Toshiba Satellites enter orbit!

The Gadget Show  Wednesday 10 June 2009

Netbooks? Pah! Too much squinting! Check out Toshiba's latest Satellite range of full-on laptops

Forget Apple, iPhones and MacBooks for a minute, because Toshiba has just unveiled its latest Satellite range of laptops, and they look like, well, pretty much every other laptop on the market.

But just because the new Satellite range looks bland, doesn’t mean it’s lacking in quality features. Of the four new models being launched, the A500 and U500 both have a touch pad with Multi-Touch, for instance, and manual eco settings that allow you to decide how much energy you’re using. Pretty nifty.

Bland styling and fancy-Dan features aside, then, what else do they hold in store? First on the Satellite conveyor belt you’ve got the multimedia-tastic A500, with its sultry 16-inch display seducing you with stunning 16:9, Hi-Def 1,366×768 resolution visuals, an integrated HD webcam, Harman Kardon stereo speakers and dual-layer optical drive.

Next Toshiba’s rolling out the Satellite U500, a smaller offering with a 13.3-inch WXGA screen, Intel processor, and DVD drive. It’s all finished in what Toshiba calls a “Luxe Brown” with a chrome trim. Suppose it’s better than bland black.

Completing the new range are the “budget offerings” – the L500 and L550 widescreen laptops. Wading in with a 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch screens, both laptops will have either AMD or Intel processors, while the latter also has a power-saving LED backlit screen.

There’s no word on prices yet, but we do know these Satellites will be entering our orbit in July.