Toshiba’s Digital Products Division, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the Portégé R400 Tablet PC notebook computer. Highlighted by two world’s first technologies, the Portégé R400 is the product of a joint collaboration between industry giants, Toshiba and Microsoft, to create the signature Windows Vista PC.

Toshiba’s Portégé R400 is the world’s first notebook computer with the ability to automatically synchronize e-mail and calendar events through the integration of Microsoft’s Active Notifications. This exclusive technology helps ensure accurate and timely information is available to the user — whether the system is on or in suspend mode. To assist with this synchronization process, the Portégé R400 features Toshiba’s ConfigFree®, which helps detect and connect to the strongest and most reliable network connection available.

To further enhance the functionality of the system’s automatic e-mail synchronization capabilities, the company added the Toshiba Edge Display to the Portégé R400. Located on the front edge of the Portégé R400, this secondary display serves as the user’s Personal Information Assistant allowing the user to easily monitor his/her inbox and calendar activity. To ensure full benefits of the convertible design, the Toshiba Edge Display is viewable in notebook or tablet mode and even when the unit is stored in a carrying case.

With the Portégé R400, Toshiba is announcing the world’s first wirelessly dockable notebook computer. This seamless approach eliminates the daily hassle of connecting and disconnecting peripherals and delivers the convenience and simplicity that mobile users demand. Through the integration of Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology with wireless digital video capabilities, the Portégé R400 docking experience is designed specifically for desktop use and can automatically connect when the notebook comes within proximity of the Toshiba Wireless Port Replicator. The Toshiba Wireless Port Replicator will be compatible with new Portégé R400 models — both products are targeted for availability in the second quarter of 2007.

As a convertible notebook computer, the Portégé R400 combines a patent pending elevated rotational hinge and a 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit high-brightness display with wide viewing angle. This screen technology combined with Microsoft Windows Aero™ delivers a rich and brilliant visual computing experience.

Toshiba’s Portégé R400 with Genuine Windows Vista Business has a starting price point of $2,5995. Configurations will also be available with Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate. The Portégé R400 will be available on Jan. 30, 2007 through Toshiba’s reseller, mail order partners and direct from www.toshibadirect.com.

Toshiba Portege R400 quick specs:

Processor: Intel Core Duo Processor U2500 (1.20GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 533MHz FSB)
Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate
Display: 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED backlit high-brightness display with wide viewing angle {Active matrix LCD WXGA (1280 x 800 native resolution)}
System Chipset: Mobile Intel 945GM Express Chipset
Graphics Controller: Intel Graphics Accelerator 950 with 8MB-256MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory
Memory: 2048MB PC4200 DDR2 SDRAM (max 4GB)
Hard Drive: 80GB (4200RPM) Enhanced IDE (ATA-6)
Optical Drive: External USB DVD SuperMulti drive (+R double layer) drive supporting 10 formats
# Communications: Integrated EV-DO (Verizon Wireless)10
# Intel® PRO/Wireless Network Connection 3945ABG (802.11a/b/g)
# Intel® PRO/1000 Network Connection (10/100/1000 Base-TX Ethernet)
# Bluetooth® 2.0 + EDR
# Ports: Video: RGB monitor port
# Audio: microphone jack, headphone jack
# Data: 2–USB (v.2.0), RJ-45 LAN
# Battery: 6-cell (4000mAh) Lithium Ion
# Secondary Battery: 6-cell (4000mAh) rechargeable, removable Lithium Ion
Dimensions: 12.0-inches x 9.43-inches x 1.18/1.26-inches (f/r)
Weight: Starting at 3.79 pounds

Reviews of the Toshiba Portégé R400

Laptop Magazine: Reviewing recently introduced Toshiba Portege R400-S4931, Laptop Magazine gives it 3.5 out of 5 stars rating and writes, “Toshiba shakes things up with a striking convertible that sports a bright LED display, fast mobile broadband, and a convenient external screen for at-a-glance alerts. We’re usually quick to ding Toshiba’s Portege line as being a little too buttoned-down in the styling department. So taking the wraps off the all-new Portege R400-S4931 convertible Tablet was a bit of a shock: Its angular chassis has a gleaming white lid and keyboard deck-a stark contrast to its black underside and screen bezel. Its bright LED display is a first for notebooks. Throw in a helpful external screen for looking at calendar entries and other info on the fly, and you have one of the most innovative-and most expensive-Tablet PCs yet.

We like, not love, the Toshiba Portege R400-S4931. The design is a bit polarizing, and we think an optical drive should have been integrated. But we appreciate the system’s light weight, and on-the-go users will really appreciate the external display for alerts and the fast EV-DO Rev. A connectivity.

PROS and CONS of the Toshiba Portege R400-S4931 according to Laptop magaine:

• Sharp, bright LED screen
• EV-DO Rev. A WWAN connectivity
• Innovative external display for real-time alerts
• Good Tablet implementation
• Not very fast
• Display prone to glare
• Short battery life
• Pricey

CNET: Reviewing Toshiba’s first Windows Vista laptop, the Portege R400, CNET gives it 6.4 out of 10 rating (good) and writes, ” Portege R400 is a beautifully crafted convertible tablet that unfortunately is every bit as expensive as it looks. It won’t be available for purchase until January 30, 2007, with a base price of $2,599. Our review unit came packed with high-end features such as built-in EV-DO, an OLED display on the front edge, and a screen that uses the new LED backlight technology. Add in Windows Vista Ultimate, and you’ve got a system that will strain even the thickest wallets at $3,499. We’ll have to wait until closer to the release date to see what money-saving configuration options are offered. Despite its excellent design and build quality, it’s hard to recommend a system this expensive, especially one that provides only a Core Duo processor, a rather skimpy 80GB hard drive, and integrated graphics. Ignoring its high price, the Toshiba Portege R400 is an impressive achievement, firmly in the same industrial design league as Apple and Sony.

The bottom line: If money is no object for you, the Toshiba Portege R400 is an eye-catching, Windows Vista conversation piece, but the rest of us will want more performance from a system this expensive. “

This entry was posted on January 8, 2007 and is filed under Toshiba, News.