Sony's Clie PEG-VZ90--the world's most expensive Palm?

This may be the exception that proves the rule, but Sony shows that the PDA isn't quite dead yet (at least not in Japan) with their latest, the multimedia PEG-VZ90. The biggest news is that it's the first Palm with an OLED screen, but besides that it also plays back MPEG-4 video and both ATRAC3 and MP3 audio (hallelujah!), includes 802.11b wireless, and has a CF card slot that will take both communications and memory cards, plus the usual MemoryStick slot. The multimedia angle is further emphasized by losing the keyboard (and camera) of the PEG-UX50 in favour of a slide-out console of multimedia controls, and it looks like the preferred use for this one will be to slam in a CF card or Microdrive loaded with video, though you need to encode with the proprietary software (sound familiar?). Also, the pricing point is an awkward (OK, wallet-destroying) ¥95,000 ($870 US), which puts it way above the hard-disk video players coming onto the market.

[Philip @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PEG/PEG-VZ90/index.html

[ventivent @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

FYI, as of this AM, Y95000 is equivalent to about US$ 867.34.

[Ron Mertens @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

This thing has an OLED screen. If anyone has seen one and can comment on the screen quality, I'd be very grateful.

www.ol-ed.com

[juliuss @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Why the hell do people STILL buy Sony? Seriously, their pre-installed proprietary software is always a pain. The quality of their gadgets is usually pretty poor (I know plenty of Vaios that died after a year of regular use). Add to that shady DRM, memory sticks and sky-high prices and I'm left wondering what's wrong with them and people that are still their customers.

I think it's time to admit that Apple is what Sony was in the 90's: the reigning champion of tech design.

[Nick @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

This CLIE, or future CLIEs will not be available in the US or EU, just to be clear

[Pat Horne @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I read that the microdrives for CF slots are not allowed. Still proper encoding (compression) could easily get a quality DVD on the device with a big card.

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Teriffic, Sony... First you overcharge for underperforming PDAs, then you get upset with the non-Japanese world for not buying your products, and withdraw from the market. Then you finally come up with a model with specs and a battery life tha tfolks on this hemisphere would buy, and you keep it in Japan. Way to go...

[Yuex @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Sony once again raises the bar with the new OLED screen PDA. With that 1000:1 contrast ratio I doubt I'd be able to take my eyes off the screen. Their prices always stay high in their high-end devices, but in turn the technology improves more and more with nearly each new model.

[Kel Grajek @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

I would just like to say that I don't think sony sucks. Sony has been around before most of us were born, and have been on top of the electronic realm since day one. When I buy any kind of PDA, Digital camera, portable audio, or any other gadget I buy sony and always have. In fact almost any electronic device across the board I've bought sony, and I know whole families that buy nothing but sony. I have never had any trouble and I've owned many many different devices and know friends that have never had a problem with their VAIO laptop. I have a aunt that has a sony TV in her basement that is twenty two years old and is still working like day one. As far as the proprietary software and etc,sony is keeping themselves unique, who cares if the software requires a little bit more time and effort, I like that because I like to putz with things. If everything worked seamlessly what fun would it be playing with gadgets. Oh and did I metion that Sony's HDD network walkman kicks the crap out of Ipods battery life, size, and fitting more songs on the device in a higher compression that still has a great sound quality. Sony is always constantly improving and releasing things way before other companies or releasing something that kicks the crap out of whats on top as in the case of the Ipod. I will always buy sony and always stick up for sony when some moron does not know the facts.

[tester @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

Hi Ron,
i today have seen one of these little things. Since the software is all japanese and i was only interested in the screen i won't comment on the standard PDA stuff nor on the properiaty software thing (apple by the way is also feeding their i-soaps with a special software isn't it? And does someone really think that especially Sony with a vast business in contents for such a gadget would allow to loose control over that ?).

The screen: The screen is absolutly stunning !
This is by far the best i have ever seen before on any kind of device! It is really as looking into a shrinked large high quality bulb TV screen with virtually no color or contrast shift at any angle! The thing had a short diving video on it and that made me starve for some underwater experiences again.
This screen makes me hope that my old bulb tv lasts long enough until the first OLED screens arrive. I'll be one of the firsts in the que!
And by the way: It's not a trick. It's a SONY.
(never really understood why they gave up that superb phrase!)