Toshiba this week unveiled a new line of laptops optimised for video and audio playback that include a "quick-start" feature which gets the notebook ready for television viewing or CD playing in just seconds.

The Qosmio (say it as "koss-mee-oh," says Toshiba) touts a four-in-one multimedia attack, according to the Japanese electronics giant, with integrated TV, audio, DVD recording, and typical PC functions.

Laptops in the Qosmio line include dedicated imaging chips that produce a clearer display than the usual notebook, said Toshiba, as well as other enhancements on both the video and audio sides, ranging from a second backlight in the display -- for a brighter picture -- to a noise reduction filter in the audio system.

To shorten the wait for the laptop to boot, Toshiba's included a player application that runs on Linux -- bypassing the device's Windows operating system -- and can be started in five seconds for TV or DVD viewing, or for listening to CDs. Booting up Windows on a traditional portable can take several minutes, depending on its configuration.

The first in the Qosmio family, the E15-AV101, features a 15-inch display, wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, an integrated TV tuner, an 80GB hard drive, 512MB of memory, and harmon/kardon speakers. It will go on sale in Japan, France, Germany, the UK, and the US next month at a starting price of US$2,699.