Toshiba Dynabook TX/98MBL is first to play Blu-ray 3D content

Ah industry firsts, a chance to grab the spotlight before the world grabs hold of your coattails. Toshiba's Dynabook TX/98MBL claims to be the industry's first laptop to play back 3D content in Blu-ray format when it ships at the end of July in Japan. The 15.6-inch laptop with LED backlit 120Hz panel (60Hz to each eye when viewed through active shutter glasses) pushing 1,366 x 768 pixels utilizes WinDVD BD to playback the Blu-ray 3D format with some help from NVIDIA's 3D Vision software and GeForce GTS 350M hardware with 1GB of dedicate video RAM. Inside you'll find a Core i7-740QM processor, 640GB of hard disk, up to 4GB of memory, a Blu-ray disc drive of course, and harman/kardon stereo speakers with Dolby Advanced Audio to help make the most out of 3D gaming. Price is not listed but it's expected to list for about ¥250,000 (about $2,700). What, you do want 3D on your 15-inch laptops don't you?

Update: Toshiba wants you to know that it'll be called the Toshiba Satellite A665 in Europe, presumably because "TX/98MBL" can only be pronounced by the Japanese.

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Toshiba introduces a 3D capable laptop: the Satellite A665
The Satellite A665 supports NVIDIA 3D VisionTM and is the industry's first laptop ready to play Blu-ray 3D Disc*

Neuss, Germany, 7th June 2010 – Toshiba Computer Systems, a division of Toshiba Europe GmbH, today announced its first laptop that provides gamers with a true 3D experience. The new Satellite A665 is ready to playback videos stored on a Blu-ray 3D Disc* on the internal display. The multimedia and gaming machine Satellite A665 will also come in a version without 3D capability, with both models being available during the third quarter of 2010 throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Play in true-to-life 3D worlds
"Our new 3D enabled Satellite A665 allows gamers to become completely immersed into the exciting 3D environments of their games, most of which are already 3D-compatible," says Thomas Teckentrup, General Manager Product, Strategy and Development Division, Computer Systems Group EMEA. "Furthermore the Satellite A665 will be the industry's first Blu-ray 3D ready laptop, allowing customers to playback Blu-ray 3D movies."

Powerful video and audio experience
Bundled with NVIDIA® 3D Vision™**, the Satellite A665 comes with a pair of 3D Vision™ active-shutter glasses coupled with a wide-range USB infra-red emitter to deliver stereoscopic images with clarity, brightness and outstanding depth-of-field. The laptop features a high-performance NVIDIA® 3D graphics processing unit and a 39.6cm (15.6") TruBrite® HD 3D display with LED backlighting (120Hz). The Satellite A665 comes with Harman Kardon® stereo speakers and Dolby® Advanced Audio to complement the extraordinary optical experience with a voluminous, vibrant sound. The 'Sleep and Music' function allows customers to enjoy this sound experience by connecting MP3 players to the system – even when it's switched off.

Eye-catching metallic looks
The new laptop will also be available without 3D capability featuring a 40.6cm (16.0'') LED backlit HD display. Both machines are characterised by a Metallic Precious Black finish with silver chrome accents on the LCD cover and inside. A textured pattern contrasts nicely with the metallic look, making fingerprints less visible. The matt black tile keyboard is backlit.

Facts & Figures*** - The Satellite A665 3D Vision
· Intel® Core™ i7 (Quad Core)
· RAM: up to 8 GB DDR3 (1066 MHz)
· 2.5" HDD up to 750 GB (as of Aug. 2010) with HDD 3D impact sensor
· 39.6cm (15.6'') TruBrite® HD display (120 Hz) with LED backlighting, 1,366 x 768 pixels(16:9), 200 cd/m2
· Dedicated graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTS 350M
· Blu-ray Disc™ rewritable drive*, ready for playback of Blu-ray 3D Disc or DVD Super Multi drive (Double Layer)
· Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR*, WLAN (802.11 b/g/n)*, Gigabit Ethernet LAN
· 3 x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA / USB combo port with Sleep-and-Charge and Multi-Card Reader, HDMI®
· 1.3 MPixel Webcam with Face Recognition
· Sound: Harman® Kardon stereo speakers, Line-In with Sleep-and-Music function, Dolby® Advanced Audio
· Analog and DVB-T hybrid TV Tuner
· Toshiba Resolution+, Toshiba Media Controller, Toshiba LifeSpace, Toshiba PC Health Monitor
· Size: 380.5mm x 254mm x 28mm (front) / 35.6 mm (rear)
· OS: Windows 7 Home Premium (64bit)
· ENERGY STAR® 5.0 qualified.
*** depending on configuration and local availability
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Facts & Figures*** - The Satellite A665 without 3D

· Intel® Core™ i7 (Quad Core) or Core™ i5
· RAM: up to 8 GB DDR3 (1066 MHz)
· 2.5" HDD up to 750 GB (as of Aug.2010) with HDD 3D impact sensor
· 40.6cm (16.0'') TruBrite® HD display with LED backlighting (16:9), 1,366 x 768 pixels, 200 cd/m2
· Dedicated graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M
· Blu-ray Disc™ rewritable drive (BD-RE) or DVD Super Multi drive (Double Layer)
· Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR*, WLAN (802.11 b/g/n)*, Intel® Wireless Display, Fast Ethernet LAN or Gigabit Ethernet LAN *
· 3 x USB 2.0, 1x eSATA / USB combo port with Sleep-and-Charge,, Multi-Card Reader, HDMI®
· Sound: Harman® Kardon stereo speakers, Line-In with Sleep-and-Music support, Dolby® Advanced Audio
· 1.3 MPixel Webcam with Face Recognition
· Toshiba Resolution+, Toshiba Media Controller, Toshiba LifeSpace
· Dimensions: 380mm x 254mm x 28mm (front) /
35 mm (rear)
· OS: Windows 7 Home Premium (64bit)
· ENERGY STAR® 5.0 qualified.

***depending on configuration and local availability

[Zylam Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:46AM]

no porn is not in 3D before someone else says it

[juanvaldez Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:06AM]

@Zylam no porn is not in 3D? *Rushes to check collection* D: *dejected*

Oh, he meant, "No, porn is not in 3D." :'(

[Kromatik Posted Jun 7th 2010 12:28PM]

@juanvaldez

I hear Vivid Video has some in production right now.

[WinniThePooh Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:48AM]

Okay

How much?

[8th Gamer Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:49AM]

@WinniThePooh
they said $2700

[WinniThePooh Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:50AM]

@8th Gamer

Sorry, I was asleep

[juanvaldez Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:12AM]

@8th Gamer I could seriously contemplate for 2K, and forgive them if they had to omit bluray. I'm probably better off that I don't have to make a decision, and as it stands now I couldn't pay about 3K for this with only 1366X768.

[shinjasavor Posted Jun 13th 2010 3:17PM]

@WinniThePooh If its landing on 1.5K dollars, it will be great. New update. http://j.mp/dynatx-book-tosh

[8th Gamer Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:50AM]

ya i know this is going to sound bragging, but i'll hold on the 1920*1080 resolution it cant be that far away.

[Michalis Posted Jun 7th 2010 11:33AM]

@8th Gamer would love to have 3d on my imac 27 too soon though!!

[MrFluffyThing Posted Jun 7th 2010 12:56PM]

@8th Gamer I'm pretty sure the version that doesn't require you plug in an nvidia 3d Vision kit to it will be out soon too. Something about having to set that little USB kit down with your laptop seems frustrating if you're trying to do it someplace where portability means more...

[Wiggy Fuzz Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:51AM]

they couldn't have built the 3d vision box into the laptop chassis itself?

[Alex Posted Jun 7th 2010 10:27AM]

@Wiggy Fuzz
Came here to ask this.

[Yankee Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:57AM]

How about a 27" 2560x1440 120Hz LED-backlit IPS LCD. When will that become available?

[revoltracers Posted Jun 7th 2010 5:40AM]

@Yankee When you're ready to sell your soul to the devil?

[alexz Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:57AM]

Wires are messy in the pic. I recommend twist ties and cable tidying.

[juanvaldez Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:27AM]

@alexz I recommend wireless mouse or not crossing wires if you love your sidewinder/bluetrack/etc.

[Valorgu Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:58AM]

It still ain't a Macbook Pro. Lol. Jk. This is a pretty sick system. But, for $2700, can't they at least put some designers behind it to make it sexy. Sll is ask is for less thoughlessness please. Is that too much?

[cdf74dc9 Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:01AM]

Wow, these 3D thing is really picking up lately. Good luck with the cross-eyes and headache.

[Freakie Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:09AM]

Last time I checked, ASUS beat them to it with the G51J. Cheaper too at only $1,600 (~$1,700 if you upgrade the ODD to bluray) but still... They did it first I believe.

[juanvaldez Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:24AM]

@Freakie Do you mean the G51J-3D? It has a DVD drive. I looked for the G51J-3D bluray laptop they've announced but couldn't find it on sale online. So, maybe this one can beat it to the punch or I didn't look in the right places.

[Freakie Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:30AM]

@juanvaldez @juanvaldez http://bit.ly/dzmTTj

Just didn't look in quite the right place :) ASUS has a bluray drive for that model, but they don't offer it in the base specs so if you try looking at places that just sell the laptop without any upgrade options, then you wont find it. Thankfully XoticPC is a bit more flexible than most places!

[juanvaldez Posted Jun 7th 2010 8:31AM]

@Freakie I don't think that counts as ASUS isn't actually making that package:

The "Ensemble" laptops are pre-configured and assembled by Asus. Asus selects a processor, hard drive, ram and other components and markets them as a complete system with Windows installed from the factory. Normally with these Ensembles the Processor, Hard Drive and Ram can not be customized prior to order. Xotic PC brings these models into our facility and will customize the unit according to the customers needs. View our ASUS Models here.
The "Built on Asus" laptops are barebones system provided by Asus to companies for customization. Asus manufactures these models without CPU, Ram, Hard Drive etc. and provides the barebones unit to Xotic PC to customize according to the customers needs. View our ASUS "Force Series" Models here.

[mex Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:13AM]

that's really portable! :D

[JDM Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:14AM]

A number pad on a 15" notebook? First 3D notebook comes on a 15"? Isn't that really pushing it? I don't think a built-in num pad works well on anything smaller than 17". Also look at how off center the keyboard and track pad are, its center seems to be to the left of the center of the keyboard, maybe they're going for the comically unbalanced look? The space bar is barely larger than the left shift key, the right shift key is very small for a shift key.

[xdeiri Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:17AM]

i have a feeling that 3d is gimmick

[juanvaldez Posted Jun 7th 2010 4:24AM]

@xdeiri Try gaming in 3D, no gimmick.

[FNi Posted Jun 7th 2010 5:05AM]

Seriously, please somebody tell me what is up with all this active shutter-glasses 3D BS?

Is the lighter, battery-free, passive version you see in cinemas really too expensive for the consumer market?

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 7th 2010 8:51AM]

Wow that's one ugly solution. Why doesn't this laptop have the IR built-in or use some more sensible solution such as bluetooth for talking with the glasses?

[Smurf Posted Jun 7th 2010 10:20AM]

What? They couldn't build the IR box for synchronizing the glasses into the laptop? Lame.

[shoxite Posted Jun 7th 2010 2:32PM]

The real question is "Whats the Battery life on this thing?" Seriously.

[SpeedyJDK Posted Jun 7th 2010 3:13PM]

This is quite funny. Since the Samsung 22" running 1650x1080 ain't qualified for running Blu-Ray 3D. How can this 1080i then be ?. :)