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Toshiba’s digital products division is targeting high-end customers with the launch of its first device in the Kira family, the Kirabook notebook, which sports the company’s high resolution PixelPure display and a lightweight and compact design engineered with pressed magnesium alloy, which is far stronger than aluminum alloy.
The Kirabook will be available for preorder on May 3 and for purchase on May 12 at Amazon, BestBuy’s online site, the Microsoft Store, B&H and Adorama, and direct from Toshiba. Three configurations will be available ranging from $1,599.99 to $1,999.99, featuring Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processors.
Offered in both standard and touch-screen display configurations, Kirabook’s touch-screen models utilize Corning Concore Glass, which offers damage resistance and a 10-point multi-touch surface to navigate the Windows 8 operating system. The notebook also includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11 software.
On the inside, the Kirabook features Toshiba’s AirFlow II technology, a multi-phase fan cooling system, as well as a stabilizing hinge that increases the resilience of the lid when opening and closing the laptop and reduces screen bounce for touch-screen use. A Li-Polymer battery is also included, along with a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) and 8GB of 1600 MHz memory.
The device has a starting weight of 2.6 pounds and stands at 0.7 inches, fitting its 13.3-inch display into a honeycomb-reinforced design, which is applied to key pressure point areas of the device such as the palm rest area to achieve a higher grade of durability and rigidity. With a native resolution of 2560 x 1440, the notebook delivers 221 pixels per inch, which the company claims is a 90-percent increase over standard HD displays.
“At the core of the Kira brand are products derived from inspired engineering,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of marketing for Toshiba America Information Systems’ digital products division. “Products that will carry the KIRA name will be more than a collection of the latest hardware technologies, but a statement of craftsmanship, fit and finish, and features built for the consumer’s benefit, not technology’s sake.”
The notebook also features a complimentary two-year subscription to a custom suite of security products from Symantec, including Norton Internet Security, Norton Anti-Theft and Norton Online Backup, which provides 25GB of online storage. In addition, the device comes standard with Toshiba’s Platinum Service & Support. Customers are offered a two-year warranty, 24/7 phone support, as well as access to dedicated U.S.-based agents, rapid repair, set-up assistance, annual tune-ups and more at no additional cost.