Sony VAIO X ultraportable gets the Hackintosh treatment
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted November 24th 2009 10:59AM
posted November 24th 2009 10:59AM
The Vaio X, aside from being thin and light, is notoriously difficult to mod -- simply put, there's not much room in there to play around! Besides, when you've spent well over a grand for a machine, you're not necessarily going to be gung-ho about digging in with your soldering gun. Still, when InsanelyMac forum member Asama was struck by inspiration (in the form of a Vaio P OS X image) he followed his heart -- and, much to the world's amusement, it installed on the Vaio X with few complications. Sure, it wasn't a flawless operation: the WiFi card is unsupported (as you probably guessed) but, that said, this is definitely an item of note for all the Hackintosh freaks in attendance. Indeed we're looking forward to seeing Psystar get sued over a similar hack at some future junction. Get a closer look after the break. 
This is a mac. Dont be fooled!
Its just under a different name!
Very nicely done but probarbly useless for most people.
@MoonWalkerCTE
More like ALL people. Who needs an ultraportable with no WiFi? Wow, sweet hack. Now your laptop is useless.
Awwww you ruined it!
Look stop installing MAC things on something supposed to be Windows. IT doesn't make sense at all. Death to MAC.
@(Unverified)
There is so much wrong with you.
@(Unverified)
If it wasnt for your "MAC" you wouldnt be able to get onto the internet.
MAC = MAC Address
Mac = Apple Mac.
I read MAC as Makeup Art Cosmetics because I'm glam as hell
Looks like sony is making laptops that runs the Mac OS X. I wonder if its gonna cost the Same as a Mac. If not, it will be talking a big bite out of apples business.
@305BuddyLuv
*comically over acted voice*
You fool!
@305BuddyLuv
RTFP!
'Indeed we're looking forward to seeing Psystar get sued over a similar hack at some future junction."
Looking forward to?????
Wow, you guys really are in the tank for Apple
@Jay Evans
Do you not understand the intricacies of sarcasm?
Must be a slow day in the Engadget newsroom
@Paul Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if that was said literally. Psystar is a company of jackasses. Read up on them for more info.
What's with the vertical stripes?
Due to the refresh scanning of the screen. It's hard to take a good picture of an LCD screen.
That touch pad looks really small.
Computer Name: TJ's Vaio P
??
I really don't see the point on installing Mac OS X on a non-Mac. I, as an engineer need a reliable system. That's why I have multiple PCs I assembled myself and a MacBook.
Somebody with a PC and OS X is nothing but a wanna be. If you have all that time to do it why not just sell all that WOW gold and get a real mac?
Because Apple doesn't make anything smaller than 13". It's that simple. I have a real mac as my main machine at home, and a Dell Mini 9 Hackintosh.
@Drago
Oooh you're cool cuz you're a "engineer" woooooo!
I don't really see the point of your posting. If you have multiple pc's assembled yourself you must be elite!
@Drago
I bet you are a lot of fun at parties.
@Drago
Psst: Macs are PC's too. You, as an engineer, should know that ;).
@Drago Because, Apple hasn't made the hardware I wanted... so we had to do it ourselves and put MacosX on it (see the related post with a UX490 and working wifi on it...)
@Tinilk Don't screens usually scan vertically? Hence v-sync features in gfx cards?
@Fry Guy: Great, how stable is your hackintosh?
@Drago
My hackintosh is pretty stable for iTunes, iCal, and Safari. It doesn't do a lot of other 'normal' things that Macs would do. Firefox sometimes has problems, and Quicktime crashes a lot more than I would expect on a real Mac. And in iTunes 9, I can't get to the store anymore (where I actually gave Apple money).
However, now I am comfortable enough using a Mac, and since my data (calendar, mp3 metadata, bookmarks) is now setup for the Mac, I will be buying a real one next year. (Aperture doesn't work with my graphics card, and there are some other problems).
rcappo: Thanks for pointing that out. If you want a reliable system a hackint0sh is not an option.
OMG OMG OMG, ORLY?
OS X? onna peecee? OMG KEWL!
------------
Really, Engadget? I Yawned... ppl have been putting OS X on non apple hardware for years... LRN2/OSx86... it's really not hard for some kid to download a prebuilt distro like iAtkos, and throw it on a Dell, Sony, Acer, whatever.. this kid cant even get the wireless to work... How is this news?
@dkmix
Next up on Engadget: Someone installs Linux on a Windows desktop!
@Uncontrol
My Asexual Caratacts
or
When Its Not Dieing Of Weigty Services
I don't see the point in doing this. Is it just to get MacOS on a lightweight, portable laptop that's NOT the MBA? Price-wise, you're paying essentially the same thing for the two for the same specs, so its not like going this route would save you money. Plus, you have to deal with trying to get everything working properly.
Well sadly this has no real GPU support as last I checked there is no OSX drivers for the GMA500, which is a shame cause the P would have been perfect for dual booting OSX and Win7.
Reminds me of when I installed (to some degree) OSX on my Sony VAIO P-series earlier this year, and several forums acted like it was the 2nd coming.
It's relatively easy to get the OS on the device, but near impossible to get everything working correctly.
The Vaio X is hot stuff, too bad it has integrated graphics. I would not mind if it was a 1/3" thicker but had a 4650 in it or something. I would love to have a thin, super light, powerful laptop that is stylish and durable so I can use it for light cutting and editing HD video while we are on set or editing RAW photos from the latest shoot while im in bed.
Oh wait, my MacBook Pro can do all of that, and it is only marginally thicker and heavier.
@poematik14
Or a Vaio Z-series, obviously. Oh, wait, you wanted to be an Apple fanboy. Sorry.
@poematik14
Are you kidding? Sorry to burst your bubble but your MacBook Pro is a dangerously obese lady 9 months pregnant with quintuplets compared to the anorexic model that is the VAIO X.
MacBook Pro 15" = 5.5 pounds
MacBook Pro 13" = 4.5 pounds
VAIO X = 1.6 pounds
oh and the VAIO Z = 3.3 pounds
One of the main motivating factors of hackintosh is to save some money...This is a Vaio....Nuff said.
Does anyone know if the Atom support has been hacked back into the Dell mini 10v for the newest version of snow leopard?
@forg0tmypen
No one will ever read anything you write... ever. For obvious reasons.
@(Unverified) I was actually about to get one of those. That and the refurbished Pro were 1400 and I picked the apple because of its excellent built in software as well as its more advanced photo/video programs FCX and Aperture.
So if making an informed decision makes me an "apple fanboy", then fine. I get to use the superior product for the same price.
@nicholasphan
PWNAGE! I'll take the VAIO Z over a MacBook Pro, any day.
Not to mention the higher (1600x900) resolution compared to even the 15" model.
GeForce 9300M GS is, as far as I know, superior to the 9400M.
Z is lighter. It is smaller without a sacrifice on screen size. It certainly has a similar price. And you don't get SL with it.
OR...install something that works. No wireless, etc? Who cares?
if you are going to spend that much on an ultraportable, buy a macbook air XD
Engadget has the most readers according to Alexa blog ratings. And now they may destroy Apple by teaching anyone who wants to listen on how to make a Hackintosh. It's about time that Apple released their operating systems to Dell, HP, Acer anyways. There was a review that iMacs are practically more powerful than a 3 (k or) grand PowerPC. I have ligament Macs (one Intel iMac and one PPC) but I have to use a usb switch to get by for both my PPC Mac and a PC to work.