Fascinating. Sony just figured out a simple truth of ultra-portable computing: for all its beauty, elegant hardware packed into a diminutive chassis will never make up for a perpetually sluggish OS, at least not for long. While it comes late to this understanding, Sony is finally making XP a standard load on its new
VAIO P model VGN-P50. Not exactly aspirational, mind you, and very netbook-like... but at least it gets the OS out of the way of your applications
unlike the original VAIO P Vista build. Any by not having to downgrade yourselves (or upgrade to Windows 7 RC), you'll keep all of Sony's optimizations like the VAIO P's XMB interface. Starting June 6th, our Japanese friends will also see a 2GHz Atom Z550 processor bump in addition to
WWAN data as standard. They'll even toss in a 256GB SSD if you tick the right box. While we'd typically expect these specs to go global, the fact that we're still
stuck with a 1.33GHz processor Stateside makes us doubtful, bitter even, and more than a tad envious. Available June 6th in Japan starting at ¥85,000 (about $900).
[Via
Akihabara News]
posted May 26th 2009 1:41AM
That comp is so sexy
Agreed. I would definitely get it if I could justify buying it. Too bad I'm honest with myself.
Not IRL. Definitely too cheap build quality to be sexy.
Why are the hands typing when the screen is off?
Sexy but slow. Got one for my wife and it's crap. Sexy but crap.
I really like this formfactor for a netbook. Why hasn't anyone copied this and made a real netbook-priced netbook? Or are those 1600x768 panels prohibitively expensive?
lol, great minds think alike. exactly.
I dont even care if the resolution is the same as the Sony. It doesnt need to be. It just needs to have a similar form factor.
Listen up people who make netbooks, make a netbook LIKE THAT ONE. Thats the form factor that will sell. Dont put expensive components and large SSDs in it, just put typical netbook components in it and sell it without the ridiculous Sony price tag. Ill pay up to 600 for something like that. Its not that hard guys.
I think you clearly illustrate here what a netbook defines and what this is. You are willing to pay 600 usd for a electronic device with just the ussual hardware in it. On the other hand I´m willing to pay a bit extra money for a formfactor which holds a proper keyboard I can work on. I mean.. besides those bigger netbooks the ussual netbooks have keyboards so small even a Chinese girl can´t type properly on it (I got it tested ...). Also I´m willing to pay a bit extra for a carbon casing so it doesn´t feel to cheap as well for some better hardware like a nicer screen, cpu and drive. Sure you could claim the formfactor is typical netbook, and even that isnt entirely so but a product simply costs money to produce and ofcourse there is a bit of Sony tax included but for sure that isn´t that massive if you lok at these specs.
That said... seriously Sony launch this thing properly so the latest is everywhere avaible.
Err, JZ...."but a product simply costs money to produce and ofcourse there is a bit of Sony tax included but for sure that isn´t that massive if you lok at these specs."
Sure it's nice, but if that thing really is priced genuinely, costing $850-$900 with only a 'bit' of Sony tax, then Sony need to get new accountants.
@Vince, if you go to the shop and just consider the parts that´s being used like I previously stated you won´t get that for an additional 300 to 400 usd. Try to find me a netbook with a carbon casing, a 64GB (or even 256 GB) SDD a proper screen and some serious build quality (not like most flimsy netbooks). You won´t find something similar to those except for a Lenovo X300/200 which.. costs the same only its a littlebit bigger and sports a better CPU. I fail to understand why people complain about the price, its like when the X505 was released way back and was seriously expensive.. but compared to other similar laptops (size aside) it was the same.
The problem lays I feel is that people see something small with an Atom (they fail to notice this is the best Atom around) and then see the pricetag. Sure it´s expensive.. but it has for what it can the best hardware around. Also this isn´t targetted at the ussual netbook carier but you will see this in eitherway business people or some secretary´s bag. They care less about the price more about the quality.
JZ, you are missing the point. I dont want the carbon casing. I dont want a big expensive SSD.
I want someone to make a notebook with that form factor, with cheaper internals, and without the huge markup, simply because its a VAIO.
That is what will sell. All these netbook guys competing, but theyre all releasing basically the same thing. Give me something like this and Im in.
I hope somewhere in 2010 we will be able to pick one of those beast (or a competitor more likely) for under 500$.
Having a full PC in such a small case is remarkable.
"Sony overprices once again, unfortunately."
OK, go make me thee same laptop from the same materials with the same processor, ram and 256 gb SSD. Then tell me again if they are overpricing.
Handled one of those at Harvey Norman (Australia) the other day...
TOTALLY not worth the $2299 price tag. Yes...$2299, for an Atom processor and GMA 500 graphics.
If i wanted a sexy small computer i would get a Hp Mini 1000 for $650...or the 2140 which is even better.
Im usually a fan of Sony's laptops but thats just disgustingly overprice. Apple dont even gouge their customers that much.
The screen was oddly shaped, the machine itself felt hollow and plasticky.
Anyway, this XP thing is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg.
$2,300 for that? Wow.
Sony overprices once again, unfortunately.
Come on... see my post below. It's nowhere near that price. He must confound with some Apple product.
The P is now 678$ on Sony webpage in Japan. I would not be surprise if the price drop soon in US.
He is talking about the Aussie price.
Wow I just checked the Australian SonyStyle page because I couldn't believe that price. Turns out he is right (nearly). The price ranges from $1399 to $2099 in Australian dollars, that is USD$1098-1648. Pricey.
Well if you check the Harvey Norman site you will see the top model they have is $2299 with the 1.6ghz processor.
Of course Harvey Norman arent the best place for a deal, but so far they are the only brick and mortar store i have found that actually sell the Vaio P.
Wow I just visited SonyStyle Japan and the P is now only 678$..!!!! not bad really!
Link?
The cheapest Ive found it anywhere is around 900 and up
http://www.jp.sonystyle.com/Special/Computer/Vaio/P/index.html
Direct from Sony site. 67800yen... roughly 678$, depend where you from.
On amazon.jp it still at 770$ but last month it was over 1000$!
Or, when you get it, you could install a real operating system like anything other than Windows. Just saying...
Yeah Windows is a figment of our imaginations...
When you get off your high horse you could just stop bitching and move along
I'm pretty sure the average sony customer doesn't really mess around with linux, nor are they likely to mess around with trying to install osx on their windows machines.
That doesn't give them a lot of direction, Nate.
Sell us Ubuntu.
You are right, Sony customers stick with windows and make lots of money.
*sigh*
Sorry about the troll, people, I really need to stop posting late at night...
If this particular post gets double posted, I'm sorry for that too.
Last time I saw this device it sucked; does it still do that?
Its a 129.99 dollar option but you should probably just get a girlfriend.
i kinda like the form factor but not really any more than my hp mini 1000 that i only paid $300 for. plus im so used to trackpads. either way id buy it if it were under 500
Sony, can you just wait for Windows 7? Regardless, it's still an overpriced netbook no matter how Sony spin it.
Or *you* could wait for Windows 7, then pretend Sony waited.
You know, the REAL issue here is all the damn bloatware Sony installs on their PCs. It looks fancy, sure, but is always way too over-ambitious with what it tries to do. I bought a full-size VAIO FW, and despite its relatively decent hardware, it was slow as hell. After uninstalling a majority of the pretty-but-slow software, it suddenly became a real computer despite the Vista OS. I'm willing to bet that despite this new infusion of XP, they're still going to find a way to bloat it down.
Oh, and I really hope Sony upgrades the hardware with the Ion platform, and quick. If this could smoothly handle 1080p, I'd snatch it up in an instant.
Let's just call it a NOTbook.
If XP runs well on it then it might just support Windows 7 also.
That way you get the slickness without the sickness.
Junk junk junk!
They just opened a Sony Style at my local mall and I had to play with that little Sony computer.
It has flimsy ass build quality and horrible screen quality. I can't believe they would release that crap.
I just used one IRL at the Sony Center in Stockholm. This is definitely a netbook, judging by the plastic, low-budget build quality and performance. Even though the screen is good, the operating system is far from optimal on such a high resolution.
I was really disappointed with it.
I have this "netbook" ... first one that came was a brick, wouldnt boot ... some kind of hardware short inside from what i could guess.
sony wanted me to return it for repair, wait 6 weeks and they would send it back ... mind you this netbook is brand new, it was a brick out of the box ... from SonyStyle.
i returned it for a refund and ordered a new one ... avoiding the 6 week wait time.
after dumping vista for windows 7 and updating the verizon stuff that some how became corrupted in the upgrade, im fairly pleased with the "netbook" ... its a great piece to use when demoing software or something, people are always turned on by sony products ...
but in the end ... its a $300 netbook put in a fancy case and sold for $900 ... I would still buy it, because like I said ... its part of my sales team, just the look of it over the $300 netbooks.
as far as value, if your not using it as a "sales tool" ... you would be a fool to purchase one of these.
but sitting on a desk with the pico projector hooked to it... it looks fancy.
I seen someone say 1080p ... that wouldnt matter except on a external display, the resolution of the screen is 1600x768 .... or maybe it would matter, im not educated too much on the tv resolutions.
again if its not for work, buy a $300 acer or something ... this is $600 for a fancy case and name ...
mmm... make sens of course. Still the high resolution+slim design (its incredibly small) add to that 300$ value. 500$-600$ would be quite adequate I guess.
I would get one at that price if it was the 1.8ghz or 2.0ghz at that price with a graphic chip that better than the intel gma 950 or 500.
For the same amount of money, you can get a refurbished macbook air, which offers more performance with a robust aluminum chasis. Also, OSX and iLife is included in the package =)