And this is how it begins… the robots supremacy! This robot has been created by Toshiba. It can’t make you dinner, but it has the functions of an universal remote control. ApriPoko features a voice-operated system and detects IR beams.

After a chit-chat, ApriPoko will learn how to operate various remote controls. It stores your commands and then it just does the job for you. ApriPoko would be a perfect addition for elders or for handicapped persons. No price details were revealed.

via Akihabara

The latest buzz in new laptop being announced is to use Intel’s newest 45nm processors, Penryn. Toshiba wouldn’t want to miss anything so they released two new models.

The first one is Toshiba Satellite A300 which apparently upgrades the older A200 and includes a 15.4-inch display, up to 2GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, two processor models Core 2 Duo T5500 (A300-124) or T8100 (A300-11I) and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Other goodies include a built-in fingerprint reader and Harman Kardon speakers. The price is $1,500 or something very similar to it.

On the other hand, the new Toshiba Satellite P300 that features a 17-inch display was a little scarce on details. It will probably come up with something similar as the A300 but there’s no price available so far.

via Engadget

Now that Toshiba has finally ditched the HD DVD format in an official statement saying that “it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders” this should have impact on some businesses. However, Microsoft announced today that its Xbox 360 game console won’t suffer any material impact.

I find it hard to believe, but Microsoft enforced our thoughts saying that Xbox 360 customers would continue to be able to consume high-definition movies, television programs, and DVDs they already own on the Xbox 360 HD DVD player.

Lets see it done, now that Blu-ray is gonna become king and then we’ll talk.

via YahooNews

Although it’s not official, Toshiba Corp. plans to give up on its HD DVD format for high definition DVDs in favor of Blu-Ray format created by Sony Corp. The format war which reminds of Betamax-VHS battle in the ’80s. Toshiba has lost against Sony when Warner Bros. announced  to release high-definition DVDs in Blu-ray format.

The second step in the battle for the high definition DVD format came when Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the giant retailer store, decided to abandon the HD DVD format and only stock its shelves with Blu-ray movies. In addition big players like Best Buy Co Inc and Netflix went for Blu-Ray format. Even the exclusive deal with Microsoft was put in doubt when the software company said it could use Blu-ray technology for its Xbox 360 game console, which currently use HD DVD technology.

The confusing format war is about to end. Sony’s marketing techniques have prevailed against HD DVD format. Toshiba will suffer considerable losses running to hundreds of million dollars. In the end there is a victory for the industry and for the consumers.

Have you ever heard of super li-ion batteries? They were hot last year when the first details came out and apparently they charge “super fast” and last for much more than we are expected with the batteries these days. However, these days Toshiba just announced that they developed the Super Charge ion Batteries (SCiB) that will be used for industrial purposes at first and should be able to recharge in just 5 minutes (a 90% recharge).

This would probably be the development we needed to make hybrid cars a success and this is where Toshiba’s batteries will head at first. Another interesting feature is the fact that it can be recharged 5,000 times so I’d say that’s a lifetime of more than 10 years.

We should see it live in March 2008.

via DoDevice

Toshiba has presented Monday its new slim tablet PC - Portege M700. The laptop sports a 12.1-inch touchscreen at 1280 x 800 (WXGA) resolution supporting digital pen and touch. It is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500 CPU. It comes in two models with 2GB of RAM and running Windows Vista or with 1GB of RAM and having the popular Windows Xp. The storage capabilities include a Serial ATA hard drive of 160GB (or 80GB lower versions) and memory card slots. No problem for chat lovers, because Toshiba Portege M700 features incorporated web cam and microphone.

Other important features would be the WiFi Link 4965AGN (802.11a/g/n), the Bluetooth V2.0 and the Ultra SlimBay optical disk drive. The Toshiba Portege M700 will retail for $1,799 (2GB RAM model) or $1,699 (1GB model). Also a standard version with 80GB hard drive and 1GB memory starts from $1,499. Toshiba offers 3-year warranty, I believe, enough until you will replace it.

Product page via Crave

It’s been some time since we talked about some fancy monitors. Toshiba is trying to make us drool with their newest WQUXGA 22-inch monitor they’re working on, which does 3,840×2,400 resolutions. This really sounds interesting, right? But would you be set back if I tell you this little one sports 300:1 contrast ratios? Would you be interested to know that you’d have to pay $18,000 for the monitor itself and another $2,700 if you plan to connect it to your PC? I am sure I can’t afford to pay 20 grand on a monitor and I guess Gizmodo heard me because they found a 22-inch WQUXGA by ADTX which costs only (not sure what contrast rate or resolution) $1,700.