Sony Vaio Z i5/i7 Official Owners Thread

Bad Argument.
See RED One vs Any Panavision or Sony Camera. (I own a few)
As for the panasonic, it is basically a leica, got the D-Lux 4 (lumix 3) for my mother. Excellent point and shoot with many "advanced" features.

@ yellowfreezbee: what, now you're getting your Z before me? Aaaargh! I ordered the Signature Z because I thought it would be dispatched sooner

Trim works for JBOD Same as for the old Z (both old and new use the same controller) but you should make sure you are using the Microsoft and NOT intel drivers.
Duno about the 256GB SSDs (whether 2 or 4 physical drives) but it appears from some ooooold post in the original "new Z" thread that the 256GB SSD is a 4 disk setup.
You can see here http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=5892865&postcount=2165

 

So wait, if we didn't pay the extra $100 for the Verizon card, we don't get GPS? If that's the case, do you guys think it's possible to call Sony and modify our order? Also, would the GPS work in any country?

 

Wherever there is satellite coverage... Also (in case anyone asks) no, you do not pay any sort of a subscription.

 

So is it tied to the Verizon card then?

 

99% chance it is tied to the card as seen here http://www.novatelwireless.com/inde...ss-mini-card-embedded-module&catid=2&Itemid=9
or http://www.qctconnect.com/products/gobi.html#TechnicalFeatures

 

Sorry ..tbh, I wish you got yours first. Im not knowledgeable nor am I the tinkering type. You would be MUCH more useful to the community and myself.


So I heard, but there is some controversy over this new situation. It appears people can not get their new Zs to go into IDE mode. Word on the street is that the TRIM command cant reach the SSD if the controller isnt in IDE mode. I hope you can find something past this..unlock the BIOS or something.

 

I think you mean AHCI mode

 

Does anyone know if the WWAN module offered on the Sony style UK site is locked to a carrier?

 

Actually, that "Leica" branded model, is really a Panasonic. Nothing wrong with that, since it is a decent product, which is precisely why Leica decided to re-brand this as a "Leica" and charge a few 100 $ more for it (when compared to the near identical Panasonic version, which too is built on the same Panasonic assembly line in Japan).

To get a real digital "Leica", you need to go at least upto the Leica X1 (approx $2000 and employing a Sony APS-C sensor) or maybe the M9 ($7000 body alone and not including a single lens).

 

@ yellowfrizbee: Trim is a command set. Part of the S.M.A.R.T. info that is passed from the storage medium to the operating system.
In the case where the drives are bundled in a RAID set, the intel controller and soft-raid software interferes and blocks the TRIM feature from the OS.
As soon as the drives are JBODed, they are used in AHCI mode.
You just have to make sure windows is using it's own driver and not the intel one.

@ sigma01: no it isn't.
It just comes pre-configured with software for T-Mobile as far as I remember.

 

Right, yes. Thank you

Oh yeah? I hope thats as easy as it sounds! Good to know, thanks for the info!

 

That's good news. Mine arrives tomorrow (1x128GB) so it is encouraging to know that I can take advantage of TRIM.

 

I was able to cancel my previous order and place a new one with the same 20% discount. I got the Verizon card so I could have GPS. The guy had to run to another desk to cancel it since it was already too late for their computers to do so (though in real life, the laptop has not been made yet which is why they could do it). And also, the shipping date changed from 3/23 to 3/22 for some reason, so yay, I get it a day early thanks to this cancellation!

 

Sweet!
Maybe I should call in to cancel my two Zs as well!
Then order again and have them shipped out on the 18th?
Then I could repeat the process another three times and have them shipped out tomorrow

I guess you just got lucky SurferJon.

I cannot wait any longer... (while I say I can't, I am sure I will eventually.)

 

I just hope I can use the GPS in the way I think I can.

*Baby Vaio Z sits in the passenger seat hooked up to the car's speakers and announces where I must turn next like my old Garmin GPS thingy*

 

I think you can buy about 10 Garmin GPS thingys for the price of a Z...

 

I thought that to get the Leica sticker on the camera, it had to employ lenses from Leitz in Germany, and the identical camera with Japanese produced lenses would not be sold as Leica (and not command the higher price)?

 

But it's comboing! I don't have the old Garmin thingy anymore, so now I can have it on the Z, which means less stuff to carry around. And now I can play my music in the car and have the GPS lady talking at the same time (GPS software permitting).

 

In just a few years, GPS might not be usable anyhow; USA might not be able to afford to replace the satellites as they go out of service.
It's down to 30 from 32 satellites now, and will likely drop down further later this year, according to the US Government Accountability Office, decreasing accuracy and increasing initialization times.
Once it's down to 24 or so satellites (depending on which ones drop out), GPS can no longer be considered operational, as the coverage gaps will be too big. This may happen as early as 2014, i.e. as little as four years from now.

The good news is that the European Galileo system will be fully operational by 2014 (and have far higher resolution for those that are willing to pay extra).

 

What? That is the first completely unfounded post you have made. Oh well. It happens to us all eventually.

 

Does it matter, especially if the Mayan prophecy of 2012 turns out to be true? Hope I didn't offend you, I'm just fooling around with you.

On a serious note, it is sad to hear that the GPS system cannot really be relied on in the coming future due to the decrease in the number of satellites in use.....

 

'fraid Arth is right yet again...
Funny, I was concerned the thread might get derailed by the lumix arguments and here we are talking about GPS...

One suggestion for people placing their orders for the new Z.
If you think you might want to have a WWAN module installed in the future you may want to get it as part of the original order.
Reason being, the models without WWAN also lack the underlying interface (ribbon cable from mainboard to mini-pcie slot) where you will want to plug in your WWAN card.
Ribbon cable can cost as much as 30-40$ and another 100$ for the pcie slot.
Add to that the cost of an aftermarket WWAN module and price might just be unreasonably high to consider in the first place.
So better spend 100$ beforehand than have to go through the hassle of sourcing the parts at a later time.

EDIT: BTW, the Gobi 2000 used in the european Z has a going price of 200$ for the WWAN module alone. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...I%2BUCI&otn=4&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNAFP:US:1348

 

http://www.slashgear.com/gps-could-crash-in-2010-warns-us-government-agency-2144522/


There are several articles on the matter. Just google around.

 

I read another article that said the normal driver can live with 4 sat, while the governmant needs 24. So I think we are fine.

 

I wasn't too concerned about it actually. I know how to read a map. I just provided a very quick and basic link to show what arth1 was talking about.

 

Ok. I guess you were never told to be careful of things you read on the internet. Whatever. Back to the Z. You all can wax poetic about unfounded satellite constellation degradation on urban legend websites.

 

So uhh... more questions about the GPS. Can I use it in both America and Japan, and is there any sort of software that will allow the Z to speak directions when you want to go somewhere?

 

Thanks.

I was going to mention Leica. So Panasonic owns Leica. I hear Leica is better than Panasonic. It's the official camera for National Geographic. Their Point and Shoot cost about $450. Not too bad. Samy's Camera has Tax-Free Week. Should I just stick to Panasonic? Sorry Guys (lol).

I just want the point and shoot. I want my photos of my new Z to look just like dimension6's.

I heard the same arth1. I heard the lens on a Leica, whether it be a point and shoot, is far better than any point and shoot camera out there. Then, I saw dimension6's photos. What to do? Panasonic or Leica?
_______________________________________

Anyway, Back to the Z. I got to see the Z today. Sony had the Silver. Not to bad - I may consider it. However, the Silver did not look and feel like carbon fiber. Maybe, the Silver Metal is better (USA does not offer it though). It (Silver) looked and felt more like magnesium. I was very impressed once I opened the lid. In Silver, those black keys really stand out. And the palmrest, I agree with another poster, doesn't make the Z cheap even though its made of plastic. I noticed one scratch on the lid. I'm sure someone in this forum (lol) tested to see how easily it can scratch. I tried scratching the edges, where someone said the paint can easily peel off and no luck. It was pretty durable. The eject button for the dvd drive had a quick response. However, when I was surfing the web, the i530 lagged. It was very responsive, in speed mode, when opening up multiple programs. I love the design compared to my previous Z550.

I tried covering the sensor to inspect back-lit and I couldn't get it to turn ON. I went into Control Panel to turn it "on always" when it detects darkness - still, I could not get it to come "ON". There must be some other detection detecting daylight. Anyway, this Z is way cool. It was very comfortable to type on.

Can someone offer to do a How-To Guide to get this TRIM/JBOD thing to work. I would be forever grateful.

 

Actually, even Leica themselves admitted that the only "real" difference between their product and the Panasonic twin, was the firmware.

Leica makes quite a bit of money by such name lending, which in turn allows them to spend more money on the "real" Leicas, like the M9, the new S-series and their respective lenses.

Interestingly, in the new micro-4/3 interchangeable lens camera range (marketed by Panasonic, Olympus et al), not a single lens is branded as Leica. All of them are branded "Panasonic", which means Panasonic feels that they are mature enough to start affixing their own name to precision equipment like camera lenses.

 

I love the design on those Leica's. They have that 1950's Retro look to them -even on their Compact Point and Shoot. I'll compare prices on both and if its not to far off, I'll get a Leica, otherwise Panasonic. The photos on these camera are awesome. I've never seen photos like that on any point and shoot, not even any of my Sony's can produce those images.

This is dimension6's fault (lol).

 

Hi everyone! First time posting in this thread but thanks to everyone who has contributed so far, there is a lot of good info to be found here.

After years of using an old Dell PIII desktop I finally bought myself a 20 inch C2D iMac about 3 years ago and even though it is still running nicely I would like to get a laptop to give me a bit more freedom as to where I work/play/surf the internet.

I had been waiting for the Macbook Pro Arrandale update but I stumbled across some info about the Vaio Z that got my attention and I have been reading this thread (and the one before it) daily for the last few weeks.

I am currently in Japan and will be moving back to the UK in a few months. It seems that computers are quite a bit cheaper here than back home so I will likely buy myself a new notebook before I leave and currently the Z and the macbook pro (when its finally released) are at the top of the list.

I went to a local Yamada Denki (large electronics outlet) and had a play with the Z they had on display (1600x900 screen, i5, 4gb ram, 128 SSD, silver finish). The first thing that struck me was how damn light the thing is! My girlfriends 13.inch plastic macbook feels like a lead weight in comparison! The screen seemed just about right as far as resolution goes, I think that 1080p might be a bit much but I would still like to see it in person before deciding.

The big advantage that the Z has over the macbook pro is that it has the specs of the 17 inch mac in a svelte 13inch package. Even though the i5/i7 macs haven't been announced yet it is very probably that the i7-620m will be reserved for the high end 17 inch model, or be a costly upgrade for the 15 incher. The 13 inch macbook pro is great but the screen resolution doesn't give enough desktop real estate and it will probably be limited to an i3 processor or the lowest i5.

This then leaves me with the choice between the 15 inch MBP vs the Z.
The Z has a lot of advantages, but despite its good looks and high specs I still feel that apple have it beat when it comes to build quality.

This however isn't really a deal breaker for me...my big decision is over the OS and whether I can comfortaby go back to Windows. I hated Windows XP, and ever since I got my iMac I have loved the simplicity of it and how everything (with the exception of a damn scanner/printer combo with Snow Leopard) just works.

I have been doing a lot of research online and it seems like the general consensus is that Windows 7 has done a lot to bridge the gap between Vista and OSX. I know that some people here have no problems with Windows at all and I'm not trying to start an argument, but I am curious about Windows 7 and the Vaio software that is supplied by Sony.

I have seen some other posters who were mentioning the MBP as an alternative to the Z and for those that purchased the Vaio I would like to ask why you chose it over the MBP and whether or not you are happy with your decision.

 

It's more likely that Leica refused to lend their name.

The cheapest Leica interchangeable lens available new is probably the 1.4k 50/2.5. That costs more than any current Panasonic camera/bundle.

Leica probably feels that releasing a leica lens in 4/3 would dilute the Leica lens reputation

 

Oh, and regarding the Leica/Panasonic/Sony camera debate...

Lumix cameras are very good, and I would say that in the point and shoot category easily walk all over Sony, who seem more occupied with sleek looks and touch screens.

In the DSLR category, Sony are now doing quite well after a bit of a rough start with their first and second generation cameras. Here in Japan they have quite a large presence in chain store retailers. After a few years of expensive DSLRs, Panasonic are now also doing very will with the micro four thirds cameras and have taken a huge bite out of the market usually dominated by Nikon and Canon. Their partnership with Leica has gone quite far into giving them some credibility (just as Sony did with Zeiss lenses a few years ago), but Pannys use of in body image correction is frowned upon by Leica, who won't allow their name to be used on lenses that rely on such features. As such, the only micro four thirds lens with the Leica name on it is the 45mm f/2.8 Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit, which doesn't use any processing jiggery pokery to improve the image( and costs about $800 to boot).

Anyways, enough of this...Sony are obviously way ahead of the game with the Vaios, especially the Z!

 

The place you're at is probably too bright so you couldn't see the backlit lights. I was at best buy looking for the new Z but couldn't find it, so instead went to check out the S for its backlight. When I covered the ambient light sensor, I couldn't notice a difference except the screen dimmed. However, if I lowered the screen so that it is nearly closed but not completely, the backlight is visible.

@pepto
IMHO, the differences between the Windows 7 and OSX isn't that one is better or the other is worse but that of familiarity. To those who are used to Windows, 7 is an improvement. Brings a lot of neat/gimmicky features. However, I've always been a Windows user an haven't had long enough time to fiddle around with OSX to become comfortable with it (where's my start menu Sorry, but I don't think I can help you choose between the two. Just wanted to say that if you do go to Windows give it some time before declaring it is crap.

 

Indeed. The weight is BY FAR the main advantage. I used to carry around a 13" white macbook and switching from that to the Z is SUCH and improvement (although you do add a few grams on the travel weight due to the bigger charger).

Personally I find the 1600x900 screen excellent. 1080p MIGHT be overkill in such a machine...

I'll agree with you that Unibody macbooks feel more sturdy, but I think the vaio is about as sturdy as you can get on a non-unibody laptop.


On a unrelated note, has anyone had any luck with hacking the latest Forceware drivers to work with the Z?

 

enough camera talk.

 

I guess the solid piece of metal that gives the MBP its sturdiness is also what gives it the extra weight...you can't have your cake aand eat it I suppose.

@jon_lui
Regarding windows...one of my worries is spyware/viruses that could be caught while browsing the internet. I know that most people will tell me to just be careful what I am looking at and where I am going but this last weekend while trying to find a stream for the Pacquiao fight (not aired in Japan) I happened upon some less than wholesome looking sites but thankfully I didn't have to worry too much because there isn't much in the way of malicious software that will hinder an apple machine. As I didn't really spend much time on the internet pre-iMac I am not really sure what precautions need to be taken to protect yourself when surfing. The last thing I want is to buy a $2400 computer and then get infected with a virus that means I have to wipe everything and build it up again.

Once again, sorry for my ignorance but I really don't have much experience with this and it is one of the worries that is holding me back from ordering the Z.

 

The following thread should help you out a bit:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=467519

 

One last question regarding the trim function. Is it possible to use trim when ordering the HDD version and putting your own SSD in the laptop?

 

If you order one with a regular HDD, you won't get an optical drive. And yes you can then replace the HDD with a SSD of your choice that supports TRIM.

 

Just spoke to Sony UK - apparently the UK WWAN option does not have GPS, but the US WWAN module does.

 

According to the specs on the Sony site, the Z has the Qualcomm Gobi 2000 WWAN module, which has GPS.

 

@nutman

I am not sure if you can even use that one in new Z.

It's gobi 2000 pulled out from Acer machine. Who nows if Sony drivers will work with that one, considering unique design that modem has (firmware is loaded dynamically, each laptop manufacturer seam to have different set of firmware images ). I wonder if you can install acer drivers in order to make it work.

I am buying Z from japan with WWAN card so I may need to replace it if way to unlock it isn't found soon.

 

Don't trust those rep guys. They usual don't have a clue about Sony products . Yes Gobi 2000 has GPS capability but there isn't software on European version from Sony that will support it. I guess if you for example install Google Earth and Earth Bridge and connect with WWAN modem you will have navigation capabilities on your vaio Z.

 

You need to be able to hear 4 of the fast-moving satellites at any time. Same for your antipode, who would pick up all different satellites.

24 is the minimum to ensure that everywhere is covered by at least four simultaneous satellites.

 

Do you confirm max resolution output is olny 2.048 x 1.536 also on hdmi ?

I'm little disappointed since nvdia 330m should support 2048x1536 on vga and 2560x1600 on hdmi.
I'd like to use vaio also on large lcd (27/30) with high resolution.

 

Has any one come across any hands on comparisons between the 1600x900 and 1080p screens? I was just about to order today but will probably hold off until my local centre gets both z models in. Unfortunately it's going to be a long wait - about 4 weeks! I had an old z series and needed to increase the default font size which worked pretty well for most apps - used the no-squint add on for Firefox.

 

Pepto...

If security is of concern to you...Windows 7 Ultimate may be your way to stay secure. Windows 7 Ultimate has an improved BitLocker which automatically encrypts your information to keep it safe. It even protects files that you put on memory cards. I have an Apple 15" MBP and I know what you are saying about the software just working....and I have had Windows 7 (Home Premium) for a few months now. I can say that Windows 7 is a huge improvement on Vista. The annoying pop ups from Vista that warn you about way too many things and confirmation pop ups are no longer a nuisance.

I would say that I still rate Apple's OSX higher than Windows 7....but....I am awaiting my VAIO Z with Windows 7 Ultimate. This version of Windows 7 may change my rating.

 

Woo Hoo!

My ship date has been listed as 3/23/10, but it is shipping today!

 

The whole Mac/virus security ad campaign that Apple has been running stopped being relevant years ago.

If you have Windows 7 with Microsoft Security Essentials (free), or whatever you want to choose*, and if you have auto update switched on and use a new web browser, then frankly you have to be trying pretty hard to get a virus.

Of course, if you download some dodgy program from a torrent and run an executable then any machine is at serious risk.

I'd say it should be about as big a concern to you as which preloaded wallpapers you prefer.

* Note, I am hoping this won't start a huge diverging topic on which virus scanner people prefer, or camera brand, or something about satellites.