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Posts with tag vaio

Sony starts shipping VAIO JS series all-in-one desktop

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 15th 2008 at 4:37PM

Sony's VAIO JS series, which was introduced at CEDIA alongside two larger siblings, is finally on sale and shipping... if you're after the VGC-JS110J/S, that is. Sony's initial plan was to have the full line out and about by "mid-October," though just the bottom-end $999.99 model is currently ready to ship at Amazon. We'd expect the other variations to follow suit shortly, and if you're still trying to make up your mind if this is the all-in-one for you, why not take a look at a review?

[Via ComputerMonger]

Sony VAIO TT: unboxing, hands-on and impressions

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 9th 2008 at 12:30PM Featured Story


It's not too often we get to toy around with a $4,449.99 laptop (these start at around $2,000), but that's precisely what we were able to do when Sony's packed-to-the-hilt VAIO TT (VGN-TT198U to be precise) arrived on our doorstop. The model we received included dual 128GB SSDs, a Blu-ray writer, 11.1-inch LED-backlit display, HDMI output, built-in MOTION EYE webcam, 802.11n WiFi, a 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Bluetooth and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. The 2.87-pound unit is essentially a huge thumb of the nose to netbooks everywhere, boasting a frame that's in the same ballpark (in terms of size) with innards and a price tag that contrast sharply. For those just interested in seeing what south of five large can buy you these days, head on down to the gallery below; if you're actually considering one of these puppies, hop on the past the break for a few impressions.

Continue reading Sony VAIO TT: unboxing, hands-on and impressions

Sony's 25.5-inch VAIO VGC-RT150Y all-in-one reviewed: pricey, but good

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 8th 2008 at 8:07AM


Sony's VAIO VGC-JS190J (you know, the little fellow of the bunch) managed to snag itself a pretty great review late last month, so it's no shock at all to see the bigger, sleeker and all-around better VGC-RT150Y land similar sentiments. The 25.5-inch unit was rolled out as part of a trio at CEDIA, and besides packing quite a bit of horsepower, this thing actually looks shockingly like a svelte LCD. Reviewers instantly fell in love with the expansive panel, beautiful array of ports, inbuilt HDTV tuner and Blu-ray burner, though reality began to set in when refocusing on the $3,999 list price. Sure, multimedia performance was above par, and it can easily be hung on a wall, but unless you've just got oodles of cash to burn (and have something against making donations), this one probably deserves a skip.

Sony's 18.4-inch VAIO VGN-AW190 gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 4th 2008 at 1:56PM


Time to face the music, folks -- 18.4-inches is the new 17-inch. Sony's recently unveiled VAIO AW is undoubtedly going toe-to-toe with HP's new HDX 18t, and while both will garner all sorts of stares from onlookers, it appears that the VGN-AW190 may have an edge in terms of extras. For starters, this unit's Adobe RGB-compatible display will be mighty impressive to those who dabble in photos to make ends meet, and the included RAM, CPU and Blu-ray drive were all smiled upon. Strangely enough, Sony tossed in a pathetically slow 4,200RPM hard drive to put a damper on overall performance, but that -- along with the $3k+ sticker -- was the only real weak spot. Overall, critics found that this machine would likely suit graphic designers and photographers quite well, but the average joe / jane may not appreciate the pricey extras enough to make it worthwhile.

Sony's Vaio TT gets dissected, found to contain small components

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Oct 3rd 2008 at 1:39AM


Of course it had to happen sooner or later, but we're a little taken aback that someone at Sony had the temerity to slice open a newborn Vaio TT and put it on display -- in a booth at CEATEC, no less -- for the whole world to see. Righteous indignation aside, the thing is pretty impressive, especially considering that without the Blu-ray drive it would only be about half the size. We have one more pic for you after the break, and be sure to check out our look inside the Z series while you're at it.

[Via Sony Insider]

Continue reading Sony's Vaio TT gets dissected, found to contain small components

Sony's 'Quantum of Solace' VAIO laptop revealed as expensive, deadly

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Oct 2nd 2008 at 8:02AM


Someone over at Gadget Review has finally got their hot hands on the James Bond Quantum of Solace laptop -- and contrary to reports, it hasn't exploded, shot poison darts or been used to defuse a bomb... yet. Believe it or not, this machine isn't actually a piece of high-tech spy gear -- it's a garden variety Sony Z series with the usual kit: Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 128GB SSD or 320GB hard drive, 3G connectivity, 4GB RAM, 13.3-inch LED backlit LCD, fingerprint reader, Motion Eye camera and Blu-ray drive. This piece of cinematic history will be limited to 700 units, and it's expected to set you back a cool $4,000 -- but hey, check out that 007 logo! If that doesn't get you some action, nothing will. This babe / danger magnet ships at the end of October, we suggest employing Odd Job to help you nab one.

Sony debuts beefed-up 18.4-inch VAIO AW laptop

by Donald Melanson, posted Oct 1st 2008 at 12:51PM


Sony's 18.4-inch Type A VAIO laptop was already impressive enough when it made its debut in Japan earlier this month, but it looks like the slightly revised VAIO AW just announced for the UK has now taken things one step further. Of course, there's not much room to upgrade that 1,920 x 1,080 18.4-inch display, but you can expect to get a slightly speedier T9600 Core 2 Duo processor and, most notably, a 128GB SSD drive that's joined by a 500GB SATA drive in a RAID arrary, something Sony describes as a "world's first." Also, it looks like prices for this monster actually start at a fairly reasonable £999 (or just over $1,700), but you can pretty safely bet that any "world's first" features will demand a hefty premium.

Sony reveals limited edition 007 VAIO TT, USB Micro Vault and Reader Digital Book

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 29th 2008 at 11:31PM

In a move to pump up the impending theater debut of Quantum of Solace, Sony is simultaneously opening up a new promotional game and introducing a few new pieces of limited edition gear. Obviously, we're a touch more concerned with the kit than the game, so we'll skip over those details and head right to the meat of it. The outfit will be offering up 100 limited run VAIO TT laptops that are emblazoned with a 007 logo on the palm rest and a matching leather protection case. Additionally, a Special Edition Bond bundle for the Reader Digital Book will feature an embossed cover with a 007 logo and coupon codes for free downloads of Ian Fleming's novels Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. Lastly, we've got the 007 USB Micro Vault in 8GB and 16GB flavors, both of which come pre-loaded with the Quantum of Solace trailer and other miscellaneous "bonus content." Wild guesses as to price / release dates are being accepted now.

Sony VAIO UX490 gets Hulkified by U7600 mod

by Stephanie Patterson, posted Sep 29th 2008 at 2:28PM


The last VAIO UMPC mod we saw swapped out the UX280 CPU for a 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo U7600, but this new UX490 tweak beats the pants off that by a long shot. According to "computercowboy," a forum member on Micro PC Talk, he's managed to push his handheld to a 45,999 score in Crystal Mark, easily besting the UX280's 30,069. The swap of this CPU into the UX280 results in radically higher FPU and ALU figures, making it the "fastest UX in the world" -- or so says the modder. Now it's only a matter of time before someone comes along and overclocks this thing, a move which will undoubtedly result in badly singed hands and a melted VAIO -- don't say we didn't warn you!

[Via UMPC Portal]

Sony intros VAIO CR / SR bundles in support of breast cancer research

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 25th 2008 at 5:32PM


It's crazy to think, but October is merely days away. That also means that Breast Cancer Awareness month is just around the bend, and Sony's being ultra proactive by announcing two new pink laptop bundles to support breast cancer research. First up is the Cosmopolitan Pink VAIO CR pack, which features a 14.1-inch LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, Core 2 Duo CPU, Bluetooth, a built-in DVD burner and a matching case / mouse. If that's a tad large and / or underpowered for your tastes, you can check the Glossy Pink VAIO SR, a 4-pound rig with a 13.3-inch LED backlit display, up to 320GB of HDD space and a "Switch" mode that gives users the ability to toggle between high performance and power saving modes on the fly. The two bundles start at $870 and $1,399, respectively, though you can CTO them both 'til your wallet cries uncle.

Sony's VAIO VGC-JS190J all-in-one PC gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 23rd 2008 at 9:31PM


After spending a bit of time with Sony's new all-in-one desktop lineup at CEDIA 2008, it was easy to recognize that some serious thought went into the design. CNET was able to corral one of the lower-end JS units, the VAIO VGC-JS190J to be specific, and took the time to determine whether the innards were as delightful as the exterior. Overall, critics found that it was the "best deal" going on an all-in-one desktop with an inbuilt Blu-ray drive, and amazingly, they found it "relatively free of software clutter." Furthermore, they yearned for more screen space than just 20-inches when watching those BD flicks, but outside of that, they found that "no other all-in-one, including Apple's iMac, could do as much, as fast, for the same price." Sounds like a winner, no?

Sony's 11-inch VAIO TT: world's lightest Blu-ray laptop

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 23rd 2008 at 8:00AM


It took a few days hours longer than expected, but Sony's VAIO TT is here. And it's sexy. This 11.1-inch beauty features a sub-1-inch thick, 2.87-pound chassis made from carbon-fiber, and Sony claims it's the lightest notebook on the planet to pack Blu-ray capabilities. Arriving in a variety of configurations, the VAIO TT is available with an XBRITE-DuraView LCD, Intel's Centrino 2 technology, an HDMI output, dual channel 256GB (128GB x 2) SSD setup with RAID, Sprint WWAN (EV-DO Rev. A) and Windows Vista running the show. The Fall-bound TT -- which will arrive in premium carbon black, silk black, champagne gold and crimson red outfits -- will start at around two large, with the Blu-ray model going for $2,700 and the SSD edition demanding $2,750. There's no direct mention of a battery life figure, which scares us just a tad, but you can dig into the full release just after the break.

Continue reading Sony's 11-inch VAIO TT: world's lightest Blu-ray laptop

VAIO TT specs leak out

by Nilay Patel, posted Sep 22nd 2008 at 2:32PM


Well, the VAIO TT didn't make its rumored appearance today, but specs for the TZ replacement showed up on Sony's VAIO Adviser tool, and things are looking good -- particularly the top-of-the-line VGN-TT190UBX, which sports a 1.4GHz SU9400 Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM, Blu-ray burner, HDMI out and 128GBx2 RAID SSD storage in a 2.87-pound package. Yeah, we'll take three. The other configs aren't quite as smoking hot, but you're looking at 11.1-inch screens, 160GB hard drives, 1.2GHz SU9300 Core 2 Duo processors, and Vista Home Premium all the way around. Too bad we don't have prices, pictures, or release dates yet, but we're guessing we'll find out lots more soon.

Sony VAIO TT to be announced Monday?

by Nilay Patel, posted Sep 20th 2008 at 4:23PM


Sony's recent netbook angst doesn't seem to be slowing the spate of VAIO updates we've been seeing lately -- word on the street is that a new VAIO TT will replace the super-hot VAIO TZ on Monday. There's not much to go on other than some FCC docs which confirm WiFi, Bluetooth and an EV-DO option, but expect the same 11.1-inch screen as the TZ. Now the real question -- does anyone want Monday to actually get here?

Read - Sony Insider post
Read - FCC docs [PDF]

Sony reluctantly pledges to enter netbook market, pouts

by Tim Stevens, posted Sep 16th 2008 at 12:48PM

Sony entering netbook market? With Toshiba and Samsung entering the netbook fray soon, there aren't many laptop manufacturers left on the benches. Sony and Apple are the biggest holdouts, and while the House of Jobs probably thinks you should stop being cheap and just pony up for a MacBook Air already, Sony at least seems to be on the verge of adding something affordable to its line of performance ultraportables. At a recent press event, Mike Abary, Sony's Senior VP of Information Technology Products, was asked about netbooks and said: "Sony has to participate because consumers are our core competency. We have to participate." That's quite a change from his stance earlier this year, in which he called netbooks "a race to the bottom," a reluctance now being spun as "letting the pioneers in the market make the mistakes." Regardless, a mini-Vaio should make every budget-conscious Sony fan happy -- all three of you.
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