Sony enters netbooks in earnest with VAIO W
updated 07:30 am EDT, Tue July 7, 2009
Sony VAIO W
Sony today surprised the PC business by launch its first voluntarily identified VAIO netbook. Significantly larger than the VAIO P, the VAIO W brings the design of systems like the just-launched NW series to the familiar specs of a 10-inch netbook with a colored, textured outer shell and track pad. It likewise brings Sony's familiar "chiclet" keys and relatively unique support for DLNA media streaming to and from supporting devices, like the PlayStation 3 and other PCs.
The design has a relatively high resolution 1366x768 screen but otherwise brings specs common to much of the netbook field, starting with the ubiquitous 1.6GHz Atom processor and moving to 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11n Wi-Fi and its requisite webcam. A standard three-cell battery should last for three hours, but an optional six-cell pack should roughly double that usable lifespan.
Sony considers the VAIO W a premium system and accordingly plans to sell the system in brown, pink and white colors for $499 when it ships in August.
