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        1.5-pound mini-laptop runs Vista

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Jan 9, 2009 | Comments: 1


        Sony announced a mini-laptop that weighs 1.4 pounds and is just 4.7 inches deep. The "Vaio P" (VGN-P) includes a 1.33GHz Atom processor, eight-inch, 1600 x 768 screen, 2GB of RAM, hard disk and SSD (solid state drive) storage options, GPS, and a cellular modem, says Sony.



        (Click here for a larger view of Sony's Vaio P)

        Introducing the Vaio P at this week's CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Sony representatives reportedly pleaded with journalists to call the device a "lifestyle PC," not a netbook. Whether that's just marketing, or has something to do with the cease-and-desist letters that Netbook Pro copyright holder Psion is said to have been sending out, we can't say -- but at just 9.65 x 4.72 x 0.7 inches, the Vaio P is dwarfed by any netbook we can think of.


        Sony's little Vaio P
        (Click to enlarge)

        Offered in glossy black, red, white, and green finishes, the Vaio P has an eight-inch display (above) that is LED-backlit and manages to squeeze in 1600 x 768 pixels. The screen might not be ideal for would-be fashionistas who need reading glasses, but the device usefully sports a hardware button which, when pressed, automatically tiles open application windows (shades of Windows 1.0). Also featured is a keyboard (below), described as 87 percent of full-size, along with an integral pointing stick.


        The Vaio P's keyboard saves space by using a pointing stick
        (Click to enlarge)

        The Vaio P uses Intel's 1.33GHz Atom Z520 and SCH US15W companion chip, fully exploiting the latter's new-found ability to handle up to 2GB of RAM. For mass storage, it comes with either a 4200rpm, 60GB hard disk drive, or an SSD, offered in either 64GB or 128GB versions.

        Wired interfaces include a headphone jack, two USB ports, and a connector that -- with a supplied adapter -- offers VGA output and 10/100 Ethernet. As for wireless, there's 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 with stereo audio streaming, and an integrated tri-band (850/1900/2100 MHz) HSPA (high speed packet access) cellular modem, said to be compatible with the Verizon network. The device also boasts GPS, with an undisclosed chipset.

        Like netbooks -- or should we say mini-laptops? -- the device comes with a webcam, plus a memory card reader that accepts SD, MMC, and Memory Stick media. A standard three-cell battery is claimed to operate the device for about three hours, while an optional six-cell battery doubles this, adding to the little system's depth by an unspecified amount.

        Finally, while the Vaio P ships with Windows Vista Home Premium installed, it also offers an alternative. A small button located next to the power button boots the device into a Linux-based environment called Xross (pronounced "cross"). Xross reportedly loads within about 20 seconds, providing access to email, web browsing, music playback, a Skype VoIP client, and instant messaging.

        Sony lists the following key features and specifications for the Vaio P:
        • Processor -- 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor
        • Memory -- 2GB of DDR2 RAM (non-expandable)
        • Display -- LED-backlit dislay with 1600 x 768 pixel resolution
        • Keyboard -- "87 percent" keyboard, with integral pointing stick
        • Storage -- 60GB hard disk drive, 64GB SSD, or 128GB SSD
        • Wireless:
          • WAN -- Integrated tri-band (850/1900/2100 MHz) HSPA (high speed packet access) cellular modem
          • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
          • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.1
          • GPS
        • Other I/O:
          • 10/100 Ethernet (via included dongle)
          • VGA output (via dongle)
          • Headphone jack
          • 2 x USB
        • Battery type -- Lithium-ion, available in three-cell and six-cell versions (capacities not specified, but said to last three and six hours, respectively)
        • Dimensions -- 9.65 x 4.72 x 0.78 inches
        • Weight -- 1.5 pounds
        Further information

        According to Sony, the Vaio P VGN-P is orderable now, and units will begin to ship next month. The device costs approximately $900 with a 60GB hard disk drive, $1200 with a 64GB SSD, and $1500 with a 128GB SSD. More information may be found on the company's website, here.

        Meanwhile, impressions of the device and additional photographs -- including some comparing it to netbooks and notebook computers -- are available on the NotebookReview.com website, here.


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