What do you want to see on your next/dream TZ?

I love my TZ270--it is absolutely the perfect size and weight for me, has the best screen I have ever seen on a laptop, great battery life, and looks sexy as hell.

So what would you like to see on the next version?

Here's my wishlist for Sony:

1. Obviously latest and greatest processor.
2. Increase battery life to a solid 7 hours with standard battery.
3. Backlit keyboard--an absolute MUST.
4. Add Touchstyk/Trackpoint with 3rd (middle) mouse button for autoscrolling in addition to or replace trackpad. If keep trackpad, add 2 finger scrolling (like Mac).
5. Better graphics processor.
6. Use better plastic on keyboard keys--not plastic so soft it smooths out relatively quickly with use and letters wipe off.
7. Do not use glossy, scratch-prone plastic.
8. Use keyboard feedback which is a bit more tactile (thinkpad keyboard being the standard of course).
9. 128GB SSD.
10. Increase max RAM to 4GB.

That's about it for me. Do these things on the next version, and to me the TZ would be absolutely perfect. None of these are out of reach, battery life and processor speed the never-ending goals, but the remainder are simply design/durability/ergonomics issues which are easily addressed.

 

The TZ refresh or replacement will use the Intel 1.4ghz SU9400 and1.2ghz SU9300 processors which are coming out very soon with 3mb of L2 cache and 800mhz FSB and are 45nm.

I am hoping it will have HDMI out like the Z and have a screen as good or better than it. I am impressed the Z has a smaller motherboard than the TZ and so can't wait to see how small the next Type T's motherboard will be.

My guess is they will replace it with an entirely new design and will also release the replacement to the UX series and there have been rumors of Sony and Toshiba releasing their own "netbooks" very soon.

I don't think we'll see backlit keyboards. If they weren't going to put it in the Z, it won't come in the TZ.

 

Yeah Rahul, I agree. Look forward to seeing what they can do with the smaller motherboard.

I know a backlit keyboard is unlikely, but this is the dream thread! Wish they would, since its very hard to type on the TZ in the dark without backlit keys or a ThinkLight.

And yes, I am a rabid Thinkpad fan, still own a T23, and consider Thinkpads the standard for the best engineering/ergonomics/durability (and not necessarily aesthetics). Too bad Lenovo didn't see a market for an ultralight with a DVD drive (aka an X300 with an 11.1" screen)--that's why I love my TZ.

 

The lenovo x301 is now up for order with the SU9400 with shipping dates of 1-2 weeks.

 

Personally, I'd be happy with modest improvements: SU9400 processor, 3 GB of ram, 5400rpm 1.8" hard drive, x4500 graphics.

 

With all the netbooks coming out with 2.5" drives, the least they could do is fit those in.

 

HDMI is a must for me, bigger storage SSD drives, 4 GB RAM, X400 graphic card. Maybe if I say Blu-ray would be too much eh? I was hping that maybe one model of the Montevina TZ will use the LV processor instead of the ULV. Centrino 2 will improve his battery life hopefully, even if I was expecting much better battery life from the Z series.

 

I think in September are going to be released the Montevina ultraportables from Sony. My dream TZ: backlit keyboard (in the actual TZ you don't anythink in a dark room), 128GB SSD+ 250 GB 5400 rpm HD, HDMI, 7-9 hours battery life, OLED screen (yeah I know, not yet!).

 

September cannot come soon enough, lots of wonderful videogames, laptops and other tech coming out that one month.

I do think we'll hear of Sony's ultraportables that month as the previous Vaio TR, T and TX were also announced around September.

 

3G-connection.

Stop wasting keyboard space by removing the plastic gaps between the keys and make them "curved" instead for easier typing.

I'll also second the backlit keyboard and HDMI.

 

Unless they go back to a design closer to the TR, I want an updated G. It really is my favorite laptop to date and I'm glad I got it over the TZ - the perfect marriage of usability to portability. I wish it could go to 4GB.

 

What do you like about the TR? I had a TR2 that I liked, but the TZ looks superior (smaller, lighter, faster):

TR: 10.60" x 7.40" x 1.40" @3.00 pounds
TZ: 10.90" x 7.80" x 0.80-1.17" @2.70 pounds

 

I like the swivel camera on the TR which none of its successors have and it is more compact than the TZ, but of course noticeably thicker, but I personally want a smaller footprint rather than thinness.

 

If I did the math correctly, the footprints are pretty close:

TR 78.44 sq in
TZ 80.66 sq in

I currently have an SZ and it is painfully large, so I'll be happy with the TZ size ;-)

 

wow.. never heard of SZ being painfully large ... just makes me think what you might describe for a 15.4 or 17 inch notebook..

 

I was wondering if anyone would comment on my phrasing ;-)

I travel about 1/2 time for work. The SZ is too big to use in Economy, although it does work in Economy Plus on United.

 

ha ha .. couldn't resist.. but I can understand.. I dont travel that much

 

I'm surprised somebody else mentioned it, I would also like a rotating camera a la TR/Picturebook Series. I don't see why it can't be done without adverse effects on the bezel appearance if it "snaps" into the default position. Oh, and less plastic, more metal and carbon fiber.

 

I agree re backlit keyboard, and agree it's unlikely.
My trick is to push the backlight up as high as possible and move the screen forward (to an angle of less than 90°). It does give enough light to see what I'm typing. Agreed, it's more to type a web address than write a thesis, but it helps when I don't have my USB light handy!

Re my dream list:

- A processor powerful enough to at least play, if not edit, AVCHD. The minimum theoretical frequency is 1.6Gz on a dualcore CPU, and I'm afraid the TZ won't hit that, which will force me to move to the Z.
- A better integrated graphics for the same reason
- 4Gb RAM
- WWAN
- Blu-ray (unlikely, but dream thread... After all Montevina and it's integrated Graphics are supposed to be optimised for BR and H264).
- I'd be happy to sacrifice a bit of battery lifefor the option to get a more powerful CPU.
- 128GB AFFORDABLE SSD (say OCZ Core 2 if they're better than the Core), failing this Toshiba's 120Gb 5400rpm 1.8 HD.
- HDMI
- Same battery design, so I can use the extended battery of my TZ!

 

No it is not to big to use in economy. I have travelled in economy with a Dell XPS M1330 which is a 13.3 notebook and it fitted fine. I am sure a 15.4 would even be able to fit on the tray just about.
As for portablity i have no problems with a 13.3 notebook at all.

 

-HDMI
-Intel Media Accel X3100 or better
-User upgradable HD, SSD Drive
-Backlit Keys
-User Upgradable wifi card or atheros instead of intel so will work with osx86
-Latest Intel CPU with 667 or 800 FSB
-Internal 2.5" HD instead of optical drive in UK
-3-4GB RAM
-Non gloss keyboard plastic
-1.3MB Web Cam
-Faster SD card reader, no pathetic 2MB/s when you can get 9MB/s from USB flash reader, use PCI-E Bus instead of PCI/USB

 

I guess it just depends on what we mean by 'usable' ... sure you can open the screen most of the way, but it's hard to type and really hard to use the touchpad. If you're just watching a movie, it's probably ok, but for getting work done it is unpleasant.

 

I had a much harder time with my 15.4" beast than with my M1330 on international economy. But the M1330 was much more comfortable on my lap.

The best would of course be something like an HP Mini Note..

 

I think the TR was more sexy and unique (IMO of course) at the time, and I still think it looks better. I always liked the TR keyboard, and I prefer the resolution on the TR.

Maybe it's why I like my G so much ... who knows.