X
Latest
Sony VAIO X reviewed: outrageous battery claims tested, nearly vindicated
At this point you know pretty much all there is to know about the amazingly thin (0.6-inches), light (just 1.4 pounds or 2.2 pounds with extended battery wedge), and expensive ($1,299 base) VAIO X ultra-portable laptop from Sony. The only thing missing were tests to confirm or deny Sony's claim that the VAIO X battery lasts "all day and well into the night and will set the new standard for battery stamina," as proclaimed at its IFA unveil back in September in Berlin. A bold claim that Laptop Magazine has now put to the test. The result? Well, first of all, if you're hoping to get anything close to the hype then you'll have to opt for the extended battery -- the standard 4-cell battery is only rated for about 3 hours of power. Fortunately, the extended battery bolt-on (literally, it attaches to the bottom with two screws) is included in the X-series price -- smart move Sony. According to Laptop's tests, the VAIO X merrily pumped away for nearly 10 hours using WiFi (GPS and 3G turned off) thereby easily laying to waste most 6-hour, 6-cell netbooks. Impressive. For booting and processing everyday tasks, the 2GHz Atom Z550 paired with 2GB of memory and 128GB SSD did very well against netbook-class machines but suffered dearly with regard to 3D graphics performance. Likewise, the X couldn't handle full-screen flash video without chop. Sure, the mass market will ultimately shun the X as it did its VAIO X505 ancestor, but it will definitely find its niche amongst Windows 7 road warriors with pockets deep enough to afford it and egos fragile enough to by fed by the envious stares of others.
Sony VAIO X stars in esoteric promo video
We'd have much rather gotten a VAIO X video promising us an upgrade to CULV internals over the Atom in the demo units, but instead we're getting tinkling pianos and sword-based visual metaphors. At least there's a hint of an "autumn" release date, we suppose. Full video after the break.[Thanks, Bob]
Samsung X Series withstands human weight test, other hands-on impressions
We suppose we asked for it when we called the new X Series plastic "cheap" to Samsung's face, but we got some wild build quality trust in return when the Samsung guy stood on his laptop for us. So, the plastic feels cheap, but at least it'll hold up under (considerable) pressure, and the matte palm rest is certainly an improvement over the glossy overload of the competition. Upon closer inspection we're still not really feeling the design of these laptops, and the port layout feels a little haphazard, but at least everything's there and there's no garishness to complain about. The X120's side-button trackpad is a bit of a disappointment, though all three laptops do support multitouch for the all important two-finger scrolling. But enough blabber, check out the laptop standing stunt on video after the break!
Sony VAIO X slimster hands-on
Daaaamn. We just got back from our time with the Sony X-series and it's making us rethink the entire definition of thin as the word is applied to ultra-portable laptops -- see how it casually jockeys our 15-inch MacBook Pro workhorse in the pic above. Sony's X-series is so thin that it's dangerous: on one hand, it'll cut a jugular or cake with little effort, and on the other, it has just enough flex to make us worry about its ruggedness. But this isn't Sony's first experiment with this form factor and the carbon-fibre frame and aluminum keyboard should help with rigidity when this goes production in both glossy- and matte-plastic finishes. (The displays were all matte, at least for now.) The new X is followup to the rarely seen VAIO X505 that was available in limited markets early in the decade -- only then it wasn't sporting an Atom, 2GB of memory, or a 31Wh removable battery. According to Sony, the choice of an Atom processor is far from decided and is only on display to run the engineering prototypes here at IFA, so there's still hope for at least CULV internals when this thing ships. Unfortunately, access to the rest of the internal specs were software blocked and Sony was zipped tight on details. Further visual inspection reveals a pair of USB jacks, SD/Memory Stick slot, WWAN SIM slot, and folding feet on the bottom to prop up the lappie so you can attach an Ethernet cable in the mechanically yawning RJ45 jack or a Kensington lock. Unfortunately, the only video output option is VGA. Nevertheless, the Windows 7 box we tested performed as expected for such a small device -- lethargically, but capably for casual internet browsing and tweeting. And honestly, we could see ourselves dropping a premium (less than $2,000 we're told) for this 11-inch ultra-portable as opposed to the VAIO P. At least now we know what Sony meant when they said they wanted their products to be aspirational. See the new X up close with its X505 cousin in the gallery. Trust us, it's worth a look. P.S. It'll be announced with official specs in October with units available for retail about a week after Windows 7 launches.
Leaked Lenovo roadmap shows Calpella laptops coming January 2010?
Our compatriots at Engadget Chinese have happened upon what looks to be a roadmap for Lenovo's upcoming laptops between now and March 2010. Recently in the wild T400s is on there, slated for mid-July or so, with a pair of new SL models following in August. More interesting than all that, however, is the sheer number of new X, T, W, SL, and SLc laptops listed for the beginning of 2010 that utilize Intel's upcoming Calpella platform. We're not gonna put too much stock into these pictures right now, but it definitely raises a few eyebrows. More slides after the break.
Microsoft blows cover on Sharp's new device for Willcom
Remember the "X" Japan's Willcom teased us with a few weeks back? Other than offering that it'd be an ultra-thin Windows Mobile 6 device, the carrier offered virtually no info -- and with all due respect, the teaser site was a little heavy on tease and light on details. Thanks to a Microsoft press conference on the other side of the Pacific, though, the cover's now been blown a full day before the official announcement. If the picture is legit, we're fully prepared to take the existing W-ZERO3 off our lust list, and the visual is just the beginning -- the Sharp-sourced device's guts offer up Windows Mobile 6 Classic (as opposed to Professional; kinda strange, but whatevs), three inches of wide VGA glory, 256MB of onboard Flash, 128MB of RAM, and a 520MHz core in a 17.8mm shell. Seeing how Willcom uses PHS for its airwaves, this one doesn't stand a chance of working anywhere else in the world, so pick you jaw up off the floor and keep staring from afar.
Willcom teases with Windows Mobile 6 equipped "X"
Those crazy cats at Japan's Willcom don't let their bizarre PHS network stop them from releasing some of the most lustworthy devices on the planet. For whatever reason, Windows Mobile seems to be particularly loved in Willcom's ranks, and the trend continues with the upcoming "X" (opposite NTT DoCoMo's "Z," perhaps?). Little is known about what the phone will look like -- or what exactly it'll do, for that matter -- but we do know that Windows Mobile 6 is under the hood and it'll be a good deal smaller and thinner ("slim-thickness," to use Willcom's verbage) than its predecessor. Is this a bittersweet goodbye, W-ZERO3?[Via Akihabara News]
New Rockman ZX Advent screens and character art
Capcom released a ton of screens today for the new Megaman ZX sequel, Rockman ZX Advent, and they show exactly what we want to see in our Megaman games: running from left to right and shooting at robots, all delivered in gorgeous hand-drawn 2D. We could look at stuff like this all day. Coincidentally, that's kind of our job.In the first ZX, kids use "Biometals" ("Livemetals" in the Japanese version) to transform into robots similar to X and Zero from the Megaman X series, as well as a fused ZX form. The kids from last time, Vent and Aile, have been replaced by a pair of functionally-identical crimefighting children, called Grey and Ashe.They operate a new Biometal, called Model A, which enables transformation into a dual-wielding robot seemingly based on Axl from Mega Man X7, a game that we're glad is on the PS2 (so we don't have to like it).We've included character designs and a selection of screens for you. Bask in their 2D-ness after the break, won't you? We shrunk them down a bit from Dengeki's original display, to make the basking more successful. Over-enlarged DS screens are not cool.
New Leopard Build Introduces New Feature, Tweaks
The latest build of Leopard, (9A303) introduced some small but nifty features to the list of enhancements that will ship with the new OS next year. Lets take a look: QuickLook is a new feature which allows users to view a full size preview of any image by right clicking on it, without having to open up the full Preview application. The workflow for creating Dashboard Web Clips has changed. Instead of having to first open Dashboard, users can now create Web Clips directly within Safari. When connecting a new external storage device, Leopard will ask you if would like to use the drive as a Time Machine backup drive. The Spaces switching dialog is now a glossy black. Small news, but news none the less, and we'll take anything we can get until we see some new announcements from Mr. Jobs himself.
