Toshiba launches Cell-based laptop

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 15 Jul 2008 at 12:38

Toshiba has launched the first laptop equipped with the same Cell processors found in the Sony PlayStation 3.

The new Qosmio G55 is available with a Quad Core HD Processor, essentially a collection of four Cell chips.

Toshiba jointly developed the Cell processor with Sony and IBM in 2001, a project that reportedly cost the group $400 million.

Although the chip is clocked at only 1.5GHz - half the speed it manages in the Sony console - it will use significantly less power thanks to its finer 65nm manufacturing process.

The chip will speed up transcoding and encoding of video, claims Toshiba. The hardware performs impressively in this application in situ in the PlayStation 3, and this feature will be particularly attractive to those looking to upscale lower resolution content for playback on an HDTV.

One of the more bizarre features of the laptop enabled by the unique processor is gesture control of DVD playback.

"Using a remote to control DVDs, CDs and PowerPoint is a thing of the past," claims Toshiba. "Through the use of 'Gesture Control' and the Qosmio's webcam, physical motions, such as extending an arm and simple hand gestures, users can control the play, pause, rewind and fast-forward functions of their movies, music and slides."

The laptop will start at $1,299 in the US, although the model will not be available in the UK. Instead we will get the Cell-based F50 and G50, which are set to launch at the end of the month.