Toshiba Wants You To Reach Out and Touch New Satellite M505 and U505

The winds of Windows 7 is blowing across the tech world, and with it comes Toshiba’s unveiling of its first touch-enabled notebooks: The Toshiba Satellite M505-S4990-T ($949, pictured right), and the Toshiba Satellite U505-S2980-T ($1,049). Powered by Windows 7′s built-in multi-touch support, these machines (sporting 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 CPUs, 500GB hard drives, and dedicated media controls)  feature touch not only in their touchpads, but also in their displays (14 inches, and 13.3 inches, respectively).

To make the most of the new technology, Toshiba is also introducing software exclusively on the touch-enabled Satellite M505 and Satellite U505: Toshiba LifeSpace. LifeSpace consists of two free applications, Bulletin Board and Reel Time, which are designed to simplify and personalize your computing experience through the power of touch.

After the jump, we’ll take a look at Bulletin Board and Reel Time, as well as the specs for each notebook.

Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board gives users fast access to day-to-day activities, tasks and projects. You can drag and drop photos, videos, links, documents and applications into one place.  Additionally, you can organize the board by moving, rotating and resizing items  to fit your personal style. Bulletin Board also includes several built in gadgets such as labels, calendars, a clock and a to-do list.

ReelTime

ReelTime helps you locate files based on when they were opened through the use of a touch-enabled visual interface. With the flick of a finger, you can scroll through automatically generated previews of documents, photos, videos, filter by file type, or use the calendar to go back weeks or months.

Intrigued? Here are the specs and pricing for both notebooks:

Toshiba Satellite M505-S4990-T ($949)

• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• 2.2-GHz Intel Coure 2 Duo T6600 CPU
• Intel GMA 4500MHD GPU
• 4GB of RAM (expandable to 8GB)
• 500GB (5,400-rpm) HDD
• Slot-loading DVD SuperMulti drive with Labelflash
• 14-inch (1366 x 768) LED touchscreen display
• Harman Kardon speakers
• Multi-touch touchpad
• Media controls
• ExpressCard/54
• 6-in-1 memory card reader
• VGA and HDMI-CEC
• Three USB 2.0 (one doubles as an eSATA port with Sleep and Charge technology)
• Webcam and mic
• 13.5 x 9.1 x 1.5 inches
• 5.1 pounds
• Fusion Finish with Sonic Pattern in Black Onyx

Toshiba Satellite U505-S2980-T ($1,049)

• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 CPU
• Intel GMA4500MHD GPU
• 4GB of RAM (expandable to 8GB)
• 500GB (5,400-rpm) HDD
• Slot-loading DVD SuperMulti drive with Labelflash
• 13.3-inch (1280 x 800) LCD touchscreen display
• Multi-touch touchpad
• Media control and Eco Utility buttons
• ExpressCard/54
• 6-in-1 memory card reader
• Three USB 2.0 (one doubles as an eSATA port with Sleep and Charge technology)
• Webcam and mic
• VGA and HDMI-CEC
• 12.5 x 9.0 x 1.5 inches
• 4.7 pounds
• Texture Finish in Luxe Brown