Toshiba just gave us a peep at their latest laptop line, harnessing the power of the PS3’s all-powerful Cell processor to make throwing HD video around as easy as flipping open the lid.

The new Qosmio laptops use the Cell to create what Tosh is calling the “Toshiba Quad Core Processor”. It works in partnership with the main processor, to make light work of upscaling standard definition DVDs, as well as opening up tons of clever applications.

As well as upscaling video footage in real time, the graphical grunt of the Cell lets the laptops’ high-resolution webcams analyse pictures to recognise gestures.

Wave a hand, and a video will skip. Hold up a palm and it’ll pause. Use a ‘thumbs up’ gesture and you can control the mouse pointer from across the room. Its reactions are lightening quick, and it’s amazingly accurate.

It’s the next-generation of the facial recognition tech we’ve already spied from Toshiba, you can see a video of that in action here.

It’s also the logical progression for the Cell, which has already made the jump from the PS3 console to Toshiba’s upscaling prototype TVs. Check them out