Toshiba Smarbo takes on dirt, Roomba, music playing prowess unclear

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 24px;"></span><br /> <div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 13px/19px Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0.6em; padding-right: 0.6em; padding-top: 0.6em;"> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"> <img alt="Toshiba Smarbo" class="aligncenter" height="255" mce_src="http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2971/smarboa.jpg" mce_style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" src="http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/2971/smarboa.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 4px; max-width: 640px;" width="340" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Toshiba is just the latest company to enter the robovac fray. Samsung, ASUS and LG have already tested the waters against the mighty iRobot, now it's Smarbo's turn to try its hand at automated vacuuming. Inside the round floor cleaner are 38 sensors that help it avoid obstacles and keep it from falling down stairs, as well as a CPU or CPUs that sport "double brain function" according to the machine translated PR. The bot is quite quick, supposedly able to clean 100 square meters (over 1,000 square feet) in about 90 minutes, and only uses a few pennies worth of electricity to do so. Toshiba's vacubot will hit shelves in Japan for around $1,100 on October first, but it does suffer one distinct disadvantage -- DJ Smarbo just doesn't have the same ring to it.</div> </div> </div>

Toshiba Smarbo takes on dirt, Roomba, music playing prowess unclear

Toshiba is just the latest company to enter the robovac fray. Samsung, ASUS and LG have already tested the waters against the mighty i...

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Toshiba Thrive Hands-on and Unboxing

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 13px/19px Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px; padding-bottom: 0.6em; padding-left: 0.6em; padding-right: 0.6em; padding-top: 0.6em;"> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img class="aligncenter" height="209" mce_src="http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/8585/screenshot20110722at505.png" src="http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/8585/screenshot20110722at505.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.05.03 PM" width="378" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> We’ve received none other than the Toshiba Thrive Android 3.1 Honeycomb tablet in the mail and it’s that time again – unboxing to the max! This device as you may well know is already available at your local Best Buy store in the sweet tablet area they’ve got going on, up for sale for you for one of the following prices: $429.99, $479.99, or $579.99 – the difference between these three being the hard drive of 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB. We’ve got the 16GB version on hand here and we’d just LOVE to show you around.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"></span></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> This tablet had a cool 10.1 inch screen at 1280 x 800 pixels, it being an IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen held by a chassis at 272 x 175 x 15 mm and 771g. Right from the start you should realize that this device is not going to be entering in any weight loss contests, as its a far cry from the thinness and lightness of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the iPad 2, but it’s certainly not the ugliest tablet we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. You’ve got a 2 megapixel camera on the front, a 5 megapixel camera on the back, and some ribbed pleasure all around the sides and the back so you can hold on tight.</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div> <center style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;"><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div> </center><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> The casing is mostly made of ribbed medium-weight (not exactly hard, not truly soft) plastic while the front is all glass save for the lights in the upper right of the screen for battery, power, and Wi-Fi signal connection as well as a couple of chrome-looking plastic bits that appear to clasp the top of the device, showing you where the cameras are. This tablet is strange in that it appears to not quite know which way it wants to be situated. Not that all tablets don’t have somewhat of an identity crisis, but this one shows all signs of being a portrait-standing tablets save for the docking port at the bottom if you’re looking at it landscape-wise. Furthermore if you’ve ever used Honeycomb you know it feels more natural to use in landscape mode, wouldn’t you say?</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;"> <img class="size-medium wp-image-43683 aligncenter" height="252" mce_src="http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/230/p1130733androidcommunit.jpg" src="http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/230/p1130733androidcommunit.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="P1130733_androidcommunity" width="378" /></div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> Have a look at this initial hands-on look at the device as it stands directly out of the box, feel the excellence in the look of the device, then stick with us for a full review soon!</div> <div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.01.55 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7593/screenshot20110722at501.png" src="http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7593/screenshot20110722at501.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.01.55 PM" width="150" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.02.14 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/4321/screenshot20110722at502.png" src="http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/4321/screenshot20110722at502.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.02.14 PM" width="150" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.03.16 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3787/screenshot20110722at503.png" src="http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3787/screenshot20110722at503.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.03.16 PM" width="150" /><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;" /><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;" /><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.03.24 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3787/screenshot20110722at503.png" src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3787/screenshot20110722at503.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.03.24 PM" width="150" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.03.55 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/3787/screenshot20110722at503.png" src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/3787/screenshot20110722at503.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.03.55 PM" width="150" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.04.37 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5546/screenshot20110722at504l.png" src="http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5546/screenshot20110722at504l.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.04.37 PM" width="150" /><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;" /><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;" /><br style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.04.53 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2634/screenshot20110722at504.png" src="http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2634/screenshot20110722at504.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.04.53 PM" width="150" /><img alt="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.05.03 PM" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/8585/screenshot20110722at505.png" src="http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/8585/screenshot20110722at505.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="Screen Shot 2011-07-22 at 5.05.03 PM" width="150" /><img alt="P1130733_androidcommunity" class="attachment-thumbnail" height="150" mce_src="http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/230/p1130733androidcommunit.jpg" src="http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/230/p1130733androidcommunit.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" title="P1130733_androidcommunity" width="150" /></div> </div> </div>

Toshiba Thrive Hands-on and Unboxing

We’ve received none other than the Toshiba Thrive Android 3.1 Honeycomb tablet in the mail and it’s that time again – unboxing to the ...

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Review: Toshiba 42HL833

<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="150" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshHL833straighton_2-200-200.jpg" width="200" /></p><br/>There's something refreshingly straightforward about the Toshiba 42HL833. The £700 set might be devoid of online features or streaming services and its Freeview tuner is strictly standard-def, but you won't find a cheaper full HD, edge LED set of its size in Toshiba's current lineup.<br/><br/>Affordable TVs that eschew fancy features in favour of decent pictures should find an audience in these economically straitened times and the 42HL833 sits just above the HD ready EL833 series in the manufacturer's expansive, budged-conscious new range.<br/><br/>If the 42HL833's 42-inch screen size doesn't suit you, the 32-inch 32HL833 is also available, while anyone after a Freeview HD tuner will have to step up to the RL833 series, which also add a few online features to the mix.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" class="aligncenter" height="315" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshHL833straighton_1-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></p><br/>The 42HL833 is all about value: there's no 3D, no online connectivity or DLNA PC compatibility and the build quality is rather plasticky. You won't find much in the way of video processing, either and the panel is only 50Hz with a conventional (non-scanning) backlight.<br/><br/>The 42HL833 is not entirely devoid of useful features, however: its USB port can handle music, photo and video files and the container formats the set can parse include MPEG, MPEG2-TS, H.264, MPEG2-PS, AVI (XviD), MP4 and MKV (H.264, MPEG1, 2, 4).<br/><br/>A D-Sub PC port enhances multimedia options further, while other connections include an acceptable two HDMIs, a digital audio output and a single Scart.<br/><br/>If you are thinking of hanging a 42HL833 on a wall, be aware that many of its connections – including one of the HDMIs, the component video input and the tuner jack – face straight out of the TV's rear, rather than being positioned for side access.<br/><br/>Trawling the 42HL833's menus for features uncovers more adjustments than you might expect to find on such an affordable TV. There's a separate backlight control alongside the usual contrast and brightness adjustments, a trio of settings for black/white level balance and an adjustable static gamma level, as well as separate DNR and MPEG NR processing options.<br/><br/>Most startlingly, a 3D Colour Management system enables you to adjust – via a superbly simple interface – the hue, saturation and brightness of the red, green, blue, yellow, magenta and cyan colour components.<br/><br/>The only other things of interest are a bass boost function and a pseudo-surround audio processing option, both of which need to be treated with extreme care, as they can make the set sound worse, rather than better.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" class="aligncenter" height="315" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshibaHL833angle1_1-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></p><br/>The 42HL833 performs best with bright HD feeds. Hi-def coverage of the Wimbledon tennis tournament was amazingly detailed and sharp, with individual blades of grass or beads of perspiration clearly discernible.<br/><br/>Even better, the clarity remains more or less unchecked during play, with balls and players moving around with little interference from motion trailing or resolution loss. This is surprising for a 50Hz TV and suggests an impressive native panel response for a budget set.<br/><br/>The colour performance, meanwhile, is dynamic and engaging but also subtle when required; skin tones and the green of the courts are totally convincing, with smoothly blended tones and no striping or blotching to speak of and black level response is solid.<br/><br/>Shifting down the gears to standard-definition feeds from the digital tuner, the 42HL833 still exceeds expectations - albeit by not quite as much. Most pleasing is the way the set retains its natural palette during the upscaling process, avoiding the unnatural sheen that tends to mar standard-def material on screens at the more affordable end of the market. Motion also remains decently smooth, though a little resolution loss is evident.<br/><br/>Standard-def images are upscaled with respectable sharpness, though the 42HL833 doesn't entirely get a handle on source noise. The MPEG NR system can help tame some of the blockiness and shimmering that troubles standard-definition pictures, but it also creates a slightly processed, laggy look.<br/><br/>The 42HL833 struggles with black levels when pushed hard by a high-contrast Blu-ray film.<br/><br/>It is perfectly capable of combining bright image elements with dark ones within a single frame during normal footage, but frequently fails to extract enough light from really dark scenes, leaving them looking milky and short of shadow detail.<br/><br/>A second problem concerns that classic edge LED woe of inconsistent backlight brightness. During dark scenes a slender ring of anomalous brightness runs around the edge of the screen, bulging sufficiently in places to become distracting.<br/><br/>This problem is only problematic during the darkest scenes and its impact can be reduced by reining in the backlight and brightness settings, but it doesn't seem possible to remove the inconsistencies entirely and the issue increases dramatically at viewing angles wider than 30°.<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" class="aligncenter" height="315" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshibaHL833angle1_2-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br/></strong></p><br/><strong>Sound</strong><br/><br/>The 42HL833's speakers go a bit louder than those of most budget LCD TVs and can produce a soundstage on a scale appropriate to the 42-inch pictures. However, there's precious little audio finesse, with bass in short supply, a thin and echoey mid-range and harsh, poorly defined trebles.<br/><br/><strong>Value</strong><br/><br/>The 42HL833 is good value for a 42-inch LCD TV with edge LED lighting and will make a solid everyday set.<br/><br/>However, its lack of any sort of online features or 3D options together with its backlight issues compromise its overall value.<br/><br/><strong>Ease of use</strong><br/><br/>The 42HL833's onscreen menus are logically organised and very cleanly presented and kick off with an attractive icon-based opening screen that provides a much more inviting starting point than Toshiba's usual boring, text-heavy system. The menu navigation system is intuitive and requires minimal brain engagement.<br/><br/>The remote control is small, plasticky, and plain, but turns out to be a handy companion to the clear, uncomplicated menus, with responsive buttons and most of the main navigation buttons falling within easy reach.<br/><br/>For the electronic programme guide, Toshiba has sensibly shifted away from its previous system that would change channel whenever you moved the cursor to a different station, slowing navigation down horrendously.<br/><br/>The information presented in the EPG is also clearly legible displaying programme names in full.<br/><br/>The 42HL833 does takes an age to switch display modes when you move from a standard-def to an HD channel (or vice versa), though and the automatic aspect ratio system doesn't always seem to work properly with some Sky broadcasts.<br/><br/><img alt="Toshiba 42hl833" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2042HL833/ToshHL833straighton_2-420-90.jpg" width="420" /><br/><br/>The 42HL833 is Toshiba's cheapest 42-inch full HD TV with an edge LED backlight. Neither the lack of online services nor the absence of 3D should stop the TV appealing to anyone after a decent, low-cost TV, while the flimsy build and average connectivity are about par for the price. It even has a few unexpected features, including playback of photo, music and video files from USB and a surprisingly comprehensive colour management facility.<br/><br/>In many ways the 42HL833's picture performance is a winner. With HD sources in particular its combination of natural, warm colours, good detailing and surprisingly little motion noise make it a very enjoyable TV to watch with predominantly bright footage.<br/><br/>It's a well above-average standard-definition performer, too, but does suffer from uninspiring black levels and obvious backlight consistency issues with more demanding material.<br/><br/><strong>We liked</strong><br/><br/>It's affordably priced for a 42-inch TV with edge LED lighting and its performance with bright pictures is enjoyable, thanks to natural colours, good sharpness and surprisingly little motion blur or resolution loss. The set's USB-driven multimedia abilities are a pleasing bonus, too.<br/><br/><strong>We disliked</strong><br/><br/>It's a pity, if hardly a surprise, that the 42HL833 doesn't offer 3D, online capability or a Freeview HD tuner and its mostly good picture quality breaks down during dark scenes, thanks to a lack of deep black colours, missing shadow details and a conspicuously inconsistent backlight.<br/><br/><strong>Final Verdict</strong><br/><br/>Casual viewers after a TV predominantly for watching standard-def broadcasts will be more than happy with the 42HL833.<br/><br/>The 42HL833's backlight and black level issues probably rule it out as a serious movie machine, though.

Review: Toshiba 42HL833

There's something refreshingly straightforward about the Toshiba 42HL833. The £700 set might be devoid of online features or streaming s...

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Review: Toshiba NB550D

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20148/WLT148.solo.toshiba2_1-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Enthusiasm for netbooks may be waning with the rise of the tablet PC, but Toshiba has proved there's life in the old dog yet with the release of the NB550D – a smartly designed and eminently portable mini-laptop.</P><br /><P>For a machine so clearly geared towards portable use, all-day battery life is essential and the Toshiba delivers in spades. Running for 10 hours during constant, demanding use, you can easily work for a full day away from the mains. </P><br /><P>With its textured, rubberised lid and choice of blue or brown colour schemes, the tiny 1.2kg chassis looks great. The black plastic interior creates a stylish and striking contrast and the whole machine feels exceptionally well built. </P><br /><P>This quality extends to the user interface, with the keyboard proving well made and great to use. The keys respond firmly and accurately and make it a pleasure to work with. Even the touchpad manages to impress, with its large dimensions providing easy accessibility. </P><br /><P>While the screen's 10.1-inch design is found on most netbooks and is a bit too small to use as your main machine, it's stunningly bright and vibrant. Photos and videos are shown to great effect and the NB550D is perfect for keeping you entertained when on the move. </P><br /><P><STRONG>High-powered audio </STRONG></P><br /><P>Audio performance is also excellent. Stereo speakers are built into the palm rest and deliver a powerful, warm and defined sound. Their location means your hands cover them when typing, but there's no discernible effect on sound quality. </P><br /><P>Office performance is less pleasing, but standard netbook fare. Internet browsing and office tasks run smoothly enough. </P><br /><P>Graphics are far better, however, with AMD's Fusion technology providing ample performance for watching HD videos and even editing your photos on the move. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Benchmarks</STRONG></P><br /><P>Battery life: 600 minutes<BR>MobileMark 2007: 67<BR>3DMark 2003: N/A</P><br /><P>Storage is strong and the 250GB hard drive will easily hold large collections of music, videos and photos. As with all but a select few netbooks, there's no optical drive for CD or DVD use, but an SD card reader at the front of the chassis lets you easily share files with your camera.</P><br /><P>Finally, extra features are excellent. Bluetooth 3.0 provides high-speed, shortrange wireless connectivity, an HDMI port lets you connect to your high-definition TV and free software includes tools for office use, internet security, video editing and data backup, among others. </P><br /><P>The NB550D is by far the best mini-laptop we've seen in a long time and Toshiba has proved that the netbook can still be great when done right. Offering great usability, ample features and all-day mobility at a low price, this stylish machine is very easy to recommend.</P>

Review: Toshiba NB550D

Enthusiasm for netbooks may be waning with the rise of the tablet PC, but Toshiba has proved there's life in the old dog yet with the re...

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Vista DVD Is Not Working on My Toshiba

<P>Clean the DVD with a soft cloth. Use a DVD cleaning solution as well. Try the DVD again to see if that made a difference.</P><br /><P>Test the Vista DVD in another PC. Double-click on the DVD drive to open the installation, but do not complete the installation process. Exit out of the installation window by clicking the "X" in the upper-right of the window. If the other PC does not recognize the DVD or if it encounters an error when you try to run the installation, the DVD is most likely corrupt and needs replacing. If it at least begins the installation process, the problem may be with your DVD drive.</P><br /><P>Check your Toshiba's DVD drive by putting another DVD in it. Insert a DVD movie double-click on the drive. If it does not run properly, or if you do not see the DVD drive displayed, then your drive may need to be fixed or replaced.</P><br /><P>Update Windows (see Resources). For Windows Vista or 7, click "Start," "Control Panel," then double-click "Windows Update," and click "Check for updates" in the left pane.</P><br /><P>Update your computer. Locate your computer's <a href="">family</A> name and model number. This information is located on a sticker on the back or bottom of your computer. The family name options are Qosmio, Satellite, mini notebook, Satellite Pro, Portege, libretto and Tecra. Go to the Toshiba downloads website (see Resources). Drill down through the menus, supplying your computer's family name and model number.</P><br /><P>Locate the most up-to-date DVD drivers for your Toshiba computer. Find the driver more quickly by using the drop-down menus next to "Refine search by" and selecting your operating system and specifying that you want the DVD drivers. Click on the drivers for the DVD drive. This will pop up additional information. Click on the "Download Now" button. Save the drivers anywhere you want. Navigate to wherever you downloaded the file to and double-click on it. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the driver. Restart your computer.</P><br /><P>Connect an external DVD drive to your computer. Plug the drive into the wall for power and then plug it into a USB port on your computer.</P><br /><P>Turn on the DVD drive if it has a power switch.</P><br /><P>Allow Windows to automatically install drivers from <a href="">the Internet</A>. If Windows cannot find the drivers, visit the support section of the manufacturer's website and search for that DVD drive's model number. Then download the driver file and double-click it to install.</P><br /><P>Reset your computer.</P><br /><P>Insert a DVD movie into the DVD drive and double-click on the drive in "My Computer." This is to test the drive and ensure it is functioning properly. If the movie does not play, turn the drive off and on, and reinstall the drivers.</P><br /><P>Remove the DVD movie and insert the Vista DVD into the drive.</P><br /><P>Double-click the drive to begin using the Vista DVD. If the disc still will not run properly, then it is defective. Contact the seller of the Vista DVD and see if the disc can be replaced.</P><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_7744910_vista-dvd-not-working-toshiba.html">Source.</A>

Vista DVD Is Not Working on My Toshiba

Clean the DVD with a soft cloth. Use a DVD cleaning solution as well. Try the DVD again to see if that made a difference. Test the Vista DVD...

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Review: Toshiba 46SL753

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/Review%20images/Home%20Cinema%20Choice/HCC%20190/HCC190.tosh46.03-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>The Toshiba 46SL753, with its contemporary styling, is a 46-inch 2D LED-backlit, full HD flatscreen that can be wall or stand-mounted. However, it looks distinctly average, with a bezel wide enough to drive a bus through. </P><br /><P>Toshiba fans hankering for a 3D experience need to wait for the forthcoming WL768 model. </P><br /><P>The 46SL753 nevertheless builds in some impressive 21st century tech. Most notably, its DTT tuner caters for Freeview HD channels, in addition to the EPG, digital teletext, subtitles and multiple soundtracks. Analogue channels (with Nicam and teletext) are covered, too, should you live in the middle of nowhere. </P><br /><P>Then there's the integrated media player, which will pull compatible content off your DLNA home network (wirelessly, with an optional dongle) or a USB storage device. There's also an SD card slot, meaning you can whip the card from your digital camera and temporarily convert this Tosh into a large-scale picture frame.</P><br /><P>Unfortunately, the digital wizardry of the 46SL753 stops short of providing iPlayer compatibility. Come to think of it, you don't get internet video of any kind; the content portals so beloved by the likes of Panasonic, Philips and Samsung are conspicuous by their absence. </P><br /><P>Fear not, though, as Toshiba has included a D-Sub VGA port for your laptop or PC. Dedicated computer hardware tends to deliver far better results from online services than the limited capabilities of a TV, and you're not ring-fenced by a brand, either. </P><br /><P><STRONG>CEC it and see </STRONG></P><br /><P>In other respects, the connections are impressive. Four 1080p24 compatible HDMI ports (one of which is side-mounted), two Scarts and a component input cater for just about every current source eventuality. The integral digital tuner has been endowed with a digital audio output and a CI slot for Pay-TV upgrades. </P><br /><P>CEC device control (known here as 'Regza-Link') will enable the basic functions of many recent source components to be driven by the TV's handset – I found this worked fine on a Panasonic Blu-ray recorder. </P><br /><P>The gloss-finished handset itself could be of better design. For a start, it's not backlit. Another criticism is its central joypad, which is surrounded by a disc of additional controls. The spacing between the two regions is insufficient, and as a result, you can accidentally nudge into effect the wrong function. </P><br /><P>Similar criticisms can be made of the handsets supplied with recent Sony sets. However, Sony TVs take advantage of the company's excellent Xross Media Bar onscreen user interface. Compared to this, the 46SL753's menu system is plain boring. However, it's well-designed – making this Tosh easy enough to drive. </P><br /><P>Indeed, the friendly wizard-driven auto-setup routine kicks off the flawless tuning process. The whole roster of functions can be adjusted from the menu system. </P><br /><P>The 'SoundNavi' audio system, which boasts a non-adjustable graphic equaliser, can be optimised for wall or stand-mounting. </P><br /><P>On the visual side, adjustments include colour temperature (with R/G/B tweaks), film stabilisation (motion smoothness), gamma and black/white level. Other features include sleep/programme timers; a proper mains switch; the ability to display real-time picture brightness/colour histograms; an 'expert' mode for colour calibration; (defeatable) Autoview sensor-based brightness/contrast adjustment according to ambient lighting conditions; plus a range of picture/sound modes and aspect ratios. Good stuff. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Performance </STRONG></P><br /><P>The proof, as ever, is in the pudding. And this Toshiba is a bit like a Sara Lee chocolate gateaux – good, but not Michelin standard. </P><br /><P>With Blu-ray movies, I was impressed with the range and depth of colour offered here. The subjective balance of black, white and everything in between is also more than acceptable, thanks, no doubt, to the LED backlighting – although our Tech Labs rated its contrast below the standards set by much of the competition.</P><br /><P>I couldn't fault the brightness or the resolution of intricate details, as seen in the Blu-rays of <EM>Moon</EM> and <EM>Transformers</EM>. However, I would recommend you experiment with the picture settings using a calibration disc to get the most natural picture. </P><br /><P>Toshiba's proprietary processing isn't as obtrusive as that of some brands, with none of the awful 'greasing' of movement that makes film look so unnatural. </P><br /><P>There was, however, a little backlight inconsistency, visible at the extremities of the screen during profoundly dark scenes – although this is something we're seeing quite often with edge LED TVs. </P><br /><P>Switch to pics from the in-built tuner and things noticeably deteriorate. Compared to DVD playback via HDMI, SD Freeview pictures are rather soft – and a noise reduction feature does little to address the visible feathering that spoils sharply defined outlines. </P><br /><P>Strangely, pictures from digital broadcasts received on a PC tuner and streamed via my network actually looked better. On which subject, the 46SL753's media player lacks supports for codecs such as x.264/mkv and DivX/XviD. A pity. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Deadman's chest </STRONG></P><br /><P>Sound quality, though, is atrocious. It may as well be coming from an old tea chest. Lifeless and dull, there's a serious mid-band wedginess that renders dialogue unpleasant to hear. Those disappointing sonics are an affront to well-produced music programmes such as <EM>Later... with Jools Holland</EM>. </P><br /><P>The only good things that can be said here are a) Dolby Volume 'normalises' sound levels to reduce the 'jumps' frequently encountered when changing channel and b) the sound can be turned off altogether via a menu. </P><br /><P>It's about time that flatscreen TV manufacturers paid more attention to audio, but for now, I'd advise any buyers of this TV to stick with external AV gear. </P><br /><P>A 46-inch LED TV for £1,000 is not a bad deal, but Toshiba's problem – as has been the case for a few years now – is that Sony and Samsung can match that price with better featured sets. The 46SL753 leaves us hankering for the arrival of Tosh's CEVO TV more than ever.</P>

Review: Toshiba 46SL753

The Toshiba 46SL753, with its contemporary styling, is a 46-inch 2D LED-backlit, full HD flatscreen that can be wall or stand-mounted. Howev...

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Toshiba outsources chip production to Samsung

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/images/Toshiba+Logo-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Toshiba is set to significantly restructure its silicon chip manufacturing operations in 2011, outsourcing some production to Samsung and selling a manufacturing plant to Sony.</P><br /><P>Toshiba Corp plans to reduces its non-memory chip exposure in an effort to claw back revenue, following an operating loss of $3.4 billion in its 2008 financial year, in the midst of the global financial crisis.</P><br /><P><STRONG>System chip design</STRONG></P><br /><P>Outsourcing to Samsung and others is part of the plan to cut capital investment outlays in the next financial year starting in April 2011.</P><br /><P>"Thanks to this tie-up Toshiba will gain a stronger position," said Yumi Nishimura, a senior market analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Markets.</P><br /><P>"In a situation when bigger capacity is required, the burden of capital investment can be too big for one company, so the accord is a positive factor for Toshiba."</P><br /><P>Toshiba has also announced that it will sell its system chip production line in Nagasaki to Sony. That line produces chips for Sony PlayStation 3s – and is located in a factory already owned by Sony.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A></P>

Toshiba outsources chip production to Samsung

Toshiba is set to significantly restructure its silicon chip manufacturing operations in 2011, outsourcing some production to Samsung and se...

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Toshiba outsourcing semiconductor production to rival Samsung

<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/25/toshiba-outsourcing-semiconductor-production-to-rival-samsung/"><img align="right" alt="" border="1" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/12/toshiba-tokyo-plant.jpg" vspace="16" /></a>'Tis the season for manufacturing deals? Sure seems it. Merely hours after Sony announced its intentions to buy back Cell chip fabrication facilities from Toshiba, it looks as if Tosh is about to enter into yet another agreement. In this case, it'll be outsourcing the unprofitable production of semiconductors to rival Samsung, which will be responsible for churning out the brains behind a number of smartphones, televisions and digital home appliances. Numerous sources have explained that Toshiba is interested in realigning its focus onto the blossoming memory chip business, and moreover, its hoping to evade costly facility upgrades that would be necessary to remain competitive in the system LSI business. <br /> <br /> In other words, the company is dodging investment costs and placing a greater emphasis on a sector that's already profitable (NAND flash production, for those curious), and after the Oita plant is handed off, it'll be used to make image sensors in digital cameras. The Nagasaki plant, as we heard earlier, will be handed over to Sony. Toshiba's stocks were sent northward after investors welcomed the news, but of course it remains to be seen what kind of consumer impact this will have. Whatever the case, we certainly hope Toshiba never runs into any trouble with Sammy -- it's not like its top brass can be touched, regardless of infraction.<br /> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/25/toshiba-outsourcing-semiconductor-production-to-rival-samsung/"></a><br /> <h6></h6><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/25/toshiba-outsourcing-semiconductor-production-to-rival-samsung/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>

Toshiba outsourcing semiconductor production to rival Samsung

'Tis the season for manufacturing deals? Sure seems it. Merely hours after Sony announced its intentions to buy back Cell chip fabricati...

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Review: Toshiba MK1059GSM 1TB

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Components/Toshiba%201TB%20HDD-200-200.jpg"> <br /><P><IFRAME style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; WIDTH: 131px; PADDING-TOP: 5px; HEIGHT: 245px" align=right marginWidth=0 marginHeight=0 src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=latesttecompu-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00467QF7A&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameBorder=0 scrolling=no></IFRAME>Are you after frankly ludicrous storage capacity in a teeny-weeny form-factor? You want the new Toshiba 1TB 2.5-inch laptop drive then, don't you?</P><br /><P>When politicians come out with that hackneyed old saying "you've never had it so good", they usually get slated from pillar to post and then resign, but when it comes to the cost and capacity of standard mechanical hard drives there's really no arguing against it.</P><br /><P>Could you have ever imagined a 1TB notebook hard drive and it costing less than a hundred quid? Less than a couple of years ago that was the price of a 320GB drive. </P><br /><P>Fresh from launching a couple of 750GB notebook drives recently, Toshiba has upped the ante once again with the MK1059GSM, a 1TB 2.5-inch drive.</P><br /><P>You might well wonder what the need is for such large capacity drives in a notebook. The answer lies in the amount of multimedia notebooks on the market. You only have to start downloading and storing large amounts of HD media and even a 1TB drive begins to look a little inadequate.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Benchmarks</STRONG><EM><BR></EM></P><br /><P><EM>HD Tach Burst Speed (MB/s: Bigger is better)</EM></P><br /><P>Toshiba MK7559GSXP: 202<BR>WD WD3200 Scorpio Black: 130<BR>Toshiba MK1059GSM: 129</P><br /><P><EM>HD Tach Random Access (Milliseconds: Lower is better)</EM></P><br /><P>WD WD3200 Scorpio Black: 14.7<BR>Toshiba MK7559GSXP: 17.2<BR>Toshiba MK1059GSM: 18.5</P><br /><P>Both the MK7559GSXP and the MK1059GSM share the same latest disk drive technologies, rather than the previous generation that the WD drive uses, but the twin-platter MK7559GSXP outperforms the MK1059GSM because the larger drive uses a three-disc design.</P><br /><P>Toshiba's MK1059GSM and MK7559GSXP both lose out to WD's Scorpio Black in the random access results due to their slower 5,400rpm spin speed's. WD's drive spins at a much faster 7,200rpm and has a massive16MB buffer.</P><br /><P>As with the 750GB MK7559GSXP we looked at recently, the 1TB MK1059GSM uses the latest Advanced Sector Formatting (ASF) technology to make the most of any available storage space. </P><br /><P>ASF technology uses a 4K byte per sector which results in the removal of the Sync/DAM blocks of the legacy 512 byte per sector format and as a result closes the gaps between sectors therefore giving a greater storage capacity for a given platter size through increased areal density.</P><br /><P>ASF also brings with it improved ECC (Error Correcting Code), leading to better formatting efficiency and data integrity.</P><br /><P>The MK1059GSM also comes with Toshiba's Silent Seek technology which aims to keep the drive as quiet as it is in idle when it performs seek operations – handy if you're watching a film on your notebook and don't want to suffer from the noise of a chattering hard drive during the quieter moments.</P><br /><P>As with the MK7559GSXP, Toshiba has given the MK1059GSM a relatively slow spindle speed of 5,400rpm and a small 8MB cache (buffer), but since it's aimed at the mainstream, rather than performance, market this is perfectly understandable.</P><br /><P>A quick word of warning before you rush out to get one of these drives, though, because of the three platter (disc) design, the drive is a 12.5mm high design, not the more common 9.5mm design, so it's not one for your nice thin and light notebooks – it's more for your chunkier desktop replacement/mobile workstations. Always check to see how much drive bay room you have before you buy.</P><br /><P><STRONG>We liked</STRONG></P><br /><P>Huge capacity combined with a ridiculously low price tag make the MK1059GSM a very desirable upgrade for a multimedia notebook or a mobile workstation. </P><br /><P>It would also make an interesting choice for a low-profile media centre, or you could connect two or more in a mini RAID array in a standard desktop PC.</P><br /><P><STRONG>We disliked</STRONG></P><br /><P>It would have been good to see a faster spin speed or even a larger cache, but since it's aimed at the mainstream market, it's understandable. Regrettable but understandable. </P><br /><P>It's not really a dislike, but because of its higher profile you need to make sure you have room in your notebook drive bay to fit it in.</P>

Review: Toshiba MK1059GSM 1TB

Are you after frankly ludicrous storage capacity in a teeny-weeny form-factor? You want the new Toshiba 1TB 2.5-inch laptop drive then, don...

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Toshiba and Apple join forces for iPhone screens

<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///classifications/gadgets/phones/mobile-phones/iPhone/iphone4_2up_front_side-200-200.jpg"></div><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=latesttecompu-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001GI9DSK&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Toshiba has revealed that it is spending big money to build a factory that will supply Apple with small LCD panels for its iPhone and iPod touch range.<br> Tosh is to spend a staggering 100 billion yen (£757 million) on a factory that will be situated in Ishikawa Prefecture and be capable of creating high-res LCD displays – perfect then for the iPhone and its retina tech.<br> According to the <i>Nikkei Business Daily</i>, the plant will be constructed in 2011, with production to start in the latter half of the year.<br> <br>

Toshiba and Apple join forces for iPhone screens

Toshiba has revealed that it is spending big money to build a factory that will supply Apple with small LCD panels for its iPhone and iPod t...

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Review: Toshiba 46VL758

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2046VL753/vl758%20str%20ref%20a3i(1)-200-200.jpg"> <br /><P>Engaging celebrated designers to style high-end TVs has become quite the thing. B&O, for example, has a long relationship with David Lewis, while Sharp called upon Toshiyuki Kita for its ground-breaking XS1 RGB LED series. Now it's Toshiba's turn, with renowned Danish studio, Jacob Jensen Design, adding its aesthetic expertise to the VL758 series.</P><br /><P>Toshiba's recent moves in the TV market have been more about ultra-aggressive pricing than high feature counts and striking designs, so this 42-inch set could represent a real turnaround in the manufacturer's thinking.</P><br /><P>This apparent shift in perspective is underlined by a strong features list. While the 46VL758 doesn't have 3D playback, it does support Wi-Fi via an optional dongle, and, impressively, includes BBC iPlayer among its online features.</P><br /><P>The only obvious potential catch is the rather high (£1,500) asking price, but if you are after something more affordable, the brand caters abundantly to that end of the market elsewhere. </P><br /><P>Try the CCFL-lit, HD ready AV series, for example, or the step-up full HD LV range, available in <a href="">32-inch</A> and <a href="">40-inch</A> flavours. The <a href="">RV-prefixed sets</A> add Freeview HD tuners to proceedings, while the <a href="">SL Series</A> throws in edge LED backlighting. </P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba 46vl753" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2046VL753/vl758%2034l%20a3i%281%29-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>That all-important design is not especially impressive at first glance. The set certainly isn't ugly, with its one-layer fascia and glassy black bezel offset by a neat silver metallic trim, but it isn't as distinctive as might have been expected.</P><br /><P>Look closer, though and Jacob Jensen's industrial influences become more apparent. For a start, the set is exceptionally thin; just 2.89cm from front to back. The wall-mount for the TV has been designed to be as thin as possible too. Then there's a tasteful backlit touch panel set of controls integrated into the fascia that's invisible when not in use, while the desktop stand is made from high-quality brushed metal and the chassis is, as a whole, fairly plastic-free. The build quality exudes class, even if the set's overall look is less interesting than it might have been.</P><br /><P>Turning to the set's skinny rear, it's good to find that Toshiba has realised that many people will probably want to hang such a thin TV on the wall, and so has positioned all the connections so that they're accessible from the side rather than just sticking straight out from the rear. As with some of Samsung's thinnest TVs, this has required Toshiba to provided 'shrinking' adaptors for some connections, including the component, composite and Scart inputs. </P><br /><P>Elsewhere, you get four HDMIs, an Ethernet port and a couple of USB inputs – a pretty presentable collection, though probably no more than should be expected of a £1,500 46in TV these days.</P><br /><P>The Ethernet port provides mandatory support for the set's built-in Freeview HD tuner, access to files stored on a DLNA PC as well as access to YouTube and the BBC iPlayer. Support for the latter is always a boon and it is also pleasing to discover that the platform on the 46VL758 supports HD, as well as standard-def video streaming. </P><br /><P>The 46VL758's online functions are a little unusual in that they don't appear to fall under any branded online umbrella service, like Panasonic's VieraCast or Samsung's Internet@TV: they just appear on the TV's multimedia onscreen menus. It's also quite odd to find the excellent iPlayer here while some more advanced TVs in online feature terms still haven't got it. </P><br /><P>Overall, however, Toshiba is a few steps behind most of its big-brand rivals when it comes to online goodies.</P><br /><P>Its DLNA function is rather awkward, thanks to an unwillingness to handle video codecs. Instead you have to hook it up to a PC with media rendering capabilities, which complicates matters no end for novice users and effectively means you'll need a computer equipped with the Windows 7 operating system if you want to enjoy a full set of DLNA features. </P><br /><P>With this in mind, it's a relief to find that the USB ports support playback of DivX HD video files as well as JPEG photos and MP3 audio files.</P><br /><P>You can also attach an optional dongle to one of the USBs to make the TV Wi-Fi ready if you want to jack it into your network wirelessly.</P><br /><P>Turning our attention to the technology driving the 46VL758's pictures, it's no surprise – given the screen's slimness – to find it using edge LED backlighting. The native resolution is, inevitably, full HD, and the screen claims a high contrast ratio of 7,000,000:1, while its motion handling should benefit from 100Hz processing. </P><br /><P>This 100Hz system is part of Toshiba's wider Active Vision LCD picture processing system, which works on almost all picture elements in a bid to make images better.</P><br /><P>It's also nice to see Resolution+ making a comeback. This proprietary rescaling system for adding sharpness and detail to standard-definition sources has impressed in the past, but has sadly disappeared from the feature lists of many of Toshiba's 2010 lower-end sets. </P><br /><P>Delving deeper into the 46VL758's menus additionally reveals Toshiba's most overt attempt yet to appeal to the hardcore AV enthusiasts. For tucked away in a couple of Advanced and Expert onscreen menus are some impressive colour and gamma management tools. </P><br /><P>You can adjust the basic colour temperature, or hue, saturation and gain of all six of the main video colours. You can even elect to have just the red, green or blue image content on screen at any point, to help you fine tune colours more precisely. For gamma, there are simple static presets, a surprisingly useful black and white balance sliding bar and the facility to manually tinker with the set's gamma 'curve' via two- or 10-point methods. </P><br /><P>Toshiba has even gone so far as to provide a test screen, with elements included on it that can help you adjust sharpness, contrast and colour settings.</P><br /><P>Wrapping up the set's features is an interesting sound trick, called Sound Navi. This apparently increases the set's sound projection capabilities for people who've elected to hang the TV on the wall rather than use the provided desktop stand.</P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba 46vl753" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2046VL753/vl758%20str%20a3i%281%29-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>Pictures look terrific whenever fed the right sort of content, but at other times they're let down by a single, but hugely irritating, flaw: inconsistent backlighting.</P><br /><P>This manifests itself during dark scenes as multiple areas of varying brightness. There's a little pool of extra brightness in each corner, for instance, but also two or three others that appear over central parts of the picture, throwing up a wall between you and any dark scene you're watching.</P><br /><P>These areas of extra brightness are completely invisible if you're watching predominantly bright footage, but few TV dramas or films get by without any dark scenes. So it's clear that the backlight issues have the potential to occasionally distract you from almost anything you watch. </P><br /><P>Obviously, you can reduce this problem by toning down brightness and decreasing the backlight presence, but while doing so can reduce the issue a little, it doesn't sort it out completely.</P><br /><P>Backlight inconsistency is, of course a common issue with edge LED TVs, but there are many sets that suffer from it far less grievously than this one.</P><br /><P>Making this single flaw all the more annoying is the amount of stuff the TV gets right in other areas of its picture performance. Colours, for instance, are vibrant, well saturated and natural in tone – at least after a little time spent removing a slight yellow bias from the out-of-the-box settings. There's enough finesse in the way the set renders blends and shifts, too, to stop skin tones from suffering with the slightly patchy, waxy look often noted with flatscreens.</P><br /><P>The 46VL758's black level response isn't as bad as you might imagine. Predominantly bright images with a bit of blackness in them are punchy and dynamic and dark scenes would be convincing were it not for the inconsistent backlighting.</P><br /><P>The set is a fair handler of motion, with the100Hz engine operating in conjunction with what's presumably a pretty speedy innate panel response time enable it to avoid many of the blurring woes to which so many LCD screens are prone. There's a little residual judder, but this is seldom truly distracting.</P><br /><P>The lack of motion blurring makes it easy to appreciate the 46VL758's enjoyably sharp, clear and detailed rendering of high-definition sources and the sterling work done by Resolution+ with standard-definition pictures. Just don't set the latter higher than its two or, at a push, three as doing so introduces unwelcome amounts of noise and grain.</P><br /><P>One noteworthy shortcoming sees the screen's contrast reducing dramatically if you have to watch it from an angle of 30º or greater off-axis, while another is that the glass panel that gives the TV its 'one layer' finish tends to reflect ambient light – especially if you've got any wall lights sat directly opposite the screen.</P><br /><P><STRONG><img alt="Toshiba 46vl753" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2046VL753/vl758%2034r%20a3i%281%29-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG><BR></STRONG></P><br /><P><STRONG>Sound</STRONG></P><br /><P>Sadly the 46VL758 is another ultra-slim TV with a disappointing sound system. Particularly evident is the almost complete lack of bass in the soundstage, which leaves action scenes feeling thin, unbalanced and one-dimensional.</P><br /><P>The mid-range is narrower than most, leaving voices (especially male ones) sounding unrealistic and sound mixes in general sounding a bit muddy. Even the treble end of the audio spectrum is a let down, sounding harsh when pushed at all hard.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Value</STRONG></P><br /><P>The 46VL758's high price tag makes it a high-end 46-inch TV, in town but this isn't, sadly, underwritten by suitably top-notch performance.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Ease of use</STRONG></P><br /><P>The 46VL753 scores about average in this section. On the upside, its remote control is glossy and reasonably comfortable to hold, aside from feeling a little lightweight. Its buttons are more responsive and 'clicky' than the rather squishy efforts found on lower-rent Toshiba remotes, too.</P><br /><P>The only catch with the remote is that Toshiba has decided to place many of the most frequently used buttons very close together. This makes sense on one level, perhaps, but the result is a section of the remote that feels too cluttered with fiddly little buttons. </P><br /><P>The 46VL758's onscreen menus, meanwhile, are severely lacking in presentational skills. There's scarcely an icon or graphic in sight, leaving you facing the sort of white text on dark background appearance that would have looked dated in 2008, never mind 2010. </P><br /><P>To be fair, the menu structure built around this text approach is reasonably logical, but it's not unreasonable to expect something higher-tech on a premium TV these days. </P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba 46vl753" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2046VL753/vl758%20str%20ref%20a3i%281%29-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>With design such an important part of the TV market now, it makes perfect sense for Toshiba to have paid a professional, well-respected design agency, Jacob Jensen Design, to come up with a look for a new premium TV range. Especially as Toshiba hasn't done a properly premium range for some time.</P><br /><P>It's a pity the results of the design assistance haven't resulted in a more dramatic aesthetic result, but the TV certainly exudes high build quality.</P><br /><P>The set's feature count is respectable, too, with 100Hz and Active Vision picture processing, and multimedia tools that include DivX HD, MP3 and JPEG playback from USB storage devices plus YouTube and BBC iPlayer access. </P><br /><P>The main problem with the TV is that, while the 46VL758's pictures are capable of looking excellent with bright, colourful HD footage, it struggles at other times, chiefly thanks to some backlight consistency issues. Also, its sound is below average even by the traditionally underwhelming standards of skinny TVs.</P><br /><P>With these performance shortcomings in mind, the 46VL758 looks rather expensive: not a charge one has been able to level at a Toshiba TV for quite a while.</P><br /><P><STRONG>We liked</STRONG></P><br /><P>The set's build quality is terrific, as are some aspects of its design, especially its slimness. </P><br /><P>We also like the lengths the TV goes to help you calibrate pictures as well as playback of DivX HD from USB devices. </P><br /><P>Its pictures are bright, colour-rich and sharp with good HD sources and it's better than many rivals with standard-def.</P><br /><P><STRONG>We disliked</STRONG></P><br /><P>The design isn't quite as original as it might have been, considering that it is the work of a respected third-party design studio. </P><br /><P>The need for Windows 7 on your PC to enjoy full multimedia PC streaming playback seems unnecessarily finnicky and complicated, too.</P><br /><P>But worse is the extent of backlight inconsistency visible in pictures and the feeble audio.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Final Verdict</STRONG></P><br /><P>It's good to see Toshiba trying to re-establish itself at the premium end of the market rather than just slugging it out for budget domination. </P><br /><P>It's also great to find it announcing a new premium intention with such an uncompromisingly well built and slinky – if hardly earth shattering – TV.</P>

Review: Toshiba 46VL758

Engaging celebrated designers to style high-end TVs has become quite the thing. B&O, for example, has a long relationship with David Le...

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Review: Toshiba 22DV713B

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2022DV713B/22dv713%2034l%20a5i(1)-200-200.jpg"> <br /><P>Toshiba's 22DV713B DVD/TV combi might not be a looker, but it's got a great personality. It's neither as curvy nor as elegant as <a href="">Sharp's 22DV200E</A>, but it doubles its 22-inch rival's HDMI count and is able to play back music and photo files from USB drives.</P><br /><P>It can even play DivX video files courtesy of its DVD deck, as well, of course, as 'normal' CD and DVD discs.</P><br /><P>The 22DV713B has an HD ready (1,366 x 768-pixel) screen fed by a standard-definition Freeview tuner and can also be used as a PC monitor, thanks to a D-Sub port.</P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba 22dv713b" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2022DV713B/22dv713%2034r%20a5i%281%29-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>Set-up and use of the TV is hindered by an almost illegibly small Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) that changes channel as you scroll through the listings, slowing the process down considerably.<BR>These irritants are fairly swiftly forgotten, though, once you clock the 22DV713B's performance, which is substantially better than expected for something so affordable.</P><br /><P>For starters, pictures from the DVD deck and Freeview tuner are bright for such a small screen. Even more striking is the amount of contrast available, helping the display deliver richer and more natural colours than is common with cheap, small LCD TVs.</P><br /><P>The 22DV713B continues to impress with relatively static HD footage, serving up plenty of sharpness and detail. However, this sharpness breaks down during action scenes due to obvious amounts of motion blur.</P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba 22dv713b" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/TechRadar/Home%20Entertainment/Toshiba%2022DV713B/22dv713%2034r%20a5i%282%29-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>Less distracting – but still notable – is a rather grey look to dark scenes. This is surprising, given that black colours look fine within pictures containing a mix of dark and bright material. </P><br /><P>The speakers are merely par for the course for a small LCD TV, sounding slight and distorted when asked to reproduce anything more taxing than a chat show. </P><br /><P>For all its flaws, though, the 22DV713B remains a cut above most rivals in the value segment of the smallscreen market.</P>

Review: Toshiba 22DV713B

Toshiba's 22DV713B DVD/TV combi might not be a looker, but it's got a great personality. It's neither as curvy nor as elegant a...

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Toshiba NB500 and NB520 netbooks announced

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/mobile-computing/images/tpshiba-nb520-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>Toshiba has announced the arrival off two new netbooks that add a bit of sparkle to its diminutive computer range.</P><br /><P>That NB500 and NB520 both have a 10.1-inch LED backlit screen, Atom processors (dual on the 520) and are just 17mm at their thinnest point. </P><br /><P>The netbooks also weigh a Cheryl Cole-like 1.32KG. </P><br /><P>Toshiba last range of netbooks, the <a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/toshiba-nb305-105-682866/review">NB300</A>, offered up impressive battery life and it seems that the NB500 and 520 range is offering the same, with both machines housing a six-cell battery that's good for eight hours' use – 10 if you are using the NB500.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Audio bully</STRONG></P><br /><P>The biggest improvement by Tosh, however, is on the audio side. Teaming up with Harmon/Kardon – the speaker manufacturer not to be confused with a <EM>Harry Potter</EM> character – sound power is attached to these netbooks.</P><br /><P>Couple this with a Dolby Advanced Audio feature and it seems that Toshiba has nailed it in the audio stakes.</P><br /><P>Other specs include: 1GB DDR3 memory, a 250GB hard drive, Wi-Fi, integrated webcam, a multi-card reader and sleep and charge USB ports.</P><br /><P>The Toshiba NB500 and NB520 range has a UK release date of January 2011, with prices to be announced.</P>

Toshiba NB500 and NB520 netbooks announced

Toshiba has announced the arrival off two new netbooks that add a bit of sparkle to its diminutive computer range. That NB500 and NB520 both...

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Review: Toshiba AC100-10U

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20144/WLT144.solo.toshiba2_1-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>Toshiba's AC100-10U is a netbook-like device powered by Nvidia's Tegra technology and running Google's smartphone OS – Android 2.1. </P><br /><P>Aimed at those after a very portable internet experience, we have mixed feelings about the device. </P><br /><P>At only 870g, the laptop isn't a device you're going to have any problems carrying around, while the fanless system has allowed Toshiba to cram the device's components into a tiny chassis measuring only 21mm at its thickest point. </P><br /><P>Battery life is also a selling point for this machine and the 377 minutes of video playback we obtained is impressive, without being exceptional. </P><br /><P>The tough, matt-black plastic employed in building the chassis – with an inoffensive crosshatch pattern – makes the device almost impervious to scratches. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Bright screen <BR></STRONG></P><br /><P>The 10.1-inch screen features a detailed 1024 x 600-pixel resolution and is very bright and a pleasure to view photos and videos on. The inclusion of a shiny screen finish means there are irritating reflections to contend with in bright light, however. </P><br /><P>The keyboard, although a little cramped, is more than usable – but there's no delete key to accompany the backspace key, which regular typists may miss. 802.11n Wi-Fi is on board for speedy wireless networking, as is a 3G module. This means that, having purchased a tariff and SIM card from a network provider, you'll be able to surf the web or browse your email away from Wi-Fi hotspots. </P><br /><P>We've long been fans of Google's ultra-intuitive Android OS, but it doesn't make a smooth transition on to the AC100. There's no touchscreen and the numerous hotkeys substituting for the swipes and scrolls normally executed on a smartphone are confusing. </P><br /><P>Similarly, the Toshiba-tweaked interface is unattractive and clumsy, and selecting applications or links, for example, is a frustrating affair. Finally, instead of Google's own apps market, Camangi Market software is included. </P><br /><P>There are some decent apps available, but their quality is questionable. Nevertheless, Nvidia's 1GHz Tegra 250 chipset provides decent processing power, and runs the operating system smoothly. Its low power means there's no need for a fan system. </P><br /><P>The graphics card is part of the main chipset, and produces decent video. There's no room for an optical drive, and you'll find the 8GB of SSD storage fairly limiting if you have a lot of data to carry around. </P><br /><P>It's hard not to see the AC100 as a bit of a missed opportunity. Both design and portability are great, but usability and the implementation of Android disappoint.</P>

Review: Toshiba AC100-10U

Toshiba's AC100-10U is a netbook-like device powered by Nvidia's Tegra technology and running Google's smartphone OS – Android 2...

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Toshiba considering Google TV product

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/internet-and-broadband/google/GoogleTV-logo-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>Toshiba has admitted that it is considering launching a Google TV product, using the US market to test out its product before looking elsewhere. </P><br /><P>Although there is no launch date for Google TV in the UK, the search giant does have global plans for its product, if it can finally overcome the hurdle of the content providers who are less than keen to get on board. </P><br /><P>With Sony and Logitech currently producing equipment, Toshiba's head of visual products – senior VP Masaaki Oosumi told the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101128-705263.html">Wall Street Journal</A> that, if the company launches the product, "we would first sell it in the US market".</P><br /><P><STRONG>Major player</STRONG></P><br /><P>IPTV is becoming a major player in the broadcast world, and the arrival of the likes of YouView and Sky's Anytime+ in the UK will hand a key boost to the prospect of getting video on demand through your television courtesy of a broadband connection. </P><br /><P>On top of this Virgin Media's cable service has proven that the likes of the BBC iPlayer is immensely popular when it is easily accessed through a set-top box, showing an appetite for Google TV-like services. </P><br /><P>Google has faced significant problems, however, with content providers blocking access to its box for its catch up services online. </P><br /><P>Hulu – perhaps the most well recognised TV catch-up name in the US – has been one of the dissenters, and has been joined by major networks such as ABC, NBC and CBS. </P>

Toshiba considering Google TV product

Toshiba has admitted that it is considering launching a Google TV product, using the US market to test out its product before looking elsewh...

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Buying Guide: What's the best Toshiba laptop?

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com///Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20139/WLT139.rev3.Toshiba01-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next?<BR>If you've settled on an Toshiba, then you're probably wondering what the best Toshiba laptop is for your budget. </P><br /><P>Here we've gathered together the top models for your delectation.</P><br /><P>But if you don't want to buy a Toshiba, check our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/20-best-laptops-in-the-world-today-706673">20 best laptops in the world</A> piece. If it's a netbook you want, look at our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/15-best-netbooks-in-the-world-today-699790">15 best netbooks</A>.</P><br /><P><STRONG>1. Toshiba Satellite Pro C650-197</STRONG></P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20142/WLT142.rev1.Toshiba01_1-420-100.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>The Satellite Pro C650-197 is still a decent machine. Performance is assured, thanks to the Intel Core i3 processor, while the widescreen display is bright, vibrant and perfect for working – or playing – well into the night.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/toshiba-satellite-pro-c650-197-716225/review">Read our full Toshiba Satellite Pro C650-197 review</A></P><br /><P><STRONG>2. Toshiba Satellite L630-13M</STRONG></P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20143/WLT143.rev2.Toshiba01_1-420-100.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>The Toshiba Satellite L630-13M is a great all-round machine. The solid chassis looks good and is easy to transport, while the Pentium processor offers decent performance. Plenty of features add to the overall package, with almost no flaws in evidence.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/toshiba-satellite-l630-13m-903201/review">Read our full Toshiba Satellite L630-13M review</A></P><br /><P><STRONG>3. Toshiba Portege R600</STRONG></P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20140/WLT140.solo.tosh-420-100.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>What's not to love about this Intel Core i7-powered laptop? Thin and light, but still packing multi-core performance, 4GB of RAM and with an SSD for speed data storage, Toshiba's got a real winner here.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/toshiba-portege-r700-706074/review">Read our full Toshiba Portege R600 review</A></P><br /><P><STRONG>4. Toshiba Satellite A660-18N</STRONG></P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20142/WLT142.rev3.Toshiba01_1-420-100.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>This is an ideal home entertainment laptop featuring a quad-core Core i7 processor and Nvidia graphics, with a 16-inch 1366 x 768 screen.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/toshiba-satellite-a660-18n-716932/review">Read our full Toshiba Satellite A660-18N</A></P><br /><P><STRONG>5. Portege R600-149</STRONG></P><br /><P><img alt="Toshiba laptops" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/What%20Laptop/WLT%20139/WLT139.rev3.Toshiba01-420-100.jpg" width="420"></IMG></P><br /><P>A dual-core processer gives this laptop enough power for business use, but it's the super light and thing chassis that will blow you away.</P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/toshiba-port-g-r600-149-697767/review">Read our full Toshiba R600-149 review</A></P><br /><P>Don't forget to check out our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/laptops/20-best-laptops-in-the-world-today-706673">20 best laptops in the world</A> piece. Or, if it's a netbook you want, our <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/15-best-netbooks-in-the-world-today-699790">15 best netbooks</A>.</P>

Buying Guide: What's the best Toshiba laptop?

It can be hard to choose which laptop to buy, but once you've found the brand you want then what next? If you've settled on an Toshi...

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Toshiba releases Folio 100 tablet PC

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/images/ToshibaFolio03-200-200.jpg"><br /><P>Toshiba has released its Folio 100 tablet PC this week, the latest Android based pretender to the Apple iPad's throne.</P><br /><P>The iPad currently owns around <a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/apple-owns-95-of-tablet-pc-market-904834">95 per cent of the tablet PC market</A>, although this is likely to change considerably as more Android tablets arrive in the coming months.</P><br /><P><STRONG>A rich entertainment tablet</STRONG></P><br /><P>Toshiba's Folio 100 device claims to offer users "a rich entertainment experience and gives access to a wide selection of apps and download services via Toshiba Market Place," according to the company's press release.</P><br /><P>Toshiba is also keen to promote the fact that the Folio 100 features a "broad range of connectivity options" as well as support for Adobe Flash 10.1 – neither of which Apple currently offers on its iPad.</P><br /><P>Apps can be downloaded onto the Folio 100 via the Toshiba Market Place, with a few hundred apps already available organised in categories such as communications, games, travel & maps, business & finance, e-books, utilities and more.</P><br /><P>Tosh hopes to encourage software developers to support the platform – at <a href="http://www.toshibatouch.eu/">www.toshibatouch.eu</A> – offering all the tools devs need with an "attractive revenue share model [that] allows developers to participate with up to 70 per cent of the revenue of their app." </P><br /><P>Toshiba's Music Place is also available, powered by 7Digital, offering "an easy to use client that gives access to one of the widest catalogues of music" which you can download to the local 16GB hard drive or store in a personal cloud storage area.</P><br /><P>Specs wise, the CPU is an Nvidia Tegra 2, the screen is a 10.1-inch 1024x600 capacitive multi-touch display, with a 'highly intuitive graphical interface' that runs on top of Android 2.2. </P><br /><P>Toshiba claims that battery life is around 7 hours ( based on 65 per cent web browsing, 10 per cent video playback and 25 per cent standby). Pricing and availability details to follow shortly.</P>

Toshiba releases Folio 100 tablet PC

Toshiba has released its Folio 100 tablet PC this week, the latest Android based pretender to the Apple iPad's throne. The iPad currentl...

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