Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Toshiba Satellite P855 glasses-free 3D laptop hands-on (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/toshiba-satellite-p855-glasses-free-3d-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/toshiba-satellite-p855-glasses-free-3d-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/toshiba-satellite-p855-glasses-free-3d-laptop/#comments Remember that glasses-free 3D Qosmio F750 (aka F755 in the US) gaming laptop we saw last year? We're not sure how many of them Toshiba has sold, but the company's PR folks tell us they've been popular enough to justify a further 15.6-inch glasses-free model -- a Satellite P855, which will have a more mainstream target audience. We're looking at exactly the same lenticular technology, which uses a webcam to adjust the 3D effect to the user's head movements, and which delivers effective results if you sit relatively still and give your eyes a chance to adapt. This time, however, the effect is delivered within a textured aluminum chassis that will likely appeal to a wider audience than the red-styled garishness of the Qosmio. The price tag has yet to be disclosed, but that should also be more appealing, since the Satellite range starts at £599 ($940). The P855 won't arrive until Q2 and Toshiba wasn't ready to reveal any concrete specs concerning the processor or graphics, other than saying this laptop is aimed at mainstream 3D gaming as well as Blu-Ray consumption. We asked about memory and storage too, but with no success -- all we could glean is that there are four USB 3.0 ports, HDMI out, Intel WiDi for direct WiFi beaming of 1080 video to a bigger screen, plus Harmon Kardon speakers. C'mon Tosh, give us Ivy Bridge paired with a 28nm Kepler GPU and make the world happy. (Hands-on video right after the break.)

Gallery: Toshiba Satellite P855 with glasses-free 3D hands-on

Continue reading Toshiba Satellite P855 glasses-free 3D laptop hands-on (video)

Toshiba Satellite P855 glasses-free 3D laptop hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>15.6-inch3dblu-raygamingglasses-freeglasses-free 3dGlasses-free3dhands-onlaptoplenticularmainstreamnotebooksatellitesatellite p855SatelliteP855toshibatoshiba satellite p855ToshibaSatelliteP855videoTue, 06 Mar 2012 13:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's to release four new Blu-ray players in 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/10/toshibas-to-release-four-new-blu-ray-players-in-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/10/toshibas-to-release-four-new-blu-ray-players-in-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/10/toshibas-to-release-four-new-blu-ray-players-in-2012/#comments Toshiba BDX5300 We'll never get over how odd it seems that Toshiba makes Blu-ray players, but nonetheless they do and have four new ones for 2012. By the looks of them, they all fit the new Aero family design, feature streaming options like Netflix, VUDU and MediaShare (a DLNA interface). The main differentiator is that the BDX3300 and BDX5300 include built-in WiFi while the BDX2300 and BDX4300 are simply WiFi ready -- only the 4300 and 5300 output 3D. None of them have prices yet, according to the press release after the break, but they are all due in April, with the exception of the BDX330, which is due in May.

Continue reading Toshiba's to release four new Blu-ray players in 2012

Toshiba's to release four new Blu-ray players in 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BDX2300BDX3300BDX4300BDX5300Blu-rayCESCES 2012Ces2012DLNAhdpostcrossMediaShareNetflixToshibaVUDUYoutubeTue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tech mainstays finally come together on something: littering more HD content with more DRM]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/tech-mainstays-finally-come-together-on-something-littering-mor/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/tech-mainstays-finally-come-together-on-something-littering-mor/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/tech-mainstays-finally-come-together-on-something-littering-mor/#comments Who says the big boys can't be friends? While Samsung, SanDisk, Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic would probably disagree with each other on just about everything, there are still three magical letters that can bring even the biggest rivals together: DRM. While the consortium is doing everything it can to avoid the term, there's no hiding the truth -- the temporarily-named 'Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative' is designed to protect HD content by using "unique ID (identification) technology for flash memory and robust copy protection based on public key infrastructure." Just when we thought Louis C.K. had proven that slapping DRM around something wasn't the best approach, here we go taking a few monumental steps in the wrong direction.

In essence, it sounds as if they're crafting a way to distribute Blu-ray-quality material on SD cards and embedded memory (sound familiar?), and they're also hoping that this will "enable various HD content applications such as HD network download, broadcast content to-go and HD Digital Copy / Managed Copy from Blu-ray Disc." Notably, we're told that Android-based smartphones, tablets, TVs and Blu-ray products in particular can look forward to taking advantage -- in other words, Apple's going to keep doing what Apple does. If all goes well, they'll start licensing the new secure memory technology early next year, and if we had to guess, we'd say the adoption trajectory perfectly matches that of slotRadio. Good luck, folks -- you're going to need it.

Continue reading Tech mainstays finally come together on something: littering more HD content with more DRM

Tech mainstays finally come together on something: littering more HD content with more DRM originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbdblu-rayblu-ray discBlu-rayDiscbusinesscontent protectionContentProtectionDRMflashhdpostcrossindustrylicensingmemory cardMemoryCardnandNext Generation Secure Memory InitiativeNextGenerationSecureMemoryInitiativepanasonicpartnershipsamsungsandisksdsd cardsd cardsSdCardSdCardssecuresecure digitalSecureDigitalsecuritysonystoragetoshibaMon, 19 Dec 2011 11:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba Regza DBR-M190 stores 15 days of HDTV from six channels, we go hands-on (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/toshiba-regza-dbr-m190-stores-15-days-of-hdtv-from-six-channels/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/toshiba-regza-dbr-m190-stores-15-days-of-hdtv-from-six-channels/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/toshiba-regza-dbr-m190-stores-15-days-of-hdtv-from-six-channels/#comments There's no question that Japan gets all the cool gadgets -- many of which never make it stateside. Well, we have yet another tease for you, in the form of an eight-tuner Toshiba DVR with five terabytes of storage. The DBR-M190 reserves six of those tuners (and four TBs of storage) for its Time Shift recording, which as its name implies, transports you to an alternate dimension -- in realtime, mind you -- allowing you to watch past HD episodes of those favorite Japanese programs that you otherwise neglected to record. OK, fine, it can't actually shift physical time, but the home DVR does allow you to record 15 full days of HD content from six channels. Or 30 days from three channels, or 90 days from one -- you get the idea. It also offers 3D Blu-ray playback. Huzzah!

There's some pretty heavy compression in place in order to squeeze all that HD content with the allotted storage, but Toshiba reps insisted that the content looks acceptable. Clever as they are, reps also neglected to have that heavily compressed HD video available for demo at CEATEC, but were happy to let us peek at a show recorded using a much more liberal amount of compression, which nets you just one-fifth of the advertised amount (think three days, not 15). Still, three days of 24 hour content from six channels ain't too shabby, but that 200,000 yen price tag (about $2,600) is a bit of a deal breaker, no? As is the fact that you can't plug this puppy into cable networks overseas (Time Shift is only compatible with basic cable channels in Japan). Jump past the break to see it in action, and expect to see it hit Japanese shores sometime in mid-December.

Gallery: Toshiba Regza DBR-M190 hands-on

Continue reading Toshiba Regza DBR-M190 stores 15 days of HDTV from six channels, we go hands-on (video)

Toshiba Regza DBR-M190 stores 15 days of HDTV from six channels, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayceatecceatec 2011Ceatec2011DBM-Z150DBM-Z160DBR-M180DBR-M190hands-onhdd recorderHddRecorderhdpostcrossHome Media ServerHomeMediaServermedia serverMediaServerrecorderregzaregza blu-rayregza serverRegzaBlu-rayRegzaServertoshibavideoTue, 04 Oct 2011 00:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Only in Japan: Toshiba's Regza DBR-M190 serves 5TB of home media]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/only-in-japan-toshibas-regza-dbr-m190-serves-5tb-of-home-media/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/only-in-japan-toshibas-regza-dbr-m190-serves-5tb-of-home-media/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/only-in-japan-toshibas-regza-dbr-m190-serves-5tb-of-home-media/#comments
Sometimes gigabytes aren't enough. You have to start talking terabytes. That's the case with Toshiba's new Regza Server, more numerically known as the DBR-M190. The just-announced home media server boasts 5TB of storage, enough for 15 days of MPEG4AVC-compressed digital TV -- from six different channels. Of course, that "server" in the name means you'll be able to stream captured content as well. The sad news? "You" means only Japanese consumers. But if you're one of the chosen many, this media-slinging behemoth will cost you 200,000 yen, or around $2,600.

Only in Japan: Toshiba's Regza DBR-M190 serves 5TB of home media originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayceatecceatec 2011Ceatec2011DBM-Z150DBM-Z160DBR-M180DBR-M190hdd recorderHddRecorderhdpostcrossHome Media ServerHomeMediaServermedia serverMediaServerrecorderregzaregza blu-rayregza serverRegzaBlu-rayRegzaServertoshibaMon, 03 Oct 2011 19:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/toshiba-qosmio-x775-3dv78-review/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/toshiba-qosmio-x775-3dv78-review/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/toshiba-qosmio-x775-3dv78-review/#comments Qosmio X777-3DV78 review When NVIDIA played its signature GPU number-bump card back in May, it made a point to throw around some big names. Alienware, MSI and ASUS each announced notebooks with the outfit's new GeForce GTX 560M, but one lone machine played coy, listed only as the "new Toshiba gaming laptop." Known today as the Qosmio X775-3DV78, it pairs 1.5GB GDDR5 with the aforementioned GPU, an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 1.25TB of storage split between two drives and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. So, can this heavyweight desktop-replacement hold its own in Engadget's review ring? There's only one way to find out.

Gallery: Qosmio X775-3DV78 review

Continue reading Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 review

Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>17.3 inch17.3-inch17.3Inch3d vision3Dglasses3dVision560MBlu-rayCore i7Core i7-2630QMCoreI7CoreI7-2630qmDDR3 SDRAMdesktop replacementDesktopReplacementDolbyDolby Advanced AudioDolbyAdvancedAudiogaming laptopgaming laptopsGamingLaptopGamingLaptopsGeForce GTX 560MGeforceGtx560mHarman KardonHarmanKardoni7-2630QMIntel Core i7Intel Core i7-2630QMIntelCoreI7IntelCoreI7-2630qmNVIDIANvidia 3D VisionNvidia 3dvisionNVIDIA GeForce GTX 560MNvidia3dVisionNvidiaGeforceGtx560mQosmio X775-3DV78QosmioX775-3dv78reviewToshibauglyWaves MaxxaudioWavesMaxxaudioWed, 17 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/14/japanese-quake-will-likely-affect-our-supply-of-gadgets/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/14/japanese-quake-will-likely-affect-our-supply-of-gadgets/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/14/japanese-quake-will-likely-affect-our-supply-of-gadgets/#comments Devastating. There are no words to effectively convey the human catastrophe suffered in Japan. Engadget would like to express our sincere condolences to those readers personally affected by recent events.

As a tech publication, we're obviously focused on the impact these events will have on Japan's vast consumer electronics industry -- an industry that has responded with millions of dollars in cash, equipment and services to help with the relief effort. Thus far, Canon, Panasonic, and Sony have each pledged ¥300 million ($3.67 million) in donations. Sony is also matching employee contributions as will Mitsubishi who's donating a whopping ¥500 million ($6.1 million) in aid. On the equipment side, Sony is donating some 30,000 radios to relief efforts while Panasonic is providing 10,000 radios, 10,000 flashlights, and 500,000 batteries. NEC, Kyocera, and Epson are each donating ¥100 million in funds, computers, and telecoms and IT equipment.

While it's still too early to quantify the exact impact the earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing nuclear troubles will have on the global tech industry, the scope of the issues is becoming clearer now that the initial chaos has passed. Click through to see how everything from laptop batteries to iPads are at risk.

Continue reading Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets

Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raycanoneearthquakeflashfujifilmjapannandnatural disasterNaturalDisasternecnikonpanasonicsonsonytokyo electricTokyoElectrictoshibatsunamiMon, 14 Mar 2011 09:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Fujitsu unveils Esprimo FH99/CM, touts it as the world's first glasses-free 3D desktop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/14/fujitsu-unveils-esprimo-fh99-cm-touts-it-as-the-worlds-first-g/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/14/fujitsu-unveils-esprimo-fh99-cm-touts-it-as-the-worlds-first-g/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/14/fujitsu-unveils-esprimo-fh99-cm-touts-it-as-the-worlds-first-g/#comments After seeing Sharp's 10.6 glasses-free 3D display last September, we left convinced that parallax barrier 3D technology was a long way off from being ready for prime-time, and then we reached for a bottle of aspirin. Demonstrations by Intel and Sony at CES this year proved, however, that a lot can change in four months, and we hope for Japan's collective eye sight that Fujitsu's Esprimo FH99/CM desktop PC follows this trend. That's because Fujitsu claims it's the world's first glasses-free all-in-one, and it's scheduled to launch in the country on February 25th with a whopping $3,100 price tag. All that dough will get buyers a naked-eye 23-inch full HD 3D display plus top-of-the-line features such as a Blu-ray drive with 3D Blu-ray support, a 2Ghz Core i7 processor, 4GB of memory, a 2TB hard drive, and two USB 3.0 ports. There's no word whether the computer will land stateside, but if it doesn't, Toshiba has hinted they could fill the void with a glasses-free 3D PC of its own by late 2011. Still, we wouldn't recommend stomping your 3D glasses just yet.

Fujitsu unveils Esprimo FH99/CM, touts it as the world's first glasses-free 3D desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>23-inch3D3d blu-ray drive3d display3D displays3dBlu-rayDrive3dDisplay3dDisplaysall-in-oneAll-In-One Desktop PCall-in-one PCAll-in-oneDesktopPcAll-in-onePcBlu-Rayblu-ray driveblu-ray drivesBlu-rayDriveBlu-rayDrivescomputersDisplayEsprimo FH99CMEsprimoFh99cmfujitsuglasses-free 3dGlasses-free3dHDJapanparallax barrierParallaxBarriertoshibawindows 7Windows7Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba brings WX800 and VX700 HDTVs stateside, BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player this month]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/15/toshiba-brings-wx800-and-vx700-hdtvs-stateside-bdx3000-3d-blu-r/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/15/toshiba-brings-wx800-and-vx700-hdtvs-stateside-bdx3000-3d-blu-r/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/15/toshiba-brings-wx800-and-vx700-hdtvs-stateside-bdx3000-3d-blu-r/#comments Remember that slate of drop-dead gorgeous Toshiba HDTVs that emerged at IFA? They're back, and they're making a beeline for a living room near you. Provided that "you" are in "the US of A," that is. Just as we expected, Tosh has come clean with the US variants of its LED-based Cinema Series, with the flagship WX800 models (46- and 55-inches) getting 3D Resolution+ technology, 240Hz processor, inbuilt 802.11b/g/n WiFi, the company's own Enhanced NET TV service, Yahoo! widgets (score!) and a native 1080p panel. The lower end VX700 series (again, 46- and 55-inches) is meant for those content with 2D imagery, but they still retain the connected features along with two USB ports, an SD / SDHC card slot and DLNA support. Lastly, the BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player that we've been holding out for finally has a ship date, and it's soon. Within a fortnight, the aforesaid player will be out and about on US shelves for $249.99, representing a $50 premium over the 3D-less BDX2700. Check out the full list of details embedded after the break.

Gallery: Toshiba WX800 and VX700 HDTVs; BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player

Continue reading Toshiba brings WX800 and VX700 HDTVs stateside, BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player this month

Toshiba brings WX800 and VX700 HDTVs stateside, BDX3000 3D Blu-ray player this month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d3d blu-ray3d hdtv3d tv3dBlu-ray3dHdtv3dTv46VX70046WX80055VX70055WX800BDX2500BDX2700bdx3000blockbuster on demandBlockbusterOnDemandblu-rayCinema SeriesCinemaSeriescinespeedcolormasterconnected hdtvConnectedHdtvdynalighthdtvlednetflixpandoraregzatoshibaVUDUvx700widgetwidgetswx800yahooyahoo connected tvyahoo widgetsYahooConnectedTvYahooWidgetsWed, 15 Sep 2010 12:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba finally dives into Blu-ray 3D with BDX3100 player, offers up BDX1100 if stereo's not your style]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/02/toshiba-finally-dives-into-blu-ray-3d-with-bdx3100-player-offer/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/02/toshiba-finally-dives-into-blu-ray-3d-with-bdx3100-player-offer/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/02/toshiba-finally-dives-into-blu-ray-3d-with-bdx3100-player-offer/#comments Seems like Toshiba bit off more Blu-ray 3D than it could chew this year -- the Japanese firm's just announced that the new BDX3100KB will be its first set-top stereoscopic player, never mind the BDX3000 it announced at CES. Still, we're willing to forgive and forget if the new machine (replete with DivX and MKV playback, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround, and instant playback of AVCHD footage from connected camcorders) makes it stateside sometime soon -- both it and the relatively boring BDX1100 standard Blu-ray unit are presently slated for a UK release (at unspecified prices) in October of this year. PR after the break.

Continue reading Toshiba finally dives into Blu-ray 3D with BDX3100 player, offers up BDX1100 if stereo's not your style

Toshiba finally dives into Blu-ray 3D with BDX3100 player, offers up BDX1100 if stereo's not your style originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BDX1100KBBDX3100KBblu-rayblu-ray 3dblu-ray playerBlu-ray3dBlu-rayPlayerToshibaToshiba BDX-1100KBToshiba BDX3100KBToshibaBdx-1100kbToshibaBdx3100kbThu, 02 Sep 2010 20:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba BDX2700 Blu-ray player review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/toshiba-bdx2700-blu-ray-player-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/toshiba-bdx2700-blu-ray-player-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/toshiba-bdx2700-blu-ray-player-review/#commentsToshiba BDX2700 One of the best things the HD DVD camp had going for it during the format war was great hardware from Toshiba. And after the war was over many assumed Toshiba would just ignore the Blu-ray player market entirely and focus on other areas. Of course that wasn't the case and the idea of a Blu-ray player from Toshiba has always intrigued us, which is why we jumped at the chance to review one. Sadly, the BDX2700 reviewed on the next page doesn't share much with its red counterparts, but it isn't all bad.

Gallery: Toshiba BDX2700 Blu-ray player review

Continue reading Toshiba BDX2700 Blu-ray player review

Toshiba BDX2700 Blu-ray player review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BDX2700Blu-rayBlu-ray PlayerBlu-rayPlayerhdreviewToshibaTue, 27 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba Qosmio V65 laptop brings Core i5, SpursEngine and Blu-ray to low-res screen]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/toshiba-qosmio-v65-laptop-brings-core-i5-spursengine-and-blu-ra/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/toshiba-qosmio-v65-laptop-brings-core-i5-spursengine-and-blu-ra/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/toshiba-qosmio-v65-laptop-brings-core-i5-spursengine-and-blu-ra/#commentsWith Toshiba's Core i7-toting Qosmio X500 series laptops starting at a bit over a grand these days, we're not sure how excited we are about the company's new V65 portable PC. Though the former model spun Blu-ray discs into a fine-pixeled 1080p, this new model's SpursEngine-powered content's been relegated to a 1,366 x 768, 15.6-inch backlit screen. While Japanese consumers do get a 2.4GHz Core i5-450M processor, 4GB of DDR3 memory, 500GB hard drive, plenty of ports and a digital TV tuner for the price, said price is an estimated ¥180,000 -- or about $1,972 in hard US currency if the machine ever comes stateside. A wee bit steep, in our estimation.

Toshiba Qosmio V65 laptop brings Core i5, SpursEngine and Blu-ray to low-res screen originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blu-rayCore 2010Core i5Core i5 mobileCore i5-450MCore2010CoreI5CoreI5-450mCoreI5MobileJapanQosmioQosmio V65QosmioV65SpursEngineToshibaToshiba Qosmio V65ToshibaQosmioV65Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba updates VARDIA line of DVRs with Blu-ray, VHS... wait, what?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/14/toshiba-updates-vardia-line-of-dvrs-with-blu-ray-vhs-wait-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/14/toshiba-updates-vardia-line-of-dvrs-with-blu-ray-vhs-wait-w/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/14/toshiba-updates-vardia-line-of-dvrs-with-blu-ray-vhs-wait-w/#comments Toshiba's showing it has moved on from the horrors of the format war, today announcing Three Non-HD DVD Recorders and a few other Japan only Blu-ray products. The top of the line D-BW1005K DVR connects with the future via a 1TB HDD, several tuners and the aforementioned disc burning capability but also gives a nod to the past and our old copies of Days of Thunder, A History of Violence and The Young Teacher thanks to its included VHS deck. Ditching the tape player, 1TB HDD or recording capability saves a few yen, while all-in-one fans can opt for the R1BDP series of REGZA LCDs, an offshoot of the R9000 line in 32- and 26-inch sizes with Blu-ray burning drives tucked in behind just like Sharp & Mitsubishi's HDTVs. All are due over the next few months, check Impress for the prices and dates, but we'd wait to see what kind of Blu-ray upgrade is heading the Cell TV's way before buying, even with the potential return of sweet, sweet VHS to our lives (it's amazing how a few years of nostalgia has made us forget all those worn out rentals, poor quality and the need for something called a "rewinder.")

Toshiba updates VARDIA line of DVRs with Blu-ray, VHS... wait, what? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayburnerd-bw1005kdvrdx2japanr1bdptoshibavardiavhsThu, 14 Jan 2010 17:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's Cell TV delivers a slightly-less ultimate eight tuner DVR experience December 10]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/07/toshibas-cell-tv-delivers-the-ultimate-eight-tuner-blu-ray-dvr/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/07/toshibas-cell-tv-delivers-the-ultimate-eight-tuner-blu-ray-dvr/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/07/toshibas-cell-tv-delivers-the-ultimate-eight-tuner-blu-ray-dvr/#comments Blu-ray and the Cell processor are back together again, now that Toshiba has jumped on the format and is ready to release its first Cell TV, the Regza 55X1, in Japan December 10. Just making it in 2009 as promised, the path to launch has cost this initial release the 4K resolution screen we'd hoped for, with a 1080p LED backlit display hooked to the aforementioned Blu-ray DVR, 3TB HDD and slick 3D GUI for navigating all sorts of content from the internet or recording from as many as 8 tuners at one time. Also pushed back? Some video on-demand services, but we're pretty sure that at this point a few software updates on the way isn't holding back anyone from the "ultimate entertainment machine."

Update: Our friends at Engadget Japan just pinged us to inform that Blu-ray was also one of the features left on the cutting room floor. Without that, our ¥1,000,000 is staying firmly in our theoretical Japanese wallet -- Toshiba, let us know how v2 works out.

Toshiba's Cell TV delivers a slightly-less ultimate eight tuner DVR experience December 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080p3tb55x1blu-raycellcell processorcell tvCellProcessorCellTvdvrjapanlcdledregzatoshibaMon, 07 Dec 2009 15:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's BDX2000 Blu-ray deck hits Best Buy for $199, sour grapes also on sale]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/toshibas-bdx2000-blu-ray-deck-hits-best-buy-for-199-sour-grap/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/toshibas-bdx2000-blu-ray-deck-hits-best-buy-for-199-sour-grap/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/toshibas-bdx2000-blu-ray-deck-hits-best-buy-for-199-sour-grap/#comments Man, poor Toshiba. The company's already sucked up its pride and started putting Blu-ray drives in its laptops, but here's its first stab at a proper standalone player, the BDX2000, on Best Buy shelves a bit early for $199 -- or $50 less than its announced price. Sure, that makes sense given the falling prices of Blu-ray decks as the holidays approach, but even at that price it's not super competitive with the slew of other decks out there that can do Netflix streaming. We'll see if Tosh's next efforts are a little more interesting than this, or if this is just more heartbreak than its worth.

[Thanks, Alex]

Continue reading Toshiba's BDX2000 Blu-ray deck hits Best Buy for $199, sour grapes also on sale

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Toshiba's BDX2000 Blu-ray deck hits Best Buy for $199, sour grapes also on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdx2000best buyBestBuyblu rayblu-rayblurayhdin the wildInTheWildon saleOnSaletoshibaMon, 26 Oct 2009 20:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's BDX2000 Blu-ray deck hits Best Buy for $199, sour grapes also on sale]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/toshibas-bdx2000-blu-ray-deck-hits-best-buy-for-199-sour-grap/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/toshibas-bdx2000-blu-ray-deck-hits-best-buy-for-199-sour-grap/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/26/toshibas-bdx2000-blu-ray-deck-hits-best-buy-for-199-sour-grap/#comments Man, poor Toshiba. The company's already sucked up its pride and started putting Blu-ray drives in its laptops, but here's its first stab at a proper standalone player, the BDX2000, on Best Buy shelves a bit early for $199 -- or $50 less than its announced price. Sure, that makes sense given the falling prices of Blu-ray decks as the holidays approach, but even at that price it's not super competitive with the slew of other decks out there that can do Netflix streaming. We'll see if Tosh's next efforts are a little more interesting than this, or if this is just more heartbreak than its worth.

[Thanks, Alex]

Continue reading Toshiba's BDX2000 Blu-ray deck hits Best Buy for $199, sour grapes also on sale

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Toshiba's BDX2000 Blu-ray deck hits Best Buy for $199, sour grapes also on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdx2000best buyBestBuyblu-rayin the wildInTheWildon saleOnSaletoshibaMon, 26 Oct 2009 20:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba finally weds SpursEngine and Blu-ray in 18.4-inch Qosmio G60 laptop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/toshiba-finally-weds-spursengine-and-blu-ray-in-18-4-inch-qosmio/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/toshiba-finally-weds-spursengine-and-blu-ray-in-18-4-inch-qosmio/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/13/toshiba-finally-weds-spursengine-and-blu-ray-in-18-4-inch-qosmio/#comments
Toshiba's beastly Dynabook was last updated in April, but at the time, Toshiba was still walking around with its chin up and refusing to integrate Blu-ray technology into its products. Now, however, the 18.4-inch Qosmio G60 (Dynabook MX in overseas markets) is finally bringing together a Cell-based SpursEngine HD video co-processor with a Blu-ray drive, ensuring oodles of movie watching bliss for those mettlesome enough to lug this thing around. Other specs include a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo P8700 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GT 230M GPU, 500GB hard drive, 4GB of RAM, twin TV tuners, Windows 7 Home Premium and a 1080p panel. If all goes well, it'll ship next month (at least in Japan) for around ¥220,000 ($2,457), though your guess is as good as ours on a US release.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

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Toshiba finally weds SpursEngine and Blu-ray in 18.4-inch Qosmio G60 laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raydynabook MXDynabookMxG60gaming laptopGamingLaptoplaptoppcQosmioQosmio G60QosmioG60SpursEnginetoshibatoshiba Qosmio G60ToshibaQosmioG60windows 7Windows7Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's Cell TV still on for 2009 debut, now with Blu-ray]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/toshibas-cell-tv-still-on-for-2009-debut-now-with-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/toshibas-cell-tv-still-on-for-2009-debut-now-with-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/23/toshibas-cell-tv-still-on-for-2009-debut-now-with-blu-ray/#comments Just in case there was any doubt, Toshiba has confirmed plans to launch its halo product, the Cell (for Cell Broadband engine, similar to the one in the PS3) TV, with all the LED backlit 3D GUI, 3840x2160 resolution, and DLNA streaming capabilities one could want, in Japan by the end of the year. Thanks to the company's new religion, it will also feature a Blu-ray recorder to go along with the 1TB hard drive, though we can bet that will be axed before making its way stateside in 2010. Of course we're still looking forward to the Media Center Extender packing display expected here some time soon, but when an executive promises the "ultimate entertainment machine" we can't help but wonder what's in store. More detailed specifications and any pricing info other than "it will be fairly expensive" are still unavailable.

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Toshiba's Cell TV still on for 2009 debut, now with Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We haven't heard all that much from Toshiba on the Blu-ray front since it finally bit its tongue and went Blu at the beginning of this month, but it looks like its now starting to bring the rest of its products up to speed, like this newly-revised Qosmio X500 gaming laptop. As with its predecessors, this is one big and burly laptop, with it boasting an 18.4-inch, 1920 x 1080 screen, a 2.8GHz Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250MNV graphics, up to 8GB of RAM, dual 500GB hard drives, and not just a Blu-ray drive, but a Blu-ray burner as the standard optical drive. No word on a price just, if you need to ask, but it looks like this one should be available in the UK in late October.

[Via SlashGear]

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Toshiba debuts Qosmio X500 gaming laptop with Blu-ray, bitten bullet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raygaming laptopGamingLaptoplaptopqosmioqosmio x500QosmioX500toshibatoshiba qosmiotoshiba qosmio x500ToshibaQosmioToshibaQosmioX500x500Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player seen slumming it at CEDIA]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-seen-slumming-it-at-cedia/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-seen-slumming-it-at-cedia/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/10/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-seen-slumming-it-at-cedia/#comments
If you thought Toshiba's IFA Blu-ray showing was weak, consider its CEDIA display: simply a BDX2000 player connected to nothing at all. We understand, the format war was long and bitter, but c'mon Tosh, you could at least act excited about offering customers 1080p disc players again.

Gallery: Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player

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Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player seen slumming it at CEDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you thought Toshiba's IFA Blu-ray showing was weak, consider its CEDIA display: simply a BDX2000 player connected to nothing at all. We understand, the format war was long and bitter, but c'mon Tosh, you could at least act excited about offering customers 1080p disc players again.

Gallery: Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player

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Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player seen slumming it at CEDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aside from the new JournE touch, the other main thrust at IFA's booth is Blu-ray -- at least, one would think. In reality, when we finally found the lone BDX2000, the LCD it was plugged into was off, while numerous DVD players and upscaling tech demos littered the surrounding booth area. Once we got a rep to turn it on for us, the Blu-ray player seemed to work just fine, as should be expected. The new Blu-ray equipped P500, however, wasn't so successful: our colleagues at Engadget Spanish watched an attempted Blu-ray showing on the laptop go awry, and by the time we'd dropped by the booth, any Blu-ray models of the P500 had been pulled from the show floor due to crashiness. In talking with a Toshiba rep, it's clear that the company hasn't abandoned its ideas of internet distribution and other alternatives to the once rival format of Blu-ray. The company is looking into a solution that uses a Blu-ray disc and BD Live to stream internet media to the player, and has packed in decent codec support for playing back media off of the BDX2000's SD card reader. We're sure Toshiba will figure out its P500 woes before the laptop ships to consumers, but there's no lack of interestingness in these first displays of Toshiba's "commitment" to the Blu-ray format.

Gallery: Toshiba's BDX2000 'in action' at IFA

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Toshiba makes timid Blu-ray showing at IFA, still believes in other forms of HD distribution originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aside from the new JournE touch, the other main thrust at IFA's booth is Blu-ray -- at least, one would think. In reality, when we finally found the lone BDX2000, the LCD it was plugged into was off, while numerous DVD players and upscaling tech demos littered the surrounding booth area. Once we got a rep to turn it on for us, the Blu-ray player seemed to work just fine, as should be expected. The new Blu-ray equipped P500, however, wasn't so successful: our colleagues at Engadget Spanish watched an attempted Blu-ray showing on the laptop go awry, and by the time we'd dropped by the booth, any Blu-ray models of the P500 had been pulled from the show floor due to crashiness. In talking with a Toshiba rep, it's clear that the company hasn't abandoned its ideas of internet distribution and other alternatives to the once rival format of Blu-ray. The company is looking into a solution that uses a Blu-ray disc and BD Live to stream internet media to the player, and has packed in decent codec support for playing back media off of the BDX2000's SD card reader. We're sure Toshiba will figure out its P500 woes before the laptop ships to consumers, but there's no lack of interestingness in these first displays of Toshiba's "commitment" to the Blu-ray format.

Gallery: Toshiba's BDX2000 'in action' at IFA

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Toshiba makes timid Blu-ray showing at IFA, still believes in other forms of HD distribution originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdx2000blu-rayfeatureshands-onhdtvifaifa 2009Ifa2009p500toshibaFri, 04 Sep 2009 14:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba adopts Blu-ray for laptops, completes shame circle]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-adopts-blu-ray-for-laptops-completes-shame-circle/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-adopts-blu-ray-for-laptops-completes-shame-circle/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-adopts-blu-ray-for-laptops-completes-shame-circle/#comments First Toshiba caved on Blu-ray for the home, and now they're taking the sad show portable. The once-great defender of the HD-DVD crown has begun adopting the format for its laptops, bringing the discs to the P500 (a member of the Satellite family). The system -- which was released originally in June sans Blu-ray -- sports an 18.4 inch (1920 x 1080) display, HDMI REGZA link, a Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and a slew of the standard ports and wireless radios. The laptop will be available in October, irony comes standard on all models. [Warning: read link is a PDF]

[Via Pocket-lint]

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Toshiba adopts Blu-ray for laptops, completes shame circle originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-rayBluRayhd dvdhd-dvdHdDvdhdmip500satellitesatellite p500SatelliteP500toshibaThu, 03 Sep 2009 14:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/#comments And so it is. Toshiba, the one-time cheerleader for HD-DVD, has now officially gone to the azure side with the BDX2000 Blu-ray player. It supports BD-Live (Profile 2.0) and REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC), outputs 1080p at 24 frames per second, and does Dolby True HD / DTS-HD Master Audio... but really, all that needs to be said here is that it's a Toshiba Blu-ray player. Look for this one-time paradox this November for a penny under $250. As for yesteryear, we think this line from the press release says it best: "This product does not play HD DVD discs." It's at once both sad and poetic that this very well may be the last official line ever uttered in the once-promising format's story.

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Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdbd livebd playerBdLiveBdPlayerbdx2000blu rayblu ray liveblu ray playerblu-rayblu-ray playerBlu-rayPlayerBluRayBluRayLiveBluRayPlayerbreakingbreaking newsBreakingNewshdhdmi cechdmi-cecHdmiCecprofile 2.0Profile2.0regzaregza linkRegzaLinktoshibaThu, 03 Sep 2009 11:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/#comments And so it is. Toshiba, the one-time cheerleader for HD-DVD, has now officially gone to the azure side with the BDX2000 Blu-ray player. It supports BD-Live (Profile 2.0) and REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC), outputs 1080p at 24 frames per second, and does Dolby True HD / DTS-HD Master Audio... but really, all that needs to be said here is that it's a Toshiba Blu-ray player. Look for this one-time paradox this November for a penny under $250. As for yesteryear, we think this line from the press release says it best: "This product does not play HD DVD discs." It's at once both sad and poetic that this very well may be the last official line ever uttered in the once-promising format's story.

Gallery: Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder

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Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdbd livebd playerBdLiveBdPlayerbdx2000blu rayblu ray liveblu ray playerblu-rayblu-ray playerBlu-rayPlayerBluRayBluRayLiveBluRayPlayerbreakingbreaking newsBreakingNewshdmi cechdmi-cecHdmiCecprofile 2.0Profile2.0regzaregza linkRegzaLinktoshibaThu, 03 Sep 2009 11:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Switched On: Toshiba and the Blu-ray Trojan Horse]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/19/switched-on-toshiba-and-the-blu-ray-trojan-horse/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/19/switched-on-toshiba-and-the-blu-ray-trojan-horse/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/19/switched-on-toshiba-and-the-blu-ray-trojan-horse/#commentsRoss Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.
The Blu-ray Disc Association has positioned Toshiba joining its membership as the epilogue in the company's once pitched battle for high-definition disc domination. It could, however, merely be a new chapter in the broader story of home entertainment as it uses the players not only to fill some product-line gaps but takes advantage of their connectivity to move to a future beyond any disc standard.

Back when it was tending to its fresh format war wounds, Toshiba did not always see this potential. After it exited-- and effectively ended-- the HD DVD market, the March 3, 2008 edition of The Wall Street Journal ran an interview with Toshiba chief executive Atsutoshi Nishida that detailed ambitious plans for avoiding Blu-ray. On the low end, Toshiba would improve DVD playback to seek near-parity with Blu-ray quality at lower cost. That idea was productized in Toshiba's XDE DVD players and televisions. XDE was met with mixed reviews, however, and the plummeting prices of Blu-ray hardware last holiday season cut its viability short.

Flirting with connectivity on the high-end, Nishida noted that it was now possible to bridge PCs and televisions better, and that he wanted to put "even more energy" into video downloading. He may have been considering Toshiba's Qosmio multimedia powerhouse notebooks as an engine for driving high-definition content to the television. However, the long-lingering idea of bridging the PC and television, while indeed becoming easier technologically, still simply isn't worth the effort for most consumers. At CES 2009 as Sony, Sharp, Panasonic, Samsung, LG and Vizio showed off connected televisions, Toshiba didn't announce any broadband content partnerships for its premium Regza line of TVs.

Continue reading Switched On: Toshiba and the Blu-ray Trojan Horse

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Switched On: Toshiba and the Blu-ray Trojan Horse originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atsutoshi NishidaAtsutoshiNishidaBlu-raycolumncolumnsconnected tvConnectedTvfeaturedfeaturesross rubinRossRubinsrtswitched onswitchedontelevisionstoshibaTVXDEWed, 19 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/#comments
We'd already heard that Toshiba -- the outfit best known for solidly backing HD DVD during the two-year format war of the early 21st century -- was preparing to swallow its pride and kick out a Blu-ray player by the year's end, but now it's official. The outfit just announced moments ago that it has "applied for membership of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and plans to introduce products that support the Blu-ray format." Sadly, Tosh doesn't bother to mention exactly what kinds of BD-capable wares it hopes to produce, nor is it ready to disclose product launch time frames. We'd tell you exactly how it wants us to just be patient and all, but you're probably better off hearing it directly from the horse's trap:
"In light of recent growth in digital devices supporting the Blu-ray format, combined with market demand from consumers and retailers alike, Toshiba has decided to join the BDA. Toshiba aims to introduce digital products that support the Blu-ray format, including BD players and notebook PCs integrating BD drives, in the course of this year. Details of the products, including the timing of regional launches, are now under consideration. We will make announcements in due course."

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Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdBDAblu rayblu-rayblu-ray disc associationblu-ray laptopblu-ray playerBlu-rayDiscAssociationBlu-rayLaptopBlu-rayPlayerbluraybreaking newsBreakingNewsformat warFormatWarhdother hardwareotherhardwaretoshibaMon, 10 Aug 2009 03:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/#comments
We'd already heard that Toshiba -- the outfit best known for solidly backing HD DVD during the two-year format war of the early 21st century -- was preparing to swallow its pride and kick out a Blu-ray player by the year's end, but now it's official. The outfit just announced moments ago that it has "applied for membership of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and plans to introduce products that support the Blu-ray format." Sadly, Tosh doesn't bother to mention exactly what kinds of BD-capable wares it hopes to produce, nor is it ready to disclose product launch time frames. We'd tell you exactly how it wants us to just be patient and all, but you're probably better off hearing it directly from the horse's trap:
"In light of recent growth in digital devices supporting the Blu-ray format, combined with market demand from consumers and retailers alike, Toshiba has decided to join the BDA. Toshiba aims to introduce digital products that support the Blu-ray format, including BD players and notebook PCs integrating BD drives, in the course of this year. Details of the products, including the timing of regional launches, are now under consideration. We will make announcements in due course."

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Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need a little something to get you over the Saturday lull? Gnaw on this. Japan's own Yomiuri is reporting today that Toshiba is expected to finally admit defeat and enter the dark, devious world of Blu-ray later this year. For those keeping tabs, we've heard both confirmations and denials about the outfit finally caving and supporting the format it once battled so valiantly, but this seems to solidify it. If machine translation is to be believed, the company's first DVD / Blu-ray deck is slated for release somewhere in the world by the year's end. The article also mentions that Tosh is strongly considering a Blu-ray recorder for the Japanese market, though no further details on that are available. C'mon Toshiba -- get this bad boy to the States before Christmas. We're anxious for a BD price war.

[Thanks, Rata]

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Toshiba launching Blu-ray player by year's end originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need a little something to get you over the Saturday lull? Gnaw on this. Japan's own Yomiuri is reporting today that Toshiba is expected to finally admit defeat and enter the dark, devious world of Blu-ray later this year. For those keeping tabs, we've heard both confirmations and denials about the outfit finally caving and supporting the format it once battled so valiantly, but this seems to solidify it. If machine translation is to be believed, the company's first DVD / Blu-ray deck is slated for release somewhere in the world by the year's end. The article also mentions that Tosh is strongly considering a Blu-ray recorder for the Japanese market, though no further details on that are available. C'mon Toshiba -- get this bad boy to the States before Christmas. We're anxious for a BD price war.

[Thanks, Rata]

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Toshiba launching Blu-ray player by year's end originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdbd 18bd-18Bd18blu-rayblu-ray playerBlu-rayPlayerbreaking newsBreakingNewsformat warFormatWarhd dvdHdDvdhdtvjapantoshibaSat, 18 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba CEO mentions the possibility of supporting Blu-ray]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/24/toshiba-ceo-mentions-the-possibility-of-supporting-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/24/toshiba-ceo-mentions-the-possibility-of-supporting-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/24/toshiba-ceo-mentions-the-possibility-of-supporting-blu-ray/#commentsThough some iffy poll results & a Chinese spinoff may have you thinking HD DVD is just on the cusp of a comeback, Toshiba president Atsutoshi Nishida suggested today that the company might join the rest of the consumer electronics community and support Blu-ray. In the midst of defeat last year he said it had "no plans" to switch sides, focusing on flash memory and DVD upscaling tech instead, but after a few billion in losses that might have changed, as the prez indicated just losing the format war wasn't enough reason to skip out on the Blu-ray market and that Toshiba "would like to keep our options open." Besides enjoying the good news that our exes have found gainful employment as executive speechwriters, we'll be keeping an eye out for another Cell-based Blu-ray player to join the PS3, if not tomorrow, someday.

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Toshiba CEO mentions the possibility of supporting Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atsutoshi nishidaAtsutoshiNishidablu rayblu-rayblurayformat warFormatWarhdhd dvdHdDvdtoshibaWed, 24 Jun 2009 06:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft to Toshiba: with HD DVD, we go down together]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/28/microsoft-to-toshiba-with-hd-dvd-we-go-down-together/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/28/microsoft-to-toshiba-with-hd-dvd-we-go-down-together/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/28/microsoft-to-toshiba-with-hd-dvd-we-go-down-together/#comments
We've been looking for some new paper to turn here at the Engadget HD offices, and it looks like Marshall Phelps' "Burning the Ships" may be our next purchase. Penned by a top Microsoft lawyer and co-authored by David Kline, the book lays out details on how Microsoft had decided to sink right along with Toshiba even as HD DVD took its last dying breath. Apparently Microsoft pledged its unconditional support for the format in hopes of winning a rare cross-license deal with a large Japanese electronics firm. CNET reports that at the time, winning such a deal with Tosh was "key for it in its efforts to convince large companies, even those with broader patent portfolios, to cross-license Microsoft's technology." The writeup tucked away in the read link is pretty interesting for those intrigued by deep, dark secrets of the past, so head on down if that's you.

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Microsoft to Toshiba: with HD DVD, we go down together originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2009 may be over and done with, but we'll be feeling the ramifications of it for months to come. For those not watching for every last announcement from the show, you may be surprised to find that dozens upon dozens of new HDTVs were introduced, with many of them slated to start shipping this Spring / Summer. Engadget HD has hosted up a thorough mega-guide to showcase what sets made their debut in Vegas this month, complete with links to more information as well as release windows and pricing where available. If you're even remotely considering a new set this year, you owe it to yourself to give this one a look. Head on over, won't you?

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CES 2009 HDTV mega-guide originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AQUOSblu-raycesces 2009Ces2009guidehdtvjvclcdlcd hdtvlcd tvLcdHdtvLcdTvlgpdpplasmasharpsonytoshibawestinghouseTue, 20 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firecoder Blu, Thomson's SpursEngine graphics card, available in December]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/27/firecoder-blu-thomsons-spursengine-graphics-card-available-in/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/27/firecoder-blu-thomsons-spursengine-graphics-card-available-in/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/27/firecoder-blu-thomsons-spursengine-graphics-card-available-in/#comments"Bag of hurt" or no, it doesn't look like Blu-ray is going to disappear any time soon. Firecoder Blu is Thomson's new graphics card aimed at the HD set, and the second one based on Toshiba's SpursEngine chip. Using same technology as the PS3, the chip is capable of hardware accelerated decoding of the MPEG2 and MPEG4 AVC/H.264 codecs, which lends the card some serious processing capabilities -- the company claims it will transcode AVCHD files to and from MPEG2 up to five times faster than real time. On sale in Japan for ¥52,290 (US$539), those of us in the States should see the card sometime in December for $599.

[Via PC World]

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Firecoder Blu, Thomson's SpursEngine graphics card, available in December originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayFirecoder BluFirecoderBlugraphicsgraphics cardGraphicsCardspursenginetoshibavideo cardVideoCardThu, 27 Nov 2008 06:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Struggling Toshiba looks for help from LCDs, not Blu-ray]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/struggling-toshiba-looks-for-help-from-lcds-not-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/struggling-toshiba-looks-for-help-from-lcds-not-blu-ray/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/19/struggling-toshiba-looks-for-help-from-lcds-not-blu-ray/#comments
As with scads of other mega-corps attempting to keep their chins up while the global economy decides what it wants to do, Toshiba has announced that it is now forecasting a $468 million net loss in the first half of 2008. Interestingly, it's being reported that the firm is looking to its LCD HDTVs for growth as its chip business struggles, with plans to grab over 10% of the worldwide LCD TV market by 2011. For whatever reason, the outfit is still refusing to play ball with the lone remaining high-definition movie format, with Corporate Senior Vice President Yoshihide Fujii proclaiming that it has "no intention of adopting Blu-ray for [its] DVD players and recorders." Quite honestly, Tosh's refusal to go Blu is beyond the point of comic relief -- now, it's just downright perplexing.

Read - Toshiba dips into the red
Read - Toshiba counts on LCD TV growth
Read - Toshiba again refuses to go Blu

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Struggling Toshiba looks for help from LCDs, not Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu rayblu-raybluraybusinesseconomyhdhd dvdhddvdindustrylcd hdtvLcdHdtvquarterquarterlytoshibaFri, 19 Sep 2008 09:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's XD-E500 upconverting DVD player caught in stores]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/13/toshibas-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player-caught-in-stores/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/13/toshibas-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player-caught-in-stores/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/13/toshibas-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player-caught-in-stores/#comments
We'll apologize on our tipster's behalf for the quality of this shot, but evidently, he wasn't able to pass it through Toshiba's completely mind-boggling XDE upscaling technology before forwarding it onto us. Anyway, we reckon you can get the point -- the XD-E500 upconverting DVD player is filtering into stores, so those looking to make their current DVD collection look its best should probably take notice. Or not, whatever.

[Thanks, Philip]

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Toshiba's XD-E500 upconverting DVD player caught in stores originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Sep 2008 23:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raydvdhdin the wildInTheWildother formatsotherformatsresolution plusResolutionPlussuper resolutionSuperResolutiontoshibaupconvertupconvertingupscaleupscalingxd-e500xdeSat, 13 Sep 2008 23:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba's XD-E500 upconverting DVD player caught in stores]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/13/toshibas-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player-caught-in-stores/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/13/toshibas-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player-caught-in-stores/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/13/toshibas-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player-caught-in-stores/#comments
We'll apologize on our tipster's behalf for the quality of this shot, but evidently, he wasn't able to pass it through Toshiba's completely mind-boggling XDE upscaling technology before forwarding it onto us. Anyway, we reckon you can get the point -- the XD-E500 upconverting DVD player is filtering into stores, so those looking to make their current DVD collection look its best should probably take notice. Or not, whatever.

[Thanks, Philip]

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Toshiba's XD-E500 upconverting DVD player caught in stores originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Sep 2008 23:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raydvdhdtvin the wildInTheWildresolution plusResolutionPlussuper resolutionSuperResolutiontoshibaupconvertupconvertingupscaleupscalingxd-e500xdeSat, 13 Sep 2008 23:21:00 EST<![CDATA[CEDIA 2008 roundup]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/07/cedia-2008-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/07/cedia-2008-roundup/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/07/cedia-2008-roundup/#comments
CEDIA 2008 was a whirlwind of new projectors, HDTVs and all sorts of other wares that home theater freaks just love. As always, we were here in the Mile High City covering every minute, but we completely understand if you missed anything. Just in case, we've compiled a summary of what all happened here in Denver, and make sure you head on past the break for the rest.

Hands-ons

Hands-on: Sony shows off prototype 400-disc Blu-ray Mega Changer
Hands-on with LG's BD300 Netflix / Blu-ray deck
Hands-on with the THX-certified QuietHome door
Hands-on with Niveus Media's Denali, Rainier and Cargo media wares
Hands-on with Sony's SXRD BRAVIA VPL-VW70 and VPL-HW10 projectors
Hands-on with Hitachi's 1.5-inch thick plasma prototype
Hands-on / a look within Pioneer's Elite BDP-09FD Blu-ray player
Hands-on with Toshiba's SRT REGZA HDTVs (and other old crap)
Eyes-on with Sony's BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray player

Continue reading CEDIA 2008 roundup

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CEDIA 2008 roundup originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We keep hoping that Toshiba will come to its senses and just let this whole thing die, but no. Apparently insistent on keeping the last-generation format alive for as long as it possibly can, it seems the outfit is getting ever-closer to a super-resolution DVD player that would reportedly upscale DVD content like nothing we've ever seen. The latest tidbit in this woefully depressing saga is a newly approved DVD Download DL logo, which was given the final thumbs-up by the DVD Forum Steering Committee last month. In reality, no one outside of Tosh's headquarters has any idea if this development is indeed intrinsically related, but at this point, we wouldn't be shocked one bit to find that it was. Then again, the June 11th meeting also saw specifications for CH-DVD approved, so here's to hoping Toshiba isn't jumping on that bandwagon fiery wreck.

[Via TG Daily]

Read - DVD Forum approval
Read - Discussion / rumors

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DVD Download DL logo sparks wonder over Toshiba's super-resolution DVD player originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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