NetbookTech

Sony launched a new eco-friendly line of VAIO W netbooks at CES 2010 known as the VAIO W Series 212AX Eco Edition series. What makes these netbooks particularly green you might ask? First off, the netbook features a chassis made up of approximately 23 percent recycled CDs. Yup – CDs. Secondly, the system comes with a stylish reusable carrying case made of recycled PET bottles (material used in plastic bottles). Finally, there’s no printed materials here – the 76 page manual is all electronic.

In addition to being eco-friendly, the new W Series eco-friendly mini-notebook is also kid-friendly thanks built-in parental controls, KidZui web browser, and online family Norton software. KidZui is a web browser, search engine, and online playground for kids ages 3 to 12 with online content reviewed by parents and teachers.

The VAIO W specs are as follows:

• Intel Atom N450 processor clocked at 1.66GHz
• 250GB hard drive
• 1GB RAM
• 82 key QWERTY keyboard with 1.2 mm stroke and 16.05 mm pitch
• Built-in MOTION EYE camera and microphone
• Electro-static touch-pad
• Memory Stick PRO (Standard/Duo) media slot with MagicGate functionality
• ExpressCard/34 slot
• Wi-Fi Atheros 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth
• Optional Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband
• 10.1 inch 1366 x 768 resolution LED backlit display
• Intel HD audio system
• Intel GMA 3150 graphics
• Windows 7 Starter Edition
• Measures 10.54 x 2.01 x 7.07 inches and weighs 2.96 lbs

Pre-sales are now available at the Sony Style website here – www.sony.com/pr/wseries

Here are official press release pictures:

Sony’s finally come to their senses with the announcement of the new VAIO W Series mini-notebook lineup. Available in three colors (berry pink, sugar white, and cocoa brown), the W Series comes with a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 – easily breaking the standard mold used in nearly all other 10.1 inch netbooks out there. 

Other notable features of the W series include a keyboard with “springy and responsive keys”; loads of “greenness” thanks to  ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliance, EPEAT Gold registered and a mercury-free LED backlit LCD display; and multimedia streaming to DLNA enabled devices thanks to VAIO Media plus Multimedia Streaming software.

Sounds fine and dandy right? Well there’s a downer and it’s pretty lame if you ask us. The standard battery that comes with the W Series has an estimated battery life of get this.. 2 hours. Yup. Two hours. You’d think that after studying the market for so long, Sony would get something like the battery right on the first (or really second) try. Oh well..

Here’s the rest of the specs:

• Intel Atom N280 processor (tho it’s not explicitly stated. Sony says “Intel Processor 1.66GHz. We read that as Intel Atom N280).
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM
• 160GB HDD
• QWERTY keyboard – 86 keys with 1.2 mm stroke and 16.5 mm pitch
• Built-in MOTION EYE Camera and microphone
• Electro-static touch pad
• Memory Stick PRO Duo with MagicGate functionality
• SD memory card slot
• Atheros 802.11 b/g/n
• Integrated Stereo A2DP Bluetooth
• 10.1 inch 1366 x 768 resolution LED backlit XBRITE-ECO LCD display
• Intel HD Audio
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• 2 USB 2.0 ports
• Windows XP Home

You can pre-order the Sony VAIO W Series now for $499.99. Expect them to hit the stores by next month. The question is – with a mere 2 hour battery life, does anyone really care about the Sony VAIO W?

[Check it out]

If you’ve got an urge to splurge then you might be interested in Sony’s new limited edition VAIO Signature Collection P Series system – the VGN-P699E/Q Lifestyle PC. Priced at $1999.99 with only 1000 units available, the Limited Edition P Series features:

• 1.86GHz Intel Processor
• Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit
• 8 inch XBRITE-ECO LED backlit LCD display with 1600 x 768 resolution
• 2GB RAM
• 256GB Solid State Drive
• Built-in Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband
• GPS
• Built-in MOTION EYE camera and microphone
• QWERTY keyboard
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
• Weighs 1.4 lbs
• 4 hour standard capacity lithium ion battery

So.. if you’ve got two grand to spare, then feel free to pre-order the Signature Collection P Series netbook.. err.. Lifestyle PC over at SonyStyle. The system will be available starting around July 17th, 2009.

[Check it out]

Here’s another interesting tidbit from the folks at Sony Insider – Sony Japan will soon begin to offer a Windows XP model of the Sony VAIO P known as VGN-P50 (guess Sony got the hint when the reviews weren’t all that spectacular for the VAIO P and its use of Vista).

The new model will also be available in several new colors including Garnet Red, Crystal White, and Peridot, and Gold. Specs to VGN-P50 include:

• Windows XP SP3
• Intel Atom Z520 1.33GHz processor
• 8 inch display
• 1GB RAM
• 80GB HDD
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.1

The new model should be hitting the Japanese shores around June 6th for a price of Y85,000 (approximately $900 dollars).

[Check it out via Sony Insider]

Could SonyStyle Japan be providing a sneak peek into what the Sony VAIO P will look like this fall here in the U.S.? The website is now offering new options for the slim VAIO P including a new 2GHz Intel Atom Z550 processor as well as a 256GB Solid State Drive option – all in a new model known as the VGN-P91. It does appear that everything else remains the same including the 2GB of RAM, the Intel GMA 950 graphics, and the use of Windows Vista. Will a 2GHz Atom processor change impressions of the VAIO P? Too early to tell but you can be sure the system will still be expensive.

But remember – don’t call this a netbook!

[Check it out via Sony Insider]

[Reprinted from Krunker.com] Sony announced today that Qualcomm’s Gobi mobile Internet technology will be coming to select VAIO notebook systems. Devices with the Gobi chipset can connect to a wide variety of high speed mobile broadband services all around the world – basically wherever you can make a mobile phone call, you’ll be able to access the Internet (of course it’ll cost ya to connect to the service provider). The beauty of having Gobi embedded in the notebook? There’s no need for external dongle devices when you’re not in range of a Wi-Fi hotspot – everything is built right into the notebook and it’s optimized for battery, radio, and throughput performance.

Sony will initially unveil Gobi technology in three ultra-portable models – the VAIO Z, TT, and the new P series. Expect variations by region also.

[Check it out]

Still considering a Sony VAIO P Lifestyle PC? Check out the latest review of this small system courtesy of the folks at the Guardian UK. Here’s what they had to say:

“It all takes me back to the Sony C1 subnotebook, which I reviewed here in 2000. That also had a letterbox screen, and was let down by a horribly slow Transmeta processor. The Vaio P repeats too many of the same mistakes.”

Now that the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE is available for pre-order, it seems like a good idea to see what this new system is all about. Several early looks are now rolling onto the net. The first one comes from Computer Shopper who had this to say:

“The Asus Eee PC 1000HE doesn’t mess with success, it just tweaks it. This updated $400 netbook builds on the design of the popular Eee PC 1000H by improving the keyboard (good-bye, misplaced right-Shift key!) and offering enhanced battery life and a mild performance boost.”

The second quick look comes from the folks at LaptopMag who had this to say:

“The keyboard on the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE is what we have been hoping to see from the netbook leader for months now and gives it an edge in the now very crowded market. While we aren’t convinced that the new Intel Atom N280 processor adds much in terms of performance value, we are looking forward to running more benchmarks and testing the standard 8700mAH 6-cell battery, which ASUS’ claims will notch over 8 hours of battery life. “

Yeah it’s about what we suspected. Don’t expect much of an improvement with the new Atom processor (N280) but if you’re holding out for a better keyboard and battery life then it makes a good deal of sense to consider the 1000HE – especially if the price is an affordable $374 like it is at Amazon.

LaptopMag also published a full on review of the Lenovo IdeaPad S10e – the educational version of the popular S10 netbook. Here’s what they have to say:

“The Lenovo IdeaPad S10e (starting at $379) is a good netbook that combines an attractive design and relatively fast hard drive with a compelling instant-on OS. We could do with less noise and a higher screen resolution, but otherwise we were happy with its performance. Parents and education buyers should still consider the CTL 2Go Convertible Classmate PC ($499) for younger students, but for students on the latter end of the K–12 spectrum, the $70 cheaper S10e is the way to go.”

And that’s  a wrap! Enjoy!

If you happen to be in New York City over the next several weeks, there’s a chance you might come across 10 mannequins located in high traffic areas of the city. These mannequins will not only be fashionably dressed (wearing design from brands such as threeASFOUR, Elise Overland, Katy Rodriguez, and Libertine) but they’ll also be carrying the new VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC.

Yes folks – this is indeed Sony’s new marketing campaign for the VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC. Sony is trying to attribute this high priced netbook.. err Lifestyle PC as the perfect accessory for the fashion conscious. I mean.. seriously, if you’re all dressed up for a night on the town, don’t you want to carry a full blown PC in your purse?

What.. you don’t?

In any case, if you really want to catch these mannequins in action (ha.. I couldn’t help myself there), you can find out where they’re at by visiting www.sony.com/golightly or what they’re up to by checking out their Facebook profiles. (OMG.. yes they each will have their own Facebook profile – *shakes head*). This marketing campaign will continue until February 14th.

[Check it out]

In case you missed these reviews as they popped up on the net, here’s a quick roundup of the latest netbook reviews from the last several days and weeks. Enjoy!

First up, PC Magazine recently reviewed the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 netbook here on their site. Here’s what they thought of the unit (and yes, the hard drive is rather pokey at 4200 RPM):

“Sure, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is expensive relative to other netbooks, but it’s the only one with a 12-inch screen.”

Actually no.. there’s also the ASUS S121 and an upcoming MSI 12 incher too..

Now if you’re looking at the smaller brother – the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, the folks at the Tech Lounge have published a review of the unit here. Here’s what they thought of the Mini 9:

“The Dell mini 9 might not be exactly what you’re looking for – maybe you want a netbook with a much bigger, standard spindle-based hard drive, or you don’t want to pay as much. But if the Dell mini 9 fits what you want, go for it!”

Dell, of course, isn’t the only big name manufacturer in the netbook game. HP entered the fray well before Dell with the Mini 2133 and now has a complete line of 10 inch netbooks known collectively as the Mini 1000. The latest Mini 1000 – the Mini 1000 Mi (Mobile Internet) with Linux has been given the review treatment over at NotebookReview.com. Here’s a snippet from the article:

“HP’s Mini Mi has been an eye-opener for me. This isn’t because the Mini Mi is a perfect product, clearly it’s not. The lesson I am taking away from this review is how friendly/easy/awesome Linux and specifically Ubuntu can be when a PC maker puts some sweat equity into it.”

After reading the article, it’s pretty evident that the HP-developed user interface for Linux is rocking (although simplistic). I felt the same way when I played with the demo unit at CES 2009 – the interface provides easy access to the basic everyday activities of most casual users out there and hides the potential complexities of Linux quite nicely. Unfortunately the unit comes with a small 8GB SSD and there’s no option to get the 1000 Mi with a hard drive without going with Windows XP. Boo…

Lenovo’s IdeaPad S10e get a look over at vnunet.com. The S10e is basically an education oriented version of the popular S10 which has been available since late ‘08. Here’s what they thought of the S10e:

“The IdeaPad S10e stands out from the netbook crowd thanks to its build quality, and some useful extras such as Quick Start and Rescue and Recovery to help users get their system up and running again if problems should occur.

However, the standard three-cell battery pack will typically provide only a couple of hours’ use so, although the IdeaPad is capable of running Office applications, buyers will probably need to add a larger battery pack to make it a serious mobile tool.“

We are of course users of the S10 netbook here at NetbookTech – as well as the Samsung NC10 and the Acer Aspire One – all of which will get a review treatment soon – I promise!  But I digress – the S10 sorely needs to have the six cell battery BE the default battery available. The 3 cell is just too weak for all day computing.

The folks at LaptopMag managed to get some hands-on time with the newly announced Archos 10 netbook. What makes this $399 netbook stand apart from the rest is the inclusion of a vast array of software applications – including media content as well as productivity software. Here’s a snippet from the article:

“With a $50 coupon to its Media Club store and preloaded software like its V-Tuner, the Archos 10 may be the first netbook that hits the market that really takes aim at the multimedia maven, or more pessimistically, the bloatware lover.”

And finally, we have another review of that new Sony VAIO P Lifestyle PC system – this time by the folks at the PC World (via WashingtonPost.com). Here’s the verdict on this expensive wonder:

“So, is this thing a netbook? Sure, this seems like some spiritual descendant of Toshiba’s Libretto (raise your hand if you remember that classic). But no matter how much you protest, Sony, how can you not consider this a netbook-class computer? It’s roughly the size of a netbook and performs like a netbook. And that’s the problem in a nutshell. Considering the price, it’s got to do more than just be small. On the other hand, it sure looks sweet.”

We totally agree…

Here’s another review of the new Sony VAIO P Lifestyle PC – this time it’s from the folks at SlashGear who played around with a pre-production model for roughly two weeks. Here are a couple of tidbits from the review:

• There’s nothing you can really upgrade on the device – the 2GB of memory is basically “soldered to the mainboard”
• There’s a proprietary port for attaching a dongle which provides the Ethernet port and VGA port
• Keyboard is “surprisingly usable”
• Trackpoint is “pleasant and essential change”
• Built-in speakers are “awful” so bring along a headset if you want to listen to audio
• Screen is beautiful but text under 10-12 point in size “can prove troublesome to read”
• 1.33GHz Intel Atom “is a disappointment” (though apparently there’s a 1.86GHz Atom processor option available outside of the U.S. ?)
• Some minor issues with EV-DO and Windows Vista

In summary, SlashGear had this to say:

“Until Sony begin to offer the same 1.86GHz Atom CPU option in the US as they do elsewhere, the VAIO P will always be a case of beauty above brains.  For some, that will be a trade-off they’re willing to make, and they’ll settle for the merely average battery life and learn not to try anything too arduous that might stress the processor.  For everyone else, it could be a case of waiting on VAIO P take-two”

You can read the entire review by going to SlashGear’s website here.