UX -- Engadget

UX posts

Toshiba NB205 netbook reviewed, loved

by Nilay Patel, posted Jun 17th 2009 at 12:55PM

We already knew the cats at Laptop were into the Toshiba NB205 / Dynabook UX netbook's aesthetic, and now they're back with a full review saying it "breaks the mold." Yep, even though it's packing the same 1.6GHz Atom internals as every other XP netbook out there, it's apparently a step above, with a tight design, kickin' keyboard, and 8.5 hours of battery life for $399. Of course, that's in contrast to some other reviews of the Dynabook UX we've seen, which called the keyboard "cramped," but it certainly seems like the NB205 is at least worth a look for potential netbook shoppers not put off by the upcoming CULV explosion.

Toshiba's 10-inch Dynabook UX netbook gets hands-on treatment

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 26th 2009 at 8:36AM

Toshiba's Dynabook UX (or NB200, if you prefer) just popped on our radar last week, and already we're seeing netbook craving individuals in Japan get their paws on 'em. The 10-inch machine ain't too different than the other alternatives out there -- save for the N280 processor, which will never show its true potential without a GN40 chipset riding shotgun. At any rate, early impressions of the machine have been rather positive, with onlookers digging the design and the chiclet-style keyboard. Personally, we're a bit bored from afar, but hit the read link to have a look and make a judgment of your own.

Toshiba 10-inch Dynabook UX's got talent

by Thomas Ricker, posted Apr 20th 2009 at 8:09AM

How much would you pay for an Intel Atom N280-based netbook? $300? $400? How about $600. That's the tax-inclusive starting price for Toshiba's 10.1-inch Dynabook UX followup to its dowdy NB100. While ditching the wooly-eyebrowed chub infecting most 1.6GHz N280 netbooks, the UX remains saddled with 945GSE graphics (not GN40), a 10.1-inch, LED backlit 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and 160GB disk. A bit steep considering CULV thin-and-lights are about to flood the market. Get up tight with the Tosh chicklets after the break.

Continue reading Toshiba 10-inch Dynabook UX's got talent

ASUS U / UX Series laptops hands-on

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 4th 2009 at 5:59AM

Maybe it's just because we visited that heart-stealing Eee PC 1008HA right before these buggers, but for whatever reason, ASUS' new U / UX lineup just didn't seem as sexy in person as they did in the press shots. We will say, however, that the light-up trackpad was one of the more whiz-bang things we've seen in awhile, though we're still skeptical of its actual utility. Curiously enough, one of the models on display even lacked letters on the chiclet style keyboard, and while we know good and well it won't ship like that, we were kind of fond of it... in a weird, nerd-type way. At any rate, feel free to dig in to the gallery below, and be sure to mind the ASUS rep waxing the fingerprints from the bezel -- you'll be doing lots of that should you select one of these.

Gallery: ASUS U / UX Series laptops hands-on

ASUS announces stylish U/UX series ultra-thin laptops

by Ross Miller, posted Mar 3rd 2009 at 5:31PM

Looking to add some allure to its portable lineup -- as if a model named Lamborghini wasn't enough -- ASUS has announced the U and UX series of ultra-thin laptops, expected to launch sometime in Q2. Both feature an illuminated chiclet keyboard and auto-adjusting LED backlit display. The U series also features a 15.6-inch glossy LCD and a touchpad that uses progressively fading lights to follow your fingertips. Under the hood, there's an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, NVIDIA GeForce G105M, up to 500GB HDD, and Altec Lansing speakers with SRS true surround sound. We don't have nearly as much information on the UX, unfortunately, but we do know it's sporting a slot-in optical disc drive. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading ASUS announces stylish U/UX series ultra-thin laptops

VAIO UX gets hot-rodded with Core 2 Duo mod

by Nilay Patel, posted Aug 29th 2008 at 7:02PM

Sony's VAIO UX UMPC is definitely one of the sexier handheld PCs out there, but it's never been accused of being a rocket -- even the latest models only offer a lonely single-core 1.2GHz Core 2 Solo for your $2500, and since the chip is soldered onto the board, swapping it out for a Core 2 Duo isn't exactly easy, requiring an infrared soldering station and plenty of experience swapping chips. Nevertheless, it can be done, and Anh Nguyen from the Micro PC Talk forums pulled it off, upgrading his unit to a 1.2GHz U7600 Core 2 Duo with no ill effects or excess heat -- just some better benchmarks and hardcore modder bragging rights. Check out benchmarks after the break, and hit the read link for more.

[Thanks, Logan]

Continue reading VAIO UX gets hot-rodded with Core 2 Duo mod

Sony UX handheld gets outfitted with makeshift gamepad

by Donald Melanson, posted May 6th 2008 at 12:50PM

We've seen gamepads hacked for use with handhelds before, but they haven't always exactly been the most elegant solutions. That's happily not the case with this latest mod by Micro PC Talk forum member Dan Middle, however, who outfitted his Sony VAIO UX handheld with a discreet but usable gamepad attachment. The "hack" was made slightly easier by the use of a Genius USB mini gamepad, which was foldable to begin with, although Dan apparently did still have to hack it up a bit and attach it to a dummy CompactFlash card, which conveniently slots in right next to the USB port. As you can see in the video after the break, the setup appears to work quite well and, best of all, doesn't require any modifications to the pricey UX itself.

[Via Slash Gear]

Continue reading Sony UX handheld gets outfitted with makeshift gamepad

Sony's VAIO UX490N now on sale: yours for $2500

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 4th 2007 at 5:49AM

Merely weeks after Sony let slip a user's manual for its UX490N handheld, the unit is now (apparently) official. Granted, it's not like the specs are a surprise at this point, but the UMPC will indeed pack a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Solo U2200 ULV processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a pair of integrated cameras (0.3-megapixels in the front, 1.3-megapixels in the rear), a fingerprint scanner, 48GB SSD, 4.5-inch 1,024 x 600 resolution touchscreen and a GMA 950 graphics set to boot. Furthermore, you'll also find built-in Bluetooth / WiFi, an Ethernet port, audio in / out jacks, an MS Duo expansion slot, WWAN support (AT&T), Vista Business and a Li-ion good for 1.5 to 3.5-hours. Enticed? Claim yours now for $2,499.99.

[Via MicroPCTalk]

Details for UX490N handheld show up on Sony's site

by Donald Melanson, posted Oct 18th 2007 at 11:29AM

While Sony's apparently yet to get official with it, the company has let slip a user guide and marketing materials for its hereto unheard of UX490N handheld, which thankfully provide plenty of details on the device. Like the most recent model introduced in Japan, this one packs a 1.2GHz Core 2 Solo U2200 processor, although it drops the SSD storage down to 48GB from 64GB. Otherwise, you can expect the usual 4.5-inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, along with 1GB of RAM, Intel GMA 950 graphics, and built-in support for AT&T's EDGE network, among other densely-packed features. What's more, it seems that Sony will also be offering the handheld in a VGN-UX490N/C model, which throws in a Bluetooth GPS receiver and an extended battery. No word on a price or release date just yet, but we're guessing those details should be coming before too long.

[Thanks, benz145]

Medion working on MD RIM 1000 UMPC with slide-out keyboard?

by Paul Miller, posted Sep 7th 2006 at 10:51AM

All we've got to go on here is a grainy scan from some Medion press materials being handed out at IFA, but if this new MD RIM 1000 UMPC proves to be for reals we'll have another welcome contestant in the slide-out keyboard space -- which is where we've been at all along when it comes to UMPCs. The specs aren't bad neither, with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, onboard GPS, DVB-T tuner and webcam. In fact, if this thing manages to weigh less than thirty pounds and cost less than twenty grand we're pretty sure Medion has got themselves a winner -- or should at least be able to give Sony's UX and Averatec's forthcoming AHI a bit of competition.

Sony drops the UX280P, with twice the RAM and HDD

by Paul Miller, posted Sep 5th 2006 at 11:30AM

After mysteriously pulling all mentions of the UX180P from their online store a week or so ago -- they claimed they were merely out of stock -- Sony is back with the UX280P, which doubles both the RAM and the HDD size from that of the UX180P. Along with the new 40GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM, we hope they found some time to refresh that debilitating software we encountered in our hands-on preview of the 180. The processor remains the same ol' Core Solo U1200, and there's still EDGE, WiFi and Bluetooth radios. Unfortunately, the price has now reached the $2000 mark, so you best have cash to burn or a real good excuse for some UMPC+QWERTY action, or you're just going to look silly.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

Hands on with Sony's would-be UMPC killer, the UX180P

by Chris Ziegler, posted Jul 7th 2006 at 5:45PM

Sony is never a company to back down from raising a few eyebrows or ruffling a few feathers in the standards game, and so shall it be with the not-quite-UMPC UX180P. There's little question that the UX whips up on the current crop of UMPCs in the marketplace, sporting a more powerful processor, higher-res screen, integrated keyboard and EDGE -- but at $1800, it needs to. And right there lies the million-dollar question: at almost double the cost of a UMPC, does the UX serve its function? And what exactly is its function, for that matter? Read on for our take on the answers, along with some in-depth imagery.

Continue reading Hands on with Sony's would-be UMPC killer, the UX180P

Sony's Vaio UX90 gets 16GB flash drive and mobile TV

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 27th 2006 at 7:54AM

So you thought Sony's VAIO U with Core Solo was pretty hot, right, but that hefty chub and feedback-free keyboard were keeping you on the fence? We understand. Well, how would you feel if Sony aced the hard disk in favor of a silent running 16GB solid-state flash drive which bumps battery life by 13%, drops the weight by 29g to 492g, massively accelerates app launches, and should cut XP's resume and boot times by half? No, not doing it for ya? Then how about some hot OneSeg mobile digital television squeezed in for some on-the-go entertainment? Well Sony did just that today with the introduction of their Vaio UX90. Still, you'll have to be ready to pop for the ¥209,800 (about $1,800) when these drop July 3rd in Japan. But if you lived in Nippon, you might just bite, eh? Thought so.

[Via Impress]

Vaio UX reviewed

by Ryan Block, posted May 25th 2006 at 3:48PM

Even though Sony prematurely created -- then killed -- the UMPC market a couple years back with their U-series ultramobiles. Many seemed stoked to learn that they're back at their old tricks with their Vaio UX "Micro PC," and none too soon with competition from Samsung, TabletKiosk, and Asus. DWT got their hands on a UX and gave it a thorough once-over; seems like they were quite enamored by the 4.5-inch 1024 x 600 display (that sometimes requires use of zoom keys to actually read that tiny, tiny text), and the Japanese version's IC-card reader for SuiCa. Unfortunately the keyboard is supposedly quite terrible, with "almost no tactile feedback from key presses and typing is a real chore," and the battery life wasn't doing much more than 2 hours, dropping out at 1.5 hours under relatively heavy use. Basically it doesn't sound like they're recommending the UX all that much, but as with any Micro / ultramobile PC, if you really want to pony up the couple of grand to get one you've probably got a very decent reason why.

Engadget Podcast 081 - 05.23.06

by Randall Bennett, posted May 23rd 2006 at 1:00PM

What a week for product launches! Seems like out of the gate past E3 everybody wanted to get theirs out the door: Apple loosed the MacBook, Motorola and Verizon launched the Q, Sprint and Verizon launched the Palm Treo 700p, and Sony launched their UX Micro PC. But it wasn't all rosy new toys for everyone to play with, Creative and Apple are heading to court to go toe to toe over some patents, as apparently is XM and Pioneer over the RIAA-contestable recording capabilities of the Inno. Tune in to find out how it all unfurls on this week's Engadget Podcast!

Get the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS] Add the Engadget Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically (MP3).
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).
[AAC] Download the enhanced show (AAC).
[OGG] Download the show (OGG).
[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Host
Peter Rojas and Ryan Block

Producer
Randall Bennett

Music
J J J - 'Suits' in Japan

Format
1:00:46, 27.8 MB, MP3

Program
01:00 - Motorola and Verizon announce Q: $199
04:44 - Treo 700p announced
08:48 - Apple's MacBook: 13-in, Core Duo, black and white
17:26 - Creative sues Apple, then Apple sues Creative
21:34 - Record labels sue XM over Inno recording
30:00 - Sony gets official on new Vaio UX Micro PC
36:28 - Xbox 360 hacks: Playing backup games, and backing up games
40:01 - Listener voicemail and email
59:00 - Engadget reader meetup in Merced