Toshiba to launch low-priced notebook PC

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Toshiba Corp said Tuesday it will launch a low-priced compact notebook personal computer late next month, in hopes of shooting down foreign makers running far ahead in the segment. Toshiba’s new NB100 will be priced at some 70,000 yen, the lowest for a Toshiba PC. The product, weighing 1.05 kilograms, will have an 8.9-inch display and a 120-gigabyte hard disk.

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In Japan, foreign players lead the low-priced compact PC market with products priced at around 50,000, while Japanese PC makers have generally remained inactive.

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But Toshiba’s move may prompt its Japanese rivals to enter the segment.

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Backed by low prices, the Japanese compact PC market has expanded sharply. In August, PCs with display sizes of 10 inches or smaller accounted for 20.3% of all notebook PC sales in Japan, up from 1.4% a year before, according to market research firm BCN Inc.

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