Toshiba ships first HD DVD-burning notebook

Toshiba today rolled out the Qosmio G45 from its factories, signaling the first appearance of notebooks with HD DVD recording. The flagship AV680 model can record dual-layer 30GB discs in the high-definition format as well as legacy CDs and DVDs, and is fully capable of playing movies both on its own 17-inch, 1920x1200 screen and on flat-panel TVs through HDMI output. Graphics are powered by a 512MB GeForce 8600M GT fast enough for both HD videos and the most recent games. Those interested in authoring content can also take advantage of a large amount of storage: the stock model comes loaded with dual 160GB drives.

The reference model also includes a 2GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of memory with a 1GB Turbo Memory cache for faster disk performance, 802.11n wireless, and a 4.1-channel harman/kardon sound system with a 1-bit digital amp and Dolby Home Theater support for actual or virtual surround sound. The system ships bundled with Vista Ultimate, a USB HDTV tuner, and a remote for $3,200 and should be available within the next few days at Toshiba's online store and at many larger electronics shops.