Sony teases the VAIO P's keyboard and tracking nub

Sure, that Photoshopped image of the VAIO P we got on Sunday wasn't the real deal, but it looks like it might have some relation to reality -- Sony's got a teaser up for a "VAIO New Mobile" that includes some brief shots of a very swank-looking keyboard and tracking nub. We'll be honest -- we're totally stoked to check this thing out at CES. Counting the days! One more shot after the break.

[Via Pocketables]

[LucasDurant @ Dec 29th 2008 10:49PM]

riveting.

[LucasDurant @ Dec 29th 2008 10:49PM]

The tracking ball does look pretty neat though.

[Ross @ Dec 29th 2008 11:29PM]

I only see some black hole in the middle of the keyboard, that honestly doesn't look like a trackball.

[Seth @ Dec 30th 2008 12:04AM]

That ball in the middle reminds me of what happens with people's Blackberrys scroll ball after they use it for a long time... it turns black from dirt and such.

[anthony @ Dec 30th 2008 12:48AM]

the tracking pad in the keyboard looks similar to the type they use on the psp handheld... can't wait to see this thing.

[Nogami @ Dec 30th 2008 1:31PM]

Perhaps rather than a conventional little stick thing, it's more of an inverted optical mouse sensor that you just drag your fingertip over to use?

[Isaac @ Dec 29th 2008 10:52PM]

I miss my IBM red dot...

[Zunavio @ Dec 29th 2008 10:54PM]

It's still there...

On Lenovo's Thinkpad

[timmer @ Dec 29th 2008 10:57PM]

yeah, whenever I'm not using an external mouse with my thinkpad, I'm using the nub.

trackpads suck compared to the nub

[Isaac @ Dec 29th 2008 10:58PM]

I know they still have it, but I miss it when I use my macbook :(

[gamemastermichael @ Dec 29th 2008 11:05PM]

The ugliest thing I've ever seen on a computer. I could see the most amazing computer in the world but if it had that big, ugly red dot in the middle i wouldn't buy it.

[Zombie Ned Flanders @ Dec 29th 2008 11:11PM]

The nub is amazing.
I totally miss it when I'm using my MacBook as well (my other laptop is a ThinkPad).
I really wish Apple (and ALL) companies would put a track point on their laptops. For those that take a few hours to actually learn how to use it, it's the best. For those that are too lazy to learn how to use it, they can just go back to using the crappy trackpad.

[Temple @ Dec 29th 2008 11:26PM]

Used to hate the red dot when I first bought my IBM Lenovo X16.

Now, after using it for a good two years I hate the track pad which I still use with my Netbook. I'm guessing this P-series is going to be an quisi-full size keyboard area that intrudes on the area that would normally be filled with the track pad which is why its using the nub and it's longitudinally shaped. If this thing isn't insanely expensive like other VAIOs I'm sold, but I'm not paying anywhere near a grand.

[joshky @ Dec 29th 2008 11:48PM]

i use a fujitsu T2010. i love my trackpoint and (though a mean thing to do) watching people puzzle themselves when they cant find the trackpad (my tablet is quite particular, the battery is in the front, making it look like a massive trackpad. btw, the 9-cell one is a really good armrest).

trackpoints are definitely much better than trackpads, if you play around with it for a few days after you just got it (hey, who wouldnt?)

my laptop's perfect for what i do...now if only they start making drivers for the external graphics booster....

[aeth @ Dec 30th 2008 12:26AM]

The trackpad is a lie. The nub is forvever!

[chefgon_ign @ Dec 30th 2008 7:16AM]

That red dot is the reason why I hated laptops until they invented the trackpad. Controlling a mouse cursor with a tiny joystick is the pits.

[Zilch @ Dec 31st 2008 5:35AM]

The trackpoint (red dot/nub) is the reason I can't buy a non-Lenovo laptop. It's totally awesome.* And great ergonomically as you don't need to move your fingers off the home keys to move the pointer (if you can't touch type, that's your problem!)

And just FYI for those people who haven't taken the time to lean how to use one, it's not at all like using "a tiny joystick". It's based on stress patterns in the device so you sort of "lean" into it.

The main annoying thing with Thinkpads is that they now also include Trackpads for the uninitiated, and I have to remember to disable them so I don't bump them while typing...

Here's hoping the patent expires soon so everyone can include them.

...oh, and "Don't call them G-Spots in front of customers, even though the red nipple is located on the G key"!

(*Awesome for everything except 1st person shooters)

[Box @ Dec 29th 2008 10:54PM]

mmm talk about awkward for people with big fingers using these partial keys.

[John Doe @ Dec 30th 2008 9:03AM]

awkward??? these keyboards are so damn comfortable to type on...it completely blows away the usual keyboards

[Ian Whelan (JOIN BAND!) @ Dec 29th 2008 10:56PM]

YES! YES YES YES YES! Finally a TrackPoint on a netbook!

[zunq @ Dec 29th 2008 11:03PM]

Maybe this will prompt Lenovo into making a Thinkpad netbook with the original nub.

[nzo @ Dec 29th 2008 11:26PM]

Yea I've been waiting and waiting for a nub to get added to a netbook. Seems like a complete nobrainer for such a small form factor. Why try and stuff a stupid trackpad in when you already have limited space? Hope this solution is well implemented and all the other companies get the memo.

[raj @ Dec 29th 2008 10:59PM]

Whoa, chiclet keyboard! And eraserhead mouse? I'm sold.

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 29th 2008 10:59PM]

wookin pa nub

[Keith @ Dec 29th 2008 11:35PM]

in all da wong paces.

[z-man @ Dec 29th 2008 11:05PM]

is it just me, but the keys don't have any lettering...

[iEngadget @ Dec 29th 2008 11:15PM]

dude, why would you need lettering?

you have a nub..

[sinjinn @ Dec 29th 2008 11:17PM]

ima take guess there is a transparent plastic on top of the keys to prevent the letters from wearing off . therefore the light doesnt catch the letters from that angle

[Jack @ Dec 30th 2008 11:56AM]

I'm guessing the photo model didn't have any lettering, since this will no doubt be released in different countries, each using a different keyboard layout. And Sony, being respectful, wouldn't want to be biased toward a country. Even at this angle you could see the characters a little bit.

[belard @ Dec 29th 2008 11:32PM]

And I'm gonna guess this is a publicity teaser shot meant for the international market, so Sony didn't see the point of showing a keyboard with letters.

[Brian @ Dec 29th 2008 11:26PM]

HP Jornada II

Seriously. That's what it is.

[chi @ Dec 29th 2008 11:33PM]

wow, what a nub...

[Skorpius @ Dec 29th 2008 11:38PM]

Bah to mushy keyboards.

[htd @ Dec 29th 2008 11:38PM]

touchscreen? is the price affordable?

[grull27 @ Dec 29th 2008 11:46PM]

Am I the only one who thought the keyboaard was coming at me when I scrolled down. Weird 3d effects. :S

[Robamus @ Dec 29th 2008 11:47PM]

A NUB? Are you kidding. Yeah its great. Hold on, let me get my Jimmy-Zs on and grab my walkman so I can fit in. Jackasses.

[joshky @ Dec 29th 2008 11:50PM]

also...inb4 sexual refrence to the red nub. :]

[The Dude @ Dec 30th 2008 12:36AM]

Tracking nipple.
Tracking clitoris.

That is all.

[Boards of Canada @ Dec 30th 2008 5:33AM]

Tracking man tit?

[Jeff @ Dec 30th 2008 12:02AM]

Maybe Sony's next teaser will be:

$?,000

[LordVesper007 @ Dec 30th 2008 12:23AM]

Lol....

I wonder how much profit (if any) the Vaio line makes for sony? I mean you hear all this talk of this or that division (gaming especially) losing loads of money. Is that the reason why they price their laptops so high?

To try and stop the bleeding from the losses they suffer in the other divisions? This is just pure guesswork on my opinion but it just occured to me that maybe they charge so much (in my opinion TOO MUCH) for their laptops and hdtv's because the money they get from them offsets the losses they incur in other areas...

[The Dude @ Dec 30th 2008 12:33AM]

No, they're going to launch another teaser site. "Guess the orifice"--a game in which you guess which orifice you'll be presenting Sony upon purchase.

[Dave Chappelle @ Dec 30th 2008 3:00AM]

@LordVesper

?

grow a dick man. Stop being such a tool Vaio's are actually pretty well priced well at least last time i went into a shopping centre a Vaio (which looks 10x better than the competition) costed like $100 more than the same thing in another brand of course the Vaio has a better warranty, look and reliability no question.

[Patriks7 @ Dec 30th 2008 5:10AM]

"I mean you hear all this talk of this or that division (gaming especially) losing loads of money"
I only heard that they are losing a bit of $$ per PS3 sold, but they definitely make it up with the accessories and games..

[David Rankine @ Dec 30th 2008 12:51AM]

Has anyone notice the color of the keyboard NIce, " off white" !!

[Kyle Richardson @ Dec 30th 2008 12:53AM]

Is it me, or is everybody using the chiclet keyboard design now?

[jakem @ Dec 30th 2008 4:03AM]

As Sony designed it in the first place I guess it's theirs to re-use.

[Trevor @ Dec 30th 2008 2:40AM]

Can we please not have a post about this unremarkable computer every single day? Please just one day?

[Shunnabunich @ Dec 30th 2008 4:10AM]

People already bitch at Engadget non-stop for how Apple-heavy it is; if anything, an increase in posts about other brands will calm them down. That said, seriously, Sony? A MacBook keyboard with a nipple? Is there an industrial designers' strike in Japan we haven't been hearing about?

[Patriks7 @ Dec 30th 2008 5:08AM]

"Macbook keyboard"
Yeah, sure.. Not like Sony designed it.. Apple never steals ideas right?