Toshiba Qosmio F755-3D290: Glasses-Free 3D?

Introducing the Toshiba Qosmio F755-3D290
Way back in the dark ages of CES 2011, we were able to lay hands on and play with some interesting new technology from Toshiba. They had a prototype notebook on hand that was capable of glasses-free 3D similar to the Nintendo 3DS, but with a bigger screen and the ability to track head movement and adjust viewing angles accordingly. Yet the release of this 3D notebook has been an unusually quiet one. Is the 15-inch Qosmio F755 a sound design, or is there a reason why it's been unceremoniously dropped into the marketplace?

The kind of glasses-free 3D that Toshiba employs in the Qosmio F755-3D290 has thus far been mostly confined to handhelds, like the odd 3D smartphone or the aforementioned Nintendo 3DS. Toshiba even includes a reasonably impressive piece of head-tracking technology that will shift the 3D viewing angle as long as the webcam can see you, at least once you've configured it. So why did Toshiba more or less sneak this one onto the market?

Toshiba Qosmio F755-3D290 Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i7-2630QM (4x2GHz + HTT, Turbo to 2.9GHz, 32nm, 6MB L3, 45W)
Chipset	Intel HM65
Memory	1x2GB Samsung DDR3-1333 and 1x4GB Samsung DDR3-1333 (Max 2x4GB)
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M 1GB DDR3 (96 CUDA cores, 672MHz/1344MHz/1.8GHz core/shader/memory clocks)
Display	15.6" LED Glossy 16:9 1080p, capable of 720p glasses-free 3D TOS508F
Hard Drive(s)	750GB Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 5400-RPM SATA-II HDD
Optical Drive	Matshita BD-RE (UJ240ES)
Networking	Realtek PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Atheros AR9002WB-1NG 802.11b/g/n Bluetooth 3.0
Audio	Realtek ALC272 HD Audio Stereo speakers Mic and headphone jacks
Battery	6-Cell, 11.1V, 48Wh
Front Side	SD/MS/xD card reader
Right Side	Mic and headphone jacks 2x USB 2.0 Optical drive
Left Side	VGA Exhaust vent USB 2.0 USB 3.0 HDMI
Back Side	Kensington lock Ethernet jack AC adaptor
Operating System	Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1
Dimensions	15.3" x 10.5" x 1.5" (WxDxH)
Weight	7.5 lbs.
Extras	1.3MP webcam Keyboard with 10-key SD card reader USB 3.0 Glasses-free 3D
Warranty	1-year standard warranty
Pricing	Starting at $1,299 Our model: $1,699

Continue Reading »

Toshiba DX735 All-in-One: Notebooks Without Batteries

Introducing the Toshiba DX735 All-in-One
So far we've tested HP's TouchSmart 610 all-in-one and Dell's Inspiron One all-in-one, and in both cases we've found things to like along with aspects that left us wanting. Today we have on hand Toshiba's DX735 in its least expensive configuration. Starting at under a grand, the DX735 at least superficially suggests a design that's more focused, more streamlined, and less schizophrenic than the competition. Did Toshiba do right where the others stumbled, or is the DX735 just another case of too many compromises?

A Toshiba computer meant to be used solely on the desktop seems like a rare thing, but once you take a look at the specifications you'll see they went in a completely different direction from HP and Dell. While HP and Dell paired desktop processors with underpowered discrete notebook graphics, Toshiba cut a lot of the fat and just went for pure notebook hardware (excepting the hard drive). Here's what we received for review.

Continue Reading »

Toshiba Portege Z835: A New Ultrabook Appears

Introducing the Toshiba Portege Z835
Intel's Ultrabook initiative is a curious one, one that's very gradually picking up interest among vendors. We've already had a chance to take a look at the smaller of the two units from the typically early-out-of-the-gate ASUS, and we know there are other ultrabooks out there from Lenovo and Acer, with only Dell opting to sit out of this round, unconvinced of the viability of Intel's plan. Today, in true Toshiba fashion, we get a chance to look at a more budget-oriented (or at least as budget-oriented as an ultrabook can be) unit: Toshiba's entry-level Portege Z835-P330.

Honestly the impressions start before it even gets out of the box, just because the box itself is so unusually small that you wonder how it could possibly hold a computer. But sure enough, once you open it up you'll see Toshiba's sliver of a notebook. Even if you're used to the MacBook Air, getting an ultrabook in your hands is an interesting experience. It barely weighs anything, and the profile is slim to be sure. It's a testament to how technology has evolved that a notebook like this is even possible, but there were definitely sacrifices made.

Continue Reading »