@D@v3: Netbook? I thought this was a Notebook? Still, agreed it is expensive..
I don't know about most, but I actually prefer the feel of a sturdy weighted laptop. Doesn't blow away when you are in the park, or slide off the desk on a train.. Sure it'll be fit for someone
This is simply for drooling over in display stores and for people with way too much money. I can't imagine they expect to sell more than a tiny number. Sony actually do (finally) make a reasonably priced nice spec netbook for people who want one.
By the way the price has been dropping even on that one - the RRP is £430 and it was £399 a few weeks back - I suspect even that was expensive enough that they weren't selling many. I think it is a good deal at the present price. It's the cheapest netbook I have seen with a WXGA screen, and its got a slightly faster CPU (N280) than most netbooks, too. Plus it looks pretty.
They killed my toy! The TZ series fell into this segment (price, screen size and resolution) but has a real chip and an optical drive. Why would you remove these - it really made the machine stand out from the crowd! Tiny, powerful enough for VS 2008 and SQL Server 2008, small enough to fit into a bag and with a build in DVD burner.
Sob.
(Unless of course this is to sit along side the TT range that replaced the TZ in which case I have to ask what the point is...)
Re: D@v3: It takes it "kind of" out of the netbook range the same way the pacific ocean is "kind of" damp. That's macbook pro money, and _that's_ already a bit steep for what it is.
But it looks good and it's a Sony, so it'll be perfect for some slick suit to flash around and he'll have plenty of time to shop for a new one before this one goes out of fashion.
My first VAIO back in 1999 was of stunning build quality, but Sony have been sliding downwards for ages now and doing things on the cheap. The casing might have an aluminium palm rest but the sides will be plastic with decals that rub off within 6 months of very light and gentle usage. That's what happened with my last 2 VAIOs anyway.
I decided for a change to buy an Alienware laptop for some on the go gaming, but that is even worse. Cheap plastic all over and a hinge that has broken twice now. The warranty repair is useless too, they take it for a month, scratch it up and break something else while they're fixing it.
I really hate to say it but the unibody MacBook I have has really impressed me in terms of build quality. Now if only I could run a decent OS on it and it had a graphics card up for playing some games... It seems there's no perfect laptop for me out there at the moment...
First off, "D@v3" - it's a notebook notta netbook :-) ....ergo, any stupidly inflated price is acceptable...
Secondly, I guess it's fairly safe to assume that the machine is NOT "13.9mm wide and 2.25mm thick" as that would make it about the same size as my microSD card!!!! Methinks those dimensions are really in "cm" not "mm"!!!!!
Personally, I think that this just gonna be too small to use for more than about ten minutes at a time due to RSI injuries.....I'll stick with my HTC Touch Pro for awkward typing and leave this sort of toy for people with more money than sense!!
Anonymous Coward
'... provides an "error-free typing" experience.' #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:21 GMT
I msut gte one fo thses, becuas my triping is bolody afwul.
Feature for feature, Apple isn't that much more expensive - the cost is increased if your outside America of course - us Brits pay a great deal more for Macs than they do over the pond.
But if you place all the features of equivalent windows laptops alongside the latest Macbook range, *including* build quality, it's not an astronomical difference.
What is different, of course, is personal requirements. Mac definately is for the more "arty" crowd, even though it's made some inroads into the wider consumer market.
These super slim stupidly expensive windows based machines also have a market, I'm not sure exactly what that market it is though - more brains than sense?
Pray share the source of your wisdom, sir, that undisputably says an Atom-powered thingie can be a nOtebook. Until that time, I'll consider you a cretin.
You can get a macbook air for that sort of cash. You'd get a better processor, better graphics card and a backlit keyboard, on top of that the air looks far, far better and is more than likely has a much better build quality!
However, Sony did the same with the 'P' series - those stupidly small things with a small keyboard and only a nipple-mouse. They outright refused to call them netbooks, presumably to allow them to be priced at £800, but as a result shot themselves in the foot as MS wouldn't give them XP unless it was a netbook. As a result, the 'P' series laptops were tiny, underpowered things running Vista.
They did *not* perform well.
I see the same thing coming with these. Windows 7 may carry less bloat than Vista did, but on an Atom processor I expect them to be pretty slow, and at that price, they'll struggle to sell them.
Apple iMac All-In-One Desktop (3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2, 1TB, DVD+-RW DL, Mac OS X v10.5 Snow Leopard, 27" LCD)
HP (Hewlett-Packard) Pavilion p6210f Mini-Tower Desktop (2.6GHz Athlon II X4 620, 6GB DDR2, 640GB HDD, DVD±RW DL, Windows 7 Home Premium)
HP (Hewlett-Packard) Compaq Presario CQ5210F Mini-Tower Desktop (2.7GHz Athlon 64 X2 215, 3GB DDR2, 500GB, DVD±RW DL, Windows 7 Home Premium)
Apple iMac All-In-One Desktop (3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2, 500GB, DVD+-RW DL, Mac OS X v10.5 Snow Leopard, 21.5" LCD)
Acer SX2800 SFF Core 2 Quad Q8200 2.33GHz/4MBL2/4GB/640GB/SuperMulti/GigNIC/W7HP64
Sony claims 'lightest notebook' crown
Groz Bat
mmm #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 12:09 GMT
Me want
Me can't afford
D@v3
How much?? #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 12:09 GMT
Doesn't 1.5-2k kind of take it out of 'Netbook' range??
<--- Price your self out of the market fail.
Chimpofdoom!
@ these prices.. #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
A macbook pro is cheaper!
Mathew White
Mmmm... #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
Netbook specs, Notebook price...
Alex 32
Chew #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
@D@v3: Netbook? I thought this was a Notebook? Still, agreed it is expensive..
I don't know about most, but I actually prefer the feel of a sturdy weighted laptop. Doesn't blow away when you are in the park, or slide off the desk on a train.. Sure it'll be fit for someone
Michael Jennings
Looks cute, but I won't be buying one. #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
This is simply for drooling over in display stores and for people with way too much money. I can't imagine they expect to sell more than a tiny number. Sony actually do (finally) make a reasonably priced nice spec netbook for people who want one.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-VAIO-W11S1E-Mini-Notebook/dp/B002GZNGRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255006034&sr=1-1
By the way the price has been dropping even on that one - the RRP is £430 and it was £399 a few weeks back - I suspect even that was expensive enough that they weren't selling many. I think it is a good deal at the present price. It's the cheapest netbook I have seen with a WXGA screen, and its got a slightly faster CPU (N280) than most netbooks, too. Plus it looks pretty.
Stacy
NOOOO!!!!!! #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
They killed my toy! The TZ series fell into this segment (price, screen size and resolution) but has a real chip and an optical drive. Why would you remove these - it really made the machine stand out from the crowd! Tiny, powerful enough for VS 2008 and SQL Server 2008, small enough to fit into a bag and with a build in DVD burner.
Sob.
(Unless of course this is to sit along side the TT range that replaced the TZ in which case I have to ask what the point is...)
Patrick O'Reilly
<air-quote>Notebook"</air-quote> #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
Can't they just admit it's a netbook? The worlds most expensive netbook!
Rubberchicken
Ah. Netbook, not notebook. #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 14:03 GMT
Re: D@v3: It takes it "kind of" out of the netbook range the same way the pacific ocean is "kind of" damp. That's macbook pro money, and _that's_ already a bit steep for what it is.
But it looks good and it's a Sony, so it'll be perfect for some slick suit to flash around and he'll have plenty of time to shop for a new one before this one goes out of fashion.
Matt 89
mines the Macbook ... #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:19 GMT
WOW - what a ridiculous price!
I thought my Macbook was expensive, looks better too.
Si 1
VAIO build quality #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:19 GMT
My first VAIO back in 1999 was of stunning build quality, but Sony have been sliding downwards for ages now and doing things on the cheap. The casing might have an aluminium palm rest but the sides will be plastic with decals that rub off within 6 months of very light and gentle usage. That's what happened with my last 2 VAIOs anyway.
I decided for a change to buy an Alienware laptop for some on the go gaming, but that is even worse. Cheap plastic all over and a hinge that has broken twice now. The warranty repair is useless too, they take it for a month, scratch it up and break something else while they're fixing it.
I really hate to say it but the unibody MacBook I have has really impressed me in terms of build quality. Now if only I could run a decent OS on it and it had a graphics card up for playing some games... It seems there's no perfect laptop for me out there at the moment...
HarryCambs
Makes Apple look cheap! #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:19 GMT
So why haters winge that Apple is expensive then?
This is the exact market place where Apple is, not acer, asus etc. market.
m@rkc
There's small....and then there's.... #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:19 GMT
First off, "D@v3" - it's a notebook notta netbook :-) ....ergo, any stupidly inflated price is acceptable...
Secondly, I guess it's fairly safe to assume that the machine is NOT "13.9mm wide and 2.25mm thick" as that would make it about the same size as my microSD card!!!! Methinks those dimensions are really in "cm" not "mm"!!!!!
Personally, I think that this just gonna be too small to use for more than about ten minutes at a time due to RSI injuries.....I'll stick with my HTC Touch Pro for awkward typing and leave this sort of toy for people with more money than sense!!
Anonymous Coward
'... provides an "error-free typing" experience.' #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:21 GMT
I msut gte one fo thses, becuas my triping is bolody afwul.
Caot plaese.
Stoneshop
@Alex32 #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:21 GMT
"Netbook? I thought this was a Notebook?"
It's powered by an <strike>Acorn</> Atom, so a Netbook it is.
That's a reading glasses icon for you.
Jay Castle
Prolly only this light.... #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 15:21 GMT
...cos it's made of spit and twigs. Another truimph of form over function for Sony.
Good work, lads.
Not.
Matt 89
@Makes Apple look cheap! #
Posted Thursday 8th October 2009 22:56 GMT
Feature for feature, Apple isn't that much more expensive - the cost is increased if your outside America of course - us Brits pay a great deal more for Macs than they do over the pond.
But if you place all the features of equivalent windows laptops alongside the latest Macbook range, *including* build quality, it's not an astronomical difference.
What is different, of course, is personal requirements. Mac definately is for the more "arty" crowd, even though it's made some inroads into the wider consumer market.
These super slim stupidly expensive windows based machines also have a market, I'm not sure exactly what that market it is though - more brains than sense?
Stoneshop
@ "m@rkc" #
Posted Friday 9th October 2009 00:05 GMT
"First off, "D@v3" - it's a notebook notta netbook :-) ."
Pray share the source of your wisdom, sir, that undisputably says an Atom-powered thingie can be a nOtebook. Until that time, I'll consider you a cretin.
Alex 32
@Stoneshop #
Posted Friday 9th October 2009 00:05 GMT
Really? Even though it's classed as a Notebook?
Funny..
Daniel Barnes
How much?! #
Posted Friday 9th October 2009 00:05 GMT
You can get a macbook air for that sort of cash. You'd get a better processor, better graphics card and a backlit keyboard, on top of that the air looks far, far better and is more than likely has a much better build quality!
Alastair McFarlane
@Stoneshop #
Posted Friday 9th October 2009 09:26 GMT
I agree, from a common sense point of view.
However, Sony did the same with the 'P' series - those stupidly small things with a small keyboard and only a nipple-mouse. They outright refused to call them netbooks, presumably to allow them to be priced at £800, but as a result shot themselves in the foot as MS wouldn't give them XP unless it was a netbook. As a result, the 'P' series laptops were tiny, underpowered things running Vista.
They did *not* perform well.
I see the same thing coming with these. Windows 7 may carry less bloat than Vista did, but on an Atom processor I expect them to be pretty slow, and at that price, they'll struggle to sell them.
Anonymous Coward
"Lightest notebook"? #
Posted Tuesday 13th October 2009 13:03 GMT
Ooh, 655g. That's, um, only just over twice the weight of:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/02/24/umid_mbook/