Long Time No See
May 25, 2007 11:36 pmHey guys,
Sorry this blog has not been updated for a while. It is not that I have not acquired new Sony/VAIO toys… I actually have….After I return from my overseas trip to good old Europe, I will post some developer stories of the newest VAIOs that will be of interest to some of you who are considering getting one.
I have been playing with Sony PS3 as it has become my truly home media server in the living room (sort of replaced my VAIO VGX-XL2 Digital Living System). Its newest firmware (1.8) has added DLNA and Locationfree goodness. PS3 Blu-ray player simply rocks, especially if you watch Planet Earth in its HD glory on my Qualia 005 LED TV.
I also recently picked up a VAIO Skype Mouse or as they market it - Mouse Talk.
I found it to be quite nice and great for traveling. It really matches well my X505 and since VAIO X505 does not have a mic, this mouse/skype phone is a nice addition. The mouse is optical of course and very light. As you see in the pic you can flip it open and make your Skype calls. Quality is as good and the same as on my dedicated Skype Netgear phone SPH-200. If someone calls you, it will ring and the LED indicator blinks. You may also use it as a speaker phone, quite handy! Sonystyle carries these in different colors: white, black and blue.
VAIO® Bluetooth® GPS Receiver VGP-BGU1
November 14, 2006 12:19 amHey guys,
It seems like it has been a while since I posted a review or pictorial, so I thought I would throw in one. I bought this GPS receiver for my trusty VAIO TR5AP notebook as it can sit well on my car’s dashboard. The receiver will work with any other VAIO or non-Sony Bluetooth equipped notebooks. It is marketed for use with VAIO UX series and I guess since UX is so tiny, GPS unit would be a great addition to it.
I jumped into GPS world a little bit late as I thought Mapquest is all I need for my directions, but I realized that it is not available to me all the time (especially when I am offline) and if I need to get to a place in the unknown area or I am simply lost - GPS is the way to go. And believe me I love it now!
Anyways, I thought I would give it a go with a VAIO GPS unit recently released in the US. I paired it via Bluetooth with my trusty TR5AP and it worked flawlessly.
All you get is the unit itself, AC adapter, a Belt Strap and the manual of course. No software is provided and Sony recommends using Microsoft’s Streets and Maps software that comes bundled with UX series. I picked up the latest 2007 version of that app from a local BestBuy and paired it up with the unit.
The bottom of the unit as you will see in the pics below has a rubbery surface and it stays put in your car dashboard. Little LED lights let you know about the status of the unit. I was very amazed by the battery life of the GPS unit, as I thought the Bluetooth function would drain it quickly. I cannot tell you the total battery life cycle as I used it for 3 hours straight and than left it on in the car for a long period of time, and I still did not have to charge it. It should last up to 10 hours per Sony.
I found the MS app pretty good for starters but I wish it was more simplified. The night mode is pretty cool too as I can dim the LCD of the notebook to the lowest level and get more juice out of it and still see and hear the directions. I know Sony also has some GPS units for sale specifically for cars, but I do not find them appealing in design at all. The Japanese GPS units made by Sony are so much better and slicker.
Comparison to the DVD size case:
VAIO introduces its Chic All-in-One Beauty
August 25, 2006 10:42 pmHey folks,
Sorry for the long break we took this summer, but I thought I would let other Sony enthusiasts know about a new desktop coming to the States in mid September.
A little bit of History. Sony has been known for its devotion to all in one PCs since they launched their VAIO line. Back than they produced a number of very attractive computers that one would not be ashamed to show off, because the form factor and design of the case are those things that attract many buyers. Anyways, you might have seen VAIO LX series back in 2001 (LX900 series featured a nice PenTablet LCD), then came along VAIO W series with the keyboard that could fold up on the screen and turn it into a cool stereo with a nice GUI, V and VA series were the latest ones. The main idea of the all in one and slim concept was to get rid of the bulky CPU box that would sit on the floor and have it all nicely tucked behind the LCD screen. The styling is always a number one prerogative when a VAIO is being designed.
Believe it or not, but I have owned all of the above VAIO creations and still am happy with them. In summer 2006 VAIO Japan introduced yet another line of all in one VAIOs - L1 series. When I saw it first I was very impressed. VAIO engineers borrowed some ideas from their TV WEGA Division and incorporated their famous floating screen design into VAIO L1. I was hoping that Sony US will bring this baby here and my prayers were not in vain. Just not long ago Sony posted a press release:
“Combining the power of a PC with a quality LCD and stylish design, Sony today unveiled the new VAIO® LS1 TV/PC Combo.
Sleek, yet highly-functional, this new device compliments any room in the house where space is at a premium, but entertainment, performance and style is a must.
Featuring a framed display with a transparent border for a stunning, floating effect, the LS1 model packs the essentials for powerful computing into a slim chassis discreetly hidden behind the back of a flat-panel 19-inch WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) LCD display.
The new VAIO LS1 TV/PC model incorporates an Intel® Core™ Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and a roomy 250 GB hard drive for running multiple, demanding applications simultaneously, such as watching and/or recording a TV show while downloading music in the background. The unit is a Windows Vista™ capable PC. It is also Windows Vista Premium ready.
“The LS1 model is a testament to our design and engineering prowess incorporating all the power of a desktop into a showpiece design,” remarked Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics in the U.S.
For tidy interior design, the LS1 TV/PC incorporates personal computing into the living space without any unsightly wires. Network cables are discretely routed; ports are conveniently located on the sides; and wired connections are minimized. An included wireless mouse and wireless aluminum keyboard folds up for a beautiful presentation when not in use.
By utilizing the unit’s built-in wireless LAN (802.11 b/g) technology, the VAIO LS1 TV/PC can be positioned virtually anywhere in the home and still access Internet sites, e-mail, and a home network.
It’s a TV/ PC Home Entertainment System
Sporting a 19-inch widescreen display powered by Sony’s XBRITE-HiColor™ technology , the unit doubles as a flat-panel TV delivering dazzling colors and sharp images whether displaying a movie, television show or web content.
The LS1 model ships with Microsoft® Windows® XP MCE 2005 and a built-in NTSC TV tuner providing DVR-like recording capabilities. It also has a built-in DVD burner and Sony’s Click to DVD® software so you can create a digital entertainment library for personal viewing at your convenience.
The new VAIO TV/PC also features an audio/video quick resume switch that shuts down the display and the audio output without the PC having to enter sleep mode. This allows you to return to full PC functionality without waiting for the computer to shut down or boot up.
Making it easy to stay in touch with family and friends, the LS1 TV/PC Combo also includes an integrated camera and microphone for recording and transmitting video messages.
The VAIO LS1 TV/PC Combo will be available in mid-September for about $2,100 at authorized retailers nationwide, online at sonystyle.com and at Sony Style ® stores (for locations visit www.sonystyle.com/retail) in select fashion malls around the country. Pre-orders begin online today at www.sony.com.”
Make your own judgement now and check out the new LS1:
Here are some pics for you to compare the evolution of all in one VAIOs:
LX Series:
VAIO W Series:
VAIO V series:
VA series:
Of course I have not mentioned some all in one VAIOs like VAIO M and HS series as well as P101 that unfortunately have never made it to the States.
Check out the official Japanese site for L1 series here (in my view they do the best job in Flash to promote their products online).
VAIO UX with a Twist
June 27, 2006 2:02 pmAs Sony JP promised, an updated VAIO UX90S has joined the popular line of VAIO U family. Instead of a ATA hard drive, Sony went with the Solid State Flash based hard drive.
Because of this new feature, VAIO UX has faster boot up and shut down times, longer battery life and it is even lighter in weight. No more noisy rotations of the drive either (remember some of those clicking hard drived?). VAIO UX90S even got a new look as you see above. On top of it all, Sone teamed up with OneSeg and added VAIO Mobile TV feature. Entertainment on-the-go is all we need nowadays. Due July 3rd, 2006 in Japan.
So the question is would you get a regular VAIO UX with 30 gig ATA HD or a 16 Gig Solid State HD?
No More Bounds
June 11, 2006 4:37 amVAIO had a smattering of a presence at Computex, with only a few VAIOs strewn around some of the more obvious booths like Intel, nVidia, etc. (more posts to follow).
Yet one thing Sony didn’t hold back on was the outside building ads. Sportin all the new wares on the side of one of the 4 show buildings. Pretty hard to miss these giant ads.
Vloggercon
June 10, 2006 12:29 pmComputex
June 5, 2006 2:32 amVAIO UX Review
May 30, 2006 11:15 pmIt is amazing how soon new products get reviewed nowaways! VAIO UX has just been recently announced, and we already witnessed it being dissected (see below posts) and now Digital World Tokyo posted a review of this micro PC as Sony calls it. This review is in English so you do not need to worry about using Babel Fish for translating.
I am sure that there will be more in depth reviews coming out soon once this VAIO hits the US in early July. I hope to get my hands on one as well and compare to my previously owned VAIO U750P. I am definitely interested using it with Skype like these guys do:
Or have you owned that many VAIOs:
The Final word on Blu-Ray Fiasco
May 25, 2006 7:36 pmVAIO UX at Sony’s famous Ginza showroom
May 22, 2006 3:47 am
Sony decided to show off the new VAIO UX at their famous Ginza Building, giving the many mobile geeks a chance to have a hands on test run, well before the device will ever reach anyones home. They even made sure their famous showroom attendants where on call to answer your every question. Considering that they only had one UX to show off and each person was limited to 2 minutes with the device, I am guessing that the attendants also helped to distract the frustrated crowd.
Original ITmedia article here (in Japanese)
I am wondering if the Japanese are going through the same sticker shock as we are here state side. I know that for me, $1,700 is a bit much for something I probably wont use everday. Yet, after looking at the pricing in Japan, if you go for the lowest configuration on the SonyStyle site in Japan, you can actually pick one up for 144,800 YEN. That is just $1,276 at the current exchange rate. Perhaps I might have to pick one up in Japan the next time I am there.
Yet, I still have my doubts about this device working the way I want it to. Usability is really going to be a key issue. The built in wireless is key, so is the keyboard for something like this. I could never see myself using the Origami software to try to type an email of significant length. Why do so many people love their Blackberries or Treos, its the keyboard. There still has to be some killer app, beyond just its cool, to compell me to dish out my cold hard cash. I would sure like to hear what that is.
