of the year. That's up 17% from last years results for Q1, and ahead of target that Intel set for itself. And guess what powered Intel's sales? Mobile processors of course. Growth in overall processor shipments was flat, but with the launch of the Sonoma platform in January Intel broke records in sales of the Pentium M.

More: http://www.computerworld.com/mobiletopics/mobile/story/0,10801,101199,00.html

ATI M28PRO Graphics Card Soon to Arrive and Take the GPU Crown for Notebooks (maybe)

Right now the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800 mobile graphics card sits on the top of the heap for best performing GPU for notebooks. But the word is that ATI will be releasing its M28PRO in the next couple of weeks that is supposedly going to take the crow from the Go 6800. Although I'm sure we'll see these cards put head to head and get conflicting opinions as to which is truly the fastest. You be disappointed otherwise. The M28PRO will be a sixteen pipeline chip for laptop computers and Alienware will likely be the first to bring this to market in a gaming notebook.

 

Those bloody TabletPC makers will have my money once they start making bloody widescreen tablets!!

Green Surveys - Get cash for filling out online surveys.
Green Emails - Get paid to read emails.

 

>Those bloody TabletPC makers will have my money once they start >making bloody widescreen tablets!!

Exactly what I keep posting about , its like they stupid or something . I mean what test group do they use ? from the 80's ?

I've already posted about the M4 dedicated gpu in the toshiba forum , but only 6200 ? couldn't they go the extra step with 6600 or x700 with widescreen . That way you have a work laptop with a gaming/entertainment one .

And my last complaint is that they still didn't get it that a tablet must be smooth on the top with many key buttons to configure . I work with PS and a wacom ultrapad A4 with 12 configureable buttons for the pen . None is usefull as using the keyboard free hand to do quick task , tool change etc.

Again its like they don't even try to find what the end user wants or need ..


EDIT :

Correction , they will offer 128MB 6600 TE in the future , I guess TE is turbo edition but I'd like to see benchmarks .

Also about the m28pro ( x800 ) good for ATI but he problem with their cards is that you simply cant buy notebooks with them , they can be X2 better , it doesn't matter when you can't find them ..

 

a widescreen Tablet PC would indeed be clutch as a consumer/business oriented device. I know of no such product on the horizon. I know of a Tablet coming in June that will be a little different to what we're seeing now, but not a widescreen. You figure sooner or later somebody will be in a product design meeting and come up with this idea though...or maybe read posts such as this...one can hope.

DigitalCameraReview.com | BargainPDA.com | TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

A Chinese ODM source leaked that the M28Pro will have a TDP of 25-35W -- which pretty much puts it in line with the Go6800 Ultra.

More competition is always a good thing -- even if it's "virtual" competition... lol Which often is the case w/ ATI products...

cheers,

yass

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by gilo

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Eliwood
We're lucky to even see a 6600. Do you know that all Tablet PC's up to date have used either integrated graphics or a low end card like a 5200?
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Yes , I'm fully aware of that and other factors , infact I wouldn't mind so much if there was something better , I'd just go with the other option .

I'm still not even sure about screen quality ( viewing angle , color reproduction etc. ) but there is one more thing I found out .

It seems the M4 is JUST a R10 tablet with a sxga screen , 6600 gpu and tracking point .. Toshiba does it again .

 

For those who are interested, we should have the Toshiba R15 review posted on our tablet site on Monday.

Brian

www.BargainPDA.com | www.DigitalCameraReview.com | www.NotebookReview.com | www.SpotStop.com | www.TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

I had an R15 for a day - Wow! Very solid feeling. A little big and heavy for a tablet though.

The M4 looks good. It has a way better spec than the R15. The 6200 will be quite a bit faster than the 5200, which was fast enough. This is a business machine that will comfortably play Doom 3 and HL2 - how much more do you want?

The R100 is one of my favorite all-time laptops. Big shoes for the R200 to fill.

laptops: Apple PowerBook Titanium G4 1 GHz, Toshiba Portege M200-86E, Toshiba Portege 4000, Latitude C600, Toshiba 7010CT, Thinkpad A30, Toshiba R100, iBook 800, PowerBook G4 400, iBook 600, Compaq 2811CA, Sony VAIO Z505JS, NEC Versa SXi, Compaq Presario 1685, Thinkpad 1411

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by abaxter