Sony's G11 12.1-incher brings carbon fiber and battery life to Europe

Alright, now we're feeling a little left out. It was one thing for Japan to get the Vaio G before everyone else, it is Sony's home turf after all, so how can we begrudge them launching this skinny little number there first? But now that Europe is getting its very own version of the Vaio G, the G11, we're starting to think Sony doesn't love us anymore. All the same, undeserving as Europe might be, there's some fancy new stuff in the G11, so we'll try not to get too caught up in the unfairness of it all. The most notable aesthetic difference is that new black lid color, but there's more to this case than meets the eye: there's a 90cm drop rating (Europe's elitist way of saying 35-inches) thanks to the carbon fiber casing, which is pretty dang good for a laptop with no visible signs of toughening. Sony gives this laptop an "on-the-road" battery rating of 9 hours -- as if Europe has roads -- but Japan was rating its own at 6 and 12.5 hours, so we're not sure what's changed. Improvements under the hood include a speedier Intel ULV Core Solo U1500 1.33GHz processor and a 100GB HDD. There's also a super-multi DVD burner, 12.1-inch XGA LCD with LED backlight technology, and Windows Vista Business preloaded. The standard VGN-G11XN/B model comes with 1GB of RAM, while the VGN-G11VN/T boasts of 2GB and swaps the gray lid for brown one. No specifics on price, but with specs like these and a business-oriented target market, it ain't going to be cheap.

[Via Core Duo News]

[Alex @ Jan 31st 2007 10:15AM]

90cm is closer to 36 inches you yanks, and 35 inches is americas way of hanging on to hte past and breeding isolationism... i've been trolled

[Mike @ Jan 31st 2007 10:19AM]

Europe is a bigger market than North America. Get over it.

[Blackster @ Jan 31st 2007 10:20AM]

'Europe's elitist way of saying 35-inches'

Correction --> You mean the rest of the world and not america alone eh? ;)

[CB @ Jan 31st 2007 10:32AM]

In addition to roads, Europe apparently lacks sarcasm as well.

[fashionista @ Jan 31st 2007 10:32AM]

On topic, Sony is getting my $$ for my next laptop. These G baddies are more beautiful than a MacBook. Yum!

[Liam @ Jan 31st 2007 2:34PM]

Damn right. Stop giving us a bad name.

America always gets everything before Europe, the writer saw the irony.

[Mills @ Jan 31st 2007 10:39AM]

I thought we invented sarcasm! Oh well, you US guys know best.

[David @ Jan 31st 2007 10:46AM]

pfft...

Fibre

[Kryz @ Jan 31st 2007 11:10AM]

Oh my god, we're actually going to get something before the US will? That's incredible. But I think it's fair, I mean, you guys have Bush, we get the nifty laptop, that's a good trade, right? :)

[Rynth @ Jan 31st 2007 11:11AM]

Wait a second - who found and majorly colonized the US..

Never mind...

Sweet lappy though.

[Daniel D @ Jan 31st 2007 11:58AM]

I love it when Americans try and make jokes like that, doesnt want to make me launch an all out flame fest about how we invested their country, just makes me smile.

[hokiedtx @ Jan 31st 2007 12:40PM]

as an american studying in europe, i appreciate most of the little tongue-in-cheek remarks and the strikeouts you do through words...but still, this is a little much. get your flame suits ready, engadget...they're chomping at the bit

[Lee @ Jan 31st 2007 12:45PM]

OMFG, 'european elitest', what are you americans all xenophobes or something, despite the fact that metric is used all around the world cos its an INTELLIGENT measuring system? You think that your precious little inches are superior... whoever wrote that article is a disgrace to america (as I don't think they are all so prejudice and arrogant), and should apologise to 'Europeans'! I come on engadget regularly to see whats going on in the world of technology, to get insulted by some pittiful selfish comment like that... GROW UP!

[Tom @ Jan 31st 2007 12:50PM]

You mean their precious BIG inches.. bigger than centimetres anyway.

Not only do we europeans have roads, we even have roads with TURNS IN THEM!

[Jacks @ Jan 31st 2007 1:15PM]

I usually don't post any comments here eventhough I am a daily reader of Engadget but this is going way too far.
Engadget has been doing that kind of dum ridiculous and insulting jokes for some time now (about Europe/USA, but also about Mac/Windows etc). As if that kind of distinction was meaningful... It's not even funny, especially when you really can feel how the writer writes it "1st degree" and not as a joke.
As a European living in the US, I hopfully know that lots of people here actually possess a brain. Shame that the writer doesn't.

[Naris @ Jan 31st 2007 1:16PM]

"We're starting to think Sony doesn't love us anymore."

Really?

After the rootkit, explosive batteries, high prices and delays on the PS3, defective sensors in their cameras, Sonicstage, and a constant anti-consumer stance I figured they've hated us for a long time.

[MNA @ Jan 31st 2007 1:26PM]

Hey hey take it easy now... You guys are gettin too wound up. The writer is just jealous :) So please don't turn this into a flame..

[Manuel Oliveira @ Jan 31st 2007 1:34PM]

Does it have to get to a point in the future when labels are necessary to indicate sarcasm or are people deliberately dim-witted for sport? We're europeans, he's poking fun at us (and frankly could do better at it, BTW). Joke taken, move on. Sweet lappy, agree with fashionista. Ranks up there in design close to the macbook ranges.

[Mr Dj? @ Jan 31st 2007 1:44PM]

YYoouhhhou

Engadget = Xenophobes?

[Ndric @ Jan 31st 2007 1:59PM]

Take off the sand in your vaginas, Euro peeps ;)

[Kryz @ Jan 31st 2007 2:37PM]

Geez, come on people. I responded before already, but only because I found it funny, even if I'm European. Sure, the writer is taking the piss at Europeans, but why not? The jokes are funny, as far as I'm concerned. One little comment though: go to images.google.com, search for "road", and look at the very first hit. That's a road. That's in Europe. The Netherlands, to be exact. If Google knows that the number 1 road is in Europe, than at least Engadget should know as well. :) Keep up the good work. At least that will keep you guys busy while waiting for this laptop. ;)

[Steve @ Jan 31st 2007 3:28PM]

How about,, American market is declining, European market is growing,, hell as soon as Oil starts to be traded in euros all we wont be seeing any new laptops for a long time.

[Ben @ Jan 31st 2007 5:04PM]

Hi there,

Let's be nice with the poster and contributes to his education:

Yes Europe has roads. :))

We, Europeans, sometimes overestimate Americans' knowledge and take for sarcasm what is simply absolute absence of knowledge. So, we, Europeans, should not take it personally and instead, generously contribute to increase our American friend's knowledge. :))

[Bla� @ Jan 31st 2007 8:25PM]

Americans are just jealous of our roads because their cars can't take a single corner.

[kevin @ Jan 31st 2007 8:51PM]

asgasgasdg

[riggs @ Jan 31st 2007 10:03PM]

man, you europeans suck at comedy =\

[keith waddington @ Feb 1st 2007 4:33AM]

erm riggs, you seem to be misssing the point here: it's the American writer who sucks at comedy. That's why most readers including many Americans are not amused.

But don't forget ppl, the posts on this site are often idiotic and inflammatory because it makes people post comments and comments are the real entertainment here. And without entertainment this site would be dead with no ad money.

i have to say though that this particular one is bordering on racism and crosses the line.

waddo

http://www.waddo.net/

[Mills @ Feb 5th 2007 7:11AM]

I thought we invented sarcasm! Oh well, you US guys know best.

[3waygeek @ Feb 27th 2007 5:10PM]

I wonder how much protection the carbon fiber casing will give the user when the battery explodes...