Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"My father-in-law is heading back to school in the spring and wants a laptop for Christmas. The only catch is their budget is around $400 and he does not want a netbook. He's not very "tech savvy" at all and doesn't need a hoss of a machine (not that $400 could get you one). We would like to get it for him as soon as possible and would love some input."
In the days leading up to an expo, companies in Sony's position need to make an impression - last minute half leaks like Kotaku's can ruin that, and it's understandable Sony might want to lean on them to prevent it.
That doesn't mean Sony wants to be Big Brother, that means Sony wan'ts to have a go at surprising it's fans once in a while. Chillaz joystiq.