How would you change Sony's VAIO P?
By Darren Murph 
posted July 2nd 2010 9:43PM
posted July 2nd 2010 9:43PM
posted July 2nd 2010 9:43PM
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Make it...URGHGGhhgH#&#**#%% THINK OF SOMETHING!!!!
@Alexpeegs
double the price and rename it to Apple Vaio P.
@Failbait
Is this the same computer Sony was marketing that it can fit in your pocket? If so then that's what I'd change, the marketing campaign
@Alexpeegs
CULV. That's what you were thinking.
@Alexpeegs I'd erase it from existence by travelling back in time to 1998 and killing its father.
The Vaio C1.
@Alexpeegs
how about not nagging about screen resolution and increase font sizes from the display properties?
the screen resolution is nice.. it's opens up the possibilities of viewing large images at one time.. my compaq mini with its 1024x576 at 10" gets on my nerves everytime I go on facebook or whatever..
@Failbait
It's too slow, takes too long to start up, the battery doesn't last more than 2 hours with wi fi. Using the little track point is too hard. Using the web browser is too inconvenient. It gets too hot too quickly.
The vaio x had better build quality than the P, but was also quite a bit more expensive. As a vaio x owner I think that was the best windows alternative to an iPad. I considered the vaio p before buying the vaio x in dec 2009. I like the vaio x a lot! Although the slow start up and heat means that I usually end with using the iPad more now.... Like right now! The iPad simply blows these vaios away in terms of speed.
For what it's worth my wife who is totally not into gadget also thought the iPad was magical because of it's speed. Products like the vaio x are too slow and the real world battery life is too short. In fact ALL net books I have seen and used grossly overstate their actual battery life.
I haven't tried the most recent vaio p iteration though.
@Alexpeegs
I've had a P530 since March 2009, and am still a big fan of it. However:
-Ditch the GMA500 graphics. I like to dual-boot to Ubuntu, and it's quite an amazing process to get hardware video acceleration
-It seems to be a common problem that dust gets in to the screen. Pls fix
-Use a chipset that has a quicker hard drive/SSD bus
-Make it a ~10" screen and 1920x1080 resolution. I love the existing width, but the vertical 768 pixels just isn't enough. So while we're at it, may as well bring it to a somewhat normal aspect ratio
-Increasing the screen size should be able to increase the body size to accommodate some combination of: longer-lasting flush-fit battery, built-in VGA and Ethernet port instead of dongle, or possibly even a PCIe-bus ExpressCard slot (if you really must maintain the external VGA/Ethernet ports, consider having it use an ExpressCard... a port we can actually use for more than one purpose)
-Give it a substantially more powerful CPU
-Offer an option of SSD for the Canada market. I have since upgraded it to the 32GB Runcore, and it's a very nice improvement
-Include 3G SIM card slot for the Canada market
-Make the power brick only one-piece (inverter as part of the plug, perhaps)... reduce the amount of cables
-Offer an option of Windows 7 Pro
-Increase webcam resolution and reduce low-light noise... also, would be great to either have in the center of the laptop, or at least point it at an angle which would put the person in the center of the image, using the typical distance a user sits from the laptop
-Scrap the instant-on feature. Useless.
-Include a very basic cloth sleeve for the laptop
But still, of all the computers I've owned, it's my favorite laptop even above a pre-unibody MacBook, and a 12" PowerBook. I will most likely replace it with a new Vaio Z, or another P if a fair portion of the above remarks are addressed.
@letoast Well, my main incentive of suggesting an ExpressCard slot was to get an eSATA port... so either that, or put in a hybrid USB/eSATA port.
@ssguy Change it's place from Joanna Stern's home to my home.
@Failbait best post by far. So true.
@letoast
i just wanted to say: in the end you want a vaio z in a 10" form factor? have much fun...
@fokka
Some of the points look that way, but I'm not suggesting it be quite that powerful. Perhaps more in line with the Y series in regard to performance, but make it smaller and considerably lighter, and with a much higher density resolution.
@ssguy and market it as a magical device
@MikeWard1701 make it dual multy touch screen with android os 2.2
@Alexpeegs I just checked the Sony Style USA website; the VAIO P has a starting price of $899, not the $800 mentioned in the article. Another hundred greenbacks makes it that much harder of a sell for me.
I wouldn't care if they called it i-must be dreaming. Why can't there be a notebook computer that can also be a reader? Is there an app that changes a notebook screen to book reader-friendly? I don't want a seperate machine. I want to take my wi-fi computer AND have it be book friendly AND have a ton of cool apps. All of the tecnology is there. Where is this gadget in the world? I would pay their unreasonable prices.
Make it cheaper. By like, 600-700 dollars
@techee44
Oops, I meant 400-500 dollars (I thought it was 1000, not 800)
@techee44
No, the first idea was great, decrease the price by 800$ and I might buy it.
@Redyz
With 800 bucks ..hmm I go for high end droid mobile phone
@techee44
I'm pretty sure that 'make it cheaper' is the best answer to all these 'How would you change...' articles. I suggest that's the answer everyone gives when Engadget makes another one.
Don't elaborate, just keep saying 'make it cheaper' and then all uprank each other. Then they'll stop asking over and over again.
I think it should be required to say if you've actually used it or not and what your extent of experience with it is. I have my opinions, I'm a guy who reads tech blogs all day, but those opinions are a bit meaningless without actually using the product. The same goes for any other commenter especially when you have a unique form factor like this.
@DustbinK Sooo, have YOU used the product
@pishmish
in soviet russia product use YOU
@DustbinK you have a point, but as those stipulations don't actually bind me...
1.Lower the price.
2.Give it a form factor more like the Lenovo s10-3t.
3. KILL THE Z SERIES ATOM WITH FIRE OR E.M.P! N all the way...
Touchscreen, mobile OS (meego, android), and a lower price.`
@MrFairladyz
aka make it a smartbook
@JeremyBenthem, you do know what "aka" stands for, right?
@nigra no he doesn't
@JeremyBenthem it should be "i.e.
@sbbc96 he wants to rename it "Make It A Smartbook" netbook
I would change its location to the bin
Umm How about Dual Booting android 2.2 on there with a nice 1.8ghz Hummingbird, or something of the like
and maybe chaging the screen to capacitive touch also....... then maybe people would pay 800$ for a miniature underpowered laptop.
My advice? Do the keyboard like a hybrid between an oversized sidekick and a macbook, softtouch keys but make it small and sleek.
I think that someone needs to do the Dual OS netbook, Not the Dual booted OS, The DUAL OS, Both running at the same time.
we are getting to the point with hummingbirds and snapdragons that power consumption for mobile operating systems isnt really an issue,
SONY Put BOTH and i5 and a Hummingbird in the vaio P and give me the ability to switch SEAMLESSLY between Windows 7 And android....... SEAMLESSLY.... i mean flick of a switch and im there...... Then ill give you 1000$ for a laptop that can fit in my pocket
@ivealwaysgotmail
HTC Shift
@ivealwaysgotmail
Geez dude, keep wishing
@ivealwaysgotmail I think you are thinking of the Hybrid Lenovo laptop/tablet. You'l be in windows 7, hit a button or pull the tablet off the dock and go to (i believe) Meego. Which makes android not to far of a stretch. Wouldn't be bad if the beefed up the processor or allowed for seemly switching. Working(waiting) for something to compile and switch to the ARM and android pushing out HD video.
Hmm touchpad somewhere somehow :)
@Indefinite Implosion I thought it had a "Touch sensitive area" and not a "touch pad"-per-se. I remember I looked at one of these VAOIs and thought to myself that I couldn't possibly get comfortable not feeling the touchpad under my fingers. Also, it needs a Norwegian-standard keyboard for me to be happy. Not sure they have a Norwegian store like, say, Dell.
Make it fit in my pants.
@einhanderkiller
that's what she didn't tell you
the resolution is way too high for a windows 7-based computer. I think that the form factor they chose is doomed to fail. I can't justify not getting a tablet or netbook if i'm going to drop that kind of cash for a computer. It's decent at a few things but excels at none - unless you consider it's ability to fit awkwardly on the inside of a stretched out sports jacket.
@John Stathakis
To high? WTF are you smoking.
The higher the resolution better with windows7
PRICE!
I have been using my Sony P since before it was available for retail and i absolutely love it. taking it to school and using it in classes and when im on the road is awesome. As soon as win 7 came out i loaded it on without any problems and it made it so much faster and enjoyable to use.
if i had to change anything it would be the gps... great feature used it a few times but it is very challenging to get and hold a signal. if they could make it stronger i would have no problem with it. but if they cant then they should just toss it and cut the production cost a little bit!
@gbaypackers96 GPS antenna, no matter what chipset is used needs a clear view of the sky in order to function
Atom N475. Problem solved.
NO WAY!!!!!! Too expensive~ not wroth at all
I would rather buy an iPad~
make it have another screen on the lid so you can do functions like mp3 without having to open it.