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Anyone remembers Toshiba laptops? Their build quality was top-notch and they were quite durable at the price point they came. Then around 2012-14, they started

by pyeri 2y ago

Anyone remembers Toshiba laptops? Their build quality was top-notch and they were quite durable at the price point they came. Then around 2012-14, they started disappearing from the market, what happened to them?

lifeformed 2y ago
They rebranded to Dynabook I think?
- pyeri 2y ago
  Just Googled and came to know they sold their stake in PC division to another Japanese company called Sharp in 2018, this Sharp then later rebranded as Dynabook. But it no longer has the same traction as original Toshiba, nor is it available on most online ecommerce stores.
  - rvba 2y ago
    Can someone with a background in marketing explain why so many companies drop their recognizable brand names and start using other names, which have lower market penetation? My theory is either mergers/spinoffs.. or someone in markering wants to get a bonus, so they kill the brand. Someone at blizzard wanted to rename battle.net to blizzard app for example
    - ghaff 2y ago
      There are a lot Of reasons, often not good ones, but it’s often the case that the existing brand doesn’t really represent what the company does any longer or is too narrow. Of course it may just be a marketing VP who wants a prestige project on their resume.
    - simne 2y ago
      Cause could be regulations, or some bigger brand strict rules. For example, anti-monopoly regulators looking very formal, when somebody appear to share more than 30% of market, then just turn on prohibitively high taxes. Other example, Nintendo limited number of games published from one brand, so big companies have created daughter companies who formally own some of IP.
      - rvba 2y ago
        And how is changing the brand name supposed to help with that?
        simne 2y ago
        I sure mean not just brand, but other legal entity. Nintendo don't have much spare resources to make through research and to release that those new entities are owned by already known others and these others own more than said.
- Dalewyn 2y ago
  They were always called Dynabooks by Toshiba[1] and still continue to be sold today, but they retreated to only selling in Japan a long time ago and Toshiba ultimately sold the Dynabook brand off to Sharp in 2018 as part of selling off most of their businesses to avoid bankruptcy. For those who aren't aware, Toshiba is the quintessential example of Japanese Exceptionalising Into Failure(tm)[2]. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook_Inc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook_Inc. [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujio_Masuoka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujio_Masuoka
  - Tor3 2y ago
    I still have a Toshiba Dynabook lying around. Big and heavy, but otherwise a fine laptop.
    - dunghill 2y ago
      Got a Dynabook too. It's a tank.
kossTKR 2y ago
There was also the Sony Vaio Laptop line that i remember as being quite a good product? But yeah they all seemed to die out.
- hinkley 2y ago
  Fujitsu lifebook. Smallest laptop with a removable CDROM drive.
- alliao 2y ago
  vaio brand got bought and reincarnated with very uninspiring lineup
agumonkey 2y ago
On a different niche Panasonic with their toughbooks secured a solid spot.
lotsofpulp 2y ago
For me, the MacBook Air happened. My progression was Toshiba Satellite in 1999 and 2002, then HP business line laptop in 2005 and 2008, and then once I tried MacBook Air and I could close the lid without worrying the laptop would stay on and overheat in my backpack, I never went back to Windows. Plus it was lightweight and the battery was the most long lasting. I am guessing businesses using Windows used mostly HP/Dell/Lenovo business line computers because they had extensive same day/next day on site support, so the business Windows market went to them, and lots of personal laptop market went to MacBook Air, leaving an untenable smaller, low margin market for non HP/Dell/Lenovo companies. And then some of that went to smartphones/tablets too. And after SSDs hit the market, technological advancement slowed so a new laptop was not that much better than an old laptop, so you could keep using it for 5+ years easy. I typed this on a 2015 Air.
- rustcleaner 2y ago
  I am not picking on you in particular but want to bring a general point up to readers: Why is it I always read the parent opinion when it comes to laptop shopping, but never the opposite (which is mine): -Bigger -> better -Thicker -> better -Terrible battery life -Desktop CPU and GPU -Blow torch thermal exhaust -Maximum storage and RAM All so I can run lm-studio, having Llama 3 pump out my edgy 4chan shitposts and effortposts for me, within the absolute comfiness of Qubes OS. I couldn't imagine relying on something thin and low powered unless it did very specific things (and, if it can't run Qubes, then it stays offline).
  - fragmede 2y ago
    Because what you've described isn't a laptop but a shitty desktop computer. Laptops that large are heavy, which sucks to travel with. Such a monstrosity isn't convenient to throw into your bag and bring with you everywhere all day. If you're not even using it for graphics, get a desktop, install Tailscale, and remote in for your shitposts. Is the opinion, anyway. Nothing wrong with your opinion (or mine), they're just opinions after all, but if I was on my feet all day in the field and needed a laptop, I'd rather something small and light with a long battery life. If I wanted something luggable, I'd go for a usb-c monitor and as small a desktop chassis as would fit a proper GPU inside of a mobile one. But dealing with the cables for that would get old real quick, so a laptop like you describe would be my pick in those circumstances. Eg my friend's a VJ and performs at random clubs and a gaming laptop like you described is the most appropriate device.
alliao 2y ago
probably get resurrected by some Taiwanese laptop oem/odms
alliao 2y ago
I'm still in love with Panasonic's Let's Note series, still made in japan and very durable

by pyeri 2y ago

lifeformed 2y ago

They rebranded to Dynabook I think?

pyeri 2y ago
Just Googled and came to know they sold their stake in PC division to another Japanese company called Sharp in 2018, this Sharp then later rebranded as Dynabook. But it no longer has the same traction as original Toshiba, nor is it available on most online ecommerce stores.
- rvba 2y ago
  Can someone with a background in marketing explain why so many companies drop their recognizable brand names and start using other names, which have lower market penetation? My theory is either mergers/spinoffs.. or someone in markering wants to get a bonus, so they kill the brand. Someone at blizzard wanted to rename battle.net to blizzard app for example
  - ghaff 2y ago
    There are a lot Of reasons, often not good ones, but it’s often the case that the existing brand doesn’t really represent what the company does any longer or is too narrow. Of course it may just be a marketing VP who wants a prestige project on their resume.
  - simne 2y ago
    Cause could be regulations, or some bigger brand strict rules. For example, anti-monopoly regulators looking very formal, when somebody appear to share more than 30% of market, then just turn on prohibitively high taxes. Other example, Nintendo limited number of games published from one brand, so big companies have created daughter companies who formally own some of IP.
    - rvba 2y ago
      And how is changing the brand name supposed to help with that?
      - simne 2y ago
        I sure mean not just brand, but other legal entity. Nintendo don't have much spare resources to make through research and to release that those new entities are owned by already known others and these others own more than said.
Dalewyn 2y ago
They were always called Dynabooks by Toshiba[1] and still continue to be sold today, but they retreated to only selling in Japan a long time ago and Toshiba ultimately sold the Dynabook brand off to Sharp in 2018 as part of selling off most of their businesses to avoid bankruptcy. For those who aren't aware, Toshiba is the quintessential example of Japanese Exceptionalising Into Failure(tm)[2]. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook_Inc https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook_Inc. [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujio_Masuoka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujio_Masuoka
- Tor3 2y ago
  I still have a Toshiba Dynabook lying around. Big and heavy, but otherwise a fine laptop.
  - dunghill 2y ago
    Got a Dynabook too. It's a tank.

kossTKR 2y ago

There was also the Sony Vaio Laptop line that i remember as being quite a good product? But yeah they all seemed to die out.

hinkley 2y ago
Fujitsu lifebook. Smallest laptop with a removable CDROM drive.
alliao 2y ago
vaio brand got bought and reincarnated with very uninspiring lineup

agumonkey 2y ago

On a different niche Panasonic with their toughbooks secured a solid spot.

lotsofpulp 2y ago

For me, the MacBook Air happened. My progression was Toshiba Satellite in 1999 and 2002, then HP business line laptop in 2005 and 2008, and then once I tried MacBook Air and I could close the lid without worrying the laptop would stay on and overheat in my backpack, I never went back to Windows. Plus it was lightweight and the battery was the most long lasting. I am guessing businesses using Windows used mostly HP/Dell/Lenovo business line computers because they had extensive same day/next day on site support, so the business Windows market went to them, and lots of personal laptop market went to MacBook Air, leaving an untenable smaller, low margin market for non HP/Dell/Lenovo companies. And then some of that went to smartphones/tablets too. And after SSDs hit the market, technological advancement slowed so a new laptop was not that much better than an old laptop, so you could keep using it for 5+ years easy. I typed this on a 2015 Air.

rustcleaner 2y ago
I am not picking on you in particular but want to bring a general point up to readers: Why is it I always read the parent opinion when it comes to laptop shopping, but never the opposite (which is mine): -Bigger -> better -Thicker -> better -Terrible battery life -Desktop CPU and GPU -Blow torch thermal exhaust -Maximum storage and RAM All so I can run lm-studio, having Llama 3 pump out my edgy 4chan shitposts and effortposts for me, within the absolute comfiness of Qubes OS. I couldn't imagine relying on something thin and low powered unless it did very specific things (and, if it can't run Qubes, then it stays offline).
- fragmede 2y ago
  Because what you've described isn't a laptop but a shitty desktop computer. Laptops that large are heavy, which sucks to travel with. Such a monstrosity isn't convenient to throw into your bag and bring with you everywhere all day. If you're not even using it for graphics, get a desktop, install Tailscale, and remote in for your shitposts. Is the opinion, anyway. Nothing wrong with your opinion (or mine), they're just opinions after all, but if I was on my feet all day in the field and needed a laptop, I'd rather something small and light with a long battery life. If I wanted something luggable, I'd go for a usb-c monitor and as small a desktop chassis as would fit a proper GPU inside of a mobile one. But dealing with the cables for that would get old real quick, so a laptop like you describe would be my pick in those circumstances. Eg my friend's a VJ and performs at random clubs and a gaming laptop like you described is the most appropriate device.

alliao 2y ago

probably get resurrected by some Taiwanese laptop oem/odms

alliao 2y ago

I'm still in love with Panasonic's Let's Note series, still made in japan and very durable