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Toshiba Announces the Return of the Mini-Notebook with the libretto U100

Toshiba today announced the return of the libretto brand with the launch of the libretto U100 mini-notebook computer. The company decided to bring back the full-featured mini-notebook as part of Toshiba’s 20th anniversary celebration of the first laptop computer and as a result of overwhelming customer demand.

Weighing 2.16 pounds, the libretto U100 offers mobile users a compact and lightweight notebook that is easy-to-carry and offers full computing functionality. The new libretto U100 is the first notebook to market with a 7.2-inch diagonal widescreen LCD. The libretto U100 integrates an LED backlight for the LCD screen, an industry first, making the screen brighter and easier to read.

Miniaturization of the notebook’s features makes the libretto U100 a portable computing marvel, as the mini-notebook offers a unique keyboard, as well as a half-size 802.11b/g mini-PCI wireless card and 1.8-inch 60GB hard disk drive. New miniaturizing technology on the libretto U100 motherboard — such as high-density interconnects and component overlays — reduced the size by about 30 percent. Considering its small form factor, the libretto U100 is a perfect option for any mobile professional or consumer who needs computing capability and connectivity nearly anywhere, anytime.

“Responding to our customers’ requirements, we are pleased to bring the libretto line back to demonstrate our technology expertise,” said Taro Hiyama, vice president of marketing, Digital Products Division, Toshiba America Information Systems. “As today’s professionals continue to be always on the go, the return of the mini-notebook will allow users to travel with a full-featured compact design. Toshiba continues to build on its strengths in mobile computing with the libretto and Portege, bringing to market our lightest, most compact notebook computers to date.”

The libretto U100 is one of Toshiba’s newly introduced notebooks featuring the new Toshiba EasyGuard(TM) technology. EasyGuard technology is a series of hardware and software innovations that enhance mobile security, system integrity, network connectivity and overall ease of use. EasyGuard consists of four elements: Protect & Fix, Secure, Connect and Optimize.

Protect & Fix

The Toshiba Hard Disk Drive (HDD) protection system helps safeguard the libretto’s hard drive against possible damage resulting from accidental dropping, turbulence or vibration. Through the integration of a 3D accelerometer, the Toshiba HDD protection system detects when the libretto U100 experiences a potentially unsafe environment caused by sudden “acceleration” in any direction. Once danger is detected, the hard drive immediately places itself into a protected mode and parks the hard drive head until the system determines it is safe to resume normal operation.

Secure

The mini-notebook offers a new fingerprint authentication, providing users a secure way to protect their personal systems while eliminating the need to remember numerous passwords. This feature is designed to reduce the likelihood of theft and unauthorized access.

Connect

The libretto U100 features Toshiba’s ConfigFree with ConfigFree Summit. ConfigFree is Toshiba’s intuitive graphic connectivity management utility designed to simplify the connectivity experience when using both wired and wireless Ethernet. The ConfigFree Summit feature allows users and workgroups to collaborate between colleagues or clients when connected via LAN or wireless LAN. Additionally, the libretto U100 is Bluetooth(TM) enabled allowing users to synchronize and share their data with other Bluetooth enabled devices.

Optimize

The libretto U100 features a Zooming Utility, allowing users to zoom in and out the screen image. This feature helps reduce eyestrain and increase productivity by enlarging text in documents, Web pages and spreadsheets. The libretto U100 also features an Advanced Power Saver Utility designed to optimize performance and battery life. Both of these key features make the libretto U100 a mini-notebook that gives users the power to maximize its utility, especially during on-the-go computing.

Enhancing Performance

The libretto U100 incorporates the Intel Pentium M processor Ultra Low Voltage 753 (1.20Ghz, 2MB L2, 400Mhz FSB) and Intel’s 855GME system chipset. These features help increase performance and improve wireless interoperability, enabling the notebook to deliver and perform above and beyond the professionals’ mobile needs. The libretto U100 also incorporates a 1.8-inch 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB standard 333 MHz memory, and Microsoft Windows XP Professional. These elements combine to make the libretto U100 a full-featured notebook in a tiny, conveniently portable package.

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.

Toshiba’s new mini-notebook comes standard with a three-year limited warranty. Customers can choose to upgrade or enhance the notebook’s service plans, including up to four years of extended warranty coverage; carry-in support at Authorized Service Providers throughout the country; or may utilize any of the more than 3,000 UPS Stores for packaging and delivery of the product to a centralized depot for prompt service turnaround.

The libretto U100 is now available and can be purchased from Toshiba’s traditional sales channels, which include dealers, VARs and distributors or directly through ToshibaDirect (www.toshibadirect.com). Suggested retail price for the featured configuration of the libretto U100 mini-notebook is $1,999(6).

Libretto U100 Specifications

Processor: Intel Pentium M processor Ultra Low
Voltage 753 (1.20Ghz, 2MB L2 cache, 400Mhz FSB)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Display: 7.2-inch diagonal widescreen TruBrite(TM) TFT LCD
at 1280×768 native resolution (WXGA)
System Chipset: Intel 855GME Chipset
Graphics Controller:Intel Extreme Graphics 2, 16MB-64MB shared VRAM
(DVMA)
Memory: 512MB (standard) DDR 333 MHz memory
Hard Drive: 60GB (4200 RPM) HDD(3) (1.8-inch)
Wireless: Atheros(R) 802.11b/g integrated wireless(2) Wi-Fi
and Bluetooth(TM) (2.0+EDR)
Ports: RGB (mini connector), 2 USB 2.0, i.LINK(TM)
(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

Add comment April 20th, 2005

AverMedia launch new MCE Dual Analogue TV Tuner Card

With the new A169 users can watch or record two TV programmes simultaneously

Users no longer need to choose between their favourite TV show and the latest sport action as the A169 allows users to watch or record two TV programmes simultaneously with the use of built in dual hardware MPEG encoders and advanced PVR capabilities.

The A169 is fully compliant with Microsoft Windows XP Media Centre Edition 2005, allowing users to turn their normal PC into a fully functional entertainment media centre. Furthermore the A169 offers gamers the ability to plug a games console into their PC via an S-Video port so that they can take advantage of advanced PC graphics performance.

The A169 includes FM Radio and Stereo Sound, along with Hardware Compression to reduce the load on the CPU.

At only £129.99 Inc VAT the A169 is the most competitively priced dual analogue TV tuner on the market in comparison to competitor prices exceeding £300.00.

Add comment April 20th, 2005

Gizmondo Announces European Launch Date

We’ve been enjoying Gizmondo here in the UK for several weeks now, and our continental cousins will now be able to do the same from 19 May.

Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Nordic regions will be the countries to benefit.

European consumers will be able to get their hands on the feature-loaded Gizmondo packs, which include the standard Gizmondo pack at €349, the revolutionary Smart Adds-enabled pack at €189, and the Value Pack at €289. As with the UK, subscribers to the ‘added value’ Smart Adds devices will get twenty free music downloads as well as a host of other free items.

Mike Morgan, VP of Global Sales for Gizmondo, offered: “We have witnessed tremendous enthusiasm and excitement from all our retail partners. Our commitment over the coming months will be to support the channel and aggressively drive sales with them. We will be bringing all our sales and marketing resources to bear, as we engage these strategically important territories.”

Carl Freer, Co-founder and Chairman, Tiger Telematics, says: “Gizmondo’s local offices have primed each of these mainland Europe launch territories ready for a 19th May launch date and the response in each has been overwhelming. The product, the company and the content are gaining momentum all the time. These launches are landmark achievements for us and place us several steps closer to our US debut.”

Judging by the quotes sent to us from Gizmondo, Europe is a seething mass of Gizmondo lurve. Read on sceptical user….

Mr Baeza Console and Multimedia Buyer, Virgin Megastore France, says: “ The arrival of
Gizmondo in the French mobile entertainment market is a real revolution. All of the functions available make this product totally unique andm we are sure it will be incredibly successful in seducing our customers.”

Andreas Kniza, Central Buyer, Software and Consoles, Karstadt AG, says: “We are looking forward to the Gizmondo and we will massively support the launch throughout all of our outlets.”

Kent Thoresen, Dinpris.no, says: “Our pre-launch campaign in Norway, has by far exceeded our expectations.”

Ulf Abrahamsson, Managing Director, 24 STORE, says: “This is a unique product that the market has never experienced before, and we intend to market the Gizmondo as one of our main products through our web shop.”

Stefan Olsson, IT- Varuhuset, says: “This is a technically innovative, advanced and above all,
fun product. And we at IT- Varuhuset will target the southern parts of Sweden where the
product has been especially well received.”

Francesco Iliceto, Agenta Generale, Kenwood Italia & Harmon Kardon says: “In the rapidly
changing marketplace, the industry leaders are those companies that pioneer quality based innovation that fulfils a wide market requirement. The youth focused mobile electronics market is a truly volatile sector that is insatiable. The Gizmondo product is so diversified of a product that its resounding success is guaranteed in Italy.”

Matteo di Silvia, Former owner and Chairman of Teleherz, says: “Our company was responsible for leading a revolution in the electronics entertainment industry in Italy in being the first company to bring colour television to Italy. We feel that now with Gizmondo we are leading an even greater revolution in the electronics entertainment industry by introducing a revolutionary new product to Italy, the first truly mobile entertainment system. We know intrinsically that this system will sweep the market, as colour television did and change forever our entertainment priorities.”

So not much ambition there then….

Add comment April 20th, 2005

Popesquatting - not as evil as it sounds

The election of a new Pope has lead to a flurry of domain name registrations based on the name Benedict XVI, but one man beat everyone to the .com version when he correctly guessed the name before it was announced.

Before we start giving IT writer, Rogers Cadenhead too much credence as a soothsayer, he admits in his blog that he put his money on six names; Benedict XVI, Clement XV, Innocent XIV, Leo XIV, Paul VII and Pius XIII. Still, he got it right and now is the proud owner of benedictxvi.com.

“I mean this literally. I registered all six of these as dot-com domain names earlier this month, which I feared was tacky — to say nothing of soul-imperiling — until I read about the vacant papal see stamp,” said Cadenhead. “Clearly I’m not the only baptized Catholic who gets geeked about this process.”

“A few news reports suggest that I might have popesquatted BenedictXVI.Com to sell it to pornographers. For the love of God, people, that’s not going to happen. I will be running any plans I have for this domain by my own Catholic doctrinal enforcer, my never-miss-a-Sunday grandmother Rita.”

We have no evidence that the new Pope is an avid user of the internet, but Techsmec.com would have run a quick WHOIS before choosing any pontifical name for ourselves. Clearly he needs more geek cardinals by his side.

Add comment April 20th, 2005