New Sony Vaio Z speculation/news thread

I'm not sure what HP has to do with Sony. The only thing remotely similar about them is that they make computers.

When my Z was brand new it's drivers were out of date. If I had gotten a first run VPC-Z11 then maybe the drivers would have been up to date.

Whatever. I see your point. If I was not going to clean install then I would want fresh start... but I have MSDN so I am not going to pay extra for any software upgrades.

 

^Fact is it takes maybe 20 minutes or so to uninstall the few "junk" programs on the Z. At least 2+ hours to do a clean install and download all the necessary Sony stuff. Maybe your time isn't as valuable as mine, I don't have 2 hours to give away.

 

Im still one of the few stupid people that format the pc monthly (got this from win 3.11 and 95), I have increased the the time between formats due to work, but I still do it every 3 months. And it takes me less than 1 hour.

All the drivers are downloaded before the format straight to my home server, back up is done via esata, and install via usb.

The part that usually takes more time, and sometimes gets up in the 1:30h is to install visual studio 2010 + some total war game that i want, both take a lot of time to install and require updates afterwards.

off course the SSD helps

 

I don't have time for my system not to be perfect.

 

Why do you say that?

 

Hi Cowboy, can you enlighten me what is BIOS hack for VAIO Z mean in your signature?

 

How are you liking that P?

 

so, since an external gpu can run on the z's screen... what are the chances that there would be an adapter that allows us to play a ps3 with the z's screen?

 

Lol why? Unless you're playing Uncharted, PC games are better .

 

I'd just rather configure the drivers the way that I like. When I do an install I download very few things from Sony, only enough to get the special buttons working and specific hardware. The main components get the latest updates from the manufacturers websites.

The BIOS hack enables the advanced menu in the BIOS which enables me to do quite a few things that I like very much

1. Enable static VGA switching so that I can install the latest nVidia and Intel graphics drivers, this is important to me because I use 3D vision and there are constant driver updates from nVidia that keep making that better
2. Enable Virtualization Technology, I need to run VMs for work for testing things and VT makes the VM run way better/faster
3. Access ACHI settings, I was experimenting for a while running an alternate OS that I am not allowed to mention due to forum rules. One of the requrements of this unmentionable OS was that the SATA be configured as ACHI rather than RAID.

here is a link for more info http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/473226-insyde-hacking-new-vaio-z-advanced-menu-bios.html

Love the P, I really need to get some coin together to have Anh solder in a 2Ghz Atom to replace the 1.33Ghz Atom. He is going to solder in a SIM reader also so that I can use the built in GOBI with AT&T. I take the P out when I don't want to carry the Z. Not that the Z is all that much to carry but the P is a lot less to carry. I love the design of it and the fact that I can touch type on it. The resolution is fantastic for it's size. It is a very useful little machine and the battery life is stellar with the extended battery. I ALWAYS buy the extended battery.

 

I thought Virtualization is enabled by default in Z1?
Sony changed it from default disable to default enable

 

I don't know why he says it, but I dislike fresh start because it isn't. It is only partial - there are still several bundled apps that I do not want, including:
Multiple Sony apps that aren't necessary (and don't work with the DPI set correctly).
Adobe Reader, which quite probably has the worst security track record of any app.
ArcSoft Web Companion.
Worst of all, a slightly crippled version of WinDVD which doesn't uninstall cleanly and prevents you from installing the FULL WinDVD later because of what it leaves behind.

 

Thanks. That's good to know. I may end up just rebuilding the system from scratch. In the Old Days, Fdisk was the first command I used on a new PC.

 

Maybe it is now, I don't know, I don't think that it will enable both VT-x and VT-d with the stock BIOS though.

I don't see that changing anytime soon. A clean install is always the best if you know what you are doing. It doesn't matter if you have the most expensive prettiest computer in the world if the software on it is not perfect.

 

^ I can't argue with that and in my experience, software quality has gone way down.

 

I bought one of the first Z11's (Signature Series) when the new line first came out, and the drivers were up to date then. I think the problem is that Sony - like so many other computer manufacturers - doesn't update its system images throughout the model's retail lifetime to keep them current. They are content to lazily update their Support download page.

 

I find it crazy to know that such a super great laptop that the VAIO VPC-Z1 is, didn't last longer than a year and a half It cannot anymore be purchased on sony french website

And what a pretty good looking laptop it is..
I really hope the new Z will look at least as good as the current Z.

By the way, it will have thunderbolt right ?
Will it have ExpressCard 2.0 and mPCIe 2.0 that are supposed to double the bandwidth compared to older chipset ?

Is there any picture available of the next Z ?
Will it be called really called Z2 ?

 

Here is a picture

 

sony enabled VT when Windows 7 comes with XP mode, which requires VT
I am not sure how important it is to have VT-d enabled in Z1....

 

Doesn't live up to the looks of the VPC-Z series though. Even a Macbook Air/Samsung Series 9 looks sexier.

 

Thank you very much !
From what I can see it looks good but not fantastic, backside of the VPC-Z looks better in my opinion. Yet I also really like the white strip where's written "SONY"

 

If that really is the new Z it is a big disappointment. I am really hoping that it is not since beuaps told us that it would be sexier than the current Z. I keep thinking... that can't be it, it looks like a piece of crap.

 

Well I hope so too but, style appreciation depends on people...
Look at the SA/SB, we had first picture a moment ago and they didn't change. To me they looks crappy, I really don't like that huge bezel, even on my monitor Dell 23" it's a thinner bezel... That's something I really like in VPC-Z, its thin bezel.

I might not update my current Z to the next one. I don't know yet.
They are so expensive lappy...
Currently the only thing that sounds great to me in this laptop is thunderbolt and maybe the expresscard 2.0 so I could turn the laptop in a very powerfull one using a DIY Vidock and PCI-e 2.0

 

I think it looks cool. It could be slightly thinner though.

 

Is it really going to have the huge bezel?

 

I think MikjoA was referring only to the new SA/SB. Have we seen a picture of the screen on the new Z? Maybe I missed it but I don't remember anything that would lead us to think the new Z has a large bezel. I certainly hope not!

 

it is already thinner than the current Z. (at least it should be regarding to beaups statements)

nope, we haven't seen another pic besides the one that's posted above.

 

I guess I was expecting it to be a liitle bit thinner as new Z does not have an optical drive. Still not bad though

 

yeah, although pictures can be misleading sometimes...

 

Again, do we really know it will lack an optical drive? A description of the Z2 was floated earlier in this string, which put the optical drive in an external unit linked by a Thunderbolt cable, but I was under the impression that all bets became off on that version once we got the most recent picture. Yes?

 

wow, that picture looks effin sexy

 

I haven't gotten that "WOW!" factor from any Sony Laptops since the Vaio Z1 (14inch. screen w/ Centrino M) and the X505. VPC-Z1 came close, but never had the urge to want one immediately. What's going on with Sony's design dept.?

 

what is the point of that silver bar.. why would the screen need to rest on a surface? (referring to the grey rubber feet).. wouldnt it prevent the screen from being able to tilt backwards?

 

hey guys. just a tidbit
looks like the SA will be released june 2nd.
CTO in Canada June 22 not sure if there are implications for the new Z's release date... grog... wait wait wait...

 

I haven't had time to read all 119 pages in this thread, but could someone quickly outline the differences between the Z2, the SA, and the current SB laptop?

Thanks.

 

My take is that by elevating the screen, it raises the back of the unit creating an angled keyboard. I like the idea.

 

from what i see, it doesnt look like it elevates the screen

 

that's my sense too. looks like the feet are angled at 20 degrees or so. and appear to be intended to make full contact with a flat surface. not sure how far away from the body that hinge extends...

So I can picture that at most the laptop will open up to 160 deg. (180-20).

 

this looks terrible

 

Even though I'm not buying one, I just can't wait for the new VAIO Z series to be released. I definitely cannot wait to watch those "super long" lecture videos given by the Sony engineers about the creation of the new VAIO Z series notebooks!

 

I still think the screen rests on them elevating the back of the keyboard. Since the only photo of the Z shows the feet, I would guess they are a key part of some new design feature.

On the other hand, it's hard to tell much of anything from the pic. The possibility of my being completely wrong can't be ruled out.

 

I don't think that's true. If you look at how the feet are arranged, when touching the table, the laptop is opened up less than 90 degrees! So without lifting the laptop/keyboard, that makes no sense to me.
Or am I missing sth.?

 

They could be antennae for the Z's new Mind Control option.

 

you guys are thinking it works like the adamo XPS?

 

Yeah, maybe. Although I have no clue why they would arrange the rubber feet like they are in the picture and not rotated by 180 degrees, which would make more sense to me, regarding contacting the surface.

 

Thanks for that, Louche!

All your base are belong to us!

All your base are belong to us - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I´m looking forward every day for informations about a new z line. i hope my wishes for a powerfull gpu in the new z line will come true...

 

You seek informations?

 

I hope that is just a bad mockup. It definitely has the styling of the new S - which I use the term style very loosely.

 

seems the Z is discontinued