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How would you change Sony's Vaio T13?
When a company first enters the Ultrabook space, you don't expect perfection, but you'd hope a company like Sony could deliver. The Vaio T13, the company's first Intel-approved thin-and-light, was priced at under $800, blending a low price with a sturdy chassis and reasonable performance. However, (you knew one was coming, right?) the Vaio's flat keyboard and odd spacing made our reviewer's fingers ache -- and that's not what you need from any laptop. This, therefore, is How Would You Change, a strand where you get to play amateur device designer and share your thoughts on what you'd have done better.
Sony announces 14-inch VAIO T14 Ultrabook, says it will offer the T13 with an optional touchscreen
In case you haven't noticed, Sony just announced pricing for all sorts of touch-friendly Windows 8 products -- namely, the VAIO Duo 11, Tap 20 and the E14P multimedia laptop. But not everything in the company's lineup needs to have a touchscreen. The outfit just announced the VAIO T14, a reasonably priced 14-inch Ultrabook that you'll have to use the old-fashioned way: with a keyboard and trackpad. So far as we can tell, it's the same metal-and-plastic industrial design as the existing T13, except now the speakers sit above the keyboard, instead of on the front edge. As you can imagine, the 14-inch version (pictured above) is a bit thicker and heavier than the 13-inch model (3.77 pounds, up from 3.54), which means the chassis is now wide enough to accommodate an optical drive. What's slightly disappointing, though, is that while the T14 has a larger footprint, it doesn't add any additional ports. As with the T13, you get two USB ports (one 3.0, one 2.0), HDMI output, an Ethernet jack, audio-out and a VGA socket. Another USB connection or two would've been nice, is all. In addition to announcing the T14, Sony also revealed that it will start offering the T13 with an optional touchscreen -- a $100 upgrade you can add during the configuration process. (Sony's Japanese and UK divisions already announced a touch-enabled version of the T13, but until now it was unclear whether it would ever go on sale in the US.) As you might have guessed, that touchscreen adds a few ounces to the weight. The upside, though (aside from having a touchscreen, if that's what you're into) is that it has a prettier, edge-to-edge glass display -- a definite improvement over that standard wide bezel. (Check out the shot after the break to see what we mean.) The T13 will continue to sell for $670 and up, with the touch option becoming available this month. The T14 will also go on sale in the coming weeks starting at at $670.
Sony reveals Japan prices for Windows 8 devices, adds touchscreen to VAIO L, E14P and T13
With Windows 8 finally launching in less than four weeks, it's only a matter of time before the web is flooded with prices of upcoming PCs, the first among which this month hail from Sony VAIO's Japan branch. Starting with the Duo 11 slider PC, it's expected to go for about ¥150,000 ($1,930) when it launches in Japan on October 26th (alongside Windows 8), and it'll come with a 1080p display, 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U, 128GB SSD, 4GB RAM and WiMAX. Then we have three flavors of the Tap 20 portable all-in-one which will range from about ¥140,000 ($1,800) up to about ¥180,000 ($2,310) come November 3rd, with the main differences being the CPU (1.8GHz Core i3-3217U, 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U or 1.9GHz Core i7-3517U) and the RAM (4GB or 8GB), but all three will feature the same 20-inch 1,600 x 900 display and 1TB hard drive. Also announced at the Tokyo event are Japan prices for three more existing VAIO models that now feature a touchscreen: ¥130,000 ($1,670) for the T Series 13 Ultrabook with Core i5-3317U, ¥150,000 ($1,920) for the VAIO E Series 14P laptop with Core i5-3210M, and from ¥210,000 ($2,700) to ¥240,000 ($3,080) for the VAIO L Series 24-inch all-in-one with Core i7-3630QM and 1080p display. The two laptops will be available in Japan from October 26th, whereas the all-in-one will join in from November 3rd. There's no indication as to whether the US prices will match their Japanese counterparts (the former are usually a lot cheaper), but hey, stay tuned here and you'll know as soon as we do.
Sony VAIO T13 review: the company's first Ultrabook targets the back-to-school set
More Info Sony announces its first Ultrabooks, the VAIO T13 and T11, for the European market Sony's VAIO T13 Ultrabook coming to the US this month with Ivy Bridge in tow, prices start at $800 Sony VAIO T Series Ultrabook hands-on (video) Until recently, Sony's name has been conspicuously absent on the ever-growing list of Ultrabook makers. Sure, we've known about the VAIO T series since CES, when the company teased an unnamed notebook behind glass, but it didn't get its official reveal until May, when it hit the European market -- with last-generation Sandy Bridge processors. That's no way to make a splash when Ivy Bridge CPUs are now de rigueur for Ultrabooks and mainstream laptops alike. Luckily, Sony got things right on the US side, releasing the 13-inch VAIO T13 with Ivy Bridge processors in tow. Other than those new chips, the Ultrabook features identical specs to the European model, not to mention the same brushed silver aluminum design. And while the brand is in for a serious game of catchup as it enters an already-crowded market, its VAIO T is priced to compete at $770. Let's welcome Sony to the Ultrabook game by giving the T13 the full review treatment.
The Ultrabooks of Computex 2012
It was last year that Intel chose Computex, a computer tradeshow in Taiwan, to introduce its Ultrabook concept to the world. Twelve months later, 110-plus models are in the pipeline, which meant the Taipei Convention Center was overrun by skinny, lightweight laptops. Make that skinny, touch-enabled laptops. Between those new Ivy Bridge chips and Microsoft putting the finishing touches on Windows 8, this week's show was nothing if not a five-day-long wedding between two tech giants: almost every device on display here was a vehicle for showing off Microsoft's glossy new OS. At every turn, a celebration of touchscreen notebooks. With more than 30 hands-on posts this week, we can see where one Core i5 laptop might look like the next, or how you might have failed to keep up with Jonney Shih's rapid-fire product announcements. Now that we're wrapping up here in Taiwan, though, we're ready to take a step back and think about what it is we just saw. Whether you felt overwhelmed by our wall-to-wall coverage or just need to catch up, we suggest you meet us past the break for a quick recap of all the new Ultrabooks. Oh, and if you're in the market for a new laptop, you can check your trigger-happy finger at the door. With few exceptions, we're not expecting these to go on sale until the fall, when Windows 8 is expected to start shipping.
Sony's VAIO T13 Ultrabook coming to the US this month with Ivy Bridge in tow, prices start at $800
After Sony teased its first Ultrabook at CES, what happened next was a bit anti-climactic: it was announced for the European market... with last-gen, Sandy Bridge processors. Now, though, the company is back with two pieces of good news: the 13-inch VAIO T13 is headed to the US as well, and will pack Intel's latest Ivy Bridge CPUs after all. (If you were expecting the 11-inch T11, it looks like it's not being sold in the states.) As a refresher, the T13 is fashioned out of brushed silver aluminum, has a 13-inch (1366 x 768) display and weighs approximately 3.5 pounds -- a tad heavy for a 13-inch Ultrabook. On the bright side, that .71-inch-thick chassis makes room for a healthy selection of ports, including USB 3.0 and 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, VGA and an SD slot. The one amenity you won't find? A backlit keyboard. Even more interesting is the cost: if you think Sony products rest too heavily on brand cache, the T series starts at $800, about as low as Ultrabook prices have fallen so far. At the entry level, it comes with a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive combined with a 32GB solid-state drive for faster boot-ups -- pretty typical specs for the money. Willing to spend more? You can max out with a Core i7 CPU and 256GB SSD. Expect it to hit shelves sometime this month, and for now feel free to peruse those glossy press shots below. %Gallery-156164%
Sony announces its first Ultrabooks, the VAIO T13 and T11, for the European market
Finally escaping its plate glass prison at CES, Sony's unveiled its first Ultrabook, the VAIO T13 and T11. It's set for release next month and currently packing a Sandy Bridge Intel Core i3-2367M processor (no third-generation processor just yet), within a 323mm-thick frame that weighs in at around 1.6kg for the 13-inch version. Storage is a hybrid of a 320GB HDD and 32GB SSD, which promise to juggle fast start-up times with capacity, while a HD web cam beams out from above the 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) display; no word on the res of the 11-incher. There's 4GB of DDR3 memory with Intel's own HD Graphics 3000 on the side and Sony reckons you'll be able eke out up to nine hours from its SSD model. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI output, and USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports. Interested? Then hit up the full gallery of Sony's new Ultrabook below, with a press release thrown in after the break for good measure. Update: Sony's PR team has clarified that the laptops announced today are intended for the European market in particular. That means you'll have to stay tuned for pricing and availability details specific to the US and other regions.
Spiritual Guidance: Is the tier 13 shadow priest bonus really worth it?
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Spiritual Guidance for discipline, holy and shadow priests. On Wednesdays, shadow priesting expert Fox Van Allen comes from out of the shadows to bask in your loving adoration. I get a lot of email at my WoW Insider account. Granted, most of the emails I get are intriguing business deals from the African continent. But I get real mail too, and lately, I've been getting a lot of mail about our four-piece tier 13 bonus. Oh, no! My Tier 13 four-piece bonus isn't as good as I thought it would be! My wallet's too small for my fifties, and my diamond shoes are too tight! Signed, Everyone I haven't answered the mail publicly yet, because I couldn't imagine the concerns being valid. After all, could it really be worth it to keep two-piece tier 12 over four-piece tier 13? But with so many of you concerned ... hey, maybe there's something to this. Maybe it is worth keeping your two-piece tier 12. I decided sit down with a pen and paper and find out for myself.
Blizzard reveals mage tier 13 raid gear
Blizzard has been on a spree of patch 4.3 raid information recently, first showcasing the new warrior tier 13 Colossal Dragonplate Deathwing-inspired armor as well as the warlock tier 13 General Vezax/Faceless Ones-inspired set called the Faceless Shroud. Druids and shaman also got to see their new gear. Mages are next up for a tier 13 sneak peek as well as a retrospective on the previous tier sets to showcase all the past mage regalia for transmogrification when the patch hits. This new set, Timelord Regalia, looks absolutely awesome, with crazy explorer goggles and a nice color scheme. Mage tier sets have always been pretty cool, in my opinion, but this takes the cake. I love the goggles. Cataclysm armor design has been top-notch throughout, and this final raid's epic sets really bring home the weight of our actions at the end of the expansion. %Gallery-133939% Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Patch 4.3: Shaman tier 13 armor revealed
Continuing with the trend of patch 4.3 tier 13 previews, today shaman get to see what their upcoming tier set looks like. As with the warrior, warlock, and druid sets before it, the shaman set is incredibly detailed. In fact, I'd highly suggest checking out the full-size image in the gallery below to get a closer look at it. The set is called Spiritwalker's Vestments -- pretty aptly named. Blizzard Entertainment The best shaman sets are a mix of the animal and the elemental. This tier combines huge wolf-skull shoulder pads, bone fetishes, and fur with glowing shards of amber crystal. The entire set is lashed together with lengths of rope and heavily stitched leather, which lends the set a savage bearing. source So what do you think? I like it, myself -- so far, tier 13 seems to be embracing the heart of what makes a class. Warriors have battle-hardened armor taken from their greatest kill, warlocks embrace the dark and tainted magics through robes reminiscent of the Old Gods, druids literally wear nature, and now shaman are a hail to the primal days of shaman past. It definitely makes me curious as to what's next. %Gallery-133830%
Patch 4.3: Druid tier 13 armor revealed
So far, the final raid of Cataclysm looks like it is shaping up to be one of the most epic tiers of content we have experienced yet. Warriors and warlocks have gotten previews of their new armor sets coming in patch 4.3, as well as associated transmogrification-centric retrospectives on their previous armor iterations. Druids, your time is now. Sadly, the armor set does not yet have its associated name. We originally surmised that the druid armor would be based on the green dragon aspect Ysera, as the warrior tier was based on an aspect. Looks like we were wrong-ish. Druid tier 13 looks great, somewhat inspired by the world tree Nordrassil, and I'm sure all of the resto druids who actually get to see it most of the time will be very, very happy. I cannot wait to see what it looks like on a Troll, to be honest. %Gallery-133474% Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Look at what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
