Sony gets official with VAIO P: world's lightest 8-inch netbook

Not that we really needed Sony to tell us something we already knew, but we certainly appreciate the gesture. The hotly anticipated VAIO P is for real, and it's coming in as the world's lightest 8-inch netbook at just 1.4 pounds. The Vista-based device packs an almost unbelievable 1,600 x 768 resolution LED-backlit XBRITE-ECO LCD display, 802.11n WiFi, 3G WWAN, Bluetooth, a battery good for four hours (eight hours with the optional high-capacity cell) and a GPS module for good measure. You'll also find an instant-on mode that launches directly into Sony's Xross Media Bar interface, and the inbuilt webcam will keep the video chats going well into the morning. It'll start shipping in early February (in garnet red, emerald green, onyx black, crystal white and classic black hues) for $900 and up, and you can peek the full release just after the break.

Gallery: Sony gets official with VAIO P: world's lightest 8-inch netbook

• 
• 
• 
• 

SONY UNVEils WORLD's Lightest 8-inch notebook

Full-Featured VAIO PC Fuses Style, Mobility and Connectivity for Anytime, Anywhere Computing


LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #14200), Jan. 7, 2009 – Sony today took the wraps off the world's lightest 8-inch notebook- the new VAIO® P Series Lifestyle PC.

About the size of a business envelope and roughly as thin as a cell phone, the VAIO Lifestyle PC weighs just 1.4 pounds and is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or handbag while integrating full-PC features.

The model incorporates a high-resolution, 1600 x 768, LED backlit 8-inch ultra-wide display (diagonal), making it easy to view everything from entire spreadsheets to full web pages- no side-to-side scrolling necessary. It also incorporates Sony's XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, producing images in brilliant detail for razor-sharp viewing on-the-go.

Stylish enough to take anywhere, the unit is available in an array of eye-catching colors, including garnet red, emerald green, onyx black, crystal white and classic black. Matching carrying cases and Bluetooth® color-coordinated mice are available to complete the look.

"The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC is your portal to the world, delivering entertainment and computing in a head-turning device that's small enough to put in your pocket," said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. "Designed for the fashionista in all of us, it's the ideal companion."

Engineered to provide the feel of a larger notebook, the VAIO Lifestyle PC provides a convenient typing experience by extending the keyboard to the perimeters of the chassis maximizing the typing area. The spacing between keys has also been engineered to help reduce typing mistakes making it perfect for long fingernails.

The notebook incorporates built-in wireless WAN 3G Mobile Broadband, 802.11n wi-fi and Bluetooth technologies. Users can toggle among various wireless options for the most efficient connection – Wi-Fi for working at a coffee shop; Bluetooth for peripherals; and Mobile Broadband service on the Verizon Wireless nationwide network when traveling outside the reach of hotspots (subscription required).

The unit features up to four hours of battery life with the included standard capacity battery and eight hours with the large capacity battery (sold separate).

It also incorporates real-time GPS functionality, making it easy to find restaurants, hotels or special sites of interest. Destinations can be found by simply typing in an address or keyword and then following the turn-by-turn directions. The Lifestyle PC even includes estimated drive times to let you know how far you are from a destination. No Internet connection is required in the United States or Canada.

The unit also has an instant-mode option that launches directly into Sony's Xross Media Bar™ interface, so you can rapidly boot up and access music, video, photos and the Web. A built-in webcam lets you video chat with family, friends and colleagues. A third-party service is required.

The PC comes with the Windows Vista® operating system, supporting office applications and all the software programs routinely found in full-size notebooks. A windows arrangement utility has been added to easily organize all open documents or websites with one touch, positioning them neatly along side each other on a single screen.

The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC will retail for about $900. It will be available for pre-orders tomorrow online at www.sony.com/pr/pseries. It will also be sold at Sony Style® stores starting later this month and at other major retailers around the country beginning in February.

[Stacky @ Jan 7th 2009 7:32PM]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[iEye @ Jan 7th 2009 7:34PM]

holy $$$$$$$$$$$$$hit its awesome

[darcyv @ Jan 7th 2009 7:35PM]

nice but $$$$

and that res on only an 8" .. talk about pixel dense .. we're all gonna go blind

[000000 @ Jan 7th 2009 7:51PM]

Ya too expensive. Where's the EEE T91 pricing!?

[Don @ Jan 7th 2009 8:43PM]

Expense is relative...


and no; i dont work at Sony

[vcx @ Jan 7th 2009 9:55PM]

Where am I supposed to rest my wrists while typing!! I would call that bad design.

[Knee to the Groin @ Jan 7th 2009 10:08PM]

Same place you always rest your hand while... "typing"

[aYe aye @ Jan 7th 2009 10:10PM]

Goodbye Macbook $$$$$$$$$ Air

[Temple @ Jan 7th 2009 10:24PM]

3G, GPS, BT, 802.11n and 1600 x 768 LED screen. Certainly more feature packed then most netbooks, while nice, I would have liked to see the same laptop with just 802.11b/g and the 1600 x 768 LED screen screen for $700.

I suppose if you're signed up for a 3G network the 3G is nice and if you have Microsoft Streets and Map, the GPS can be useful, but to me the main draw is the full-sized keyboard and the nice long screen.

[Shadow08 @ Jan 9th 2009 1:30AM]

Not as much $$$$$$$$ as the MacBook air at DOUBLE THE $$$$$ !!!!

[thedesolate1 @ Jan 8th 2009 2:44AM]

mister Lacoste alligator there you should be the last one talking about too expensive. lol

[Maxville @ Jan 7th 2009 7:35PM]

Of course it's a Sony .. (has to be double the price of others)
Good to see high res screen though
Good connectivity options as well including GPS !

[Alan Partridge @ Jan 7th 2009 8:08PM]

Its double the price for a reason. Learn the difference between expensive and overpriced.

[dcoaster @ Jan 7th 2009 7:36PM]

Once again, Sony shoots themselves in the foot when its time for them to gain some attention....

[good grief @ Jan 7th 2009 7:45PM]

No kidding... I was really hoping this would be revolutionary, but with these specs its not even evolutionary compared to similar offerings from other manufacturers (which cost half as much). I fail to see how an XBRITE-ECO (the worst LCD Sony offers) and 1.33ghz ATOM justify paying the Sony tax for this netbook.

[Sarig @ Jan 7th 2009 8:02PM]

Does it say which Atom it is?

[Poom @ Jan 7th 2009 8:02PM]

I am totally with you two. Other than the nice design, this brings nothing exciting at all. sigh...

[dark star @ Jan 7th 2009 8:05PM]

u gotta admit... its nice n thin thanks to sony getting rid of that archaic VGA port! for people still needing vga, theres always an adapter :)

am i the only one who thinks $900 is worth it for a 1.4 lbs system? or would people rather justify paying $1800 for an mba that weights at 3.3 lbs???

[Homeboy @ Jan 7th 2009 8:14PM]

The netbook market is severely saturated and Sony took the right path at positioning themselves high by creating something premium and different. As much as I love it the price does take several glasses to swallow, around $500 would have been a bit more acceptable. It wouldn't surprise me if Apple jump on this one and replicate this beauty with a multi touch twist. But over all this is a superb effort by Sony, too bad the battery life will probably call for an expensive upgrade for the 6 cell battery.

Another question is; What on earth is this computer for? It doesn't look like anything I can type on long letter on, merely looks useful for commenting on friends' status on facebook and chit chatting on MSN. But I feel like an iPod Touch does that also, but in a much smaller form factor. If Apple comes out with a super sized iTouch with a 7-9 inch display then it will be game over for this P-series.

[sr @ Jan 7th 2009 8:22PM]

Darkstar: It is worth every penny. 1.4lbs and a Trackpoint makes me regret getting the X200s and for me to regret getting a Thinkpad especially because of a Sony, pigs must be flying somewhere.

[dark star @ Jan 7th 2009 9:31PM]

yo Homeboy,
i waited 5 years for someone to come out with a netbook (a cheap laptop that does basic tasks). im sure it will only take 2 years for some company to come out with a nice 7inch touchscreen ipod touch :-D

[cheng @ Jan 8th 2009 8:51AM]

@dark star
it's pretty clear that the macbook air and the sony p are completely different, why bother saying one's better than the other? they're both premium for their own market.

[Ruben @ Jan 7th 2009 7:36PM]

They really offer very compelling reasons to be worth 900 bucks.

But with nVIDIA jumping on board netbooks and the relatively weak (based on rumors) processor compared to others, now is a time to wait.

[Ian @ Jan 7th 2009 8:21PM]

Yeah, I'd probably look at Rev B, although you have to wonder why they went with the 1.3 GHz version of the Atom. This thing looks worth the $$$$. People don't seem to mind paying for ho-hum specs, but once something unique comes out with a full sized keyboard and really high resolution screen, you complain that it's too expensive. Do you know what's too expensive? Any 1.6 GHz Atom netbook with 1 GB of RAM and 160 GB harddisk for over $400, because the Acer AspireOne costs less than that, and yet has the same specs as some $550 units.

This thing is a $550 unit with big upgrades. I think the "nipple" is a huge upgrade over the tiny trackpads and weird button positions you find on other netbooks, while the screen makes this machine perfect for internet and writing documents. I can have 2 documents side by side. Fantastic.



However, the HP Mini-note 2140 with the upcoming 13xx by 768 screen may be a better overall package.

I'm digging the green one, but would probably go with the HP.

[Sarig @ Jan 7th 2009 7:38PM]

I want one.

[Burnst @ Jan 7th 2009 7:38PM]

Engadget compared this to the Asus R50a, which will be $1,878 ?

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/15/asus-r50a-finally-arrives-jacks-your-wallet-in-the-process/

[Poom @ Jan 7th 2009 8:04PM]

That should be compared to the Vaio UX instead.

[L @ Jan 7th 2009 7:39PM]

Love that pic...it's friggin tiny.
http://www.sonystyle.com/wcsstore/SonyStyleStorefrontAssetStore/img/vaioimage/static_images/lightbox_images/p_overview2.jpg

[Homeboy @ Jan 7th 2009 7:40PM]

I'll take one in Onyx Black plus the new 17 inch Macbook pro with a matte screen and 8GB RAM.

Thank.

[twitchy @ Jan 7th 2009 7:40PM]

Interesting how the press release is silent about the cpu.

[Gautam @ Jan 7th 2009 8:04PM]

i'll take your money.

Thanks

[nm @ Jan 7th 2009 7:48PM]

Does the 512KB L2 Cache rule out the dual core atom?

[waterwagen @ Jan 7th 2009 7:59PM]

I found that strange also. Could it be a Via? Nah...

[Gautam @ Jan 7th 2009 8:43PM]

wtf comment system that was to homeboy

[dnl2ba @ Jan 8th 2009 12:57AM]

The product specification page says "Intel processor," 1.33GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512kB L2 cache.

[LondonConsultant @ Jan 7th 2009 7:41PM]

There's room for a 9" screen in that case. For a premium price, I'd expect a smaller bezel...

[Ryan @ Jan 7th 2009 8:23PM]

What's the deal with all these bezels anyways? The size limitation on computers is obviously the interface, make it perfect!

[Nelson @ Jan 7th 2009 7:42PM]

From what everyone is saying, it sounds like it might be worth waiting for Windows 7 to see how each of the netooks runs. It might not need as much muscle.

[bjay @ Jan 7th 2009 7:43PM]

It's a Sony, Sony like no other ........... netbook. People buying this do have a substantial connectivity and pixel density to brag about(i do hope they dont go blind after long hours with their expensive netbook)

[Chris @ Jan 7th 2009 10:27PM]

It's an ultra portable.

[Kris120890 @ Jan 7th 2009 7:44PM]

It was okay until the price.

[Shugg @ Jan 7th 2009 8:49PM]

STFU!,. U already have a glide

[SHUGG @ Jan 8th 2009 1:49AM]

what a SAMSUNG GLIDE fanboi.,STFU!

[Zach @ Jan 7th 2009 7:44PM]

Macbook Wheel will totally pwn this! and for only twice the price! ;)

[Tony @ Jan 7th 2009 7:45PM]

This seems more like a high-tech accessory to go with an expensive hand bag than the next step in the evolution of laptops...

[Mark @ Jan 7th 2009 7:47PM]

$900 and up for a netbook? No thanks. Doesnt help that it runs VIsta since I'd downgrade to XP anyway..

[John.B @ Jan 7th 2009 7:49PM]

Wow, I'm sold. I need a computer for college next year, and I cant think of any computer I would rather buy right now. The price is a little high for a netbook, but for the hardware Sony is offering, I am more than willing to pay $900 to $1000. Awesome.

[adam @ Jan 7th 2009 7:52PM]

This computer might work for a good second laptop, but your not going to like using such a small screen as your main computer.

I have a Eee Pc that's even a 10" and doing a word doc or internet is not for long term use.

[L @ Jan 7th 2009 7:52PM]

I has a strange attraction. A tiny & superlight, but still usable full PC...with an killer screen, internal 3G and GPS and good battery life. It's not cheap that's for sure, but I don't think it's quite *that* overpriced as everybody thinks.

[Sora @ Jan 7th 2009 8:03PM]

At $900, it's better to just get a laptop from another manufacturer which will pack a little bit more of a punch for that price. I mean really, $900 for a netbook?!