Sony small low cost laptop coming soon

Looks like Sony might be joining the low cost notebook bandwagon

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20080602/tc_pcworld/146546

 

I never thought Sony would sink so low as to use a Via. Sony pretty much has luxury sub-notebook in the UX, satisfying a particular area of the market. If I was to buy a sub-notebook without a budget cap it would be the UX I would get. Sony just doesn't seem like the company that would skimp out and make budget notebooks especially with a via chip.

 

hopefully it will use the VIA NANO which will blow away the intel atom chips used in the EEE Wind and other manufacters

 

I just hope that Sony looks to offer a higher end offering than whats currently available. Sony styling will of course make a big difference since I think the current sub-notebook offerings aren't as good looking as what they could be.

 

Haha kinda funny, he quickly closed the properties window and declined to comment.

I could just see that happening. "Uhh sir, why did it say 'designed by Sony' on that window?"

"..."

*closes window*

"AAAAAAAAAAANnnyways, moving RIGHT along"

"but what about the sony--"

"AHEM, ANYWAYS!"

 

Hmmm, I don't want to be too quick to judge, but my instant reaction to this isn't a positive one. They better hope that the new via stuff is a lot better than what's out there now. And does this mean the case will be the same as the via reference design? It doesn't look all that bad, but it's not up to the standard of something like the TZ.

I guess I should have faith, I have a TZ and think it's the greatest thing on earth, so I do trust sony to know what they are doing. But that said, I can't think of any company that hasn't released something crap at some point. And sony is no exception.

 

Look at what happened to Sony in other market. They have cheap 15.4", 17" and 14" notebooks. I would say that 15.4" and 14" are all mainstream (no high res screens, no fast graphics, no docking station). They only have top of the line notebooks below 14" - 13.3", 11" and UMPC. But up until now the market for very small notebooks was a niche market. So it's not surprising that after the market for these models moves into mainstream Sony will have cheaper models as well.

 

After looking at an EEE in person, I have even found my TZ to be a little big for me now.

I really want them to bring back the C1 Picturebook series which lasted from 1998 to 2002.



Hmm, maybe they will bring it back in time for its 10th anniversary like the TZ came out at the 505's 10th anniversary, their first notebook?

I hope it doesn't use Via please, at least not the C-7! Please make something like the HP 2133 Mini-Note, which is almost perfect for me with its Expresscard Slot, high resolution screen and 2.5" hard drive except it using that garbage C-7 processor. If the 2133 even used a Core Solo ULV processor, I'd buy it now. I trust the performance of Intel's ULV processors, not even sure about their Atom processors.

The first Picturebooks used Pentium 1 and 2 processors and later ones used Transmeta Crusoe processors whose clock to clock performance was terrible compared to the Pentiums.

I actually want higher end, expensive mini-notes on the market like the HP 2133, not to price match the EEE for example. I know Sony will put in an excellent screen, have a great design and battery life then.

 

well if they put the VIA Nano it will perform 3 times as fast as the Intel Atom. It uses out of order instruction as oppose to in order of the atom

 

I agree, bad move from Sony if they release a low-cost laptop. Leave Asus and HP produce these sub-notebooks and concentrate in making diamonds series as the SZ and TZ. Waste of energy Sony!

 

Yeah I was looking forward to the HP mininote as well, but it falls short in performance (as already stated the crap processor) and battery life.

I'm looking forward to reviews of the MSI wind which should be out any day now.

But seriously, if none of these cheap ultraportables can get 8 hours battery life, I'd only ever own them as a novelty, and still use my TZ primarily.