Sure, the Japanese press release translates to "internet book," but there's no mistaking that 10.1-inch screen and 1.6GHz Atom running Windows XP on 1GB of RAM: Sony's new VAIO W is a
netbook, folks. We're not sure how or why the company decided to enter this market after six months of hawking the overpriced
VAIO P and insisting that netbooks were a
"race to the bottom," but we're itching to see what the US price tag on this guy is -- with a nicer-than-usual 1366 x 768 screen, what we're hoping is a typically-solid VAIO keyboard, and some sort of home media-streaming software called VAIO Media Plus, the W could be a big winner if it's not crazy-expensive. Fingers crossed! Video after the break.
Update: We just watched the video -- kind of an ugly little bastard, innit?
ASUS and
Acer are way beyond this chunky design language now, and honestly, we expect way more from Sony.
Update 2: Reuters is reporting a Japanese price of
¥60,000 or about $629.
[Via
Engadget Japan]
posted July 7th 2009 12:29AM
How is this thing ugly or clunky?
LOVE the WIRED MOUSE ???? really ??? LOL in this day and age???
According to Impress PC Watch it should retail for about US$630 in Japan
The keyboard looks great, and the higher screen res is welcomed. However, GMA950? No SSD? XP? Seems like Sony suddenly realized their big mouth trying to sell the expensive Vaio P, and scrambled rushing a generic netbook to the market. They should've at least waited for Windows 7.
Not sure if this applies to this model or even the P but sony now does offer of most of its new computers(newer model numbers) a free upgrade to Windows 7.
@Al: It would make sense on the P, since it comes with Vista. But this W comes with XP. I don't think MS allow manufactures to sell an XP machine with an upgrade path to 7. Consumers have to buy the separate retail upgrade themselves. For example, Dell only provide Windows 7 upgrades on Vista machines, not the ones with XP.
I think that is so sexy out a mungs other netbooks!!!
A bit late to the party.
Design is nice but classic, specs are same as usual...
Good keyboard though.
This is simply a Shanzai netbook with Sony Vaio branding. Don't believe me? We've got pics of this being unboxed, fresh from the streets of ShenZen:
http://www.shanzai.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29:blag-sony-vaio-unboxed-or-is-this-the-real-thing&catid=3:notebooks&Itemid=5
It isnt. The keyboards are different. Not the layout but the shape of keys.
Stunning music.
Looks good. I would get one if I didn't already have a Vaio P.
Dear Sony,
Atom N280, GMA950, 1GB, 160GB and XP is so last year, high-rez screen or no high rez screen. In three months time this will be obsolete.
When it shows you a shot of XP running, and an image of a laptop, is it an image of the netbook? I doubt it because that image shows a CD drive?!?
@Nick Stropko
How about I bury it as spam?
Every one here knows about Digg. If we want to digg it, we will.
the price of netbook is $199-299 those days. double that price with a little upgrade, is still overpriced. still, dont like 768p resolution, prefer 720p
Sony died in the 90's.
Hail Samsung! the 'new Sony'.
Sony used to stand for THE name in quality electronics. Now they're just an overpriced joke. I usually don't even pay attention to Sony's products. I blaze right past the Bravia's to the Sammy ToC's.
I just wanted to come here and fail a little Sony apathy.
I'm done. Coffee here I come!
Netbooks are a total waste of money.
I don't think Sony can even afford to make a thin one at the moment till they know that their netbooks will sell since they're not really making much money.
I like the hardware surface design but that doesn't really do much once you start using it. I hope it actually last and not break down... I am still too sad from my last VAIO experience.
I like the design of this but I'll wait till they release a thinner design. I do hope they make one that's better with specs and has the XMB thing going on.
Looks like SONY seriously wants to win the race to the bottom. Once they win, then what? Race back up to the top? The recession has really put pride in being a bottom feeder for the computer industry and users alike. Guess what? My netbook has the exact same 1.6 GHz Atom processor as everyone else's machine, but mine is much more prettier than the rest, so I'll declare myself the winner of the netbook race into mediocrity. Good luck, Sony. I know you had no choice but to join the rest of the bunch to keep sales up.
What's up with the giant enter key?
All product videos out of japan look a bit homespun. This one is no exception. Maybe the new emplyees start at video departmnt and then move up... Would explain a lot.
Other points of the video. Left side seems to have power vga and headphones connectors. Front has to square slots, one for sony memorystick and one for SD card?
Whats ointresting is what the video doesnt show, screen and righ end of machine. Theres a picture of the right end but too little to be sure.Might be 2 usb connectors and some myxtery connectors. The machine in video is probably nonbooting as they dart around the screen....
why no piano black???? WHY NO PIANO BLACK????
I usually don't like Sony, but to say "ASUS and Acer are way beyond this chunky design language now" is an overstatement. Besides it, Japanese products are regarded as of good quality. Not quite the same when we talk about Taiwanese products.
Well, I don't hate sony, but Come On! not this sort of new product again. where is the innovation???
...Like every other netbook out there.
http://www.buycheapguide.com