Sony intros upgraded and drip-proof VAIO G-Series laptop

It looks like Sony's found yet more room for improvement in its VAIO G-Series ultra-portable laptop, and not just in terms of the usual spec bumps. While it certainly has that front covered, it's also mangaged to squeeze in some newfangled water-proofing measures, which apparently discharges water through a "water pit" at the rear of the laptop, and can even shut down the laptop when there's too much water for it to handle. As for the more conventional upgrades, the laptop is now available with your choice of 48GB or 64GB SSD drives in addition to the previous 32GB one, and your choice of U7600 or U7500 Core 2 Duo processors, with lower-voltage Core Solo processors apparently still an option. As with the previous models, however, this one's still only available in Japan, where it'll set you back between ¥154,800 and ¥275,000 depending on the configuration (or roughly $1,350 to $2,400).

[Via Akihabara News]

[shaun @ Sep 25th 2007 12:20PM]

very cool

[Todd @ Sep 25th 2007 12:24PM]

Looking at that picture gives me anxiety and tension in meh belly.

[scott @ Sep 25th 2007 12:25PM]

Any laptop can do what's seen in that picture, let's see how the lappy acts when the water actually makes contact.

[auger282 @ Sep 25th 2007 12:27PM]

So you don't see the water pouring out of the front of that laptop?

[scott @ Sep 25th 2007 12:29PM]

*glances up, kicks self*

[coffee @ Sep 25th 2007 12:34PM]

if it's like all the other water-resistant laptops, there is a solid tray beneath the keyboard with a hole that runs all the way thru the body to the bottom.

No, not every laptop can do it, very few actually can. The Panasonic Toughbooks and Twinhead Durabooks are some of the few that have an actual working drip tray.

[Ken Wind @ Sep 25th 2007 6:34PM]

The Lenovo Thinkpad T series and the Asus V series (V1,V2,VX2) also have a "spill-proof" keyboard.

[Sy @ Sep 25th 2007 12:44PM]

Good for Sony. Now if only they start working on explosive-free laptop batteries.

[Zach @ Sep 25th 2007 1:01PM]

Next feature: anti-virus tissue dispenser.

Is spilling water that much of a problem? This would encourage me to pour water on the keyboard just to watch it work.

[Matthew Hilario @ Sep 25th 2007 1:01PM]

i never had this problem..my thinkpad has this feature..but when the cd/dvd-drive pops out after burning a disk and then knocks my bottle water spilling into the dvd drive, thats something else.

[HineyWipe @ Sep 25th 2007 1:03PM]

Recommended by water-sports watchers everywhere!

[webon @ Sep 25th 2007 1:13PM]

Dudes whasup with the new t series limited anniversary edition, same color as the 505 cant read jap and cant get this crap of a laptop to read those nice kanji, can some one go over to the sonystyle japan vaio page and post here what the heck is tha deal with that??

[ja$on @ Sep 25th 2007 3:39PM]

OMG LOL ROTFL WTF!!!!1!11!eleventy!!!!!

[derek @ Sep 25th 2007 4:59PM]

Umm. What?

[steve @ Sep 25th 2007 1:16PM]

Finally, a laptop that's dishwater safe! ;)

[LEXX911 @ Sep 25th 2007 1:25PM]

So does it mean that if we actually spill something in it and something does go wrong. Will that be cover by the warranty?

[Vaelen @ Sep 25th 2007 1:30PM]

Thinkpad t60 series already has this

[Mick O @ Sep 25th 2007 2:00PM]

So the 0.004% of ppl who drink water at the laptop are covered. Next challenge: coffee/soda/gatorade/ somethinsticky... wait maybe you can clean the keyboard of these things with some boiling water??? That might work...

mick o

[Yoyodyn @ Sep 25th 2007 2:01PM]

who spills water? Show me what happens when you spill coffee that is 50% sugar in there. Or soda (aka coke, pop). When that sugary mess dries up and clogs the system.

[cassio @ Sep 25th 2007 2:08PM]

t43 already has this

also, the G series is available in Hong Kong as well, probably not this model (yet), but a G nonetheless

http://www.sonystyle.com.hk/ss/product/vaio/vgn_g118gn_t_e.jsp

[Paul @ Sep 25th 2007 2:56PM]

Wait, the water comes out the bottom of the laptop? So I spilled a whole glass of water, then the bottom of my laptop would be all wet?

[Jon @ Sep 25th 2007 4:03PM]

Sigh. There is a drainage system below the keyboard, probably similar to the system used on ThinkPads. Water poured on the keyboard will flow out through these drains out the bottom.

[TheWakeUpCall @ Sep 25th 2007 3:24PM]

I often pour water over laptops with water from beakers.

[Luke @ Sep 25th 2007 4:10PM]

In the real world that beaker would be full of Coke or Pepsi--a soda proof laptop would be useful

[Jacob Magnusson @ Sep 25th 2007 6:31PM]

These laptops have a horrible plastic feeling to them. If you like the feel of quality - don't buy these.

[David @ Sep 25th 2007 6:50PM]

***SIGH*** They better never sell this in the US. Sony is shooting themselves in the foot- WHY? BECAUSE USERS WILL THINK LIQUID DAMAGE IS COVERED BY WARRANTY FOR THIS NOTEBOOK AND IT WONT BE. I REPEAT IT WONT BE. Gosh this is going to be a f--king customer service nightmare.

[Twitchy @ Sep 25th 2007 8:47PM]

Hooray - cheap water cooling for a laptop.

[oshean @ Sep 26th 2007 3:06AM]

Yes, but can it filter water?

[rummers @ Sep 26th 2007 4:01AM]

can you get it without vista?