Toshiba Goes Ultra Wideband

Toshiba recently announced that it has started selling the first laptops to use a new high speed technology that allows them to connect to a docking station that can support an external monitor -and it's completely wireless.

It's one of the first consumer applications of UWB, or ultra-wideband wireless technology. Just think of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on uppers. Relaying video to an external monitor using the aforementioned is difficult. But with the new Toshiba laptops it's a breeze. Oh, and it doubles as a tablet PC - sweet!

The only downside is a range of about three feet to the docking station. But then again you don't want to be too far if you're doing detailed work. Customers in the U.S. can be happy, as the UWB chips use radio frequencies that are legal in the U.S. In most parts of the world - well, you'll just have to wait. And, they start at $3,000 - ouch! Oh, and the docking station is $500 - ouch again! Comparable non-wireless docking stations from Toshiba cost $180.

I already own a Toshiba laptop and am very happy with it, but this might come in handy one day. Now for example, if you're into graphic design and for some reason or another you're doing your design work on your Toshiba laptop, you know you're not going to get the proper colors calibrated on the LCD. With this new UWB Toshiba laptop you can wirelessly attach a nice Apple LCD monitor to the docking station without all the cable clutter and use its tablet feature to draw with more control in software apps like Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. You have more flexibility in how you set up your workspace and most importantly, you have a monitor that will display the proper colors so that your client won't think you're color blind.

♦DiggIt! ♦Add to del.icio.us ♦Add to Technorati Faves ♦Stumble This