FCC leaks tiny VAIO with WWAN -- Sony's first netbook?

They might not like it, but Sony looks ripe to enter the netbook market in the US. Unveiled today is the backside of this tiny "notebook PC" as described by the FCC under the model numbers PCG-1P1L and PCG-1P2L (PCG synonymous with Sony's VAIO laptop brand). We see tests for Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and both EVDO and HSPA data courtesy of Qualcomm's Gobi chipset. What's more, with the FCC providing the exact measurement of that label (128-mm wide), we can eyeball dimensions at just over 9.5 x 4.5-inches making this netbook even smaller than the 10.3 x 6.56-inch HP mini 1000. What impact that has on the QWERTY and trackpad (if there is one) remains to be seen. Now please Sony, just announce, we were just about to pull the trigger when you spoiled our netbook purchasing party.

P.S. It runs Windows according to the label's mention of the "Windows logo."

[KIFF @ Dec 1st 2008 8:34AM]

Sony already had netbooks, before it was called netbooks. Look it up.

[soundwise @ Dec 1st 2008 8:38AM]

This is truth. From the shape of the device in the photo above, this looks like an update to their classic Picturebook series!

[yyan @ Dec 1st 2008 8:45AM]

The title "Netbook" implies a price tag below $4000.


(Netbooks are usually below $800)

[soundwise @ Dec 1st 2008 9:09AM]

Since when has netbooks been subjected to price gauging? Mobile phones prices range from $50 to $2000, and they are still called phones.

[phoomp @ Dec 1st 2008 9:13AM]

True, but the Picturebooks were insanely expensive.

[ZaxCG2 @ Dec 1st 2008 9:24AM]

I think the point is that if Sony released a "netbook" it'd probably be overpriced like the rest of their laptops.

[y3k.nik @ Dec 1st 2008 9:35AM]

@Zax...

Gone are the days when Vaio's were expensive...

I got a 1100$ FW which happened to be the cheapest I could get in those specs, design and the build quality.

[rock99rock @ Dec 1st 2008 9:38AM]

Ultra-portable FTW :)

By looking at the dimensions, this thing could be an anamorphic widescreen.

[youngstunna @ Dec 1st 2008 10:00AM]

picturebooks were awesome. i had mine for years before it died.

*sigh* i miss it. it was quality.

[Dave Chappelle @ Dec 1st 2008 8:04PM]

"True, but the Picturebooks were insanely expensive."

ye and insanely new technology... like Blu Ray, like the Walkman, like OLED, like Home CD players, like memory sticks, like the Playstation, like the majority of Sony's products... UNIQUE.

Also, they were very reliable.

[Makoshark @ Dec 21st 2008 2:33PM]

Exactly. I've owned 2 Sony VIAO "netbooks" since 2003 - only they called sub-notebooks or sublaptops then.

[DNS @ Dec 24th 2008 5:00PM]

Seven years ago, I bought a VAIO SR for $900, new, when I started College. 10.2" screen, 2.something pounds, slightly less than 1" thick. I was still using it five years later, after dropping it a couple times (once into a foot of slushy snow), and using it constantly. That was the best laptop I've owned. Sony was years and years ahead of the curve when it came to netbooks.

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 8:37AM]

it's a bit long for a netbook


Proffessional
Fusion Fuzo

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 8:41AM]

and narrow for a small size, hinting touch screen no track pad, this sounds NICE

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 9:07AM]

low ranked for saying it's 'NICE'

oh well then I agree with everyone else then, its FUGLY very FUGLY


Professional
Fusion Fuzo

[ZaxCG2 @ Dec 1st 2008 9:26AM]

Poor Fuzo... your comments hath little opacity.

No really man-- GTFO.

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 9:43AM]

NICE im hated for no reason, well at least im professional

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 9:47AM]

At least Thi mam(kris120890) reads what i say
and at least im a professional so HAH haters. im staying.


Professional
Fusion Fuzo

[EEaudio08 @ Dec 1st 2008 12:44PM]

I get really dizzy when trying to focus my eyes on the lowest ranked comments.

[Taylor @ Dec 1st 2008 11:50PM]

Most people on Engadget have jobs. That makes them professionals to some extent.

Also, most have done some kind of IT thing at some point in their lives for a friend or business for money. Also makes them professionals.

Finally, they also have good grammar. This is the key bit to being a professional, not just saying IM A PROFESIONALOLOL

[Jack @ Dec 21st 2008 1:26PM]

Isn't being a wanker a good thing?

[Nick K. @ Dec 21st 2008 2:11PM]

Well, that's what she said.

[Flophowse @ Dec 21st 2008 2:41PM]

Lol...as a newcomer around here, I just ranked you down because you misspelled "professional". I mean, the text boxes now HAVE built in spell checker, so you have to really try if you want to come off like a "proffessional" moron.

[utahnkid @ Dec 21st 2008 2:47PM]

Not that you need any more reminders..

But yall need lives ;)

[bob e @ Dec 1st 2008 8:50AM]

ya give this thing a touch screen and Windows 7 and I'm in.

[Dopefish @ Dec 1st 2008 8:52AM]

I dont know, using a touch screen instead of a mouse is a real pain.

Give it a pointing stick instead of a trackpad and I'm in...

[KIFF @ Dec 1st 2008 9:02AM]

Previous Sony Picturebooks had trackpoints. This could, judging by the form factor. If so a huge win for me as I can never stand touchpads, let alone tiny touchpads...

[BOGRASH @ Dec 1st 2008 9:19AM]

trackpoints or whatever you call them are garbage. give this thing an optical mouse and i'm in

[KIFF @ Dec 1st 2008 10:36AM]

You do know you can connect your own optical mouse don't you?

[WhatTheXToTheZ @ Dec 1st 2008 3:01PM]

This wouldn't be able to house a touchscreen and Windows 7 definitely won't have the drivers needed for it. The pre-beta so far has just a handful of video drivers. The original Picturebook series required many forums to code homebrew drivers to support XP, so most likely, this will just be an XP picturebook with a Vista upgrade available.

[BOGRASH @ Dec 5th 2008 9:41AM]

> You do know you can connect your own optical mouse don't you?

Jesus christ. Here's a clue - Raon Digital

[Chris @ Dec 1st 2008 8:52AM]

Thanks Thomas for letting me know that it runs Windows, I thought it had OSX.

[soul7963 @ Dec 1st 2008 8:59AM]

Yes, because Linux doesn't exist!

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Dec 1st 2008 9:29AM]

Linux is pointless because no one will buy it. People who get a free netbook when the buy a mobile phone are returning them because the don't like linux.

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 9:10AM]

Whats linux!!!


Professional
Fusion Fuzo

[Patriks7 @ Dec 1st 2008 10:59AM]

"Linux is pointless because no one will buy it."
I was under the impression that you can get Linux for free? At least here in Europe you can..

[chris @ Dec 1st 2008 9:57PM]

@Thi


Is it true that all you people in India only speak JAVA?

[Tehseen Hussain @ Dec 8th 2008 9:00PM]

@ Thi mam(kris120890)

"Linux is pointless because no one will buy it. People who get a free netbook when the buy a mobile phone are returning them because the don't like linux. "

It's free moron. It's returned because dimwits like you try to use something you cannot comprehend.

[drumdbeat @ Dec 21st 2008 2:35PM]

Is it at all possible that Thi is implying that nobody will buy the DEVICE becasue it has linux, not buying linux itself?

[therpham @ Dec 1st 2008 8:58AM]

It looks like the resolution on that screen would be about 1024x100.

[KIFF @ Dec 1st 2008 9:05AM]

The Nokia E90, which is narrower than this had a resolution of 800x352. The Picturebook had a resolution of 1024x480 and that was eight years ago.

I am not even sure if you are trolling or is genuinely that ignorant about technology.

[Yuan Zhao @ Dec 1st 2008 9:31AM]

Chill out, KIFF. He's just exaggerating to emphasize the unusual proportions. I chuckled.

[Sam @ Dec 1st 2008 9:04AM]

This form factor looks familiar.

http://images.google.com/images?q=q1

[sockatume @ Dec 1st 2008 10:37AM]

Yes, with that sort of aspect ratio it's far more likely to be a UMPC (in the original sense of that term) than a Netbook.

[dannyboy @ Dec 21st 2008 10:38PM]

Yeh this aspect ratio a bit weird, given that most viewable content on computers are longer than wide (documents, websites etc) very odd, I suspect a lot of dead space

[Sam @ Dec 1st 2008 9:05AM]

I just realized, not just the Q1, it's the whole origami thing that was buried under netbooks:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/default.mspx

[Mr. B @ Dec 1st 2008 10:13AM]

A new iteration of the Picturebook would be great, although they might not make room for a 2.5 inch hard drive this time.

[ridestp @ Dec 1st 2008 10:19AM]

How about a link to the source?

[ridestp @ Dec 1st 2008 1:40PM]

https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=234870&fcc_id=%27AK8PCG1P1L%27

[Patriks7 @ Dec 1st 2008 11:01AM]

This won't be a netbook.. netbooks aren't supposed to cost 2k+..
More like an ultraportable (that's what Sony calls them I think)



(I kid, I kid, don't eat me alive! :p)