The notebook PC manufacturer on Tuesday launched three Satellite notebooks created for cost-conscious, smaller businesses.
Though small and medium-sized businesses have fewer employees, which means lower sales, the sheer size of the market is an appealing opportunity for large PC makers such as Toshiba and competitors Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM.
Similar to consumer trends, smaller businesses have recently been moving toward notebook PCs. To capitalise on this trend, Toshiba has added machines such as its Satellite M30 to the ranks of its small-business products.
Weighing slightly more than 6 pounds, the Satellite M30 comes in several styles. M30 models, differentiated mainly by software, include a 1.4GHz Pentium M processor and a 15.4-inch, wide-screen display, Toshiba said.
An M30-S309 model comes with 256MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive and Microsoft's Windows XP Professional operating system. Prices start at $1,699 (£1,013). An M30-S309 Office Small Business Edition comes with the same features, includes a copy of Microsoft Office 2003 Small Business Edition and costs $2,039, the company said.
Toshiba also added two less-expensive Satellite models for small businesses. The Satellite P10-S429 comes with a 2.66GHz Pentium 4, 15.4-inch, wide-screen display, 512MB of RAM and a 60GB hard drive. Its price is $1,599.
The Satellite A10-S169 is the company's low-price notebook for smaller businesses. It comes with a 2.2GHz Pentium 4, a 15-inch screen, 256MB of RAM and a 40GB hard drive for $1,199.
All of the Satellites include wireless networking and a combination CD burner/DVD-ROM drive. The Satellite P10 and A10 models come with Microsoft's Windows XP Professional OS.
One, a 17-inch screen Satellite dubbed P25-S509, comes with a wide-angle screen, a 2.8GHz Pentium 4 processor, 512MB of RAM, a 80GB hard drive, a DVD burner and wireless networking.
The machine costs $2,199 and is similar to Toshiba's 17-inch Satellite P25-S609 Media Centre notebook. Although the $2,799 Media Centre machine offers a faster 3GHz Pentium 4 and 1GB of RAM.
A version of the Satellite M30, named the M35, will also be available at retail.
Tuesday's announcement of the company's new consumer-oriented Satellite models comes just weeks after Toshiba reorganised its operations.
