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First Look at Sony's Tiny Vaio UX180p

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the weentsy dept.

An anonymous reader writes "MobileTechReview has posted a first look at the Sony Vaio UX180P Micro PC and comparison of it with UMPC and OQO. "When I first heard about the Sony UX series, I nearly dismissed it because I just couldn't imagine that 1024 x 600 on a 4.5" screen could ever be readable. Yes, the price is certainly another issue-- consumers don't flock to spend twice as much on a "notebook" that's less than half the size of a standard ultralight. At least not in the SUV-lovin' US. Well, happily I was wrong. That tiny XBRITE display is easily readable, despite the number of pixels squeezed into close company""

19 of 178 comments (clear)

  1. nice typo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You mean OQO right? QOQ doesnt sound quite as....eloquent ;)

  2. Too bad its made by sony by huguley · · Score: 5, Funny


    I wonder if it comes with the rootkit preinstalled?

  3. Re:Sony still rulez by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Look up the legal term "goodwill." You lose a lot of it when you vandalize my computer with a rootkit.

    I own an early ancestor of this subnotebook, the original Crusoe PictureBook (I believe the model number is PCG-1VN). I love it. When it eventually dies, it's going to be very hard to resist the temptation to replace it with this new model from Sony.

    But you can bet your ass I will.

  4. Re:Scaling of pictures and text by DeafByBeheading · · Score: 5, Informative

    Opera scales its images with font size changes.

    --
    Telltale Games: Bone, Sam and Max
  5. Re:Scaling of pictures and text by davidpack01 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Opera can scale an entire page, including images, to your liking.

  6. Sony UX? by glwtta · · Score: 3, Funny

    So... it's SUX for short? At least they are getting more honest. (Can't wait to buy a "Sony 0wnz J00!1!")

    --
    sic transit gloria mundi
  7. I've played with it by iconeternal · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm an electronics salesman at staples, and we got them in today. We're one of the few stores in the nation to carry them, and even staples only has a few in.

    I played with it for a bit today, and I have to say I love the design. The screen is crisp and clear with a high framerate, the two cameras are amazing, the touch screen is very responsive, and even the thumbstick is nice. The fold out qwerty keyboard is nice, but it takes some getting used to.

    What strikes me is HOW small this thing really is. The original Origami concept was massive compared to this. It is barely bigger than two IPAQs glued together, and it weighs 1.4 lbs.

    Not to mention it comes with EVDO support.

    I'm impressed. Not 1700 dollars worth of impressed, but impressed none the less.

  8. Japan by frankyfranky · · Score: 4, Informative

    In my oppinion the resolution isn't really an issue. You can read standard 10 point with no real problems. You have to consider that this is a handheld device and so it would be held closer to your face than say, a laptop. They've had these things out for quite a while here in Japan. My biggest gripes with it is the size and price. The thing is really thick (bulky) and I just can't justify spending that much money. However, considering that's it's ligtweight and generaly easy to use it seems to be a good all around portable machine for those of us with deep pockets.

    And yes, it can run Linux.

  9. Old news - it's called a Psion by water-and-sewer · · Score: 4, Insightful
    First look? I saw one of these ages ago, back when they were called the Psion 5 (see http://therandymon.com/content/view/86/79/). Awright, the Psion didn't network at all, but it had a better keyboard and the two double-A batteries that kept it running lasted over 3 months.

    This is neat, but if I bought something like this it would be to write on, and that means the keyboard isn't good enough, the battery doesn't last long enough, and it's too heavy. We're still reinventing the wheel, poorly.

    --
    If this were Usenet, I'd killfile the lot of you.
  10. Rootkit. Sony Bad by Trogre · · Score: 4, Funny

    This Vaio will suck.

    Nintendo will Wiin the console wars.

    Can I please have my mod points now?

    --
    "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
  11. Zaurus still better by Neo-Rio-101 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I played with this device, but grew to dislike it. The thing is too big, runs too hot, eat batteries for breakfast, and the keyboard is barely usable. Nice that it runs WinXP and has two cameras.... but so what? Sorry, but the Zaurus still fits in your pocket, has a usable keyboard, and lasts 7 hours at a time.

    --
    READY.
    PRINT ""+-0
  12. Does it ...? Yes, it does! by slashflood · · Score: 3, Informative

    Linux on UX180p

  13. Video Review at CNet by sootman · · Score: 3, Informative

    available here.

    Looks like a neat little unit. Pretty powerful, but the keyboard isn't super. If course, on any portable, there is a tradeoff between overall size and display & keyboard size.

    That said, I miss my Libretto. :-)

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  14. ... and why is it locked to fucking Cingular?! by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 3, Informative
    Having a laptop that can't be used on other countries' mobile data networks would seem to be a pretty severe disadvantage for the business traveller.

    -b.

  15. Target Market by skiflyer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Normally I hate reading the "cool, but I would never use it" posts... but I'm really curious, what do you guys think is the target market for this device?

    Too small for all day computing, too big to drop in most pockets... the thickness particularly seems to be a kicker.

    Anyway geek factor, very high... practical factor, I'm wracking my brain and can't think of the application.

    1. Re:Target Market by VdG · · Score: 3, Informative

      For me, a traditional PDA is of very limited use. All I really want in a package that small is diary and contacts stuff, which is already on my 'phone. (Along with loads of other things I hardly ever use.)

      Something like the Vaio is clearly not as useable as a proper laptop or as portable as a PDA but it gives something of both. I can sling my U71 in a briefcase, satchel or whatever and it offers me much, much more than a PDA.

      I use it for Internet radio and for taking notes. It's also a good portable library: shift the display to portrait and it'll show a page of a manual quite nicely. You could read a novel on it if you wanted, I guess, though I don't.

      This is a machine I can take with me when I'm travelling on business without having to take extra luggage, and still have access to all my personal stuff - email, usenet, banking: things I can't use my company laptop for.

      I also use it for RPG stuff, so I can have all my notes in one convenient package.

      It serves as a photo album: most of my holiday snaps are on it now so I can show them to my parents without having to cut CDs or worry about storage.

      It's powerful enough for use as a workstation but if you were doing that you'd want to hook it up to a proper monitor and keyboard. But that's no different to the way I use my work laptop.

      I don't think anyone could say that this - or any of its competitors are cheap, but it does fill an interesting niche. I could live without my U71, but I do enjoy having it.

    2. Re:Target Market by thedletterman · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Well, I've been mulling over replacing my work laptop with one of these. It would easily slip into a briefcase, and there is an available docking station that comes with it. You don't need to use the 4" screen or the foldout keyboard. You can slip it out and stick it into the cradle, and it's business as usual on a 20" LCD screen, ethernet and a fullsize keyboard and mouse.

      When I'm done for the day, there's nothing to synch, and there's no disruption in workflow. I just pop it out and head out the door. I don't need 10 hours of battery life, in fact, only enough to use it on the train while I go from my office back home. I'll never forget a file, miss an email, etc.

      The 1 lb portability, and dockstation is what makes this a very atttractive solution to me. Now I don't have to carry a laptop bag anymore, and this thing will whip out while on the go much easier than a fullsize laptop ever will. If I had a car, this would also make one of those $39 GPS receivers totally worthwhile.

      --
      Any fool can criticise, condemn, and complain, and most fools do. - Benjamin Franklin
  16. Yes by slashmojo · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://mozy.org/vaio/

  17. Re:VAIO quality by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 3, Informative

    I call bullshit!

    While you may have played with a few VAIO's, I actually own a VAIO laptop for 4 years. I have not experienced any of the deficiencies that you have cited. I work with fellow VAIO users who have the latest notebooks, and they are happy with their purchase.

    Out of the 4 years (so far!), I only had two problems.

    1. Hardrive died on the 2nd year and was easily replaced.

    2. My cat clawed off the keyboard and turned the laptop into an expensive paperweight. A call to Sony and 72 hours & $80 dollars later, I am back in business with a new keyboard. (I will go on record that I did scream, but the cat remained unharmed).

    Because of my experience with #2 above, I am now a loyal customer of Sony.

    But don't let the facts get in the way of you trying to show your coolness by being an Apple fanboy.

    Bill

    --
    These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...