Microsoft touts new Vista gear

Microsoft has taken the wraps off the first new PCs and laptops designed for the Windows Vista operating system.

The laptops and PCs, showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, are from HP, Medion, Sony and Toshiba, and will all be available from 30 January when Vista is released on general availability to consumers.

The model most likely to be of interest to businesses is the Toshiba Portege R400, a tablet PC and laptop hybrid which includes connectivity features aimed at mobile workers who use their laptop for both work and pleasure.

Alan Thompson, executive VP, EMEA Marketing Computer Systems Division, Toshiba Europe, said: "We want to appeal to the new information workers."

Toshiba has profiled these as full-time professionals who work outside of the office a few days every month, commute, have above average computer skills and use a Windows laptop as their primary PC.

The Portege R400 features a slim 'edge' LCD display on the side of the laptop allowing users to check and monitor new email and calendar updates when the lid is closed or the laptop is in sleep mode through Microsoft's Active Notification technology. The Portege's main 12.1-inch screen also features a hinge that allows the display to be swivelled around 180 degrees and closed over the keyboard to place it in tablet mode.

An Ultrawideband wireless docking station also does away with the need for any wires. No pricing has been confirmed yet but Toshiba said it expects the new laptop to ship for around €3,000 (£2,000).

The other new Vista computers include the HP TouchSmart PC, which uses touchscreen technology, a sleek white Sony Vaio VGX-TP1, aimed at the home entertainment market, and the ultra-mobile Medion UMPC.