A page of CrystalMark benchmark results may not be the most interesting image to lead with, but when you’re showing the overclock results of pushing Sony’s VAIO P not-a-netbook from its stock 1.86GHz up to 2.3GHz, then we’ll take notice. EeeUser Forum member Cerano was responsible for the modifications, and in fact got his VAIO P cranked up to 2.4GHz (though he didn’t benchmark it at that speed).
Sony’s final new VAIO announcement this week is the VAIO CW Series, a range of 14-inch 16:9 aspect notebooks available in a series of moderately striking colors. Chubbier than the VAIO X, certainly, the CW Series uses that extra heft to slide in an optional Blu ray burner together with NVIDIA GeForce GT230M 512MB or GT210M 256MB graphics and both VGA and HDMI ports.
“Touch me, touch me” sang 80s legend Samantha Fox, “I want to feel your body,” and while the intentions of Sony’s new VAIO L Series of touchscreen desktops may be different, the sentiment is just the same. Announced alongside the skinny VAIO X, the L Series is being pushed – like other big-screen all-in-one PCs in Sony’s past – as a hybrid HDTV and computer, though with its 24-inch 1920 x 1080 display, optional Blu-ray and optional TV tuners we suppose it does have more of a claim than most. As for the touchscreen, that’s used not only for Windows 7’s multitouch functionality but to control Sony’s own Media Gallery DVR app.
Sony Japan have put up a pre-registration page for those rich and weak-armed enough to consider buying their upcoming VAIO X series ultraportable. The notebook, announced at the beginning of September, is only listed as “coming soon”, and we’re still yet to see final specifications, but Sony have previously confirmed that it will retail “under $2,000″.
Sony’s VAIO TT may have passed on, but the company have a new ultraportable with which they’re hoping to coax your attentions. The Sony VAIO X is being described as the true successor to the X505, with the 11.1-inch notebook measuring just a half-inch thick and using materials such as carbon-fiber for the chassis and aluminum for the keyboard.
Whether or not you’re a member of the Browser Wars was probably decided for you, long before you were born. One of those, “destiny calls” choices, and we’re sure that by now you’re probably stubbornly chosen your browser of choice. Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome. (Is Netscape around anymore?) But let’s face it, there are a lot of people out there who would like to make the decision for you, right? Computer manufacturers to start with, and then second on your list is probably your best friend. Sony wants you to choose a side.
Back when we reviewed the Sony VAIO TT in November last year, we wondered out loud whether there was still a place for high-end ultraportables in a world obsessed with netbooks. Unfortunately it looks like Sony may be wondering the same thing; according to their US team, the VAIO TT has been discontinued
Sony have admitted that certain models of VAIO notebook may be affected by the notorious NVIDIA “bump” material issue, which can see the GPU overheat and eventually break completely. The nine model types on Sony’s list join the existing roll-call of faulty notebooks, which includes machines from Apple, HP and Dell. In response, Sony are offering free repairs for affected VAIOs, and to extend the standard warranty (on the GPU alone) from the regular 12 months to four years in total.
Windows 7’s XP Mode was billed as a way for upgrade-shy enterprise users to make the jump to Microsoft’s new OS without losing access to their prized legacy apps. Unfortunately, if you’ve kitted out your workforce with shiny Sony notebooks it’s not something you’ll be able to take advantage of; Sony have confirmed that their current VAIO range do not support the Intel Virtual Technology (VT) necessary for XP Mode to function.
Sony are planning VAIO computers with touch capabilities once Windows 7 launches, potentially taking advantage of casual gaming, streaming and downloadable movies and TV content from the PlayStation Network. Speaking in an interview with LaptopMag, Sony’s senior VP of the Information Technology Products Division, Mike Abary confirmed that the company find the touch functionality in Windows 7 “compelling” and that they would be looking to adopt some of those technologies in their upcoming PC ranges.
SlashGear JP
