New Vaio models you want to see?

I'm wondering what notebooks or form factors you'd like Sony to introduce into their Vaio lineup. For example them making tablet PCs like many other companies or a line of gaming PCs.

Personally, I'd like to see them bring their Picturebook series back which lasted from 1998 to 2002 and then the Vaio T series replaced it.



It was about the same form-factor as the popular Asus EEE. I'd like to see them create a notebook of that size.

There's many who like the EEE because of its low price. I wouldn't mind paying a good amount for Sony to create their own premium entry , as I know they'd put in a gorgeous screen and give it excellent battery life for one thing.

I sometimes want a notebook even smaller than my TZ and want like Sony to create it.

What about you guys?

 

That would be pretty cool, although I would just like for budgeted TZ to be made.

 

A slim and light 14" unit. The cr series are too bulky and i hate the keyboard. something like the sz but slightly larger screen would be idea, a decent graphics card and built in HDMI or dvi would top it off

 

rahulnirmal you pretty much echo my thoughts exactly. Clearly we are both obsessed with small laptops. I was actually looking around to see if I could find a second hand picturebook for cheap recently, just cause I think they are cool and would be fun to play with.

I'm really looking forward to see what they replace the TZ with, but I imagine it will be a while before that happens.

 

I'm confident that Sony will replace all their current models with entirely new ones (not use the same design) by the end of the year. When the regular Montevina chips launch next month, we'll soon see their larger models updated (SZ, NR, FZ, AR, BX) and the Montevina small form factor chips will launch in September and we'll see the small models (TZ, UX) updated then.

 

Another one waiting for the Montevina and what Sony will do...

Personally I would like a 12''1 ultraportable but I think is not so possible because would be a big competitor to the TZ/G series.
I don't know if as rahul believes Sony will replace all the models with new ones, I find it quite difficult to achieve for Sony. My idea is that the SZ will be replaces with a hole new model but the TZ I think they will just put Montevina chipset inside and refresh it.
As a previous owner of a TZ, I would like to see it with a larger SSD and backlit keyboard.

 

Backlit keyboard would be a really good feature to add to the TZ. I'd be surprised to see the TZ replaced so soon because it really hasn't been out very long, and it hasn't begun to date visually, it's still a very stylish looking notebook. On top of that, in my opinion at least, everyone who has released a direct competitor has fallen short of the benchmark set by the TZ. I think sony would want to get a bit more mileage out of the TZ before replacing it with a new model yet.

Of course I could be completely wrong. I'd like to see some sales figures on the various models over the years. Do sony release such figures?

 

(@ rahulnirmal)

When do you expect the new FZ model to be released?

 

I totally agree. The TZ for Sony has been a great product. It still sells a lot even if it carry a 2 years old chipset. On the other hand the Montevina chipset is 25% smaller so maybe Sony wants to use this extra space somewhere else (maybe blu-ray drive ) and make a hole new series T. We just have to wait few months to see...
The backlit keyboard is a real must for me for this kind of laptops, was my major complain about the TZ.

 

Ivan from PortableOne.com said that the replacement would be the FX series and will be announced next month when Montevina is released, is said to have a 16" 16:9 aspect ratio screen.

I think they will replace all their current models with entirely new ones because Montevina is an entirely new chipset, known as Centrino 2 vs Centrino in all other previous processors.

So I think Sony and everyone else will be having new designs. Montevina has less power consumption and takes up less physical space so I think we'll see in general thinner and lighter designs.

Some models Sony keeps for a long time (SZ and UX are still around and came out early 2006) and some they keep for only a short time (13.3" C series came out late 2006 and discontinued middle of 2007 with CR when Intel Santa Rosa came out).

I am interested in their next Vaio Type T series (TR, T, TX, TZ). The TR and T both a year before being replaced and I think the TZ will be replaced by a new model earliest in September when Montevina ULV comes out. The TX lasted 1.5 years from late 2005 to middle 2007 when TZ came out.

 

I am with you rahulnirmal! Actually I think C1 was the original idea of eeepc, 8.9" screen small form factor, low voltage cpu... Just the price is not right.
But building a small notebook was not cheap back in 1998. Since the eeepc is so popular now there might be a small chance maybe SONY will bring back the C1. But...you never have the idea what sony is up to.

 

Oh man, I was waiting for the TZ with Santa Rosa in the refresh of March but they didn't update the chipset. Now I'm waiting for the TZ with Montevina and you tell that is going to be replaced by a new model?? If is like that though I hope Sony keeps the same design and screen!

 

I wouldn't be surprised if more Sony's started to feature LED displays. They have always tried to stay ahead in screen technology and it'll be pretty hard for them to do that without LED displays.

 

Sony should improve on BATTERY LIFE.
They should solve any issues with OVERHEATING.
They should also offer more powerful graphics cards in their future models, like the 8800 GTX!
They should change the keyboard on certain models (CR, SZ, FZ)!
Only then will I buy a Sony notebook...

 

Yes, please! I don't care if they get really expensive, I'll pay!!

 

I still have an old VAIO U1, which was a 6.5" screen and much tinier than an Eeee though still in the laptop form. But you know what, the keyboard was thoroughly useless to me and I think Sony came to realise this too as the model eventually got usurped by the UX series.

The form factor I'd love to see make a comeback is that of the old 505 with portable docking station. The idea of putting an optical drive (let's say Blu-ray ) and maybe discreet graphics into a portable dock really appeals to me.

That way you can have the best of both worlds, ultra-thinness and lightweight form, and connectivity and power.

 

A luxury mini-notebook, along the lines of the macbook air. Use the intel atom ship, LED display. Basically a reworked TZ to challenge the air head on.

I doubt sony will ever make a true gaming laptop, although I would like to see some true HD screens from them (720 or 1080). They always seem to push their notebooks as multimedia machines, well lead the HD push they should.