Sony gets official on new Vaio UX Micro PC

Just don't call it a UMPC. Like the "we don't need no stinkin' WMCE" days of yore, Sony is launching into a new market segment with little regard for the generally accepted Microsoft or Intel standards. They have just announced their new Vaio UX Micro PC, which seems more akin to an OQO device than a UMPC. For starters, this unit obviously has a hardware keyboard, which doesn't seem that bad of decision given the difficulty of using current-gen UMPC keyboards. The UX is also powered by a full on Core Solo processor (don't ask us how they got it in there), and runs Windows XP Professional. As rumored, the device also includes Bluetooth, WiFi, WWAN (EDGE connectivity) and a fingerprint reader. Along with the front camera for video conferencing, there is a camera in the rear for snapping pics, and the UX also can plug into a VGA adapter for powering an external monitor. The 4.5-inch screen is capable of a 800 x 600 resolution and accepts stylus input. We're not sure if the UX has another pointer device, but the unit can be docked to allow for desktop use, including VGA, Ethernet, IEEE-1394, three USB 2.0 ports and AV out, so you can use a regular mouse in those situations. We wish Sony would mention their battery life predictions for this mini beast, but they did let us know that the UX will be out in July for around $1800.

[Thanks, Stan]

[brandlore @ May 16th 2006 1:23AM]

that is sexy

[diulei @ May 16th 2006 1:26AM]

Nice. I wouldn't mind having one for the car.

[yosh @ May 16th 2006 1:27AM]

Beautiful.
The price? Not so much.

What's the HDD capacity?

[Steve @ May 16th 2006 1:31AM]

"We're not sure if the UX has another pointer device,..."

The square-shaped nub on the upper right-hand side is the pointer. The two upper-left most buttons are the mouse buttons; the big one on top is the left button, the small one on the bottom is the right button. It's the same as all Sony U UMPCs of the past (including the mini-laptop form factor ones that never made it to the US through official channels).

[Veniogenesis @ May 16th 2006 1:34AM]

Everything sounded really awesome.


Until the last sentence. Haha.

[Steve @ May 16th 2006 1:34AM]

http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/PCOM/PCG-U1/Images/wallpaper_pop_03.jpg

The original VAIO U1

[Ryan @ May 16th 2006 1:49AM]

If this is designed to the same standard as the cli�, you should be able to slide open the screen about 50 times before it breaks.

[Sasha S. @ May 16th 2006 1:57AM]

Man, I would just LOVE to install OSX on this baby! Drivers would be the problem - but what a kick ass portable this would make. Anyone share my opinnion?

[jorellh @ May 16th 2006 1:57AM]

Reminds me of my Cli� UX-50. Jack of all trades, master of none.

[Shmoe @ May 16th 2006 2:04AM]

Not bad for a sony product. But what's up with that antenna sticking up there like a sore thumb. I can see that breaking off easily.

[Jin Kim @ May 16th 2006 2:04AM]

I'm not sure you guys have the resolution right. That screen looks like it's wide and 800x600 isn't wide. I'll bet it's 800x480. Looks like this will kick down all of those UMPCs...

[OOps @ May 16th 2006 2:05AM]

Sasha, I couldnt agree more. The first thing I did after I saw it was check OSX86project for any similar hardware. Time to save up!

[Brian @ May 16th 2006 2:06AM]

I have been looking at a Tablet PC to show demos to clients while on the road. Most of my work is Flash based, so I have actually been looking for something that is smaller and has a lower-resolution. After all, a 500x400 or even a 600x500 flash interface can look pretty dorky on a 1280x1024 screen.

If it were not for the price, this would be about the perfect portable sales tool for when I am rushing to various meetings on the tradeshow booth. And, of course, battery life + video card horsepower is not mentioned. I wonder what those will be.

[Turi @ May 16th 2006 2:13AM]

The new Sony U series can now be found on the SonyStyle Japan Site:

http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Style-a/Product/U/index.html

A nice new unit, but the screen is smaller than the old Sony U series, which I find disappointing:

http://kemplar.com/sony_u71p.php

A clamshell design would have been more welcome.

[Kouhai @ Apr 27th 2008 12:22AM]

umm...I saw the compare video, and the one that was faster...What is it called? I know it's Sony Vaio UX, but what model? Can you please tell me?

[ken @ May 16th 2006 2:16AM]

it's 1024x600, boys.
HDD is 30 Gigs

Just checked out the Japanese site

[Julian Bond @ May 16th 2006 2:56AM]

"HDD is 30 Gigs" Which is not enough by the time you've got XP in there.

Which means it's a 1.8" disk. So the first thing you'd do is upgrade to 60Gb, except it might not fit due to the dual platter and thicker case.

Where, oh where, are the perpendicular recording dual platter 1.8" drives? Device manufacturers are moving down from 2.5" disks but the 1.8" drives seem to be stuck at a lower capacity level which just isn't big enough. There's a storage gap there.

[Muamer @ May 16th 2006 3:05AM]

Why is it that there is an entenna on the picture above, but there is none on the japanese website. I don't know, it's just interesting.

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/UX1/Images/feat2_lead.jpg

[BiG? @ May 16th 2006 3:11AM]

Ooooooohhhhhh....tell me Apple releases something like this real soon...this is the first mini-pc I've actually found vaguely smart. I'd always liked the idea (before bootcamp that is) of owning a Vaio to compliment my PowerBook...

[cobalt @ May 16th 2006 3:27AM]

Compared to similar devices, this "UMPC" has an unusually high processing speed and small size for the stated battery life of 3 to 8 hours. I think this represents the important turning point that will make people understand the viability of the UMPC. The price is competitive; no one is complaining that it's not $500 to $900. Partly because Sony has set up a certain reputation for itself, and partly because Microsoft didn't tell you it would be cheaper. But mostly because the functional specs is hitting a sweet spot of power, battery life, connectivity, and portability.

My assesment:
- extendable antenna
- looks to me like a futuristic communicator, like something you'd keep on your desk (think Star Trek minus spandex)
- will have a set of Sony multimedia apps with full screen touch optimized controls
- will function well as a communicator (email, IM, VOIP, video chat), blogger (esp. with two cameras), browser, rss reader, PMP, and e-reader
- car and plane use will benefit from brighter screen
- can replace a notebook for casual traveling and vacationing and in some ways will be superior: easier to use in airports and hotels, can sync with BT phone, etc.
- HD size is way too small for a lot of people
- in an area with city-wide wifi, the small size and screen dimensions become a big advantage.

However, 1024x600 is a little bit of an awkward resolution for certain applications.

[Sam @ May 16th 2006 3:57AM]

Full stats here.

http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=ja_en&trurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.vaio.sony.co.jp%2fProducts%2fUX1%2fspec_ownermade.html

[ken @ May 16th 2006 3:57AM]

They simultaneously annouced the Hard-Drive-LESS version with a 16GB (!)NAND Flash Memory.

Saw on a Japanese news site
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0605/16/news036.html

says it's going to be more expensive, but the access speed and increased battery life (by how much I wonder) will be a plus.

See, this is Sony I used to like (sigh...)

[DinnyHoon @ May 16th 2006 4:03AM]

ah, the days when even the coolest, most powerful vaio media centres came with just XP home...

[Sam @ May 16th 2006 4:11AM]

Couple of movies of it in action.

http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Style-a/Special/U/Movie/index.html

[xumdeo @ May 16th 2006 4:13AM]

i think it's ~500USD cheaper if u buy it in japan...

you can also upgrade the processor to 1.2Ghz solo core (with money, of course) at sonystyle jp

[elliot @ May 16th 2006 4:42AM]

The thing that all these UMPC makers are missing is that this needs to be cheap enough to be a secondary device, for use on the road. Think most people rather have an underpowered cheap device that I can sync up at home than a sub-pc that costs more than our real computers... Cause really, it's not like laptops are incovenient beasts of devices. If I had $1800 dollars, I'd by a Macbook Pro for the road, and I wouldn't be wishing I had a smaller device. However, say I only have $500 and want something between a pocket pc and a laptop, price wise? That's where the UMPC market should be aiming.

[oh my eyes! @ May 16th 2006 4:49AM]

4.5 inch screen? 800 x 600? Come on! Have you tried using a 4inch screen at 640 x 480? It's next to impossible for a normal person. The only people able to use one of these are geeky adolescents, and obviously Apple fanboys. That's if their parents will buy them one.

[Jan @ May 16th 2006 5:03AM]

I think it is interesting they are already offering the extended battery. The way it is designed is also quite good I believe. It will make the UX easier to carry (just like the grip on a SLR camera).

http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Style-a/Special/U/Movie/movie.html?param=16

About the resolution. I think it is great they are offering a high resolution. This will be a perfect picture tank as well as all the other umpc stuff. If you need bigger text, just use the magnifier buttons. Watch the movies!

[Jan @ May 16th 2006 5:09AM]

OK, just saw another movie. They are also offering compact flash type 2! It really will be the perfect picture tank for my D70. No more laptops on a holiday! This will be a great eBook reader/picture tank/surfing/mailing/media player/do everything device. Hopefully build quality is ok...

[renttu @ May 16th 2006 5:11AM]

A bit ugly, clumsy and way too expensive.

[elliot @ May 16th 2006 5:15AM]

Holy lord, has anyone watched the video of him typing? It's a thumb keyboard, and the keys look like they're about the size of peas, and barely raised. I can't imagine this is going to be fun for the big hand crowd.

[TZK @ May 16th 2006 5:59AM]

That antenna is just stupid looking on that thing. Its killing me! Oh, and the price is too. EDGE?

Get the hell outta here.

[Scpopo @ May 16th 2006 6:10AM]

Man, if the videos are anything even close, I gotta get one!

[Martin Woodward @ May 16th 2006 6:27AM]

Standard battery life is a whopping 2.5-4.5 hours hours according to the US Sony Store Spec:-

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=VGNUX180P

Ouch. That's kinda a killer flaw for this kind of device is it not?

[Joe @ May 16th 2006 6:39AM]

full stats in english:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=cpu_VAIONotebookComputers_UX_Series&ProductSKU=VGNUX180P&TabName=specs&var2=

battery life included.

[Blue Fish @ May 16th 2006 6:48AM]

The review on El Reg is listing some more specs, including battery life (12 hours claimed).

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/16/sony_unveils_vaio_ux/

[Jon @ May 16th 2006 6:50AM]

That's a broken link. Does anyone know the batt life with the ext battery?

[yup @ May 16th 2006 7:39AM]

Oqo is screwed...OR maybe they will both drop their prices to something more reasonable, like a grand? ;)

[cobalt @ May 16th 2006 8:11AM]

The higher resolution is IMO only for multimedia purposes. The zoom buttons are presumably to help with the resolution. However, after using a Nokia 770 with a 5" 800x480 screen, it's certainly doable. Small screens look sharper.

The battery life for a full Windows OS and the size is not bad. Smaller size = smaller battery = shorter battery life. Again, given that the thing is about a pound, it's not bad.

As for the price, it's not much more than a Fujitsu P1510 which has similar specs. Maybe it's not worth it to most people, but the price is more or less on track given the state of technology.

[Manatee @ May 16th 2006 8:18AM]

I've learned some hard lessons on buying new gadgets early. I like the features and form factor of this thing, but the value it would give me doesn't justify the current price. I'll wait until the next generation, and get some feedback from other users who have lived with it a while. If it looks like it would fill a gap in my current arsenal of iPaq hx4700 and MacBook Pro running OS X and WinXP, then I'd probably buy it.

[nayo @ May 16th 2006 8:23AM]

micro pc? yes...micro price? hardly!
we got to send them a message, "No dice at that price!"

[Troy @ May 16th 2006 8:32AM]

It says $1,300-$1,542(depending on configuration)on Sony's Japanese site.

"Under 170,000yen"($1,542)

http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200605/06-0516B/">http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200605/06-0516B/

[Somebody @ May 16th 2006 8:59AM]

Does anyone realise, how much it looks like the CLIE UX?

Another thing, can anyone give it to me for free?

[KidDoc @ May 16th 2006 9:04AM]

Call it an impulse buy, but I've pre-ordered. Anyone interested in a slightly used OQO 01+ Tablet PC with both a single and double battery?

[Jan @ May 16th 2006 9:09AM]

How do you pre-order. Are you located in Japan, or is it already possible to pre-order in USA and Europe?

[Korey @ May 16th 2006 9:19AM]

Drop The Price and Ill buy one get rid XP and throw on plam ill buy it . I like Palm or Windows Mobile I dont like XP in this type of enviroment i need a pointer of some sort and if you could get rid of that damn fingerprint reader the price would go down alot

[TK @ May 16th 2006 9:52AM]

Graphics powered by Intel GMA 950, battery life seems to be 7h..

[KidDoc @ May 16th 2006 10:07AM]

Jan,

It's available for pre-order on SonyStyle.com. Don't know about Europe, but it's there in the US.

[Jan @ May 16th 2006 10:35AM]

It is indeed on sonystyle.com, but not yet on sonystyle europe. Probably because of issues with WWAN technology. Perhaps they will include GPRS or UMTS or no WWAN at all in Europe?

[Jason @ May 16th 2006 10:40AM]

email me about the oqo: [e-mail]