Get ready for a flood of Centrino 2 laptops, kids -- hot on the heels of Intel's big announcement and Sony and Lenovo's updated lineups comes Toshiba with the new Satellite Pro S300, Tecra M10 and A10, and Qosmio X305, F55 and Cell-based G55. The Qosmios actually aren't that new -- all three of them were initially announced back in June, but they're actually available now, with the gaming-oriented X305 exclusive to Best Buy. The $1,299 Satellite Pro S300 (pictured) is a little more interesting, with a 2.4GHz P8600 Core 2 Duo on Centrino 2's 1066MHz bus and Intel 4500MD integrated graphics powering a 15.4-inch display, as well as sleep-and-charge USB ports and a docking port. The more business-oriented Tecra lappies also get a similar Centrino 2 treatment, sharing a motherboard design to reduce repair costs. The $1,399 M10 sports a 14.1-inch screen, while the 15.4-inch A10's pricing hasn't been announced. Pictures of the new Tecras after the break.

Read - Satellite Pro S300
Read - Tecra A10 and M10
Read - Qosmio X305
Read - Qosmio G55
Read - Qosmio F55

For the attentive in attendance, you likely noticed that none of Toshiba's newly announced laptops (yes, even the absurdly powerful Qosmio rigs) have built-in Blu-ray drives. Like, there's not even an option. When questioned about the obvious oversight (ahem), Tosh's Europe CEO Alan Thompson noted that "Blu-ray was just one of the many ways that you can get HD content and is not required for accessing HD content." Furthermore, it seems as if the outfit is continuing on in its pursuit to develop the best DVD upconverting technology in the whole wide world, as it explained to the press in London that its forthcoming technology would "fill in the gaps" and "add resolution." Company representatives even remarked that "Blu-ray was only a storage medium," and reiterated that BD "wasn't the only way to view high-def content." It's one thing to bow out gracefully, pick up the pieces and get on with life. It's another thing to douse yourself in ignorance and pretend that Blu-ray (let alone HD DVD) never happened.

Read - Toshiba's London press event
Read - Toshiba Europe CEO comments

Not like it's any surprise, but Toshiba has just certified that the potent Qosmio G55 we peeked earlier this week is indeed more than a figment of someone's imagination. The 18.4-inch (that's the screen size) laptop is the world's first to pack the Cell-based SpursEngine, which Tosh is re-christening the Quad Core HD processor. Moving on, we've got the 17.1-inch X305, which includes a GeForce 9800 GTX, DDR3 memory, up to 400GB of HDD space and a red-flamed Rouge design. Lastly, the F55 comes in with a more common 15.4-inch display, GeForce 9700 GTS card and integrated GPS receiver / Garmin mapping software. The whole lot packs HDMI ports with REGZA LINK technology, Feathertouch multimedia buttons, an eSATA port and Harman Kardon speakers with a built-in "subwoofer." Check 'em out later this summer for a pretty penny.

Looks like Toshiba's not too far out from a new Qosmio called the G55, which LAPTOP says is on sale next month for $1,550. Listed among the specs are an 18.4-inch (1680 x 945) display, Centrino 2 CPU, GeForce 9600M GT, 4GB of RAM, dual drives, and the "Quad Core HD processor" (probably the commercial name for the Cell-based SpursEngine), which powers many of the media functions, including its camera-based visual gesture control system. LAPTOP calls the gesture system groundbreaking, but we're clearly two sides to the same coin: the demo they gave looks cumbersome, inaccurate, and incredibly frustrating. And besides the fact that it requires "steady hands" and "can't be used by people with wrist problems," even if the gesture controls were well done, holding your arm in the air for minutes at a time is nowhere near a practical for regular use. Is it sad that we still kind of want it, though?

For those of you dreaming of a super-fast gaming laptop that's also adorned with a chic red and pink "flame" pattern, your days of searching are over. Enter the Qosmio X305, Toshiba's entry into the lap-cooking gamer notebook market. The X305 features a 3GHz dual-core Intel CPU, a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics chipset, dual 7200RPM 200GB hard drives, up to 4GB of RAM, and sports a 17-inch 1680 x 1050 LCD display. Of course it's also kitted out with a whopping four-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system as well as S/PDIF and HDMI ports. The pink powerhouse is set to launch July 14th, no word on price just yet.

Toshiba is getting back in the swing of things with a round of Summer updates for a bunch of laptops (at least in Japan). First up on the block is the Qosmio F40, the €1352, 15.4-inch model which now trades its HD DVD drive or a DVD multi option, sports a Core 2 Duo T8100 CPU atop a GN965 Express chipset, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and HDMI outs. The company has also updated the Dynabook AX (€922), which now comes in a pink, white, or shiny black casing, with a Celeron 550 CPU on board, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, HDMI outs, and a Super Multi optical drive. The 15.4-inch, WXGA-screened TX gets an bump in the form of the Core 2 Duo T8100, plus 2GB of RAM, 200GB hard drive, and those HDMI / Super Multi drive fixin's, all for €1100. Finally, the smaller, 13.3-inch CX line sports the same CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, everything else that the other models have, and a totally awesome €1230 price tag.

[Via Akihabara News]

Toshiba's presence at CES isn't limited to just LCDs due in the first half of the year. We already got wind of a few products with no definite release date. First up is the Cell B.E.-equipped Qosmio (Cell-less current model pictured) and standalone HDTV prototypes designed for video upconversion, with the usual gamut of realtime video transcoding demonstrations. Also on tap is the next generation of REGZA Link based on WirelessHD and a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for mobiles. Sounds like things could pretty interesting in Toshiba-land real soon.

Toshiba's done a little bit with HD DVD burners in its laptops in the past, but the Qosmio G45-AV690 looks to be the first to hit the States with a HD DVD-R/RW drive. The rest of it is typical Qosmio excess, with a 17-inch 1920 x 1200 display, HDMI out, 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo T9300 processor, 3GB of RAM, dual 160GB SATA drives, an external HDTV tuner and NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 512MB of RAM. The laptop should be available soon for the low low price of $3,200.

Notice anything special about that laptop up there? No besides it's monstrous footprint. Right, a world's first HD DVD-RW drive in a laptop. Otherwise, it's the same 17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) Qosmio G40 we know and love now topping out with a 2.2GHz T7500 Core 2 Duo, up to 400GB of disk and 4GB of memory, and a pair of terrestrial HDTV tuners with HDMI-out in a 10.6-pound slab of media action. Priced at about ¥400,000 ($3,530) nicely equipped.

[Via Impress]

Just as expected, Toshiba is busy wowing onlookers at CEATEC with new applications that run on the firm's SpursEngine chip, including one that enables couch potatoes to "control a DVD player with hand motions." The chip is reportedly able to "process motion detected by a camera and turn it into commands," and the camera can "recognize hand motions from 10 feet away." Tosh's Qosmio laptops are being used to demonstrate the new goods, and it was even said that the lappie's camera could produce a 3D rendering of your head in order to help you choose hairstyles / makeup combinations before heading out on the town. Regrettably, there's still no official word as to when this newfangled technology will go mainstream.

Toshiba just launched a pair of updated Qosmio media laptops in Japan. A new G40/97D configuration sports a 17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display; 2GHz, T7300 Core 2 Duo proc; 256MB of NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics, 2GB (up to 4GB supported) memory, 320GB of disk (2x 160GB); Gigabit Ethernet; HDMI out; a 2 megapixel webcam; and an HD DVD-R drive. It also brings plenty of expansion with 5x USB, Firewire, multiple memory card support, and a PCMCIA and ExpressCard/54 slot. Pretty much what we've seen before. Now, however, we're looking at a pair of digital tuners so that you can record and watch that sweet, sweet TeeVee at the same time. It's also pre-loaded with CyberLink SoftDMA allowing it to pull your HD recordings off your VARDIA series of recorders wrapped in a DRM-ladden, DTCP-IP hard candy shell. Want more Tosh integration? Great, 'cause it also supports HDMI-CEC allowing the G40 to control your new HDMI connected REGZA series of TVs. All that for ¥400,000 or about $3,470. Too much? Then check the new Qosmio F40 which does much the same only on a 15.4-inch screen for about $850 less.

[Via Impress]

Toshiba's HD powerhouse, the Qosmio G45-AV680, has gone flying off of the production line and is now ready to ruin your credit. The 17-inch, $3,199 laptop we mentioned in June is the first US model to ship with an HD DVD-R drive, and also includes a USB HD tuner for the full-on high definition experience. The Santa Rosa-based entertainment workhorse sports the Intel PM965 chipset with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, 2GB of RAM, two 160GB hard drives, a NVIDIA GForce 8600 GT with 512MB of RAM, 802.11a/g/n, Bluetooth, four Harmon Kardon speakers, a fingerprint reader, and built-in webcam. Toshiba is including the kitchen sink at no extra charge. The G45 is available now from Toshiba Direct.

Hot on the heels of last week's smattering of new systems, Toshiba has straight-busted out of the gates again with a completely new entry to their lineup -- the Satellite U305. Aimed at students and small businesses, the lightweight (4.6 lb), 13.3" laptops come in a range of configurations, but all feature Intel 965 chipsets, SuperMulti CD/DVD-R drives, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. Here's a detailed breakdown of the models:

• Satellite U305-S5097 - Intel Pentium 1.86GHz dual-core T2130 processor, 1GB RAM (maxium 4GB), 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, Intel GMA 950
  
• Satellite U305-S5107 - Intel Core 2 Duo 1.73GHz T5300 processor, 2GB RAM (maximum 4GB), 160 GB hard drive, 802.11a/g/n, Intel GMA 950, Bluetooth 2.0, fingerprint reader
• Satellite U305-S5127 - Intel Core 2 Duo 1.80GHz T7100 processor, 2GB RAM (maximum 4GB), 200GB hard drive, 802.11a/g/n, Intel GMA X3100, Bluetooth 2.0, fingerprint reader

In addition to the new Satellite line, the company has added three new variations to its Qosmio F45 collection, called the Qosimo AV. The entertainment-targeted laptops all include Harmon-Kardon speakers, built-in subwoofers, Dolby Home Theater technology, and boast Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz T5250 processors, 15.4" WXGA displays, and 802.11a/g/n. Toshiba also announced the addition of Intel Centrino Duo processors and HD-DVD drives to the current P205 gang.

Read -- Satellite U305 press release
Read -- Qosmio F45 AV press release
Read -- Satellite P205 press release

Toshiba was concerned that laptop buyers at pretty much every stage of the spectrum might not have enough choices, so it's done what any self-respecting member of the PC community would: released a bunch of new computers. Currently doing victory laps at Toshiba Direct are the Qosmio F45, gamer-targeted Satellite X205, and the Satellite A215 -- the cheapskate of the crew. Some notable specs:

• Qosmio F45-AV412 - 15.4-inch XGA TruBrite display, 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo, HD DVD drive, HDMI out, 802.11a/b/g/n, Intel Mobile GMA X3100, fingerprint reader, built-in webcam
  
• Satellite X205-S9359 / S9349 - 17-inch XGA TruBrite display (up to 1680 x 1050), Core 2 Duo at 1.8Ghz or 2.0Ghz, NVIDIA GeForce 8600M, 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, Harmon-Kardon speakers w/ subwoofer
  
• Satellite A215-S4767 / S4757 - 15.4-inch XGA TruBrite display, AMD Turion 64 X2 CPU, DVD-R, Mobility Radeon X1200, 802.11b/g

All in all, truly three of the most middle of the road crowd-pleasers we've ever seen. Check out some hands-on pics in the gallery below.

As promised, Toshiba is giving its HD DVD a push into the mainstream by including drives in its more pedestrian laptop models. Today Toshiba has the Satellite P205, Satellite X205, Qosmio F45 and Qosmio G45 getting that special treatment, with prices ranging from $1,449 to $3,199 -- not quite "cheap," but it'll do for now. The Qosmio G45 also has the special distinction of being the first US laptop to include a writeable HD DVD drive. All of the laptops run 17-inch screens except for the 15.4-inch F45. The P205 is the only one of the bunch to leave out HDMI. Just for kicks, Toshiba is also tossing in Dolby Home Theater sound in the Qosmios and the X205, while a bunch of other models, including the P205, are getting Dolby Sound Room tech. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for fall to get the rest of the specs and pricing info. Hopefully HD DVD is doing a little better in the format war by then.