Latest news with #Toshiba
WIRED
4 hours ago
- WIRED
Dynabook's Portégé Laptop Has User-Replaceable Batteries and an Absurd Price
Back in, say, 2001, business travelers would hop on an international flight not just with their laptop, but with three or four spare batteries also tucked into their attaché case. The extra batteries could add roughly 6 pounds to your load, but it was a necessary evil—each of those batteries would probably only offer about three or four hours of run time, barely enough to update your Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. Coming up with novel ways to keep track of which batteries were charged and which were spent was a popular hobby among business travelers. Good news, folks: There's no need to be wistful for the good old days any longer. Thanks to Dynabook, battery swapping is back , baby! If you're not familiar with Dynabook, you'll surely remember its predecessor. Dynabook is the remains of Toshiba's PC arm, which was sold to Sharp in 2020 after years of decline. The Dynabook branding, which had previously been used in Japan, got a reboot. The Portégé model name remains intact, complete with the accents. Durable Dynabook Photograph: Chris Null A big selling point of the relaunched Dynabook has been around durability and serviceability. The new Portégé Z40L-N has a lightweight but tough magnesium alloy shell that meets MIL-STD-810H standards, and sports a battery that can be swapped by the user. This isn't quite like the batteries of 2001, which slid out with the flip of a switch. Rather, the Portégé's battery must be removed by taking out two screws on the underside of the laptop, which allows you to remove a flap that exposes the battery underneath. The battery must be pried out with a tool like a screwdriver. In other words, it's hardly something most users are going to do in-flight. That's not the point of the Dynabook, as today's batteries last much longer—this one hitting nearly 16 hours in my full-screen YouTube playback test—so the need for on-the-fly battery swapping is virtually nil. Rather, Dynabook's goal is to extend the operating life of the laptop, so IT departments can replace what the company refers to as 'the only consumable item in the system' in just a few minutes, rather than having to buy a user a new machine or send it out for repair once its capacity starts to make the machine unusable. (None of the other components on the device are user-serviceable.) Spare batteries will be available in the fourth quarter of this year for $99. That's a long-winded preface to get to the point that if a computer is designed to be user-serviceable, you should probably make sure it's user-desirable first. Unfortunately, the Portégé Z40L-N isn't. Photograph: Chris Null
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Graphjet visited by Japanese trading company
New York, United States, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Graphjet Technology ('Graphjet' or 'the Company') was honoured to welcome a delegation from a Japanese trading company with international presence for an official visit on JULY 23, 2025 to discuss on the provision of sustainable graphite materials to their customers. This visit highlights the Japanese trading company's strong interest in Graphjet's proprietary technology, which utilize palm kernel shells as a renewable feedstock to produce high purity synthetic graphite. This patented process significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional graphite production methods, aligning with global efforts toward decarbonization and green manufacturing. With over 75 years of history, this renowned Japanese enterprise is one of the major integrated trading houses in Asia, actively engaged in diverse sectors including aerospace components, advanced machinery and automation systems, and chemical products, it serves industry leaders across multiple sector for customers like Toshiba and Hitachi. With annual revenue of around ¥30 billion, the firm maintains operations in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. During the visit, the delegation toured Graphjet's R&D production facilities, gaining valuable insights into the company's manufacturing process and quality assurance system. 'This engagement marks a meaningful step forward in strengthening mutual understanding and laying the groundwork for future collaboration in the field of sustainable graphite and next generation technology.' said Chris Lai the CEO of Graphjet. Graphjet Technology remains committed to advancing green innovation and building strong partnership with global industry leaders to drive sustainable progress in the graphite and graphene sector. About Graphjet Technology Sdn. Bhd. Graphjet Technology Sdn. Bhd. (Nasdaq: GTI) was founded in 2019 in Malaysia as an innovative graphene and graphite producer. Graphjet Technology has the world's first patented technology to recycle palm kernel shells generated in the production of palm seed oil to produce single layer graphene and artificial graphite. Graphjet's sustainable production methods utilizing palm kernel shells, a waste agricultural product that is common in Malaysia, will set a new shift in graphite and graphene supply chain of the world. For more information, please visit Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information in this press release contains certain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words 'believe,' 'project,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'intend,' 'strategy,' 'aim,' 'future,' 'opportunity,' 'plan,' 'may,' 'should,' 'will,' 'would,' 'will be,' 'will continue,' 'will likely result' and similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) changes in the markets in which Graphjet competes, including with respect to its competitive landscape, technology evolution or regulatory changes; (ii) the risk that Graphjet will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plans, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all; (iii) Graphjet is beginning the commercialization of its technology and it may not have an accurate estimate of future capital expenditures and future revenue; (iv) statements regarding Graphjet's industry and market size; (v) financial condition and performance of Graphjet, including the anticipated benefits, the implied enterprise value, the financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, the products, the expected future performance and market opportunities of Graphjet; (vi) Graphjet's ability to develop and manufacture its graphene and graphite products; and (vii) those factors discussed in our filings with the SEC. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that will be described in the 'Risk Factors' section of the documents to be filed by Graphjet from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward- looking statements, and while Graphjet may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, they assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. Graphjet does not give any assurance that Graphjet will achieve its expectations. Graphjet Technology Contacts Investors [email protected] Media [email protected] ###
CNET
3 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Today Only, This 75-Inch Toshiba C350 4K Fire TV Is at a New All-Time Low of Just $350
If you're looking to really treat yourself, then sometimes the best way to do that is with a massive TV. After all, what could be better than having a huge screen to enjoy TV shows and games on? The only trouble is that they tend to cost a huge sum of money. Thankfully, Best Buy has a one-day deal on right now that brings the massive 75-inch Toshiba C350 4K Smart Fire TV down from $650 to just $350. That's the lowest price we've ever seen it at, and an incredible deal -- but it's only on until the end of the day (July 21). With a 75-inch display, this Toshiba might be a little big for your bedroom, but is great for bigger spaces like a home theater or the living room. Its 4K resolution, Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 should deliver vivid colors and sharp contrast. It runs on Amazon's Fire TV OS, so you can access all your favorite streaming apps right out of the box, and the remote has a built-in microphone that allows you to browse hands-free using Alexa. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. It's also equipped with Apple AirPlay, so you can easily stream content wirelessly using your iPhone, iPad or other Apple devices. There's no set expiration for this deal, so we'd recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don't want to miss out on these savings. Why this deal matters Last summer, during a big Fourth of July sale, we spotted this exact TV on sale for a then-record low of $450. Now down to just $350, there's never been a better time to upgrade to a really big screen at a budget price. Just don't wait too long. Demands due to tariff concerns might cause a quick sell-out of this TV, so act now if this is what you want.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Agentic AI Will Drive Innovation And Personalization In Retail
SVP Innovation and Incubation at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Yevgeni drives innovation and delivers cutting-edge retail technologies. Retail has spent the last two decades striving to achieve the modern "smart" store filled with IoT sensors, dashboards, predictive engines and even cashier-less checkout powered by neural networks. While these systems are a progressive step in retail technology, they're still designed to see and report instead of proactively alert and act. The industry is at a point where technology needs to be smart and self-directed. Innovation is now based on how quickly ideas can be turned into actionable solutions and results. This is where agentic AI enters the picture as a new class of intelligence that doesn't just predict but acts. These agents pursue goals, adapt in real time and collaborate with people and systems to drive continuous outcomes. This is more than a simple layer of automation and is making its mark as the foundation of a new operating system for retail. Three Agentic Shifts Unlocking Retail's Full Potential Agentic AI embeds autonomous, goal-driven intelligence across retail systems, from store operations to software development. As an orchestrated end-to-end solution, it unlocks innovation opportunities in three key areas. Retail is a constantly evolving landscape, and retailers are navigating numerous demands—all while operating with limited resources. Store teams are stretched, IT teams are backlogged, and even when the correct answer or solution is clear, the capacity to act on it often isn't there. Agentic systems change that with fewer obstacles, faster fixes and a workforce that can focus on customers instead of systems. Operational agents within agentic AI can automate inventory, manage queues, update pricing and much more without waiting for human input. Meanwhile, development agents observe usage and behavior, generate workflow optimizations and propose logic updates for approval. Most store technology systems today are reactive, but retail environments move faster than scripted responses can follow. If X, then Y—but only after X has already happened. Agentic systems detect behavior, assess the situation and act in context. A typical example is if a scan avoidance pattern is detected at a self-checkout kiosk. An agentic AI agent evaluates the occurrence and responds appropriately by flagging the pattern and proposing a new checkout flow. The change is reviewed, approved and learned to be deployed system-wide just hours later. Stores continue to struggle to deliver personalized experiences at scale. In-store personalization is often a one-size-fits-all initiative in a world where tailored experiences are the foundation of customer loyalty. Agentic AI introduces real-time situational understanding with edge sensors that shift personalization from post-purchase to in-the-moment. They interpret interactions with AI agents guiding signage, adapting prompts or notifying associates, making shopping experiences reflexively relevant and always within brand-defined boundaries. Balancing Humans And AI To Redefine Roles And Accelerate Results Agentic AI empowers the retail workforce to focus on where they make the most significant impact. It optimizes performance and elevates human experiences at every level of the business. A store manager's role evolves with agentic AI to approve decisions the system recommends instead of trying to understand and resolve individual flags at checkout. A merchandiser can make informed and strategic decisions to test layouts in digital twin environments driven by live behavior data instead of guessing. An associate isn't overwhelmed but empowered and guided by prompts that understand the situational context. Agentic AI is transforming and accelerating retail roles with faster decision making, less time triaging issues and more time improving operations and solving pain points. Retailers realize better revenue, reduced cost and stronger loyalty through sustained, systematic momentum instead of conventional one-time updates. Implementing Agentic AI Some critical requirements must be met for retailers to implement agentic AI successfully. There must be a balance between humans and technology. Technology should extend autonomy and not replace it. People must remain in control to set policies, approve changes and govern outcomes. Connecting and communicating with employees will be a critical component. Creating a culture of transparency will help support adoption and empower store associates to become agentic AI tech champions. Retailers should consider including associates from the beginning stages of planning to gauge their input and insights into applications. Explain why you are exploring and implementing new agentic AI technology, and emphasize how it will benefit jobs and the business. Allow employees to explore, test and provide feedback to ensure optimal application and support store associates to make them feel like they're part of the process instead of being replaced. The infrastructure technology must also go beyond standard smart models to support agentic AI. Retailers need a modular platform built for change to support agentic AI technology. Key components of a dynamic infrastructure include an API-first, cloud-native platform that synchronizes updates, actions and learnings across every store, device and digital service. The Autonomous Future Of Retail Agentic AI is a retail revolution that is already underway. By empowering systems to detect, decide and evolve autonomously, retailers gain the ability to act with speed, precision and agility at every touchpoint. This means fewer customer and store disruptions, smarter operations and continuously improved experiences without the burden of requiring constant oversight. Agentic AI provides clear payoffs with higher performance, more resilient teams and a sharper edge against the competition. Retailers that embrace agentic AI are setting the pace for agile and innovative retail operations and shopping journeys. In this new era, success is determined by mastering agentic AI orchestration. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
France 24
7 days ago
- Automotive
- France 24
Japan's SMEs ready to adapt to Trump tariffs
As part of a campaign against friend and foe, the US president has threatened 25 percent tariffs on imports of Japanese goods from August 1, having already imposed tough levies on its vehicles, steel and aluminium. However, Miyazaki told AFP that he was confident. "We are providing very specialised products for specialised industries, where it is difficult to change suppliers or supplying countries just because of boosted tariffs," he said on a tour of the 92-year-old firm. "I'm not worried too much, because if American companies can't produce parts on their own, they have no choice but to import those parts regardless of tariffs," the descendant of the firm's founder said. With 100 employees, Mitsuwa Electric is not a household name. But like millions of other SMEs that account for 99.7 percent of Japan's companies, it is world-class in its specialist niche. It began making light bulb filaments and now produces coils, rods, needles, plates, pipes and wires for a range of goods including car lights, photocopiers and X-ray machines. In 2022 it won a Guinness World Record for the smallest commercially available metal coil, with a diameter around half that of a human hair. Mitsuwa's customers are across Asia, Europe and North America and include Japanese engineering giant Toshiba and Toyota-affiliated parts maker Koito Manufacturing. Miyazaki said the impact of US tariffs on the company's business is limited so far, with one auto sector customer asking it to lower prices. "All we can do is to adapt to any changes in the business environment," Miyazaki said. Diversify to survive Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has sent his tariffs envoy Ryosei Akazawa to Washington seven times since April to try to win relief from the tariffs. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was due to meet Ishiba and Akazawa on Friday in Tokyo. But the prime minister's apparently maximalist strategy of insisting all tariffs are cut to zero have been criticised in some parts, especially as August 1 approaches. US-bound exports of Japanese vehicles -- a sector tied to eight percent of Japanese jobs -- tumbled around 25 percent in May and June. The lack of a deal isn't helping Ishiba's popularity ahead of upper house elections on Sunday that may end Ishiba's premiership after less than a year. What bothers Japanese firms is Trump's unpredictability and the complexity of the tariffs, according to government-backed SME support organisation JETRO. Since February, the group has received more than 2,000 enquiries from members about US tariffs, with a flood of requests since June asking for "the latest information" as the deadline approaches. Mitsuwa Electric boss Miyazaki admits worrying about Trump's threat of pharmaceuticals tariffs of 200 percent, or if medical equipment is targeted. Together with its broad product range, the diversification of its customer base has shielded it so far, he said. This is also vital for other firms to survive, said Zenkai Inoue, an SME expert and professor at the Kyushu Institute of Information Sciences. "I'm proposing a 'tricycle strategy', which means you have to have (at least) three customers in different regions," he told AFP. "For SMEs, securing financial stability by asking banks for their funding is important to survive for the time being, then the next step would be expanding their sales channels to other markets," he said. Inoue added that some Japanese firms had been slow to prepare for Trump's tariffs, even after he said he would during his 2024 election campaign. "There was a time when Japanese companies, having heavily relied on the Chinese market, (were) hurt badly by a sudden change in China's policy. But some of them have not learnt a lesson enough from that experience," he said.
