SED – or Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display – had a lot of hype back in 2004. The technology worked by using a network of tiny cathode ray tubes, with each tube representing one sub-pixel on the screen. It promised the benefits of CRT TVs, like high contrast levels, brightness and fast response times, while offering large, flat screen sizes like an LCD and drawing a lot less power than LCDs as well.

In other words, Canon and Toshiba would smash together plasma, CRT and LCD technologies, and after ditching all the crappy bits of each one, they would be left with SED.

But it was not to be. Originally slated to begin production in 2005, that date got pushed back to 2007. Both companies showed off prototypes at CES in 2006, which were lauded for their amazing picture quality. But then in December of 2006, a company called Applied Nanotech – which holds several patents for SED production – claimed that Canon had violated its licencing agreement by entering a partnership with Toshiba to build SEDs. To counteract the lawsuit, Canon bought out Toshiba’s half of their partnership company.

The court case raged on until December last year, at which point Applied Nanotech decided the legal costs weren’t worth the effort. But by that stage, the economy had changed. The GFC was in full swing, and the chances of SED TVs going into production had reduced to almost zero. Sure, there’s still a chance that one day we’ll all play Duke Nukem Forever on our glorious SED displays, but it’s not a bet I’d be willing to put money on…

History of TV is Giz AU’s month-long look back at the development of the world-changing medium and its influence on our daily lives.

They say that sub-$400 netbooks are 20 per cent more likely to fail in the first year. But no real surprises there.

SquareTrade says it randomly selected over 30,000 laptops and netbooks covered by its warranty plans for the study. Brands with a minimum of 1000 laptops included Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba. Accidental damage and software issues handled by the retailer were not included in the numbers.

Summary below, while the full report can be found at: [SquareTrade]

• Over 31 percent of laptops will fail in the first three years of ownership.
• Of these failures, two-thirds came from hardware malfunctions (20.4 percent) and one-third (10.6 percent) was reported as accidental damage.
• Asus and Toshiba were the most reliable manufacturers, with fewer than 16 percent having a hardware malfunction over three years.
• Netbooks are projected to have a 20 percent higher failure rate from hardware malfunctions than more expensive laptop computers.
• Manufacturers proved to be a more reliable determinant of reliability than the type of laptop and should be a greater factor in making a purchase decision.

The latest object to shoot high-def video from the edge of space is… an armchair. To promote its REGZA SV LCD TVs (LED backlight, local dimming), Toshiba trekked into the Black Rock Desert with a helium balloon. This is the result.

This is the first part of the ad. The second half for their Satellite T Series ULV laptops will come out next year. [Toshiba UK via Engadget]

Facts about the shoot:

• The shots were taken at a staggering 98,268 feet above the earth using Toshiba’s own cameras
• To reach the altitude required and to conform with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, the weight of the rig had to be carefully managed to a weight of no more than four pounds
• Tied to the rig was a specially created full-sized model chair made of biodegradable balsa wood – the chair was made by a company called Artem and cost about £2,500
• Launch coordinates of the rig were – 119 degrees, 14 minutes by 40 degrees, 48 minute (12 miles North-East of the town of Gerlach, Nevada)
• The quality of the footage from the Toshiba IK-HR1S cameras was: 1920×1080 pixel count; 1080i @ 50hz; 100 Mbps
• The temperature dropped to minus 90 degrees when the chair reached 52,037 feet
• The chair took 83 minutes to reach an altitude of 98,268 feet where it broke and took just 24 minutes to fall back down to earth with the rig.

The deal is available from some time next week through to the 10th of January next year, while stocks last – and there are 5000 available…

Does this make you want to grab a Regza?

[Toshiba]

There are three versions available, each with its own colour (320GB in vivid white, 500GB in liquid blue and the 640GB rocket red). They’re all USB 2.0 powered, small enough to carry around and if you’re running Windows, there’s automatic system backup software (NTI Backup Now EZ) on the device out of the box.

The 320GB version costs $129, the 500GB costs $169 and the 640GB is $199.

[Toshiba]

Some quick background: DMFCs produce electricity from a reaction of methanol, water and air — the only by products are a small amount of water vapour and carbon dioxide. You refill the fuel cell with a few squirts of methanol, and presto, you’re able to charge gadgets without a wall socket.

The idea has been in development for 10 years, and Toshiba says that they’re “seriously considering and researching the next model to [be available for the] worldwide market”.

IDGNS tested the new Dynario charger on gear like the PSP and iPod, and say it pretty much does its job flawlessly — though it won’t support every device you connect to its USB socket, including the iPhone. Toshiba has a list, and says about four out of five gadgets should work.

The ¥29,800 (roughly $353) charger is about the size of a PSP and has a brushed metal finish. It has a small battery to “kick start” the power generation, which charges itself in operation.

Refill bottles/cartridges (50mL) come in packs of five for ¥3150 (about $37), so clearly, this isn’t cost-effective yet. IDGNS says each methanol bottle is good for about 3.5 refills, and each refill charges a mobile phone twice.

And while the charger itself is cleared for airline travel, the methanol bottles aren’t. Toshiba hopes to sell them at airports for quick charges before or after flights. So travel aside, maybe the technology also has more potential in emergency kits for use in blackouts and natural disasters. Time will tell. [PC World]

The first 3000 run will cost ¥29800 ($353), and you get five cartridges for ¥3150 ($37), which makes it cost ineffective if you’re talking about practical charging. But if you really need power on the go and you don’t have time to charge up traditionally, this is the future — so long as you’re part of the first 3000 that they’ll test this out on before going on a wider release. [Toshiba Japan via Engadget]

See, Hear and Now Touch – Notebooks for the Senses

Toshiba Unleashes Its Most Powerful and Diverse Consumer
Notebook Range

Sydney 22 October 2009: Reducing your impact on the environment whilst quickly accessing your music, pictures, videos and information are just some of the new features that Toshiba has introduced in its most diverse range of consumer notebooks yet. Features you can not only see and hear, but can now feel with the introduction of Toshiba’s first consumer touch notebook – the Satellite U500.

The new Energy Star 5.0 Satellite U500 Touch offers users a new way to interact with their notebook, whether flicking through photos, browsing online or simply playing games Windows Touch-enabled functionality brings your notebook to life. In addition, the new ultrathin Satellite T100 range takes Windows® 7 performance a step further. The Fast Sleep-and-Resume functionality means your notebook is ready to use within seconds of re-opening from stand-by or hibernation mode.

The new line-up consists of 21 notebooks across 12 ranges and includes the five brand new models: Satellite U500 Touch, T100, T130, M500 and Qosmio X500, along with Blu-Ray technology, available on models X500 and P500.

“The new range offers customers new and easy ways to interact with their media on the go,” said Mark Whittard, General Manager, Toshiba ISD ANZ. “The performance and functionality in Windows 7 has enabled us to deliver the features that consumers want, such as touch and Fast Sleep-and-Resume, in affordable mainstream notebooks. Our new range is diverse, powerful and intuitive and will change not only the way we use our notebooks.”

The entire new consumer range is fitted with Microsoft’s new operating system Windows 7, is ROHS Compliant, Energy Star 5.0 qualified and incorporates all of Toshiba’s Smart Features including: Reliability, Connectivity, Personality, Style, Entertainment and Environment and is designed to ensure technology moulds into your every-day lifestyle.

Everything You Need Is One Touch Away: Satellite U500 Touch
Whether you’re a student, a traveller, or one who wants to stay connected and entertained on the move, the new lightweight 13.3” Satellite U500 Touch is your perfect companion. Offering distinctive styling, solid performance and connectivity, the U500 Touch will bring to life your mobile computing experience.

To bring the new Windows Touch feature to life, Toshiba is also introducing new, innovative touch-ready software pre-installed exclusively on the new touch-enabled laptops, called Toshiba LifeSpace™. LifeSpace consists of two applications designed to increase personal productivity in a unique and fun way. They are:

* Bulletin Board – gives you fast access to day-to-day activities, tasks and projects in a simple, visual and fun way.
* ReelTime™ – helps you easily find files based on when they were opened with a simple, fun visual history.

Chic, Petite and Powerful: Satellite T100 Series
Made for mobility, the ultra-thin Satellite T100 series is Toshiba’s thinnest and lightest Satellite laptop yet! Weighing in at a mere 1.58kgs, the petite and powerful T100 series is packed with features to handle everyday connectivity, web and digital entertainment needs. Equipped with a long-life six-cell battery, the T100 can give you up to nine hours of battery life from a single charge.

The T100 has all the features you’d expect in a laptop, plus Toshiba’s value-added features such as USB Sleep and Charge for charging your devices on the go (even when your notebook is switched off), a Webcam with Face Recognition for keyless access and Hard Drive Impact Sensor to keep your documents and memories safe, among others.

Additionally the T100 series is available in two screen sizes: an 11.6 inch HD or 13” HD TruBrite widescreen LED Backlit display – both with a full-sized keyboard and touchpad. Starting from $999 (RRP Inc. GST), the T100 series delivers more style and flexibility to your mobile computing experience.

Power Your Gaming to a Whole New Level: Qosmio X500
The Qosmio X500 combines an exceptional gaming experience with the latest HD multimedia features to deliver the ultimate in mobile gaming.

Elite performance features and top-class gaming specifications including latest Quad Core processor technology and powerful graphics – are set to give your game a real performance boost.

Offering premium home-theater features, the Qosmio X500 is designed to deliver an advanced home entertainment and multimedia experience.

Topped with a striking Fusion Finish design and accented with a red chrome trim and backlit keyboard, the X500 gives you the right gaming identity and includes:

Blu-ray rewriteable drive (BD-RE)* – great picture quality, impeccable sound that Blu-ray Disc technology brings the ultimate HD experience with breathtaking picture quality wherever you are.

With their high storage capacity, Blu-ray discs can hold and play back large quantities of high-definition video and audio, as well as photos, data and other digital content.

Full High Definition screen – 1920×1080 resolution – a great way to watch Blu-ray movies.

What’s in Store
Whether you are looking for seamless connectivity to entertainment, productivity, or connecting to the world, you’ll find the perfect choice from the following new range:

Included as standard across the entire range:
− 3 USB Ports (2 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 + 1 x eSATA/ USB Combo)
− Windows 7 Home Premium operating system
− 3D Hard Sensor
− Eco Utility Software (excluding NB200 and U500 series)
− 16:9 Screen Ratio (excluding NB200 series)
− Webcam/ microphone
− SD Slot
− Integrated wireless

Constant Companions
Pocket-Sized Power: NB200 Series: ($699 RRP Inc GST and $749 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available in four models: Cosmic Black, Bronze, Arctic White, Indigo Blue
− 10.1- inch Widescreen TruBrite Display
− Available with Intel Atom Processor
− 250GB HDD/ 1GB RAM
− 6 Cell Battery
− Integrated Bluetooth (excluding black model)
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Starter
− 1.15kg weight

Chic, Petite and Powerful: Satellite T-Series: (T110 – $999 RRP Inc. GST and T130 – $1,299 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available in two models (T110 and T130)
− 11.6- inch Widescreen (16:9) High Definition/ 13.3-inch Widescreen (16:9) High Definition, both with HD LED Backlit Display
− Available with Intel Single Core/ Pentium Dual Core processor
− 250GB HDD/ 320GB HDD, both with 2GB RAM
− HDMI out
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (includes recovery partition for Windows 7 Home Premium)
− 1.58kg/ 1.76kg weight

Multimedia Ranges
See Hear and Feel: Satellite U500 Touch: ($1,499 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available with Intel Core2 Duo
− 13.3-inch Widescreen WXGA TrueBrite Display with Touchscreen Control
− 500GB HDD with 4GB RAM
− HDMI-CEC (Regza Link)
− Touchpad with Gesture Control
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium and 64 bit recovery partition
− Professional (includes recovery partition for Windows 7 Home Premium)
− 2.1kg weight

On-The-Go: Satellite M500: ($1,399 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available with Intel Core2 Duo
− 14-inch Widescreen (16:9) HD, TruBrite Display
− 500GB HDD with 4GB RAM
− HDMI-CEC (Regza Link)
− NVIDIA GeForce Graphics
− Touchpad with Gesture Control
− Premium Harman/ Kardon Speakers
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32bit)(includes recovery partition for Windows 7 Home Premium (62bit)

Mobile Workhorse: Satellite U500: ($1,999 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available with Intel Core2 Duo
− 13.3-inch Widescreen WXGA TrueBrite Display 500GB HDD/4GB RAM
− HDMI-CEC (Regza Link)
− Touchpad with Gesture Control
− Finger Print Reader
− LED Backlite kepboard
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (includes recovery media for downgrading to Windows XP professional)
− 2.1kg weight
− Textured Dark Mocha Design

Work, Rest and Play: Satellite A500: ($1,499 RRP Inc. GST and $1,799 Inc. GST)
− Available in two models
− Available with Intel Core2 Duo Processor
− 16.0-inch Widescreen (16:9) HD, TruBrite Display
− 500GB HDD/ 4GB RAM
− HDMI-CEC (Regza Link)
− NVIDIA GeForce Graphics
− Touchpad with Gesture Control
− Premium Harman/ Kardon Speakers
− Integrated Analogue/TV Tuner
− 4 USB Ports (2 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 + 1 x eSATA/ USB Combo)
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32bit)(includes recovery partition for Windows 7 Home Premium (62bit)
− Resolution +

Multimedia Desktop Replacement: Satellite P500: ($1,999 RRP Inc. GST and $2,299 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available in two models
− Available with Intel Core2 Duo Processor
− 18.4-inch Widescreen (16:9) HD, TruBrite Display
− 500GB HDD/ 4GB RAM or 640GB HDD/ 4GB RAM
− HDMI-CEC (Regza Link)
− NVIDIA GeForce Graphics
− Touchpad with Gesture Control
− Premium Harman/ Kardon Speakers
− Integrated Analogue TV Tuner/Digital
− 4 USB Ports (2 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 + 1 x eSATA/ USB Combo)
− Finger Print Reader
− LED Backlit keyboard
− DVD SuperMulti Double/Dual Layer Drive or Blu-Ray RW/ DVD SuperMulti Double/ Dual Layer Drive
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32bit)(includes recovery partition for Windows 7 Home Premium (62bit)

Gaming Beast: Qosmio X500: ($2,699 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available with Intel Quad Core Processor
− 18.4-inch Widescreen (16:9) FHD, TruBrite Display 1080P
− 1TB HDD/ 4GB RAM
− HDMI-CEC (Regza Link)
− NVIDIA GeForce Graphics
− Touchpad with Gesture Control
− Premium Harman/ Kardon Speakers
− 4 USB Ports (2 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 + 1 x eSATA/ USB Combo)
− Finger Print Reader
− Blu-Ray RW/ DVD SuperMulti Double/ Dual Layer Drive
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32bit)(includes recovery partition for Windows 7 Home Premium (64bit)

First Time User Options
Everything You Need: Satellite L500: ($799 RRP Inc. GST and $999 Inc. GST and including a $100 cashback and also $1,099 RRP Inc. GST/no cashback).
− Available in three models
− Available with Intel Celeron Dual-Core/ Intel Pentium Dual-Core/ Intel Core2 Duo Processors
− 15.6-inch Widescreen (16:9) HD TruBrite Display
− 4GB/400GB
− HDMI (high end models only)
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium or Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Professional

Explore New Places: Satellite L500D: ($899 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available in three models
− Available with AMD Athlon Dual Core/ AMD Turionll Dual Core
− 15.6-inch Widescreen (16:9) HD TruBrite Display
− 400GB HDD/4GB RAM, 500GB/4GB RAM
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

Desktop Replacement: Satellite L550: ($1,699 RRP Inc. GST)
− Available with Intel Core2 Duo Processor
− 17.3-inch Widescreen (16:9) HD+ TruBrite Display
− 500GB/4GB RAM
− HDMI
− Available with Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (includes recovery media for downgrading to Windows XP Professional)

Acer—which owns Gateway, eMachines and Packard Bell—scored 11.1 per cent of US computer sales between July and September this year, according to IDC. Gartner puts that figure at 13.9 per cent.

As you can see in the chart above, Garner also puts Dell in the top US spot with a 26.2 per cent share. IDC disagrees, placing HP first (25.5 per cent), Dell second (25 per cent), Apple fourth (9.4 per cent), and Toshiba fifth (8.1 per cent).

The two research firms agree on the rankings of worldwide sales, though their numbers are slightly different.

What’s also interesting is that total sales grew by as much as 3.9 per cent compared to last year. That’s pretty surprising when both predicted the down economy would make us all tech scrooges. Maybe Windows 7 has drummed up interest after all, what do you think? [Gartner Research via BusinessWire | IDC Research via Reuters] [Image Credit]