editor
hiraethified
I'm going to use that in my review too because it's probably the best bit of writing I'll manage after having a few beers.*makes note of that excellent turn of phrase*
Sony VAIO P: world's lightest 8-inch netbook
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FridgeMagnet
Administrator
Sony probably think that _is_ a "netbook" price, compared to their previous UMPCs.
It's just not a company that does cheap computers. Like, er, Apple really.
Kid_Eternity
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
I'm going to use that in my review too because it's probably the best bit of writing I'll manage after having a few beers.
Heh I reckon there's some good variants too.
I'm going to use that in my review too because it's probably the best bit of writing I'll manage after having a few beers.
Beer or not will you post where I may read the review. I would be quite interested in seeing it.
By the way i think I'm right about the flash memory thing.
With 64 gig flash drives now available on the high street I don't think it will be long before we see them tumble in price and become the norm.
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...u=488749&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null
Well handy they will be.
editor
hiraethified
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
Beer or not will you post where I may read the review. I would be quite interested in seeing it.
By the way i think I'm right about the flash memory thing.
With 64 gig flash drives now available on the high street I don't think it will be long before we see them tumble in price and become the norm.
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/st...u=488749&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null
Well handy they will be.
Well 64gb is enough for a system disc for windows and apps, nothing stopping you having a big conventional drive in your desktop.
I'm almost always out and about with the computer so all I have at the moment is a netbook. Just toying with the idea of upgrading it to a better one with an internal 120 or 160 hard but if these things get a little cheaper I'll just keep this and add the flash drives.
Small and not battery hungry.
I still do a little DJ stuff on local radio here and a 64gig unit would store all the music while the netbook is easily able to run the program.
Light and easy to carry not to mention shock proof. I use a motorbike out here so that would be a real bonus.
UnderOpenSky
baseline neural therapy
For mobile computing they do seem to made of win and it will be good to see the price drop so they become more standard in machines. At some point I'd like to upgrade my ancient laptop and it would be nice to get a SSD.
I found I never used my big laptop after buying this thing so after about a month or so I sold it intending to buy a better version of this.
Thing is it does almost all that I need but could use some storage.
I have 2x250 gig 2.5 inch USB externals but to replace with SSD would be handy as they are small, shock proof and would hold all the data happily.
Most of the time it's just for internet use, playing music or watching my notable collection of WMV format movies.
Nice thing about this unit is that it was so cheap I won't cry much if it was damaged or lost. I'm not sure I'll get much advantage from upgrading at this point.
Thing is it does almost all that I need but could use some storage.
I have 2x250 gig 2.5 inch USB externals but to replace with SSD would be handy as they are small, shock proof and would hold all the data happily.
Most of the time it's just for internet use, playing music or watching my notable collection of WMV format movies.
Nice thing about this unit is that it was so cheap I won't cry much if it was damaged or lost. I'm not sure I'll get much advantage from upgrading at this point.
editor
hiraethified
Lazy Llama
Suburban robots that monitor reality
The 60GB HD (non-3G) version is currently showing as £300 on Amazon. Currently out of stock, but still orderable.
Probably a mis-price, but worth a punt if you're considering one.
Probably a mis-price, but worth a punt if you're considering one.
Interesting flippers and all read.
Sounds typical of Sony cutting edge products that look nice, are overpriced and not that great.
Looks like the Acer is a far better bet unless you are more interested in pose value that if the machine works well.
Vaio P Series: first impression and price cut
At last there's a netbook for trackpoint devotees, the Vaio P Series. I don't know why I'm writing about it because it's probably only of interest to me.
Actually you're not supposed to call it a netbook, because according to Sony a netbook is a cut price low spec thing, and the P Series has such a high spec that it merits the term 'ultra-portable' and is worth £749. It's 9.7 x 4.8 inches, which is nothing special, but it's only 0.8 inches thick and weighs 640 grams. So it's quite clever that they've packed in a fair few bits and pieces: 1.3 Mhz CPU, 2 GB RAM, 60 GB disk, 1600 x 768 eight inch screen, built in 3.5 G (which will double in speed with a free upgrade one day), webcam, VGA socket, two USB ports, memory stick and SD slots, a SIM card slot and Vista with a free upgrade to Windows 7.
The most unusual feature is the lack of a touchpad, which has prompted some reviewers to write it off. The upside is that there's enough space for a decent keyboard, only 10% smaller than the one on a Vaio TT. To me this is a win-win; I always disable my touchpad anyway.
Other press criticisms are that the trackpoint is too sensitive, the resolution is 'too high' because it makes text too small, there's no wrist rest, yadda yadda.
I had a play with one at Micro Anvika today and was very impressed. The keyboard's lovely and the screen is beautiful. The text was small but it was easily remedied by zooming in or changing the resolution and aspect ratio. The trackpoint was tricky at first. The technique I use on my Thinkpad (index finger to steer the nipple and thumb to click on the left button) was very error prone. But the P Series nipple also does the job of the left button if you tap on it. This was great.
Everybody but me must think it's crap because Sony are offering £150 cashback and Micro Anvika are knocking another £50 off. So it's 'only' £550. Still double the price of an Acer Aspire One, but to me the Acer is unusable. I've got one on loan but it lives in a drawer because I hate the touchpad so much. The P Series is the only netbook I could live with.
I bet they don't sell and the price keeps dropping. There's also a bonkers model with a 128 GB SSD for £1369. The US models are more appealing - they all have a GPS and Microsoft Streets and Maps so you can navigate without a phone signal. The top model has a 1.86 Mhz CPU and a 256 GB SSD and costs $2000.
Here's the manual: ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/pub/Manuals/Notebooks/P1/P1_H_EN.pdf
At last there's a netbook for trackpoint devotees, the Vaio P Series. I don't know why I'm writing about it because it's probably only of interest to me.
Actually you're not supposed to call it a netbook, because according to Sony a netbook is a cut price low spec thing, and the P Series has such a high spec that it merits the term 'ultra-portable' and is worth £749. It's 9.7 x 4.8 inches, which is nothing special, but it's only 0.8 inches thick and weighs 640 grams. So it's quite clever that they've packed in a fair few bits and pieces: 1.3 Mhz CPU, 2 GB RAM, 60 GB disk, 1600 x 768 eight inch screen, built in 3.5 G (which will double in speed with a free upgrade one day), webcam, VGA socket, two USB ports, memory stick and SD slots, a SIM card slot and Vista with a free upgrade to Windows 7.
The most unusual feature is the lack of a touchpad, which has prompted some reviewers to write it off. The upside is that there's enough space for a decent keyboard, only 10% smaller than the one on a Vaio TT. To me this is a win-win; I always disable my touchpad anyway.
Other press criticisms are that the trackpoint is too sensitive, the resolution is 'too high' because it makes text too small, there's no wrist rest, yadda yadda.
I had a play with one at Micro Anvika today and was very impressed. The keyboard's lovely and the screen is beautiful. The text was small but it was easily remedied by zooming in or changing the resolution and aspect ratio. The trackpoint was tricky at first. The technique I use on my Thinkpad (index finger to steer the nipple and thumb to click on the left button) was very error prone. But the P Series nipple also does the job of the left button if you tap on it. This was great.
Everybody but me must think it's crap because Sony are offering £150 cashback and Micro Anvika are knocking another £50 off. So it's 'only' £550. Still double the price of an Acer Aspire One, but to me the Acer is unusable. I've got one on loan but it lives in a drawer because I hate the touchpad so much. The P Series is the only netbook I could live with.
I bet they don't sell and the price keeps dropping. There's also a bonkers model with a 128 GB SSD for £1369. The US models are more appealing - they all have a GPS and Microsoft Streets and Maps so you can navigate without a phone signal. The top model has a 1.86 Mhz CPU and a 256 GB SSD and costs $2000.
Here's the manual: ftp://ftp.vaio-link.com/pub/Manuals/Notebooks/P1/P1_H_EN.pdf
I did my write up without doing a search - didn't know about this thread or Mike's review. Sorree! Thanks for moving it here anyway.
There's a lot of confusion about the differences between all the models. The UK base model, which is £549 at Micro Anvika but £749 at Sonystyle https://www.sonystyle.co.uk/SonyStyle/VAIO-Laptop-PCs/P-Series-8/VGNP11Z/Q.CEK, does have 3.5 G. But no GPS. The disk is 60 GB, whereas the US base model has 80 GB.
The only other model which dealers have is identical to the base one but with a double life battery - 8 hrs or so instead of 4. Sonystyle have it for £879. Didn't check the Micro Anvika price but it's probably £679.
Dealers don't yet know whether they will be getting the 128 GB SSD model.
Sorree! Thanks for moving it here anyway. There's a lot of confusion about the differences between all the models. The UK base model, which is £549 at Micro Anvika but £749 at Sonystyle https://www.sonystyle.co.uk/SonyStyle/VAIO-Laptop-PCs/P-Series-8/VGNP11Z/Q.CEK, does have 3.5 G. But no GPS. The disk is 60 GB, whereas the US base model has 80 GB.
The only other model which dealers have is identical to the base one but with a double life battery - 8 hrs or so instead of 4. Sonystyle have it for £879. Didn't check the Micro Anvika price but it's probably £679.
Dealers don't yet know whether they will be getting the 128 GB SSD model.
Vaios are amazing designs but they're very fragile, especially compared to IBM Thinkpads. Every Vaio I've had has broken, and Sony Europe's service is atrocious. Unlike Thinkpads, Vaios are too fiddly to fix yourself unless you're an expert.
Sunray
Its sunny somewhere.
I did my write up without doing a search - didn't know about this thread or Mike's review.
There's a lot of confusion about the differences between all the models. The UK base model, which is £549 at Micro Anvika but £749 at Sonystyle https://www.sonystyle.co.uk/SonyStyle/VAIO-Laptop-PCs/P-Series-8/VGNP11Z/Q.CEK, does have 3.5 G. But no GPS. The disk is 60 GB, whereas the US base model has 80 GB.
The only other model which dealers have is identical to the base one but with a double life battery - 8 hrs or so instead of 4. Sonystyle have it for £879. Didn't check the Micro Anvika price but it's probably £679.
Dealers don't yet know whether they will be getting the 128 GB SSD model.
I think dealer will be wondering who they can sell a 128Gb SSD model to, given the price Sony will charge for it.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
Thinkpads and Vaios are completely different beasts. Actually they're both generally good hardware, but for different reasons. As nick h says, Vaios are hardly durable, vs Thinkpads which you can pretty much drop from orbit and they keep working.
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