Engadget

VAIO UX gets hot-rodded with Core 2 Duo mod

Nilay Patel — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:02:00 EST

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

Filed under: Handhelds

VAIO UX gets hot-rodded with Core 2 Duo mod originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony UX handheld gets outfitted with makeshift gamepad

Donald Melanson — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:50:00 EST

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

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Sony UX handheld gets outfitted with makeshift gamepad originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 May 2008 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Darren Murph — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 05:49:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Handhelds

Sony's VAIO UX490N now on sale: yours for $2500 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Nov 2007 05:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 07:54:00 EST

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]

Filed under: Handhelds

Sony's Vaio UX90 gets 16GB flash drive and mobile TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jun 2006 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vaio UX reviewed

Ryan Block — Thu, 25 May 2006 15:48:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops, Tablet PCs

Vaio UX reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 May 2006 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget Podcast 081 - 05.23.06

Randall Bennett — Tue, 23 May 2006 13:00:00 EST

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!

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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

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Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET, Engadget (Gizmo Project) or podcast at engadget dawt com

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Handhelds, Laptops, Podcasts, Portable Audio

Engadget Podcast 081 - 05.23.06 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 May 2006 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony's UX latest to get naked

Ryan Block — Thu, 18 May 2006 13:25:00 EST

You must know by now how much we adore gore n' guts of new toys -- especially those particularly small, compact devices that boggle the mind as to how they fit all that junk inside. One thing we didn't realize about Sony's UX ~~UMPC~~ Micro PC was that it was so freaking thick, but that said, it's still something of a little marvel of engineering that they got all that gear into a package as small as the UX appears to be. So sate yourself and look into the delicate, fragile inner workings of a device we're sure could not possibly be properly reassembled after being torn down.

[Thanks, Jan]

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops, Tablet PCs

Sony's UX latest to get naked originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 May 2006 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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