We just grabbed a first look at Sony's new
VAIO P. At first glance, the screen is bright and ultrasharp -- certainly stretching the limits of our eyesight. We'd say the keys are a little bit light and shallow for our taste, but good as far as most "netbooks" go, and the "nipple," like all like pointers, will take getting used to and careful calibration, though it's definitely sensitive. It's certainly not hefty, but we'd say there's the standard amount of Sony build quality, and while high for a netbook, $900 doesn't "feel" too far off. We love lightweight, but this netbook almost feels like it lacks innards, the real deal seems almost like it's a mock-up device. Videos of all its best sides after the break.
posted Jan 7th 2009 8:11PM
Man this looks real cool!
that is a nice looking machine
what do you think of it?
I agree that this is expensive, but sony is trying to appeal to both the netbook crowd as well as the notebook crowd with this one. The machine seems to have a lot of good things going for it and depending on how they spec out the Pseries vaio it could be worth the 900 dollar price tag.
If it performs like my sz series Vaio, has ample storage (hopefully a bigger SSD) and actually gets the 4 hours of battery life then its worth it for anybody that is looking for strong mobile computing (especially with the GPS, Built in verizon and optional 8 hour battery...which after reviewing sonystyle.com looks like the extended battery wont stick out from the side or back like the other netbook models which is awesome)
as of right now it looks good to me and deserves my hard earned money if it accomplishes what I need it to.
Sexy!
Useless
It looks nice but pricey. Since it's a "netbook", I would say they should have named it "Vaio :-P". Nothing like a smiley face built right into the name =).
Hahahahaha! Its like sony is trying to fail. I mean seriously. Its not hard to find a netbook that has better specs and a look better than what this is dishing out. This is just a keyboard with a computer attached. Ill take my HP mini 1000 to go please
Honestly, $700 and I'll definitely take one.
Nice - but they won't sell many for $900...especially in this economy. I do like the "nipple" mouse, much better than balls (track balls, that is).
from the sonystyle website the specs are
VAIO® P Series Lifestyle PC
Intel® Processor (1.33GHz, 512kB L2 Cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Basic
Model Features: 8" display with XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, 2GB RAM, 60GB HDD, 1.5 lbs., GPS, integrated mobile broadband, glossy Onyx Black, Bluetooth® technology
which is fine but theres also a 1500 dollar model which has a 128gb ssd
that is a lot IMO.
Right, as if it really wasn't totally useless. Go ahead and low rank me again...
I think the bezel makes this look ugly as hell. Why get such a pixel dense screen when you can make the screen so much bigger?
I agree. USELESS.
I have seen OLD laptops this size. My buddy had one in the food industry, to place orders with.....
What can you honestly do on this thing that you can't on a eee or S10?????
And what is it? 10-12 inches wide??????
it has a removal battery??????
how?
surely this is blasphemy!!!!!
major sarcasm at apple gears :-p
I think this may be the best notebook/netbook for me. I already have a nice desktop at home, and I've been looking for an ultraportable that does not cost too much. I love the way they removed the touchpad and made it smaller. Most netbooks just look a little bit too bulky.
I just hope that windows 7 comes soon for this model too.
I guess this would be an appealing laptop for those who think the currently crop of netbooks are too large and underpriced.
What an amazing looking machine, definitely something I would consider purchasing... BUT my first thoughts as a Brit was that after looking at the $900 price tag across the pond, I thought that as long as the price is south of £500, then it would sell like hot cakes!
I was happy to see that it was already available in the UK but absolutely horrified to find out that Sony priced it at £850 to £1,369!
Astonishing! I'm glad to see someone at Sony still has a sense of humour, but the pricing department clearly needs to have their budget cut (and then have their heads checked!) as they have stopped anyone purchasing it in the UK, by simply getting the American price and swapping the $ out for a £!
Does anyone else agree or am I off the mark here!?
The price is too high but it does look very nice indeed.
Oh, look - a Sony product that is twice the price it should be for the specs it has.
Quelle surprise.
Ha. Thanks for the down-rank Engadget!!
Hope to see you clowns with this in Starbucks JUST so I can beat you up.
I've been reading through the comments, and I think Sony has nailed this product and its intended demographics.
People who say it's too expensive, or don't like the overall form factor: you people are not Sony's intended customers. They don't want you even being able to think about having one of these.
If you're thinking:
- "That would fit perfectly in my purse / Gucci bag / fake Gucci bag!" or
- "That would fit perfectly in my gadget bag / man purse / purse!" or
- "What a great way to do work while I'm waiting for my clients at the restaurant of the four to five star hotel!"
YOU are Sony's intended customers. Yes, you can buy an Asus Eee or MSI Wind, but then you'd be revealing your lack of interest in the overall appearance of your lifestyle from a short to medium range distance.
A MUCH MORE INFORMATIVE hands-on is available from PC Magazine:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2338331,00.asp
Where the author writes:
"The target audience is primarily women, but Sony plans to extend its reach to college students and young professionals. According to Sony, women aren't too concerned about what's inside the system; how it looks is more important."
Although Sony is style competitive with Apple, they cannot price their products like Apple. When you buy an Apple you get a great design, and a great user experience by avoiding MSFT. When you buy a Sony like this you get this wonderfully promising design, and the same old frustration you are faced with on every other MSFT machine. If the whole world hates America so much, why do they use "our [MSFT] OS"?
Personally, I like it. not the price but the machine. Looks like a good replacement for the Jornada 720 i had to trash last month. I miss that outdated, useless for anything but writing, machine. Yes, I am the only person on the planet who can touch type on a J720 with hands of normal proportions, honest it got me through college. Unfortunately it seems to be 200 too much for me. they should have a SKU without 3g.
I also question the structure of the case. it seems that it would suffer from torsion being so thin, long and narrow. (yes yes, that's what she said...)
I already pre-ordered the SSD model. Can;t wait to get it!! This is perfect, I've been waiting for a computer this size for years!!
This may be the most competitively priced min-laptop Sony has ever put out.
Typically, SONY would slap on a $1999 price tag.
will it blend?
Sexy
Nipple. *snicker*
wow!
amazing...
i want one
DO WANT!!
(but for less, like, 50% less)
I agree. That's $900, about the monthly mortgage payment many home owners can barely comply with. Sony is offering an amazing product at a non-recession friendly price. I love everything about it and look forward to trying it out in a Sony store in NY later this month, but damn the price. From a functional perspective I'm finding it almost impossible to justify forking over 9 large ones for that irresistible laptop.
$900? Try "starting from £849" in the UK store! Thats over $1,200 for the base model!
I would happily pay £600 ($900) for it!
Sort it out Sony!
If it was £400, I'd order one today.
At £849, they can keep it.
I can get one for $450 (339 euros)
$900's of beautiful
As long as the keyboard is half decent, It could still be a winner at that price point.
The keyboard doesn't look bad. My concern is the IBM-clitoris, how comfortable is that to use for browsing as I can see my fingers getting exhausted after half an hour or so. Maybe a tiny track ball would have been better. That is the the biggest drawback I can see with this device, Sony should bundle it with a free super portable bluetooth mouse.
"IBM-clitoris"
xDDDDDD You NEED to be highest ranked.
@derX: You new to the internet or something?
@homeboy:
you'll be suprised at how comfortable the clit is. most people who invest a few hours getting used to it will almost hate going back to the trackpad. at leas for me, it feels more comfortable than the pad (as you need to move less to use it and its much closer to your home keys). also, surfing the web with that is not too bad, and indeed quite enjoyable if you use firefox + grab and drag addon (remember to turn the friction way down so it slides)
I agree with Homeboy. I hate those stupid trackpoint pointers. That is the one and only reason I will not buy one of these. The track ball on my G1 Android phone is 1000% better then any trackpoint type pointer in existance. They are the hardest to use pointer there is and definatly anti-ergonomic.
hmm - does it also include the Atari Joystick on the right?
you = fail.
that's a lock
@finite rings
you = fail
you could not even recognize his sarcasm
that would be awesome.
I think the keyboard should be replaced with, like, a large click wheel or something. That would be really revolutionary, and worth the high price.
classic...
Too bad APPLE HAS DONE IT ALREADY!!!!
$900??? How is this still classified as a netbook with that pricetag? Completely misses the purpose of being a netbook, theyre supposed to be small and minimal to reduce costs wherever possible so everyone can have a cheap laptop on them at all times. 900 bucks can get me a good laptop, you know, core 2 duo or something, or THREE Asus EEE PC laptops.
Then don't buy it, if you want the same old netbooks from 10 other manufacturers you're not really missing anything. It's obvious from the comments that the majority are drooling over it and I'm excited myself.
Well... actually Sony never called it as a netbook.
I'm gonna get one when it hits the stores! :D
$900 makes it a netbook by Sony's standards. I paid $1,300 for my old Picturebook - second hand.
I'm gonna be all OVER this one.
To be fair, Sony products are usually pretty pricey regardless.
And given the built-in options that come with the 900 dollar model, it's not bad.
Sold if only it was $600
am I secirnd?anyways, its a nice 007 gadget. i am surprise Sony dare to make a pc to cost more than netbook or even regular laptop.sony should just eleminate the keyboard and make this netbook a touch screen.
That font looks like it's impossible to read in person without putting your head up onto the screen. Who thought it was a good idea to have the same resolution as 22" monitors on it?
We pay a bit of a premium for all that bezel.
HUGE ASS BEZEL!
The resolution makes up for the lost screen real estate. Besides it's not that bad, I mean where else would the speakers go?
"Nipple" mouse?
Everyone knows the proper name for it is "clit mouse."
Oh my god it's gorgeous. Too bad it will die when Apple unleash an 8 inch iPod touch.
Right on.
does the pointer get more perky in cold weather?
the CPU slowly gets more and more overclocked, and eventually spikes and dies if you keep rubbing it.
It may have a slow processor but damn does sony make some beautiful looking devices. Too bad the outside looks as glittery as a hooker. Hopefully the shell doesnt look like that and its just the lighting.
This is very beautiful. It even has Vista :)
more like:
"This is very beautiful, but it has Vista"
They should have made the keys a giant track pad like the keys on the PS3 chat pad accessory! Don't you think? I hate nipple mice.
Hopefully its just a mistake but on the sonystyle site it lists the P as $1500.
No mistake -- $1499 with 128GB SSD or $1299 with 64GB SSD. The $899 model uses a 1.8" spinner, probably 4200rpm
...good grief $600 Premium for a SSD!
I'd be looking at the 64, IMO if you need more room buy and external. Still freakin pricy for a netbook, or as sony calls it, a LifestylePC.
These prices are gonna shy alotta people away and like Doug said that HP mini 2140 is looking pretty nice right about now.
Apparently, a previous commenter said "$1500 is for the Vaio P with the 128gb SSD option" :)
Sorry for replying! i didnt see the next page of comments :)
While Sony Computer Entertainment can kiss my ass, I'd love to try out one of these netbooks!
I will take the new HP Mini 2140 with the HD screen option over this thing.
$900 = deal breaker.
Next.
I like it a lot. And yeah maybe it deserves $900...
But, problem is if I had that kind of money I'd buy a gaming laptop/desktop instead, and suffice with my sturdy smartphone for ultramobile computing.
Maybe I'd pay that kind of money for a netbook if it had a multitouch screen and ran Windows 7.... HOPE WE GET THOSE SOON.
Paid half as much for my Samsung NC10. No thanks... I'll pass.
yeah i'm on mine right now, best purchase I think I've ever made
This is heavily overpriced and probably won't sell much. It does look nice, though.
The two-tone, black and silver colors remind me too much of the HP mini 1000.
It'll probably sell 4x as much as the sony UX so I guess it'll be worth it for them. Maybe not so much for the people who buy them but it sure is a nice piece of equipment.
Think of it as a crossover. Its the ford edge of the notebook world. Too bad its priced like a lincoln.
Yet to see the XMB screen, how hard is it going to be to install windows xp instead of vista though if you boot up into xmb first? you'll have to re-map the open windows button, this is assuming it's like anyother instant on quick os.
nice, not 900 dollar nice, but i wouldnt mind testing one out.
if apple made it, everyone would jizz their pants.
Considering the cheapest model has 2 usb ports, gps, 3g, a higher resolution, a removable battery and more battery life with the large capacity battery why wouldn't they?
Also the most expensive P is cheaper then the cheapest Macbook Air.
They are gonna sell a lot of those. No doubt. Its very attractive for business people.
Lighter than a netbook, highly portable form, higher resolution, a nipple and resurect the old TZ form. People who own that one know it feel well.
Also Japaneses trust Sony, they will buy this over any chinese-taiwan brand. Most small Fujitsu laptop cost more than this anyway.
A pointer nub? Really?
Total dealbreaker. I can't freaking stand those things. It does make me laugh to see Sony sucking it up and joining the netbook game. It's basically forcing them to reprice the same stuff they've been selling for years, only now instead of costing $3,600 they're only able to price them for $600 max. Ha Ha.
sony..nice machine..but eat my ass for the price you bunch of capitalisitc bastards
Maybe I'm just a grumpy old guy, but I see problems with this "form factor" of computer.
It either fits in your pocket, or it doesn't.
It either has touch-type-ability... or it doesn't
Price aside (cos all seriously cool options are waaaay expensive right now) .... I'd be taking my Dell E4200, with Full Size keyboard and 12" display @ 1kg.... vs this that is still too small to pocket @ 680 grams.
11-13 inch + full size keyboard + light as a feather .... otherwise let me put it in my pocket.
Oh, and hey, I missed that it's running Vista. That's even more hilarious.
God that is the shex but I wouldn't pay any more than £350-400 for a machine like that, maybe **apple can prize that sort of money off me but atleast you get a full size laptop which is something a bit more functional
**Not starting an apple debate just comparing prices :)
N so far this CES looks like ASUS have my money on that T91!
HURF DE DURF THIS R SOOO EXPENSIVE
*sips flat mountain dew, scratches self, ignores existence of macbook air, refuses to accept that not every product is tailored specifically to me*
AGAIN SONY HAS DROPED THE BALL 900 BILLS YEA OK SONY CAN KISS MY ROYAL ARABIAN KNIGHT ASS HEY SONY LOOK AT WHATS OUT IN THE MARKET DOES PRICE RANGE 300-600 FOR NETBOOKS WITH CLOSE TO SAME SPECS OK FINE TAKE YOUR LOGO OFF AND DROP 400 DOLLERS AND I WILL BE MORE HAPPY TO BUY A FEW
HaHa, we were talking about nipples the other nite.
"I'm playing with your nipple"
Available for pre-order now at- https://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644608896
Finally someone is listening! Sony finally has it's groove back, I've always been a Sony fanatic and always loved Sony for their slim products - remember the old slim Discman or the portable walkman's which then became the Z505 laptops? Slim is in and if it has Sony's quality, I'm in! Apple needs to start listening, this is a Macbook Air! come on Apple!
Pretty good looking, and packs a punch, but why spend $900 on a netbook. Portability is nice and so is the style. But why not get a netbook for half the price or refurb mac air for $1200?
Its amazing how many people don't even understand the concept of netbook. Outside the tech world, people still haven't seemed to grasp it.
We did a post explaining it to those who are a bit behind:
http://www.degeeked.com/answers/detail/whats-a-netbook
Aw damn, I want to save up for one. Hope it's not much pricier in the UK.