Hasta La Gadget!

I’ve had plenty of time to spend with Sony’s bite-sized Vaio P, and now it’s time to deliver a verdict on whether or not the 1.4-pound device really performs as advertised.

Sony’s Vaio P managed to generate some buzz at CES, largely based around its minuscule footprint, 1.4-pound weight and ultra-wide LCD screen. Sony aggressively marketed this device as not being a netbook, but rather as a full-functioning laptop. They even went as far as to install Windows Vista Home Basic on the Vaio P despite an Atom processor, and gave it the 1600×768 resolution. This left two big questions to be answered: Is it suitable for real everyday use? And does it transcend the netbook category and enter the realm of media notebook?

If “everyday use” means some light multitasking focused around the internet, then you may be using the Vaio P with regularity. But assuming media notebook status entails watching HD Youtube vids while working in Photoshop, the answer to the second question is a definitive “no.” On the other hand, any way you slice and dice it, the Vaio P is a netbook. I came into to this review with modest expectations, and tested it as such. I didn’t beat the hell out of it by trying to install Adobe Premiere or play Crysis on the thing. But seeing as Sony was talking a big game, I tried to do more than browse pages, listen to music and check email.

The review unit I tested had a 1.33 GHz Z520 Atom Processor, 2 GB RAM, 64 GB SSD and Intel integrated graphics designed for MIDs. So I decided I would try to run three to five apps at any one time, essentials like SlingPlayer, Pidgin, Skype, VLC, iTunes and Gimp. Meanwhile, I’d have Firefox open, running Google Docs, Flickr and Youtube.

For the most part, this machine ran speedily, handling Pidgin and many-tabbed Firefox along with other apps. I wouldn’t consider the Vaio P as fast as a standard laptop in a similar scenario, but it definitely feels faster than most netbooks. Resident netbook expert Mark Wilson also noted that in the short time he spent playing with the Vaio P, it felt two or three times faster running Vista than other netbooks running Vista.

I suppose it’s no huge shock, but trying to play most video on the Vaio P was pretty rough. It could handle anything in the resolution ballpark of 320×240 without failure, but 640×480 fullscreen video would lag and 1280×720 video (from vids created on my Kodak Zi6 and from YouTube) would freeze within a few frames. Locally stored, non-HD DivX movies either ran in slow-mo or lost every third frame. The moral of the story: If Sony is going to be adamant about their product not being a netbook, adequate video playback is a must.

As far as battery life goes, if you’re web browsing over wi-fi while listening to music and messaging you should get 2-3 hours out of the battery. I kept the brightness at 3/4 and had the power management set to “Vaio Optimized,” and found the results to be acceptable, if average for these kinds of machines.

Sony also includes a Linux-based instant-on interface that uses the PS3-like Xross Media Bar UI but its implementation is a mixed bag. The raw functionality and design of the software is decent, allowing you to access music, photos, movies, messaging software and a custom version of Firefox. But some of the visual design and nuanced functionality are lacking to the point where you’d rather just launch Vista.

The fonts and backgrounds, specifically, make the instant-on XMB environment look cheap and dated. It’s also an issue in the web browser, which uses a totally different set of fonts that border on repulsive. (Sadly, the browser makes Gizmodo look particularly bad.) Also strange is that the Pidgin messaging app in this Linux UI lets you sign into Gchat or MSN Messenger, but not AIM. Maybe this is a remnant of Sony’s long-standing bad relationship with AOL and AIM.

My final complaint with regard to the instant-on OS is that switching between keyboard and cursor-based navigation is done in a half-baked way that makes it all feel unfinished. Going from the XMB to the music player, for example, requires you to use the nub to control the play/pause/skip functionality, and that isn’t easy. If we can’t get keyboard control in these menus, then how about some dedicated media-playback buttons? It’s not like this machine is a testament to minimalism or anything.

As for the hardware itself, it’s got the build quality you expect from a premium-priced Sony product. It never feels like it’s going to break or loosen up, and it’s clear some time and effort was put into the design. And for its size, it feels neither too heavy nor too light, and really lives up to its claims of portability.

One gripe I do have, however, is with the keyboard and mouse layout. The key size and general spacing isn’t really the issue, as I’ve used much smaller and much worse before, but the lack of space between the space bar and the mouse buttons is really problematic. I typed this entire review on the Vaio P, and one problem I kept running into is that every time I went to hit the space bar, I accidentally tapped the mouse button. It’s so sensitive it would register a click without being fully pressed. So every 90 seconds or so, the cursor moved from where I’m typing to wherever my mouse pointer was and totally derailed whatever I was typing. Annoying.

To those who are wary of the lack of trackpad, and the return of the old Thinkpad-style nub, truth is a trackpad is more effective, but the shrinkage achieved by its omission is worth it. Considering the sleek and slim measurements of the Vaio P, I have no problem plugging in a mouse if I need more precise control.

As for my final verdict, the Vaio P is an undeniably attractive, fun, exciting gadget on design alone, but I’m not quite sure it lives up to its marketing hype or its $900 starting price—ours as tested was actually $1200. The Sony Vaio P works well as a machine for the living room or kitchen, and for style reasons fits well in those environments and is easily stashed. But it won’t replace your workhorse laptop, not even on a part time basis, due to graphical limitations, an inability to run resource-heavy apps and that damned issue with the keyboard and mouse. [Vaio P on Giz]

This article was written on March 31, 2008 by CyberNet.

PC World had an interesting article yesterday regarding whether Microsoft is losing their credibility. According to a study by CoreBrand Microsoft comes in at number 59 out of 100 when looking at the most powerful U.S. company brands. This came from a survey of 12,000 U.S. business decision-makers who were asked about the reputation, perception of management, and investment potential of the top companies in the United States.

Is a 59 out of 100 that big of a deal? Not normally. Making it anywhere in the top 100 is a big achievement, but for Microsoft they were sitting comfortably at number 11 just 3-years ago. They’ve dropped 48 spots since then, and are nearly the most rapidly declining company on the list. Holding steady in the top 10 are:

1. Coca-Cola Company
2. Johnson & Johnson
3. Hershey Foods
4. Harley-Davidson
5. Hallmark Cards
6. Campbell Soup
7. UPS
8. FedEx
9. Colgate-Palmolive
10. Starbucks

When it comes to the companies in the computer category only IBM, Microsoft, and Toshiba have weaseled their way into the top 100. IBM is currently number 18 (down 5 spots from 2004), Microsoft is 59 (down 48 spots from 2004), and Toshiba is 71 (up 32 spots from 2004).

So why do you think Microsoft is declining so fast? Are they dipping their hands into too many different markets, and are therefore blurring the boundaries of what their brand represents? I don’t think it’s going to help matters once Bill Gates steps down from the company in the coming months.

View Top 100 Brand Rankings [via PC World]
Thanks to Omar for the tip!

Copyright © 2009 CyberNet | CyberNet Forum | Learn Firefox

Related Posts:

• Microsoft Serious About Improving Their Brand
• Google Brand is “Most Improved”
• Guess Which Celebrity Will Be Microsoft’s Spokesman
• Retailers Already Selling Consumer Versions of Vista
• Microsoft Describes Apple as a “Noisy Competitor”

Sony’s much-hyped Vaio P Netbook has finally come out from under wraps, weighing under 1.4 pounds, sitting under an inch thick, and packing in an 8-inch screen with a 2.08:1 aspect ratio (1600×768!).

The netbook also has Verizon WWAN 3G mobile broadband, has a keyboard that’s only 10% smaller than the Vaio TT and 802.11n wi-fi. It also comes with an instant start pseudo-OS that lets you access things like music, internet and email without having to fully boot Windows Vista (using the same Xross Bar UI as the PS3).

The Sony Vaio P will be offered in 5 colors (red, green, black, white and onyx), will sell for $900 (pre-orders beginning tomorrow) and will start shipping in February.

SONY UNVEILS WORLD’S LIGHTEST 8-INCH NOTEBOOK
Full-Featured VAIO PC Fuses Style, Mobility and Connectivity for Anytime, Anywhere Computing

LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #14200), Jan. 7, 2009 – Sony today took the wraps off the world’s lightest 8-inch notebook— the new VAIO® P Series Lifestyle PC.
About the size of a business envelope and roughly as thin as a cell phone, the VAIO Lifestyle PC weighs just 1.4 pounds and is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or handbag while integrating full-PC features.
The model incorporates a high-resolution, 1600 x 768, LED backlit 8-inch ultra-wide display (diagonal), making it easy to view everything from entire spreadsheets to full web pages— no side-to-side scrolling necessary. It also incorporates Sony’s XBRITE-ECO™ LCD technology, producing images in brilliant detail for razor-sharp viewing on-the-go.
Stylish enough to take anywhere, the unit is available in an array of eye-catching colors, including garnet red, emerald green, onyx black, crystal white and classic black. Matching carrying cases and Bluetooth® color-coordinated mice are available to complete the look.
“The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC is your portal to the world, delivering entertainment and computing in a head-turning device that’s small enough to put in your pocket,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. “Designed for the fashionista in all of us, it’s the ideal companion.”
Engineered to provide the feel of a larger notebook, the VAIO Lifestyle PC provides a convenient typing experience by extending the keyboard to the perimeters of the chassis maximizing the typing area. The spacing between keys has also been engineered to help reduce typing mistakes making it perfect for long fingernails.
The notebook incorporates built-in wireless WAN 3G Mobile Broadband, 802.11n wi-fi and Bluetooth technologies. Users can toggle among various wireless options for the most efficient connection – Wi-Fi for working at a coffee shop; Bluetooth for peripherals; and Mobile Broadband service on the Verizon Wireless nationwide network when traveling outside the reach of hotspots (subscription required).
The unit features up to four hours of battery life with the included standard capacity battery and eight hours with the large capacity battery (sold separate).
It also incorporates real-time GPS functionality, making it easy to find restaurants, hotels or special sites of interest. Destinations can be found by simply typing in an address or keyword and then following the turn-by-turn directions. The Lifestyle PC even includes estimated drive times to let you know how far you are from a destination. No Internet connection is required in the United States or Canada.
The unit also has an instant-mode option that launches directly into Sony’s Xross Media Bar™ interface, so you can rapidly boot up and access music, video, photos and the Web. A built-in webcam lets you video chat with family, friends and colleagues. A third-party service is required.
The PC comes with the Windows Vista® operating system, supporting office applications and all the software programs routinely found in full-size notebooks. A windows arrangement utility has been added to easily organize all open documents or websites with one touch, positioning them neatly along side each other on a single screen.
The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC will retail for about $900. It will be available for pre-orders tomorrow online at www.sony.com/pr/pseries. It will also be sold at Sony Style® stores starting later this month and at other major retailers around the country beginning in February.
###

With the holidays behind us, it is time to buckle down and get some work done in 2009. With these chairs, you might actually enjoy sitting in front of the computer all day.

[Background image via Flickr]