Toshiba Tecra A8 Notebook All Business

Toshiba's new Tecra A8 notebooks offers a 15-4 inch screen, durability, and a variety of configuration designed to appeal to businesses and IT buyers.

Toshiba has debuted its new Tecra A8 series of notebook computers which, though unlikely to appeal to the hardcore gamer crowd, may well interest students, businesses, and IT buyers looking for a strong mix of performance, durability, and features without breaking the bank.

The Tecra A8s feature a 15.4-inch 1280 by 800 screen and are available with either Celeron M or Core Duo processors, between 512 MB and 1 GB of RAM, 60 to 100 MB of hard disk storage, CD/DVD combo drives or a dual-layer DVD burner, either Atheros 802.11b/g Wi-Fi or 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi from Intel, . All models also feature biometric security. Toshiba’s EasyGuard stable of technologies designed to protect data through encryption, as well as the hard drive and motherboard from moisture, jolts, and drops. Also on board: three USB ports, Ethernet, 4 Mbps infrared port, a four-pin IEEE 1394 port, SD slot, headphone and mic jacks, a parallel port, VGA output, and a docking port.

Prices for the Tecra A8s begin at $699 for the Celeron M model and range up to $1349 for the dual-layer DVD-burner, Core Duo-toting high end model