Sony VAIO M netbook officially unveiled, attempts to befriend your wallet
By Richard Lai 
posted March 16th 2010 2:36PM
posted March 16th 2010 2:36PM
posted March 16th 2010 2:36PM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
No chiclet keys = no buy.
@DoctarPeppar
Im not sold on the values of chiclet keys. they look nice, they type fine, but do they really make using the keyboard any easier? I have both kinds of keyboards and have used both for many years, I dont really think either style is better. one is just trendy and looks a little more impressive to us because we have been told that its a sign of higher quality or an impressive feature.
maybe in a few years we'll be going back to the tapered edge keys thinking they make the computer look so much more full and solid or something.
@bolezhinkov
It's all personal preference I guess, but I myself prefer the chiclet style keys. The worst thing (imho) about "normal" keyboards is getting debris in the slots between the keys. Cleaning is a pain...but cleaning a chiclet style keyboard is very simple, and there's no possibility of anything falling in the "holes" because there are none.
@DoctarPeppar "Nevertheless, kudos to Sony for reaching out to a more affordable market with its new 3.1-pound netbook."
Last I remember the affordable market is the only one available for netbooks.Sony is just fuckin crazy and loves overpricing their stuff.
@DoctarPeppar
Have you used one of the newest Macbooks (regular, Pro, or Air)? Tons of debris still gets in there. Granted, it's probably not as bad as the tapered style, but I did a full cleaning on my Air by popping off keys (which was at least really easy) and there was all kinds of debris down there. Nonetheless, I agree with everyone that it's all just a matter of preference. Like I said, I'd been using a Macbook Air for some months, and typing on it was pretty great, but I recently purchased an HP dv3 (with tapered backlit keyboard) and it's just really the tops. I love the action on the keys and they don't feel as thin and cheap as the Air did.
It's pretty sweet but I kinda prefer the HP Mini 210:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0034G5G2O
@Mr Oos
I have the mac pro keyboard thinline chiclet keyboard and i've never had a problem.
chiclet == no buy
A personal preference indeed. I dislike chit lit keys as they effectively provide less space on the keyboard. The Vaio SZ keyboard remains the best I've ever used. http://regmedia.co.uk/2007/05/16/vaio_sz4_1.jpg
@DoctarPeppar exactly! i was about to submit something along the lines of "but it has a bad keyboard" but its great to read im not the only one that thinks this way!!!!!
@bolezhinkov they make keeping the keyboard maintained. u know how much stuff ruins keyboards that arent chicklet keyboards? its so unhegenic! they should just go ahead and ban un chicklet keyboards like the fcc or something saying they are bad for health!! so DIRTY! chiclet keyboards are much more attractive and its not just the looks, its the attractiveness of a keyboard that still has "button push"(not flat" thats easy to cleans!!!!!!
@Mr Oos
I use a keyboard cover
@DoctarPeppar
Yeah I never had a problem, either. But I was just pointing out that those chiclet keyboards are not immune to dust and debris.
@Kiwi
Those are great, but do realize that on certain Apple notebooks (if that's what you're using) much of the heat dissipation comes through the keyboard area, and you are blocking that with a cover. Just FYI :)
@Mr Oos
I like the sort of raised square key as well . . . a moderation between the two styles. I think the hp probooks used that style until recently? it was effective.
@bolezhinkov
Yeah I like that style, too. I had a VAIO sz with it and really enjoyed typing on it, although again (like the macs), the plastic used felt a little cheap. That's what I'm loving about the HP dv3 I got; it's not simply the style of keys, it's what they're made out of. They just feel high quality.
@bleep I agree, chiclet keys are overrated and I rather not buy a laptop with them. unnecessary space wasted...
No 720p? I ll pass, thanks. Hdmi out?
Not breaking my pocket! Should it even have the VAIO name attached?
@TPAYNE87
I thought the same thing; keep that VAIO logo for high-end notebooks. Maybe come up something else for their netbooks.
@Mr Oos
VVV Pc
That's not bad at least Sony's making a improvement to their prices.
nice!
(just testin my new engadget account)
Black all matte finish = win. I'm so SICK of all the gloss s*it. This I'm getting this one.
1024x600 and 3.1lb? no thanks, I will keep using my acer 751h
1. Rebadge some netbook from dozens of manufactures from Taiwan/China.
2. Slap a Sony + Vaio logo
3. ...
4. Profit.
it can go sit in the corner with the iPad.
is it me or do almost all netbooks have HUGE bezels around the LCD. i guess since the screen size is quite a bit smaller on a netbook, a same size bezel would look larger in comparison. i dunno why they cant make one with a smaller bezel, cuz a larger bezel would only make the screen look smaller and the machine itself look more clumsy. or maybe they keep the bezel so that there's enough room for a relatively not so small keyboard to hide underneath it?
Hello, Apple? Are you paying attention? More affordable... reaching out... wink wink, nudge nudge.
wow, what a load of toilet....
Some really need to fix up. 1024x600 is a sham and at least get some decent graphics in there...basics. Here's an idea, re-release this >>>>
http://www.dvhardware.net/article7048.html
Except drop a dual core pentium SU1400 CPU in there, lose the DVD drive, and replace the 1.8 inch HDD with a standard 2.5 SATA, bump the ram/battery get some Nvidia Ion in there, keep it under $500 and hey presto we have a winner on our hands....
Sony have really gone down hill when you look at the ultraportables they were making 6/7 years ago, their game has completely gone....
hey this looks like a mini version of my vgn-fw
Why not just bring the price down on the Vaio P? This thing looks like crap?
I actually quite like it, it isn't price too badly for a Vaio. If I wasn't holding out for an iPad (sorry, haters), I would get this in black.
What a bag of hurt
Isn't a netbook supposed to be light? 3.1 pounds?
Drop another 100 bucks Sony, then we can talk.
I love these near $500 "netbooks." Why buy them when you can buy a full blown laptop for the same or even less?
These manufacturers are showing us with their pricing how stupid they really believe we are as consumers.