Toshiba moves into high street

Portables Vendor's retail debut sees price-competitive AMD processors used in the notebooks instead of Intel.

Toshiba has entered the consumer market for the first time, when itrs used in the notebooks instead of Intel. launched a dedicated retail notebook which will be supplied by Dixons subsidiary, PC World.

The Satellite 2420 machine is the first of a range of notebooks aimed specifically at the home user and will feature AMD's K6-2 mobile microprocessor.

This was the first time Toshiba has used an Intel alternative. Prices start at about #1,299.

Con Mallon, marketing manager at Toshiba's PC division, said the range would be updated about three times a year and, although they feature AMD K6-2 chips, this could change according to market prices.

'We may use Intel's Celeron next time, whatever is the best value,' he said. 'Already our Satellites are selling ahead of expectations. The home market is growing rapidly. 'According to data from Romtec, in 1997, six per cent of the total notebook market was retail and by the end of 1998 this had doubled to 12 per cent.'

Mallon added that consumers are shifting over to buy notebooks, rather than desktops for a number of reasons. 'There's a huge change happening in the consumer market. Desktops took off about three or four years ago and now the users that bought these are looking to upgrade - they're becoming more sophisticated and a notebook is a more attractive option. It's also portable and saves on space.'

Andy Brown, analyst at IDC, said: 'It's a good idea for Toshiba - it has a very strong position in the market and it will be beneficial. It actually makes much more sense than going into desktops.

'In western Europe, Toshiba is still top, but, regarding desktops, it is realistically nowhere. It doesn't surprise me that it has done this - all the top notebook and PC vendors have been moving into the retail notebook market recently.'