Edging the system closer to its North American release, Sony today launched the VAIO TZ notebook for Europe. Close in spirit to the Japanese model released earlier this month, the 11-inch widescreen PC shares the MacBook-like, trayless keyboard -- now titled the Full Flat design -- and the accompanying bulk-reducing features, such as a thinner and more color-accurate LED-backlit display and the option of a carbon fiber shell.

Internal components are much higher-end than for the original launch, Sony notes. Where the base Japanese version began with budget mobile chips and other reduced performance, the base European TZ begins with a 1.06GHz ULV Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM, and a larger 100GB hard drive at £1,749 ($3,469) after taxes; higher-end models use the faster 1.2GHz CPU as well as carbon fiber and the choice of a 32GB 32GB solid-state hard drive.

All variants on the European TZ are planned for a late June shipping timeframe with models coming in black, platinum, or carbon. North American models have yet to be announced but are likely to be unveiled within the next few weeks at prices below those for existing announcements.