z-series
Latest
Sony brings Yahoo! widgets to 1080p ZBR9 / Z-Series HDTVs
No surprise here, but Sony's making darn sure it's not left behind in the connected HDTV arena by introducing seven new sets that all look to the Yahoo! Widget Engine to pull down Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker and other web-based content right on one's HDTV. Proudly dubbed Bravia Internet Widgets, the functionality will come bundled in with the firm's ZBR9 lineup (comprised of the 52-inch KDL-52XBR9, 46-inch KDL-46XBR, 40-inch KDL-40XBR90 and 32-inch KDL-32XBR9) as well as the 52-inch KDL-52Z5100, 46-inch KDL-46Z5100, and 40-inch KDL-40Z5100. All seven sets tout 1080p panels, BRAVIA Sync, four HDMI inputs, an Ethernet jack and a cute Energy Star 3.0 sticker to boot. Gear up for TV 2.0 (or are we up to 3.0?) to land this Spring.
Sony's 'Quantum of Solace' VAIO laptop revealed as expensive, deadly
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.
Datto's Z Series: world's first on / off-site backup solution to use ZFS
Datto earned a round of golf claps with its Backup NAS by bringing comparatively affordable off-site storage to the small businesses of the world, but it's giving itself a round of applause with the Z Series. Hailed as the "planet's first on and off-site backup solution to use ZFS," these units provide up to 1TB of local and off-site storage, optional RAID 1 local redundancy, twin gigabit Ethernet ports, OS X / Windows / Linux compatibility and the obligatory rock-solid stability that ZFS is known for. You'll also get a rapid recovery promise, which enables you to sleep easy knowing that your data can be restored within 24 hours should disaster strike. The units range in capacity from 250GB ($499) to 1TB ($1,149), while the required service packages demand anywhere between $35 per month to $1,000 a year.
Sony's forthcoming VAIO Z series laptops unofficially detailed
Hooray! More Sony VAIO laptops with naming schemes impossible to decipher! Following up on those tasty new FW and SR lappies that we were informally introduced to earlier this week comes even more foreign images detailing a 13.1-incher. On the surface, it looks like said machines will feature a Core 2 Duo processor, 1,600 x 900 native resolution, 4GB of RAM, 250GB HDD, dual-layer DVD burner, a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics card, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WiFi, integrated HSDPA connectivity and a modest array of ports. For more details on which model gets what (off the record, of course), dip on into the read links below.Read - Images / specs of new machinesRead - More details on rumored VAIOs
Sony's 1080p BRAVIA KDL-40Z4100 / KDL-46Z4100 get price and release date
Pucker up, BRAVIA fans -- it's nearly time to lay a big one on Sony's forthcoming flagships. The 40-inch KDL-40Z4100 and 46-inch KDL-46Z4100 have both surfaced on Amazon with a tantalizing June 1st release date, and just in case your memory is failing you, the pair packs 1080p panels, BRAVIA Engine 2, Motionflow 120Hz technology, four HDMI ports and DLNA compatibility. As for pricing, you'll be forking over $2,299.99 for the "little" guy, while the larger sibling demands $2,799.99. Pretty proud of these guys, aren't you Sony?[Thanks, Rob]Read - Sony BRAVIA KDL-40Z4100Read - Sony BRAVIA KDL-46Z4100
Toto's Z-series toilets recalled due to fire hazard
Sure, spontaneous combustion has occurred in a bevy of consumer electronics over the past year or so, but if there was one place even we thought you could count yourself safe, it'd be on the john. Apparently, this assumption is no longer valid for Toto toilet owners, as 180,000 of the company's Z-series units are now being recalled "after wiring problems caused three to catch fire over the past year." The electric bidet accessory is being shown the blame, as the faulty wiring not only torched a trio of units, but also caused smoke to come flowing out of 26 others. As expected, the firm will "repair the potentially fiery units manufactured between May 1996 and December 2001 for free," but we've no idea if Toto will be reimbursing the outhouse rentals for those sans a backup commode.
Lenovo's Z-series ThinkPads to get Core Duo options in the Z61t and Z61m
If you've been bugging your corporate IT department for a new laptop, try to hold off a few more days before making the final push, because Lenovo is set to upgrade its Z-series line of ThinkPad notebooks with dual-core processor options on Tuesday. Both the 14.1-inch Z60t and 15.4-inch Z60m will be bumped to the Z61t and Z61m, respectively, and offer three varieties of Core Duo procs (maxing out at the 2.0GHz T2500) or two flavors each of the Core Solo or Celeron M chips. All the other specs on both models seem to remain unchanged: you still get WXGA widescreen displays (at the minimum), integrated graphics (along with the option of upgrading to ATI Radeon cards in the m), 256MB of RAM to start, your choice of hard drive capacities and speeds, all three 802.11 standards, optional Bluetooth, and of course, the option of built-in EV-DO which have made the Z-series so popular. No word yet on exact pricing for these new models, but you can expect them to start around the same price points as the Z60 models did when they were first released.
