Filed under: Laptops

It’s not too often we get to toy around with a $4,449.99 laptop (these start at around $2,000), but that’s precisely what we were able to do when Sony’s packed-to-the-hilt VAIO TT (VGN-TT198U to be precise) arrived on our doorstop. The model we received included dual 128GB SSDs, a Blu-ray writer, 11.1-inch LED-backlit display, HDMI output, built-in MOTION EYE webcam, 802.11n WiFi, a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Bluetooth and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. The 2.87-pound unit is essentially a huge thumb of the nose to netbooks everywhere, boasting a frame that’s in the same ballpark (in terms of size) with innards and a price tag that contrast sharply. For those just interested in seeing what south of five large can buy you these days, head on down to the gallery below; if you’re actually considering one of these puppies, hop on the past the break for a few impressions.

Continue reading Sony VAIO TT: unboxing, hands-on and impressions

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Filed under: Laptops

Time to face the music, folks — 18.4-inches is the new 17-inch. Sony’s recently unveiled VAIO AW is undoubtedly going toe-to-toe with HP’s new HDX 18t, and while both will garner all sorts of stares from onlookers, it appears that the VGN-AW190 may have an edge in terms of extras. For starters, this unit’s Adobe RGB-compatible display will be mighty impressive to those who dabble in photos to make ends meet, and the included RAM, CPU and Blu-ray drive were all smiled upon. Strangely enough, Sony tossed in a pathetically slow 4,200RPM hard drive to put a damper on overall performance, but that — along with the $3k+ sticker — was the only real weak spot. Overall, critics found that this machine would likely suit graphic designers and photographers quite well, but the average joe / jane may not appreciate the pricey extras enough to make it worthwhile.

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Filed under: Laptops

Continue reading Sony’s Vaio TT gets dissected, found to contain small components

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Filed under: Laptops

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Filed under: Displays, Laptops, Storage

In a move to pump up the impending theater debut of Quantum of Solace, Sony is simultaneously opening up a new promotional game and introducing a few new pieces of limited edition gear. Obviously, we’re a touch more concerned with the kit than the game, so we’ll skip over those details and head right to the meat of it. The outfit will be offering up 100 limited run VAIO TT laptops that are emblazoned with a 007 logo on the palm rest and a matching leather protection case. Additionally, a Special Edition Bond bundle for the Reader Digital Book will feature an embossed cover with a 007 logo and coupon codes for free downloads of Ian Fleming’s novels Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Lastly, we’ve got the 007 USB Micro Vault in 8GB and 16GB flavors, both of which come pre-loaded with the Quantum of Solace trailer and other miscellaneous “bonus content.” Wild guesses as to price / release dates are being accepted now.

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Filed under: Handhelds

The last VAIO UMPC mod we saw swapped out the UX280 CPU for a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U7600, but this new UX490 tweak beats the pants off that by a long shot. According to “computercowboy,” a forum member on Micro PC Talk, he’s managed to push his handheld to a 45,999 score in Crystal Mark, easily besting the UX280’s 30,069. The swap of this CPU into the UX280 results in radically higher FPU and ALU figures, making it the “fastest UX in the world” — or so says the modder. Now it’s only a matter of time before someone comes along and overclocks this thing, a move which will undoubtedly result in badly singed hands and a melted VAIO — don’t say we didn’t warn you!

[Via UMPC Portal]

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It’s crazy to think, but October is merely days away. That also means that Breast Cancer Awareness month is just around the bend, and Sony’s being ultra proactive by announcing two new pink laptop bundles to support breast cancer research. First up is the Cosmopolitan Pink VAIO CR pack, which features a 14.1-inch LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, Core 2 Duo CPU, Bluetooth, a built-in DVD burner and a matching case / mouse. If that’s a tad large and / or underpowered for your tastes, you can check the Glossy Pink VAIO SR, a 4-pound rig with a 13.3-inch LED backlit display, up to 320GB of HDD space and a “Switch” mode that gives users the ability to toggle between high performance and power saving modes on the fly. The two bundles start at $870 and $1,399, respectively, though you can CTO them both ’til your wallet cries uncle.

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Filed under: Desktops, Media PCs

After spending a bit of time with Sony’s new all-in-one desktop lineup at CEDIA 2008, it was easy to recognize that some serious thought went into the design. CNET was able to corral one of the lower-end JS units, the VAIO VGC-JS190J to be specific, and took the time to determine whether the innards were as delightful as the exterior. Overall, critics found that it was the “best deal” going on an all-in-one desktop with an inbuilt Blu-ray drive, and amazingly, they found it “relatively free of software clutter.” Furthermore, they yearned for more screen space than just 20-inches when watching those BD flicks, but outside of that, they found that “no other all-in-one, including Apple’s iMac, could do as much, as fast, for the same price.” Sounds like a winner, no?

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Filed under: Laptops

It took a few days hours longer than expected, but Sony’s VAIO TT is here. And it’s sexy. This 11.1-inch beauty features a sub-1-inch thick, 2.87-pound chassis made from carbon-fiber, and Sony claims it’s the lightest notebook on the planet to pack Blu-ray capabilities. Arriving in a variety of configurations, the VAIO TT is available with an XBRITE-DuraView LCD, Intel’s Centrino 2 technology, an HDMI output, dual channel 256GB (128GB x 2) SSD setup with RAID, Sprint WWAN (EV-DO Rev. A) and Windows Vista running the show. The Fall-bound TT — which will arrive in premium carbon black, silk black, champagne gold and crimson red outfits — will start at around two large, with the Blu-ray model going for $2,700 and the SSD edition demanding $2,750. There’s no direct mention of a battery life figure, which scares us just a tad, but you can dig into the full release just after the break.

Continue reading Sony’s 11-inch VAIO TT: world’s lightest Blu-ray laptop

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Filed under: Laptops

Well, the VAIO TT didn’t make its rumored appearance today, but specs for the TZ replacement showed up on Sony’s VAIO Adviser tool, and things are looking good — particularly the top-of-the-line VGN-TT190UBX, which sports a 1.4GHz SU9400 Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM, Blu-ray burner, HDMI out and 128GBx2 RAID SSD storage in a 2.87-pound package. Yeah, we’ll take three. The other configs aren’t quite as smoking hot, but you’re looking at 11.1-inch screens, 160GB hard drives, 1.2GHz SU9300 Core 2 Duo processors, and Vista Home Premium all the way around. Too bad we don’t have prices, pictures, or release dates yet, but we’re guessing we’ll find out lots more soon.

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Filed under: Laptops

Sony’s recent netbook angst doesn’t seem to be slowing the spate of VAIO updates we’ve been seeing lately — word on the street is that we’ll be seeing the new VAIO TT replace the super-hot VAIO TZ on Monday. There’s not much to go on other than some FCC docs which confirm WiFi, Bluetooth and an EV-DO option, but expect the same 11.1-inch screen as the TZ. Now the real question — does anyone want Monday to actually get here?

Read - Sony Insider post
Read - FCC docs [PDF]

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Filed under: Laptops

With Toshiba and Samsung entering the netbook fray soon, there aren’t many laptop manufacturers left on the benches. Sony and Apple are the biggest holdouts, and while the House of Jobs probably thinks you should stop being cheap and just pony up for a MacBook Air already, Sony at least seems to be on the verge of adding something affordable to its line of performance ultraportables. At a recent press event, Mike Abary, Sony’s Senior VP of Information Technology Products, was asked about netbooks and said: “Sony has to participate because consumers are our core competency. We have to participate.” That’s quite a change from his stance earlier this year, in which he called netbooks “a race to the bottom,” a reluctance now being spun as “letting the pioneers in the market make the mistakes.” Regardless, a mini-Vaio should make every budget-conscious Sony fan happy — all three of you.

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Filed under: Laptops

Sony’s string of new VAIOs continues today with the NS series, slick little numbers that can be ordered with a Blu-ray drive under that magic $1000 price point. The 15.4-inch laptops come in blue silver and white and all run Vista Home Premium with special Sony media features on 2GHz T5800 Core 2 Duo processors and integrated X4500 graphics, with prices starting at $650 for 3GB of RAM and a 250GB drive. Release date is unclear, but Sony’s got them up on its web site, so we’re guessing it’ll be soon.

[Via Electronista]

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Filed under: Laptops

It’s not everyday that you see an 18.4-inch laptop. Then again, Sony (nor anyone else) doesn’t rollout too many Full HD laptops targeting photographers and videographers. The VAIO type A features an LED backlit 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 2.53GHz T9400 Core 2 Duo, Blu-ray burner, up to 4GB of memory and 2x 250GB of disk (plus 1x eSATA jack for more), an increasingly rare Firewire jack for your camcorder, 3x USB 2.0, and a high-speed UDMA-enabled CF slot for quick image transfers off your DSLR’s CompactFlash card. As Sony’s newest media flagship, we’re also looking at HDMI-out, 802.11n WiFi, GeForce 9600M GT graphics, and a full suite of included image and video editing software from Adobe. All this in a relatively hefty 3.9-kg (8.6-pounds) rig. Although, with just 2-hours of battery you’ll want to spring for the optional 3-hour add-on. Priced at around ¥320,000 (about $3,000) when these hit the streets of Japan at the end of the month. Two more shots after the break.

Continue reading Sony’s 18.4-inch Type A VAIO for Type A photog personalities

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Filed under: Laptops, Peripherals, Wireless

Lookin’ a USB docking station for your VAIO (or other machine)? Look no further than the VAIO-branded VGP-UPR1, which is compatible with a whole alphabet worth of Sony’s laptops. The unit boasts a VGA / DVI port, four USB sockets, an Ethernet jack and headphone / microphone connectors; furthermore, it supports resolutions up to 1,600 x 1,200, and of course, DisplayLink’s USB graphics technology. Not too terribly painful at $199.99, and it’s out now for folks in the US, EU and Japan.

[Via CNET]

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Filed under: Laptops

Look Sony, nobody’s rooting for your recovery more than your pals at Engadget. But seriously, two major recalls — first the $200+ million battery fiasco now 440,000 VAIOs — in two years? No wonder your stock is at a 3-year low.

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Filed under: Laptops

Look Sony, nobody’s rooting for your recovery more than your pals at Engadget. But seriously, two major recalls — first the $200+ million battery fiasco now 440,000 VAIOs — in two years? No wonder your stock is at a 3-year low.

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Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays

Sony’s VAIO CP1 looked mighty sexy in the press shots, but trust us when we say it’s even more stunning in person. We still think it’s overpriced at $300, but this WiFi-enabled frame was showing off all of its sides (RSS reader, split-screen Picasa viewing, music player) at CEDIA. Take a look at this fine piece of technological goodness in the gallery below.

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Rather than taking the circular approach, Sony’s choosing more traditional design models to follow with its latest trio of all-in-one PCs. As you can see in the gallery over at Engadget HD, the larger of the two were actually mounted up on swing-arms in the outfit’s CEDIA booth, essentially acting as monitors for watching TV / playing PS3. The small guy didn’t do a whole lot for us, but the two hung up on the wall were pretty svelte. See for yourself, won’t you?

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Filed under: Laptops

Own a Sony VAIO TZ? Well, we hate to be the bearers of bad news but your TZ is likely infected by a possibly dangerous manufacturing boo boo. As such, all VAIO TZ models sold between May 2007 and July 2008 are subject to overheating (unrelated to the Lithium Ion battery, mind you) and eligible for free repair. So far, the announcement only covers Japan, we have yet to see any announcements for the rest of world. However, we do have a reader tip saying that US-based Micro Center stores have pulled all the VAIO TZs from its shelves. We’ll update you with US and European support information just as soon as it’s available. For now, check the Japanese machine translated models listed after the break.

Update: And here we have it, the official statement of voluntary recall for the US. 73,000 VAIO TZs — VAIO VGN-TZ100 series, VGN-TZ200 series, VGN-TZ300 series and VGN-TZ2000 series sold between July 2007 and August 2008 — are affected after 15 reports of overheating resulting in one consumer who suffered a minor burn. Full notice after the break.

[Via Impress, thanks BigDaddyM]

Continue reading Sony recalling VAIO TZ models due to overheating risk (Update: now official for US)

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