“One of the most popular designs by the Earth Industries Conglomerate, the turbolaser cannon is a cheap, powerful, and reliable weapon.”

The name “Turbolaser” is of course a reference from Star Wars, one of the most worldwide-famous sci-fi fantasy movies.
In the Transcendence universe, this weapon is manufactured by Earth Industries, and only slightly heavier and more powerful than the standard laser cannon.
While the energy output itself is more than twice as powerful, the increased power consumption and slower fire rate makes this weapon a rather awkward choice.

About the weapon in Star Wars, see http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Turbolaser