Sony, Read This: Tips for the next Sony SZ laptop

Hey guys, I was thinking of compiling a list of all the features we would like Sony to embed in their 13,3" laptops. I'm mostly quite happy with my SZ680 configured at the max yet there are still quite some annoyances about the model. This based on own experience with own experience with Sony models as well as reading 100s of messages on this forum and others regarding some drawbacks of the Sony models which seem to appear over and over again.

* Design and color, like the current SZ6 - foremostly the black colour as oppossed to the uglier grey of the previous versions, imo.
* Intel Montevina processor with integrated WiMax as soon as they come out.
* Integrated EVDO AND 3G, etc. broadband so that you can connect to wireless networks BOTH in the US and in Europe.
* Integrated Blu-Ray drive!
* HDMI (LG recently released a 13,3" laptop with HDMI)
* Video card capable of sending out video in full-HD
* 64-bit OS support and working drivers, PROVIDED separately - what is the point in having all these 64-bit processors if there is no driver support for 64-bit - Sony have had a long time to get this fixed now
* Vista Ultimate support - its been a year since its out now!
* Option NOT to have bloatware installed unless you as a user decide so
* Perhaps a less noisy keyboad
* Optical out?
* OLED panel - this would be very neat but perhaps its a little too early.

Those options I've made bold I believe are a definite MUST.

I think the above should be very realistic. If you guys want to add to that please do.

Perhaps we could keep this threa up at the top so that if Sony reps see this they really see there is demand for a real top-end notebook, so add your reply if you think these features would be nice so they really see there is demand for such a notebook

 

Those proposed options, esp. BluRay will inflate the price of the computer, and it's not a cheap computer to start with. I agree with 64-bit support, but I'm not sure what you mean about Vista Ultimate support.

 

It speaks for itself that more features will be more pricey, but we're talking about a laptop in the top segment of the laptop market anyways, and there is still no fully complete laptop imo. Also with an integrated Blu-Ray drive you'll be able to use your laptop as a Blu-Ray player/recorder rather than buying one separately.

I prefer to have the OPTION to have blu-ray rather than no option for it at all, and I think this is something Sony should aim for for their users, specially at this end of the market.

With Vista Ultimate support I mean fully functional drivers for Ultimate too...I thought this would not matter that much as opposed to the Business version shipped standard with it...but I've seen quite some people here who can't get Ultimate to work fully smoothly on it. Also I thought I read on the Sony site that they explicitly state they do not support Ultimate yet.

 

Sony has begun to provide 64-bit drivers, downloadable separately here, but not every device is supported yet.

There also shouldn't be any significant differences between Vista Ultimate and Vista Business to warrant any special driver or utility changes for each OS. The current 32-bit drivers and utilities offered by Sony should work on any 32-bit Vista version.

 

Oh I didn't know that, that is great news Bogart, let's hope they starting doing this on a larger scale now

 

The Vaio TZ is not a cheap computer to start with and the price gets extremely high with the 64gb SSD option for instance, but people still buy the higher end models. Some won't mind paying for Blu-Ray in the SZ.

But these also use a 1280x800 pixel screen, Blu-Ray won't exactly utilize the screen estate and cramming more pixels into this small screen will make readability quite difficult. Perhaps use it for backup purposes mostly?

EDIT: Panasonic has just announced a 9.5mm Blu-Ray drive, there'll be more info on it at CES.

 

1280x800 can play 720p HD content, so there's no worries with BluRay. And I was under the impression that the OP wanted those features standard on the SZ.

 

I play Blu-Ray 1280x800 with my SZ. So far, no problem at all. Sony also ship some of their FZ lines with Blu-Ray and FZ screen resolution is also 1280x800.

 

Interesting post, I also have a max spec SZ691N/X, and I've a few to add/reiterate:

1: The Intel graphics are great for battery powered use and I only use the nvidia when I'm plugged in, so why not make the nvidia card a serious graphics card, because SZ owners are the only notebook owners who can afford to have a super power hungry graphics card. I wouldn't mind if my nvidia card chewed my battery down in 30 mins, because when I need battery I'll use the onboard graphics: give me an 8600GT or something.

2: Update docking station: dual moniter output, HDMI, and a freaking audio jack!!!

3: How about the option of SSD + HDD w/o optical, I rarely use optical drive and prefer to turn my software disks into .isos. In fact, I wouldn't mind optical drive in the docking station like that old 505 used to have.

4: Yeh, OLED, why not?

5: Try rearrange the keys to get the G/H and trackpad closer to the centre

6: A smaller 'travel' AC adapter - even the new one is a burden for luggage

7: HSDPA+GPS module, EVDO is useless outside of the US - even Australia has ditched that ancient network. And no discrete aerial please!

8: MIDDLE CLICK where the biometric sensor is, middle click is really useful; or how about combining middle click with a scroll wheel like some of the old Vaios used to have - right in between left and right click. Biometric sensor: use once per day; middle click: use 50 times per day. (also, back/forward button?)

9: I want a raw carbon fiber palm rest to match the lid on my N/X, makes sense right?

10: ON/OFF on docking station?

11: Backlit keys

12: Auto brightness on the moniter, you already have the sensor (webcam), it's just software.

13: Reduce the size of the bezel around the screen: the lost keyboard realestate could be accounted for by moving del/home/pgup/pgdown/end up top, and thus achieving #5.

 

Me too but I am afraid that it may not be technically possible to put high end graphic card in SZ, not if they want to keep the size and weight. High end graphic card emits a lot of heat and requires a lot of power. Putting that kind of card in a sub 4 pound notebook will generates too much heat and cause the system to crash.

 

*laugh*

Bogart does it again.

If I have Sony software/driver issues, I'd just PM you instead of posting it to the board.

 

Hmm about biometric as scroll/middle click, sure it would be cool. But I'd rather have it powered off for more batt life, but sure why not add that option, although it's easy to scroll with the trackpad. Also auto brightness, have that camera off for batt life. And upped video card will just make my sz wanna go boom. It would need alot more cooling=less batt life, more weight and more space. I know many have complained about the keyboard. I'd love to have a gadget bay instead of the optical drive with room for extra battery/ssd.

 

how about sony design a better cooling system for the gpu/cpu??? the sz fan noise is an annoyance and I believe sony should fix this...

I'd also like sony to fix the noisy keyboard

 

Am I reading that correctly? Perchance did you mean only with respect to other Sony notebook owners?

 

The fan under normal circumstances should not be noisy at all, my laptop ran dead-silent the first couple of months. Only recently its become more noisy but I think that must be related to some software and driver malfunctioning or so causing CPU Use to be quite high all the time (causing 50+% battery life decrease also).

And about the Blu-Ray/HD issue to those saying what is the point in having this on the SZ due to the low screen resolution. There would be so many added benefits! The whole point would be to use your SZ as a Blu-Ray player which you could hook up to your tv via HDMI, in full hd 1080p preferably. Then of course there are the backup options and also it would be nice to play Blu-Ray even in 720p on the SZ itself...but primarilyin combo with HDMI.

Dell's new m1530 boasts this combo, Blu-Ray and HDMI together. Their 1330 also has HDMI, hopefully it won't take long for it to be able to take advantage of this same upgrade as its bigger brother. But mostly I hope the new SZ's will have this.

 

The SZ will receive Penryn, but not much else. At least not any time soon.

SZ7 series on the way?

 

I just hope the 700 series doesn't have any screen issues like the 600 series.

 

isn't it the only notebook with dual graphics? ie, you can use onboard when you need battery power. Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought it was though.

 

I think now the Asus U3 (also 13.3" notebook like the SZ), now has switchable 8400 and X3100 graphics, though the SZ was the first for quite a while (almost two years!)

 

Just giving this a little bump as the new SZ7's don't really have any of the new wanted features, specially the Blu-Ray and HDMI, though I don't think we weren't expecting it quite yet. But lets hope for the next S/SZ.

Now that the Blu-Ray battle looks mostly decided after Warner Bros. decided to exclusively on Blu-Ray too.

 

UJ-225/UJ-220 is ~1000$ Retail or ~700$ off ebay. They are also 12.7mm. If SONY keeps the TZ under the 4K range with a blu-rey, people will buy it. If they don't it would be very hard to push.

Up to the day, I am not sure why they are not subsidizing their Blu-rey drives. Last time I've checked, they are trying to push a format but ask for a premium when it comes to the players/drives/etc.