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Sony Releases Smallest VAIO Yet
ephidryn writes "Sony Corporation has released their new VAIO laptop in Japan. The PCG-U1 is even smaller than their previous sub-notebook the C1 PictureBook. Measuring in at 7.3" x 5.5" x 1.4" and weighing a mere 1.8lbs the 6.4 inch XGA screen does 1024x768. The laptop uses a Transmetta Crusoe TM5800 processor and can house up to 384 megs of RAM." As a Picturebook owner, I can't imagine how a keyboard any smaller can still be usable, but this little guy offsets that with thumb controls to make input easier.
That's small. Really small. I'd call it more of a palmtop than a laptop. Looks like they've sucessfully breed a palmpilot/laptop hybrid.
...I'll procrastinate tomorrow...
What I'd really like to see is a PC laptop in an iBook form factor. Where are all the cheap smaller laptops? This is fina and small, but it'll probably cost like $2000, which isn't cheap.
--------- Beware the dragon, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.
I suppose some people would like it, but I don't usually carry around a briefcase. So for me, this PC is too big to carry in my pocket, but too small to fit the features I want in a main machine. Sorry Sony, I'll stick with the full-sized Vaio I bought last year. :-)
This has been out for MONTHS (I have one I got 2 months ago).
/. ever...
Check out the NEW version, the U3, here: http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/PCG-U3/
Wow, that was teh most out of date story I've seen on
if memory serves me correctly this was discused some time ago PCG-U1
When you get that small, you might as well go for a PDA. I'm sure the battery would last longer (where do they PUT it in that thing?!) and those small devices have evolved to be the most convienent for their size. That thing looks like it's running a regular version of windows, and no matter how high that screen resolution goes (doesn't look big) everything is still going to be way to small to make big use of.
What's nice is that while the built in screen is limited to 1024x768, it has the ability to pump out 1600x1200 to an external monitor.
--------- Beware the dragon, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.
It seems the mouse and buttons are above the keyboard which is strange but could be practical.
I used to have a picturebook in my previous job and I loved it. I have small fingers so it the keyboard size was not problem and I also have very good view so the size of the screen was not a problem either. And linux runs perfectely well on the old crusoe-based sony picturebook! (Not like on my current dell C400)
I'll do it for cheesy poofs.
we're definitely at a turning point as far as miniturization vs. usability.. our toys / technology can only get so small before it becomes impractical to use. It will be interesting to see what is innovated on besides speed once this hurdle is passed. Per John Carmack we're almost at a similar point in video cards functionality wise.
I made the mistake of buying a vaio assuming that the battery would be at least ballpark useable (eg. sales literature says 1-2 hours, I figure at least 1.25 hours doing text entry). Wrong--the wonderful BP1-A half-empty battery could barely keep the screen lit for 40 minutes.
I ended up having to buy a decent battery (BP-71A) on ebay for $200 extra.
Not a happy camper when people say Vaio.
Remain calm! All is well!
Sdo now my fgat finfgers.. Will ptress even more ketys tjhan they needf to.
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
The description includes :
"1x Biology U-Port"
What kind of beast is that?
{{.sig}}
I know I read Japanese very poorly, but what I gather from this is:
a) This came out April 1, 2002?
b) Has shortcuts for use with the thumbs, called Thumbphrase.
c) Has a Standby button to prolong battery life. At one touch, even.
d) A zoom in button? I didn't get much of that section. I think you can change from 1024x768 to 800x600 with one push.
e) It supports some wireless card from some company, 'cause I guess it has a PCMCIA slot. Well, they call it 'PC card slot.'
f) It can have 802.11b compatibility with a Sony card.
g) Connectivity between itself and a desktop through a port. I think ethernet. You can drag and drop file copy really easily. (Flying Pointer)
h) Adobe Acrobat ebook crap.
I hope that helps. And just asking... is there a Sony site in English that I just don't see?
20GB, XP Home
867MHz Crusoe(TM) TM5800 processor with LongRun(TM)
Power Management
10.6" wide-format SXGA TFT
256MB memory
20GB hard drive
DVD/CD-RW Combo drive
External USB 3.5" floppy drive
Built-in multinational 56K4 V.90 modem
Built-in 10/100 Ethernet
Quickpoint pointing device with scroll button
Microsoft® Windows® XP Home
Model P2110, FPCM20091
$1,499
Yes go to Dynamism.com
-- If there is hope, it lies in the trolls... oh sorry I mean proles.
Top ten ways Linux (and OSS) hackers can adapt to this keyboard:
... Profit!!
10. Cut down on those Starbucks Venti Moccha Frappucinos
9. Make like a yakuza and chop-chop-chop your way to smaller fingers
8. Develop appropriate mouse-gestures for your favorite language keywords
7. Finger train to slim fingers with other than hjkl keys
6. Stop hacking with this keyboard. You're violating the DMCA anyway
5. Keyboard? Who needs a @#$(*& keyboard...it's an Apache server!
4. Don't buy it. Sony's the enemy this month. Er, I think.
3.
2. Ssh in from your desktop via your XBox Linux via your Sony PS2 Linux box
and the number one way Linux (and OSS) hackers can adapt to this keyboard:
1. Take your fat ass out for a walk instead of that debugging session
Forgive me for being cynical, but I can't see many uses for something of that size. It seems to me to have all the functionality of a PC, while having all the UI woes of a handheld.
Now, I can think of things like being a portable place to dump picture files, and *maybe* to take notes on if you have small enough fingers. Other than that, I can think of nothing. Would someone mind enlightening me as to why this uber-expensive gadget is useful?
--I hate big sigs.
Does anyone have experience on what refresh rate / colors can you have achieve with the ATI Mobility Radeon-M 8MB in X? At quick glance this seems as the only possible big weak point of the device - atleast for me who is used to having too many terminals open and don't utililize the virtual desktops a lot :)
Why is this story reposted 5 months later?
/. reader's long term memory. If no one notices, they'll start posting reviews of Redhat 5.2 on the next slow news day.
1. This submission's been stuck at the submission queue for a long, long time.
2. dude, this is Slashdot. There's no reason for reposting old stories, they simply do.
3. An experiment to test
4. Go pick up a newspaper tomorrow morning, it should say May 9th 2002. Congrats, the Beowulf cluster inside your Delorean finally did something.
5. Michael's been the one making the Cowboyneal entries for the poll, and Cowboyneal unchecked Michael's name for stories (hey look a Cowboyneal reference that's actually a legit option!)
I just had a flashback, there used to be some type of laptop where when you opened it up the keyboard would expand past the sides of the notebook to give you a larger more usable keyboard. Was it the old thinkpads? I forget. Anyways, I think that this Vaio could do with doing something like that because that keyboard is just rediculously small. I mean, if you're getting something that small you might as well give up and make it use a stylus like a PDA or one of those Fujitsu tablet computers because that would make it way more useful. The only problem I see with the expanding keyboard idea is that it would increase thickness and the whole vaio notebook line prides themselves on how thin they are and with this super small vaio that would matter the most. I think it's stupid really, you end up paying twice as much for that thing as you would for a larger, but faster, more flexible and really more USABLE regular sized laptop and the only advantage you get is that it's small (not even *that* small, most pants pockets couldn't fit it so you'll need a bag for it anyways!
I used to think like this. Lately they've let their game go IMO. They are certainly often on the upper end of the scale compared to other mass market / generic brands. You know, the ones that do everything. However they really aren't the best at anything anymore either. At least they have started to realise that their strength is often in just relatively cheaply producing others good designs (the Sony/Ericsson partnership?). Don't even get me started on the memory-stick nonsense! Why push a proprietary standard so hard when it has no (read few) benefits compared to what's already available? The last thing I want is to be locked into a Sony Digital Camera, just so the memory stick slot in my laptop will finally be useful! That coupled with the whole refusal to play CD-R's in most of their home hi-fi/DVD or car CD players has tipped me from your point of few (I wish I had a Sony everything!) to my current view - If someone does it any better, or even as well but without this vendor lock-in non-sense, then I'll avoid Sony when I can.
The fact that a fish swims in water does not make it an expert in fluid dynamics. GogglesPisano (199483)
s a Picturebook owner, I can't imagine how a keyboard any smaller can still be usable
Easy CowboyNeal. Loose a couple hundred pounds.
oddly enough, it's also smaller than my penis.
And it's probably been handled by fewer Asian men.
The " bio U " and it was coAs for " bio U ", body size of approximately width 184.5× height 30.6 *1 x depth 139mm. Even in a state where the battery of attachment is installed approximately 820g. In the Windows XP Home Edition on-board type worldwide smallest * the *2 which actualizes most light weight . The compact, the stamina drive *3 of maximum approximately 4 hours is possible with the battery of attachment.
*1 As for battery applied part 46.1mm.
*2 As of April 1st of 2002, the SONY investigation.
*3 Battery drive time differs depending upon usage condition and the like.
While it had with the both hands you adopt the Mobile grip * style which can be operated lightly. You adhered to the arrangement of the button which it is easy to operate. In order to be able to operate the pointer smoothly, it turns, the ??????? which * you push and with the wide stick which attaches the dent, being can do operation with respect to the right arrangement. It arranges the left button and the right button which can do click operation with respect to the left. In addition, the software " ThumbPhrase which has input estimate conversion function (the sum phrase) " it can start it equips " the ThumbPhrase " button to direct. With " the ThumbPhrase " corresponding key and operation of the ???????, like the portable telephone speedy letter input is possible.
" ThumbPhrase " corresponding key
Stand-by button
It equips the stand-by button which with one push becomes stand-by mode. If you use briskly, it can hold down the consumption of the battery. In addition, starting immediately from stand-by mode, it can use.
In perusal of home page and when et cetera checking the mail, with ZOOM IN button picture enlargement * . You saw to be, information and small letter is indicated easyly to see. It can reset to also original size with the one button.
* Resolution of liquid crystal display is set to the 1024×768 dot usually. When it expands indicates, resolution becomes the 800×600 dot. It indicates in all the picture territories with smoothing processing.
" The AirH (AH-G10) " " of the DDI pocket it corresponds. Installing in the PC card slot of the substance, if you use, high-speed data communication of the 128kbps is possible. Because it corresponds to packet transmission, it is connected to the broadband pleasure easily without designating connection and cutting as the air.
* Regarding " the AirH the inquiry
//www.ddipocket.co.jp/
* Proposal * area of utilization / tip of inquiry of service 0077-775 (free call) Acceptance time: Weekday / 9:00 - 18:00 earth / 9:00 - 17:00
* Regarding data communication the tip of the inquiry 0077-7-157 (free call) Acceptance time: Weekday / 9:00 - 17:30 earth * day * holiday / 9:00 - 17:00 *
Home page: Http:
It conforms to the standard IEEE802.11b system of the wireless LAN, the 2.4gHz wireless LAN PC card " of the Wi-Fi " certification being completed (the PCWA-C150S and selling separately) corresponds. Being the cable unnecessary, it actualizes the high-speed communication of the largest 11mbps, of the ADSL and the cable television circuit et cetera connection is possible to broadband. Installing the wireless LAN PC card, ahead going out if, wireless LAN access point such as coffee and hotel and station (the IEEE802.11b) the facility which is installed (the hot spot) with, it can enjoy the perusal of mail transmission and the home page. In addition, if the wireless LAN access point of selling separately (PCWA-A200) it installs in the home, from the place where we like in the house in Internet connected possibility. Other things bio * with using the network inside home, also it can exchange the data and it can share the printer.
* Wireless LAN functional on-board biology or the biology which installs the wireless LAN PC card. nnected with the ic.link or the ethernet, bio * with with, the SONY original software " FlyingPointer which the file can be transmitted easily (the flying pointer)" attachment. When " the FlyingPointer " is started, way the file which we would like to send the picture is penetrated, the drug. The feather it grew, when the pointer " of the FlyingPointer ", appears in the desktop of the partner side, drop does the file is copied automatically. For example, from the main machine, copying the file to the " bio U ", when liking to bring up easily and the like, it is convenient.
* To from the CD-ROM which belongs the " bio U ", it is necessary to install " the FlyingPointer ". The Windows XP Professional, the Windows XP Home Edition, it corresponds to the type which loads the Windows 2000 Professional, but as for use please go on customer himself responsibility.
" The Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader (??? acrobatic * I - the book leader)", quality of the book and the high accuracy which reproduces design faithfully the software which can read the electronic book. In little time ahead going out, cartoon and the novel and the picture book et cetera can be enjoyed with the bio U. In addition, the page the ? also it is possible with the ??????? to come. " The bio U " original electronic book trial contents 8 types it has belonged.
* It is possible to purchase the electronic book of eBook Reader correspondence with the book store sight on Internet.
Sony used to make some of the best consumer electronics around. The Sony TV, video and audio gear I bought 10 years ago was superb.
Unfortunately, the Sony TVs, VCRs and audio gear I've bought in the last two or three years has been absolutely awful!
They seem to have exchanged quality and performance for features and gadgets.
My 1990-model Sony VCR gave a markedly better picture than the 2000 models I bought to replace it just three years ago. The difference was so marked that I actually took the first unit back thinking it was faulty.
Not only that but the VCR bought in 1991 gave almost 10 years of perfect service -- one of the units I bought in 2000 has already died and isn't worth fixing. And I'm not talking the cheapest machine in the range - I'm talking about the more expensive units.
Likewise the Sony TV I bought back in 1991 is still chugging away and delivering a great picture. The one I bought three years ago now has an inferior picture with poor geometry and what appears to be the sound subcarrier affecting the picture on some lowband channels (again I returned the first one I bought unit thinking it was faulty). What's more, it has just developed an intermittent fault.
When I asked the Sony service techs they admitted that the consumer electronics (TVs, VCRs, audio) that Sony sellings today simply isn't engineered to the same quality standards as it was a decade ago.
Up until recently all my consumer electronics were Sony but I've decided that it's simply not worth paying a premium price for quality that's no longer there. The DVD player I bought a couple of months ago is a no-name Chinese unit that works superbly and was just half the price of the cheapest Sony equivalent. Even if it breaks in 18 months it will still have a lower total cost of ownership than Sony's gear (based on recent experience).
It strikes me that Sony have started resting on their laurels. This, plus their atttiudes to things such as DRM have made me an ex-Sony advocate.
As ye sow, so shall ye reap!
If you really want to try a tiny Linux or FreeBSD notebook, get a used Libretto first - to be had for around $300 on eBay these days. These tiny palmtops are just cute as hell, they fit in your pocket, they even attract girls -- but they are very difficult to work with, even after you're used to the keyboard. Don't plan on getting much work done very quickly with one of these.
:-0
On the other hand, if you're after a Because I Can toy, don't let ME stop you
I'm a big fan of small computers, and am glad to see some manufacturers resisting the touchpad, which is a huge space hog on small units. I do wish the new U1 went with a trackpoint, or a libretto-like mouse on the screen. Having it where they located it on the U1, almost makes it necessary to pick up the unit to use the mouse, which is unacceptable.
Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.