In Japan, Toshiba Corp unveiled a new line of notebook computers, claiming that they are the fastest in their class, but in the US, the company is having to slash prices and lay people off. The new models use the 20MHz 80386SX and gas plasma displays instead of those dreadful liquid crystal ones. Prices go from the equivalent of $2,250 and $3,750, and Toshiba looks to sell 70,000 in the first year. By contrast, in the US, it has had to cut production targets and prices because of slumping market conditions – Irvine, California-based Toshiba America Information Systems Inc now plans to turn out 20,000 laptops a month against last years 25,000-a-month target. Prices have been cut 19% to 33% and the subsidiary is cutting 180 jobs, 10% of the total.
