Toshiba’s New Endurance Tested Notebook Makes Mid East Debut

Tecra® A8 offers enhanced design features at entry-level price

[ClickPress, Wed Jul 19 2006] Toshiba’s Computer Systems Division has launched its new Tecra® A8 notebook in the Middle East. Billed as one of the most resilient notebooks to enter the market, the new Tecra® A8 has been designed and engineered for the small to medium business sector with the mobile professional in mind, and incorporates a host of enhanced security, protection and connectivity features at an entry-level price point.

“The new Tecra® A8 notebook will be a category killer,” said Ahmed Khalil, General Manager for Toshiba Computer Systems, Middle East and Africa. “With quality high-end features at a price point for entry-level notebooks, the new Tecra® A8 will appeal to SMBs and mobile professionals looking for a robust notebook that supports their business needs and falls within budget constraints.”

The 15.4” wide-screen Tecra® A8 features a professional, stylish new design that houses enhanced Toshiba EasyGuard Technologies including Shock Protection, a Spill-resistant keyboard, stronger LCD panel protection and display hinge, 3D Accelerometer and HDD Case Protection that safeguards against daily wear and tear by mobile professionals. The design also includes improvements for enhanced security, protection and connectivity features.

“To ensure optimal design quality, improved data protection and uncompromised system security, Toshiba has run Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) on the Tecra® A8,” said Khalil.

“HALT is a process used during the design stage of a product that provides a stringent environment to force design and process maturity. The process involves a series of physical tests subjecting the notebooks to extreme heat, shock and vibration exercises. The extreme tests have resulted in enhanced sturdiness of Toshiba EasyGuard features to support professionals working in the most extreme environments and to ensure a high quality reliable computing experience.”

Khalil added that the extremely durable chassis design includes improvements that make the Tecra® A8 significantly more resistant to the pressure of working time than its predecessor – 3-times stronger display hinges, 50 percent stronger motherboard, 2 ½ times more sturdy LCD panel, 50 percent less bending HDD cover and a 44 percent less bending spill-resistant keyboard.

“The robust architecture of the Tecra® A8 allows uninterrupted peace of mind, both in the office or on the go,” concluded Khalil.

The Tecra® A8 comes powered with the latest Intel® Centrino® Duo mobile technology enabling businesses to enhance security, expand connectivity and improve manageability and battery-life. Combined with Toshiba ConfigFree™ software which allows users to easily set up a network connection, troubleshoot connectivity problems, capture a complete set of location settings for future use and create an ad hoc network for collaboration, the Tecra® A8 is the ideal choice for business users who would rather focus on their core business activity rather than IT issues.

The Tecra® A8 will be available in the UAE from mid July for approximately US$ 1,300.


About Toshiba:
The Computer Systems Division of Toshiba Europe GmbH is a leading vendor for mobile computing solutions. Headquartered in Neuss, Germany, the Computer Systems Division of Toshiba Europe GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toshiba Corporation, the world's eighth-largest computer and electronics company.
Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products and power systems. The company's integration of these wide-ranging capabilities assures its position as an innovator in advanced components, products and systems. Toshiba has more than 161,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of US$54.5 billion (FY2005).

For media information:
Laura Scorza, Hill & Knowlton
Tel 971 4 3344930, fax 971 4 3344923
E-mail: laura.scorza@hillandknowlton.com

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Note to editors:

Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) resulted in:

-Tougher LCD cover to reduce risk of cover touching LCD panel in case of extensive applied force
-Bigger hinge size resulting in three times higher hinge strength based on 50,000 open/close lid cycles (100 times/week x 50 weeks x 10 years = 50,000 open/close cycles / 10 times/day x 330 days x 15 years = 49,500 open/close lid cycles)
-New Anti-bounce keyboard with stronger casing to support keyboard area for better and more comfortable typing experience
-New HDD cover design, thicker wall and reinforced dome to reduce impact point in case of drop or applied pressure
-Small Area PCB design with Center layout to protect shock impact to PCB from accidental drops
-50% screw reduction compared to previous models for improved reliability, shorter assembly and serviceability time















Tecra® A8
Technical Specifications

• Toshiba EasyGuard: Toshiba Access Control Utility, Execute Disable Bit (XD-Bit), Password Utilities, Antivirus Software, Toshiba Wireless Key Log-on, Spill-resistant Keyboard, Shock Protection Design, HDD Protection, Toshiba Anti-theft Protection Timer, Data Backup, Easy Fix Components, Durable Design, Magnesium Casework, PC Diagnostics, Kensington Lock, Toshiba ConfigFree™, Toshiba Summit, Diversity Antenna, Wireless LAN Switch
• Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
o Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2300/2400/2500/2600 (up to 2.16GHz, 667 MHz FSB, 2MB 2nd level cache)
o Intel® PRO Wireless 3945ABG network connection
o Intel® 945GM Express chip set family
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
• 15.4-inch WXGA TFT display (1,280 x 800)
• up to 1GB DDR 2 RAM 533MHz memory (expandable to 4GB*)
• up to 120GB Serial Ata hard disk drive
• Mobile Intel® 945GM Express chipset with up to 128MB VRAM, 16x PCI Express
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Etherlan LAN support
• Integrated Bluetooth™ 2.0 with EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
• DVD Super Multi Drive (Double Layer)
• Toshiba Bass Enhanced Sound System, Stereo speakers and built-in microphone (VoIP ready)
• 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x PC Card Type II ,DC-in, external monitor, external microphone, 2 memory slots, expansion bus connector, serial, RJ-11, RJ-45, TV-out (s-video), headphone (stereo) and SD™ Card slot
• Docking support for Advanced Port Replicator III
• Microsoft® Office OneNote™ 2003, online user and modem manual, Management Console, Toshiba ConfigFree™, Connectivity Doctor, Toshiba Summit, Sonic™ Record Now!, InterVideo® WinDVD, InterVideo® WinDVD Creator 2 Platinum, Toshiba Bluetooth® Monitor, Toshiba Bluetooth® Stack, Toshiba Zooming Utility, Norton Internet Security™ 2006 (includes free Internet updates for 90 days), Toshiba utilities and drivers





* Memory (Main System). Part of the main system memory may be used by the graphics system for graphics performance and therefore reduce the amount of main system memory available for other computing activities. The amount of main system memory allocated to support graphics may vary depending on the graphics system, applications utilized, system memory size and other factors. For PC's configured with 4 GB of system memory, the full system memory space for computing activities will be considerably less and will vary by model and system configuration.

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